GRANTS, N.M. — The City of Grants swore in Councilor-elect Dolores P. Vallejos (District 1) and returning Councilor Fred Rodarte (District 3) on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 11 a.m. inside the Council Chamber at 600 W. Santa Fe Ave. All councilors except Beverly Michael were present.
City Clerk Frances Salas opened the ceremony, welcomed the crowd, calling the oath “a solemn commitment” to the US Constitution, New Mexico law, and the Grants City Charter.
Grants Municipal Court Judge Michael Cavin then administered the oaths.
The Councilor-Elect in District I would go first, swearing an oath to the Grants Charter.
After being sworn in, Vallejos thanked “my supporters, my friends, my family, standing by me through this time,” and ad- dressed the controversy: “in regards to my residency… my residency change was in no no way intended to seek a position for city council district one. I did absolutely nothing wrong, and the Secretary of State acknowledged that, and relayed that information to the mayor.”
She added, “I also would like to state that all these weekly articles by the Cibola Citizen I feel are in regards to discredit me, and that’s my feeling.”
Vallejos said she is “ready to move forward,” that her “goal is to represent my constituents to the best of my ability,” and urged a focus on “the needs and the priorities of our community.” She closed by saying she looks forward to working “with the mayor, our city manager and the council,” before adding, “God bless you, thank you all, and may all you have a happy New Year.”
Then, the city re-swore the Councilor in District II.
Rodarte, beginning his 16th year on the council, told attendees it had been a “great learning experience,” praised city staff, and said he looked ahead to 2026 projects.
“I’m honored to serve again.” Rodarte began, “I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs in Grants, and I’m proud of the projects we’ve helped break ground on and the decisions we’ve made for the betterment of the city. I try to be respectful to my fellow councilors, the mayor, and the public—if someone calls me, I call back. We’ve got challenges, but we’ve also got momentum. I appreciate our city manager, Andrew Valencia, and the diligence of staff.”
Before leaving the podium, Rodarte said, “And I want to say this most of all: my wife—who is here today—has been with me through thick and thin. No matter what I faced, she’s stood behind me. We’ve been together 52 years, and we look forward to many more, right here in Grants.”
Rodarte then thanked God and added, “It is God who makes our city meaningful, and it is God who blesses us and carries us through every challenge that we go through.”
Councilor George Garcia offered brief congratulatory remarks and emphasized the importance of teamwork that has so far seen success across the city in terms of infrastructure and budget.
After officials were sworn in and the crowd began to talk to each other and move around the city council chambers, one member of the crowd asked, “where’s the cake?”
There was none.
Drama Before the Ceremony
Just before the swearing- in ceremony, Grants Police Chief Maxine Monte entered the City of Grants Chambers with paperwork in hand.
Chief Monte served members of the governing body with a lawsuit filed by former mayor turned private citizen Martin “Modey” Hicks. The lawsuit seeks constitutional review of certain powers within state law he claims were used to neutralize the city charter.
Hicks v. City of Grants, et al. (Case No. D-1333-CV-2025-00354) on Dec. 30. The suit does not challenge the vote count that led to Vallejos’ election. Instead, it asks a district judge to decide how New Mexico’s seven-day deadline for filing candidate challenges (NMSA 1978, § 1-22-10(B)) fits with Grants’ charter rules about residency and the council’s duty to enforce them.
In essence, Hicks argues residency is a continuing qualification set by the charter and shouldn’t be treated as untouchable just because seven days passed after filing.
The case was initially assigned to Judge Amanda Sanchez Villalobos, who recused; the register of actions reflects reassignment to Judge Cindy M. Mercer on Dec. 31.
The swearing-in ceremony began at 11 a.m., councilors were served with the lawsuit just before the ceremony.
Earlier that day, just after 9 a.m., an unseen action occurred.
A new lawsuit, Vallejos v. Hicks (Case No. D-1333CV-2025-00355) was filed before the swearing-in ceremony, seeking a temporary restraining order and other relief.
In her handwritten complaint, Vallejos alleges Hicks caused her emotional distress, and references a Dec. 17 Grants City Council meeting where Hicks raised his voice to the council when discussing alleged charter violations, and says she was told that a private investigator contacted the Assessor’s Office requesting a list of her properties.
Later that same day, Judge Villalobos denied an ex parte Temporary Restraining Order, and referred the matter to Special Master/ Commissioner Simone Seiler, and set a Jan. 15, 2026, 2:30 p.m. hearing for google meets. Part of Vallejos request to the court, if granted, would prevent Hicks from attending Grants City Council meetings.
In her handwritten filing, Vallejos claimed she would file for a separate restraining order against the man she alleges was hired as a private investigator. The Cibola Citizen did not locate these records if they exist by press time, and a police report Vallejos says she filed did not appear in Grants Police Department records; time constraints prevented checking with CCSO or NMSP before deadline.
Grants City Council is Seated Amid Lawsuits
With oaths administered, Vallejos now takes her seat for District 1 and Rodarte continues in District 3, marking his 16th year on the council.
The lawsuits move on a separate track. Vallejos v. Hicks has a hearing set for Jan. 15 before the Special Master to consider whether an injunction should issue and what limits, if any, should be ordered.
Hicks v. City of Grants will proceed through filings and scheduling before a district judge; its core question is whether and how the council must, or may, conduct a residency review under the charter after certification.
There is also a related but unresolved question that has surfaced in recent weeks: dual officeholding.
Vallejos currently serves as Cibola County Assessor. However, Section 8.02(A) of the Grants Charter states, “Except as authorized by state law no elected officer of the city shall hold any other elected public office during the term for which the official was elected.”
In a prior interview, Vallejos said she intended to serve out her assessor term. Whether state law provides an authorization that would permit holding both offices at once is a legal question that could require formal legal guidance.
For now, the council is seated, the charter questions are in court, and a mid-January hearing will test some of the claims made in the restraining order filing. The Citizen will continue to review court records and city documents and will report verified updates as they become available.