GRANTS, N.M. – The March edition of Coffee with the Managers brought all three local managers to the table for a wide-ranging discussion on the economic fallout of House Bill 9, longterm development planning in Milan, infrastructure work in Grants, wildfire preparedness, and the realities of local government funding.
Cibola County Manager Kate Fletcher led much of the discussion during the monthly public meeting, which gives residents a chance to hear directly from local officials and ask questions about issues affecting the county, the City of Grants, and the Village of Milan.
The biggest topic of the morning remained House Bill 9, the new state law that bars local governments from contracting with federal immigration authorities for detention services.
Fletcher said the bill has now been signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and will take effect May 20, setting in motion a 60-day transition period for the county’s current arrangement involving the Cibola County Correctional Center.
“We are unable as local government to do those contracts,” Fletcher explained, adding that county officials spent the legislative session fighting both the bill itself and its economic consequences.
She explained that local leaders teamed up, and with after a significant amount of work in an extraordinarily short amount of time were able to secure a one-year financial backstop in the state budget to help offset lost county revenue if Core-Civic, the private company operating the Milan prison, leaves New Mexico or changes its arrangement in a way that removes the county from the process.
At the same time, Fletcher said there are still discussions about the possibility of CoreCivic pursuing a direct federal contract.
If that happens, she said, the county would lose a relatively small administrative fee, but local officials would accept that loss if it means the prison jobs remain in Cibola County.
“The jobs are more important,” Fletcher said.
Still, she warned that a direct contract would also mean less local oversight because the county would no longer be the contracting entity. She said that under the current arrangement, local government has more ability to inspect conditions and hold the facility accountable.
Milan’s Budget Vulnerability Sparks Regional Push
The House Bill 9 debate also sharpened attention on just how much one private employer can affect the Village of Milan.
Village of Milan Manager Candi Williams said the total impact of a CoreCivic departure could range from $1.6 million to $2.1 million, a staggering amount for a village operating on roughly a $4 million general fund budget.
Williams said CoreCivic contributes between $800,000 and $1.2 million annually in gross receipts tax, accounts for about 53% of Milan’s property tax base, and represents roughly $250,000 annually in water and sewer revenue.
“It was eye-opening,” Williams said.
She emphasized that the village has spent years trying to diversify its economy, but the prison’s outsized role showed local governments they cannot afford to rely so heavily on one business.
That concern is now helping drive a broader regional push behind the Milan Industrial Park, a project local officials hope can create a more stable economic future.
Williams said the industrial park has been in development for years and recently achieved a major milestone: it is now recognized through the state’s strategic site readiness process, placing it among a short list of New Mexico sites prepared for business recruitment.
The industrial park includes roughly 492 acres of developable land near the Kearns Park baseball fields area in Milan stretching to Route 66, with rail access and preliminary plans already in place.
Williams said the site is now positioned to compete for a share of about $27 million in state site-readiness funding, money that can help support infrastructure and development.
Local officials are now trying to build united support around the project, with Fletcher urging all three governments to stay focused and work together.
“If we can help and assist Milan as a county, as a city, I believe we can get this done in three years,” Fletcher said.
A special public meeting on the industrial park was scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, March 9 at the Cibola County Commission Chamber, where additional plans and presentations were expected.
Tourism Ideas Raised by Public
During public comment, one resident suggested the region should do more to bring in tourism through offroad recreation, jeep rallies, trail use, and endurance events that would draw visitors to local motels, restaurants, and shops.
Officials agreed tourism remains important, but said economic development planning must also be strategic, especially in choosing the kinds of businesses that make sense for the region.
Williams said the industrial park gives local leaders a chance to think carefully about what kinds of employers they want to recruit. Water-intensive industries, for example, may not be a good fit.
Grants Gives Project Updates
City of Grants Manager Andrew Valencia gave a broad update on city projects, highlighting continued work in public safety, parks, utilities, and road infrastructure.
Valencia said the first phase of new school safety work had already begun, with a second phase expected to be completed in May. Dirt work for a new fire station at El Park is expected to start next month, and HVAC upgrades are underway or in planning at several city facilities, including the recreation center gym and the animal shelter.
He also said work on Washington Avenue should be completed within the next couple of weeks after delays involving the gas company.
Additional city projects include fencing and lighting replacements at baseball fields on Sakelares, a new basketball court at Truman Park, wastewater system work, and planning or design on roads including East Roosevelt, West Roosevelt, Davis Street, and the Sakelares corridor.
Valencia said the city currently has roughly $30 million in projects moving through various stages, though he stressed that reimbursement- based funding means local governments often must move carefully and complete work in phases.
“We’re just being strategic on how we’re doing that,” Valencia said.
Residents Press City Over Maintenance
The sharpest exchange of the morning came when residents criticized the appearance of parts of Grants, including parks, trails, and especially the golf course.
One speaker complained that some existing amenities are not being maintained and argued the city should focus on taking care of what it already has before extending trails or launching new projects.
Valencia responded calmly, acknowledging the frustration and saying he sees the same issues residents see.
“I believe in our workforce. I believe in what they’re trying to do,” Valencia said. “It is not something that has happened overnight. It is 10 years’ worth of neglect from this city. It is something that won’t be improved overnight.”
He said the problems bother him personally and that he takes residents’ criticism seriously.
“My grandchildren live here,” Valencia said. “I want them to have a good place to live and a good place to grow up.”
He also noted that city priorities must be balanced carefully and that not every idea can move forward at once, even if it is part of someone’s broader vision.
Chairman of the Cibola County Commission Ralph Lucero asked why the city no longer uses inmate work crews the way it did in the past for large-scale cleanup efforts. Officials said some inmate work opportunities still exist through state transportation- related programs, but the broader funding structure that once supported that kind of municipal labor is no longer what it used to be making it more difficult and expensive to have inmates do that work.
Water and Sewer Work Continues in Milan
Williams also fielded questions about road and sewer projects in Milan.
She said Airport Road is complete, though a section near the bridge had to be reopened during the warranty period after separation developed underneath. Rather than patch the issue, she said, the village chose to fully correct that section.
She also described a major sewer improvement effort in which the village used trenchless rehabilitation methods to avoid tearing up roads throughout town. That project, supported by about $9 million in funding, addressed roughly 70% of Milan’s sewer lines, many of which date back to the 1950s.
Williams said the village has been working strategically for years to address core infrastructure needs while managing the limits of a small budget.
Milan Municipal Pool Update
Williams said Milan is also still searching for enough money to replace its old pool facility.
She said about $2 million in capital outlay has been committed, but the full cost to tear down the existing structure and build a new one is closer to $9 million.
The village plans to use available funds to at least demolish the old structure and begin work on the shell of a replacement while continuing to pursue additional grants.
Williams noted that the pool is not just a recreation issue but also tied to the industrial park’s site-readiness goals, since quality-of-life amenities matter when competing for new development.
Wildfire Concerns and Firewise Planning
Wildfire risk also came up during the meeting, with residents asking about dry conditions in the Zuni Mountains and whether enough is being done to reduce danger around homes.
Fletcher said county officials have been meeting with the Forest Service and local emergency personnel and are looking at how to use available funding to improve mitigation and public education.
She said the county is especially concerned about vulnerable areas such as Lobo Canyon and wants to use its Community Wildfire Protection Plan to identify homes at greatest risk.
Fletcher said officials are considering a contractorbased Firewise effort that would help property owners understand what needs to be cleared or improved around homes to make them more defensible during a wildfire.
She stressed that local governments cannot simply go onto private land and perform that work themselves, but they can help educate, connect property owners with resources, and maintain public easements and roadsides.
“If there’s less fuel, there’s less fire,” Fletcher said.
Valencia added that city staff, including fire, police, code enforcement and public works, are also identifying overgrown properties and trying to push cleanup where possible.
Questions Raised About Aquifer Withdrawals
Residents also raised concerns about proposed water withdrawals and whether local governments are formally objecting to activity that could affect area aquifers.
Fletcher said she had reached out for more information and that county officials are still trying to determine exactly what is being proposed and what legal options may be available.
Valencia said the City of Grants had also reached out because of concerns about protecting local water sources and are waiting to hear back Williams said the Village of Milan has contacted their water attorneys and investigating.
All three said more information is needed before any formal action can be considered.
Election Season Approaching
County Clerk Natalie Grine reminded residents that March 10 is filing day for candidates seeking county office, including commission and sheriff positions. She also said the clerk’s office is continuing to recruit poll workers and encouraged interested residents to contact the office.
Fletcher noted that the county has prepared handbooks for candidates running for various offices and stressed the importance of training for newly elected officials.
“We all want to fix stuff,” Fletcher said, “but there are certain things we have to do because we work through statutes, we work through laws.”
By publication of this article, filing day will be complete and the New Mexico Primary Election will be held June 2, 2026.
As the meeting wrapped up, officials said the public dialogue remains one of the most important parts of Coffee with the Managers.