GRANTS, N.M.— Cibola County’s latest quarterly financial report, presented at the Cibola County Commission Meeting, revealed significant economic developments.
The county’s monthly data question confirmed that Cibola County’s overall Gross Receipt Tax (GRT) by Industry increased by $5,063,226 in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 compared to the third quarter of the previous year. Collected at the state level by the New Mexico Economic Development Department, this broad market figure reveals a net 4% increase in the overall Matched Taxable Gross Receipts (MTGR), driven by expansion across 11 distinct industries.
While a $10.6 million yearover-year decline hit the localized construction sector, heavy industrial and technological gains fully closed the gap. The top two expanding sectors were Administrative/ Support & Waste Management/Remediation—with 150% growth to yield a near $4 million increase—followed closely by a 71% surge in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, adding over $3.25 million to the local commerce loop.
While overall macro numbers trended upward, the finance department revealed an ongoing administrative gridlock regarding the internal tax operating account. County Manager Kate Fletcher explained, “Our finance reports and budgets are located on our finance department webpage. Our counties reconciled through July 31st, 2026, for our main operating account. No change in the tax operating account reconciliation at this time. We're still stuck in January 2025.” Fletcher went on to say that she had “been touching base… every week.” However, Fletcher said that the pause is due to a mandatory, one-sided journal entry that can only be dealt with by the County Treasurer.
To normalize local fund structures and clean up minor errors, the commission voted unanimously to adopt Budget Adjustment Resolution #2026-46. The first adjustment implements an increase in the Road Department fund’s Equipment Repairs line. While balancing and constructing the final county budget, moving this specific ledger from the federal Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund back to the stand road fund was accidentally overlooked.
The second adjustment increased Special Projects inside the General Fund’s Commission budget to clear a path for immediate structural repairs on the flooddamaged corridors of County Road 19A and Cantina Acres.This also includes transferring out of the 647 fund into the 648 fund. This structural movement provides the county with authorization to cover and spend cash on the Water Trust Board engineering costs. Notably, Regarding the “increases” Fletcher said, “We’re not adding more money. We’re cleaning up our error that it fell off.”