Grants focuses on reopening and fixing finances
GRANTS, N.M. - The April 26 City of Grants meeting included approval of the new city manager, Vanessa Chavez.
The appointment by Mayor Martin “Modey” Hicks was approved, with Councilors Fred Rodarte and Erik Garcia voting yes, Rick Lucero and Fred Padilla voting no, and the mayor voting yes as the tie breaker.
Councilor Rodarte commented on how he had the opportunity to talk with Chavez. He said that he was “impressed with what she proposed, what she sees as coming into the city, and enlisting the help of those that would help her fit into that position, proposing monthly finance reports, finances for the city council so that we could be kept abreast on what’s going on with the finances of the city, and I thought about it long and hard Vanessa, and I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt, and welcome aboard.”
Limited re-opening
A Zoom call from Grants Public Library Director Nadine Jiron and Grants Recreation Department Director Joaquin Jiron provided updates on reopening the library and kickstarting recreational activities along with Future Foundation Family Center programs in Grants.
The mayor asked the library director, “You ready to go?”
She responded, “We are, we’ve been ready to go for a while.”
The library planned to open on Monday, May 3, at 50 percent capacity, according to the director.
The City has been able to put together many successful and safe camps within the past months and is now holding the registration process for youth and adult summer softball leagues, according to Recreation Director J. Jiron.
The FFFC, which houses the city recreation department, is currently only providing open gym services, but once the recreation department completes the hiring process for those who oversee upcoming activities, the center will begin offering many programs. Director J. Jiron also hopes to establish Riverwalk outdoor theater concerts again.
“It’s safe to say we are all excited to get things going again and look forward to having a great summer of recreational activities for the kids and adults,” said the recreation director.
City proclamation
The mayor read a proclamation for April 26 as being Joe R. Valencia Day, in celebration of Deputy Chief Joe R. Valencia’s 55 years of service to the community as a volunteer firefighter with Grants Fire and Rescue.
Valencia began as a volunteer on February 11, 1966 and became Deputy Chief in 2011. According to a presentation given by Chief Robert Hayes, Grants Fire and Rescue is a family organization and Valencia contributed in many ways, with his legacy continuing with two of his sons who are a part of the GFD family. Hayes also pointed out that Valencia is not retiring and intends continuing with his services. Valencia urged more people to become volunteer firefighters.
“If I can do it, you guys can do it,” said Valencia, who also received gifts that included his original application from 1966 encased in a frame and an engraved axe.
Financial issues
Cibola County Finance Director Paul Ludi’s presentation highlighted the City’s finances and included budget adjustment recommendations.
Ludi has been the County finance director for about three years now, and he has a plethora of financial background experience with many different entities. During his presentation, Ludi pointed out that the City currently has 13 cash deficits in the funds, and his proposed budget adjustments would fix that.
“This is exactly what goes on. It’s a process. You find things, you deal with them, you come back, and you report on how they’re fixed,” explained Ludi.
He offered advice regarding the finances, how the Council organizes reports, what documents they use, how they view separate accounts, and how they go through making budget adjustments. The councilors approved the budget adjustments.
They subsequently approved two sewer ordinances, updating an ordinance that was last revised in 1991. They approved a time extension for an NMDOT agreement that had to do with spending a certain amount of fund money for projects like the First Street project before a certain deadline.
Covered arena and economic development
The council approved a proposal for professional structural engineering services and master planning for a multi-purpose/rodeo arena in the area.
“This has been a big dream to come true,” said Grants Rodeo Association President Dominic Moleres.
The GRA president explained that the bigger, nicer, roof-covered arena will be able to bring in larger rodeo events, and thus more business for the community because the participants and audiences will be staying at the local hotels and eating at the local restaurants. Moleres added that his hopes are for it to be more than just a rodeo arena, but a multi-purpose arena in which they could have car shows, concerts, mud volleyball, and wide variety of other events. According to a Smith Engineering representative, the design and planning for the project should be complete around the wintertime, and construction, which they predict will take about six months, may begin shortly afterwards.
Saying goodbye
The councilors and mayor thanked City Clerk Jean Ann Clemons for her time with the City, as she will be leaving.
“You’ve been such an excellent person to the council, the mayor, and I mean, you – we hate to see you go, but we understand, and I wish you the best in life,” said Councilor Garcia.
The council congratulated and welcomed new City Manager Vanessa Chavez.
A City of Grants special 6 p.m. meeting, May 5, was scheduled with Grants Police Department and Cibola General Hospital to discuss the department’s PSA [public service aide] program with the hospital board.
The mayor commented on uranium levels in the municipal water supply, acknowledged that Homestake Mining Company is leaving, called for water levels to be tested yearly rather than quadrennially, mentioned the City’s lawyers, and referred to a recent story in an Albuquerque newspaper that referenced Grants.
Visit cityofgrants.net or call 505-287-7927 for more information.