A New City Charter for Grants

GRANTS, N.M. – Councilwoman Beverly Michael is heading the efforts to rewrite the Grants City Charter. A city charter can help improve governance in a limited geographic area by giving local officials authority to implement the best legal and administrative practices and commercial regulations.

According to Councilwoman Michael, the current charter is old and needs adjustment to changing statutes and state laws. The councilwoman said this new charter will be clearer in its wording and it will be set for ballot review and ready to be voted on by citizens in the 2024 municipal election.

She stated a part of the process is to appoint seven members of the community to sit on the advisory committee. Mayor Erik Garcia holds the power of appointments. The councilwoman stated five members have been appointed. She said the mayor has rejected two well-qualified individuals. Councilwoman Michael stated she did not understand why they were rejected and Mayor Garcia was unavailable for an interview.

The councilwoman stated Two more appointees are needed before forward progress can continue. One person from District 1 and another at-large member will complete the committee. Once everyone is in place, it should take four months to get the work completed.

Rewriting the Land Use code was also discussed. Councilwoman Michael said these rules need clarity and consistency. She stated there was a study done in 2019 to rewrite the Land Use laws, but it was not acted on, and now another study is needed to update the previous one which nobody read.

Getting Candid

Her first year as a councilwoman is quickly approaching and she candidly commented on various topics. She stated one of the most important aspects of government is being transparent with the public and remaining nonpartisan to get the work done for the citizens of Grants. She stated although it was an unlikely fit with Councilman George “Gunny’ Garcia, they are a fit concerning finances and they believe in asking questions for clearer answers.

She also mentioned there are no Sunshine Laws regarding the Gross Receipts Tax (GRT). “We’re still paying for things from 1978,” she said. Councilwoman Michael also said when the state lowered the GRT the city manager recommended the city increase the GRT by .25 percent for public safety. She said that citizens, especially business owners, were against raising the GRT.

Councilwoman Michael stated the city needed to spend wisely this year and plan for next year. Initially, the arena project at the rodeo grounds was $2.5 million, and an extra $5 million is needed for completion. She believes in the rodeo grounds project; she said, “but the city’s infrastructure is blowing up.” She said one of the biggest needs is funding for pressure release valves for city water.

Another issue Councilor Michael is concerned with is the mayor inviting the Grants Police Department to every council meeting to discuss not having enough police officers and equipment to address public safety. Councilwoman Michael said meetings are streamed live and accessible to the public. She said it greenlights criminals to carry out illegal activities and invites others from surrounding areas to come and take advantage of the issues GPD is currently facing. She stated the city council is aware of the issues and are trying to correct the problem, she said the mayor needs to leave it off the agenda to stop inviting criminal activity.

Another issue she mentioned is Grants has no jail. Currently, those arrested are sent to Core Civic in Milan. She said, if an individual is under the influence, they must be taken to the hospital to be medically cleared. If the individual has a blood content too high, they must stay in the hospital until they are medically cleared. The city pays the hospital bill, the prison to house them, and the prison staff to watch them she said.

Councilwoman Michael stated she would like to see a medical detox center come into Grants. She said Dr. Valdivia’s old office on 1208 Bonita Street would be a great place for triage and referring. “It is already structured to separate the men from women,” she said. She also stated the problem is people are not sent to proper centers for treatment. Councilwoman Michael talked about a transitional system used in Texas to get people off the street. “Funding through grants is available for this, but our city does not ask,” she said.

Overall, Councilor Michael said she wants transparency and financial responsibility for the City of Grants.