Trustees approve premium pay for employees and review audit findings

and, “Every revenue we have is above where we anticipated it.” Both the No vember 2021 Budget Report and November 2021 Municipal Court Cash Journal were approved and accepted.

Next, the board approved Resolution 2021-038 ‘ARPA funding use,’ which allows the village to use a portion of their American Rescue Plan Act funds to distribute a one-time premium payment to their employees, specifically recognizing them as essential workers who faced many challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The board approved a budget adjustment, Resolution 2021-039, in response to the previously mentioned ARPA resolution. Williams said the onetime premium pay amounts were evaluated thoroughly and that it would not affect the village’s finances or plans for other ARPA projects.

The board proceeded to approve Resolution 2021-037, a TPF amendment that allows the village to accept a match waiver they have been granted for the Airport Road project. The board approved Ordinance 272, which regulates the loca tion, hours, and operational details of cannabis growth and sale in the village, similar to that of the City of Grants’ and Cibola County’s ordinances. The board also approved Ordinance 273, which brings the village’s pawn shop regulations up to date in order to match what the State of New Mexico has established. The village does not currently have any pawn shops, noted Milan Clerk Denise Baca, but this ordinance will be in place for future shops.

The board also approved an agreement verifying Wilson &Co. as the construction administration behind the Soccer complex project, a Milan Fire Department COVID-19 policy, a volunteer firefighter pay-per-call policy that allows MFD to accept monies for paying their volunteer firefighters per call and send them to trainings that will make them certified firefighters, a resolution and agreement to accept an NMFA loan to upgrade the Milan Fire Department, and a motion allowing Milan Manager Linda Cooke to sign off on a soccer field changer order that adds storage to the soccer field project. The board also approved directions to staff on publishing two ordinances, one of which would allow the village to bring employees currently below the newly established minimum wage – $11.50 – up to it, and the second would allow village courts to charge more for municipal bond fees. Financial Director Williams said about ten employees qualify for the increase and that it would not hurt the village’s budget.

The auditor arrived just in time and quickly went over the village’s audit with the board. According to the auditor, this fiscal year’s Village of Milan audit went much better than it did last year. The audit received a clean, unmodified opinion, only four findings, and the auditor credited Williams for that. “She did a very good job. She worked very, very hard,” the auditor said of Williams and how she has cleaned up the village’s finances. The auditor also said the village has “well over eight months of cash” in reserves. The auditor did give the board a few minor suggestions, such as increasing upward pressure on rates, bringing up the revenues in their joint utility account, not securing the debt of one account with funds from another account, and continue moving forward with the pooled cash system because it will better secure the village’s finances. The auditor explained the audit’s four findings to the board, and said he believed those findings would be gone by the next audit with a few minor adjustments and the village’s financial team continuing in the direction they are going.

“Your people are doing their job, and they’re doing it well,” the auditor said to the board, continuing, “The tone starts with you... it all starts here and it flows down...” With that, the trustees approved Resolution 2021-040, accepting the fiscal year 2021 audit.

The board went into executive session, where no final action was taken. Upon their return, the trustees approved a motion to obtain professional legal services from a water rights attorney to assist them in an ongoing water rights lawsuit. Manager Cooke said the village has to submit to the state a list of any projects they want to get from the lawsuit.

For department updates, MFD Chief Daniel Urioste reported that for the month of November, MFD had a total of 121 total calls, placing them at 1,028 calls for the year so far, and 11 fires. Urioste discussed assisted with local fires, how the Route 66 Hotel fire was still under investigation but that it was most likely people trying to stay warm, and how they don’t know where the driver of the chemical spill crash went but the chemical companies will be going after the insurance companies for what will likely end up being well over $1 million dollars. Finally, Urioste acknowledged the road department for stepping up to secure an area in which power poles fell down on Old Highway 66 before MFD or MPD were notified.

Sergeant Carlos Vallejos gave an update on behalf of Milan Police Department, reporting that there were 28 calls for service, 11 arrests, 35 business checks, and a 1:24 average response time for the month of November. According to Vallejos, MPD’s new laptops are still on the way, MPD’s stolen-vehicledetecting cameras have been featured on the news, at a recent NMSP conference, and APD is even trying to purchase some. Vallejos also said MPD’s kindergarten basketball team is currently 2-0, MPD is still enforcing the 10 p.m. curfew, and they are continuing to handle the heavy traffic in the Petro area as best they can.

In closing comments, each trustee wished Candi Williams a happy birthday, thanked all village staff for their hard work, and wished everyone a safe, merry Christmas and happy holidays. All village offices will be closing early on December 22 at 3 p.m. and will be closed on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24, 2021 for the Christmas holiday. A Milan Planning and Zoning meeting will be on January 6, 2022 at 4:30 p.m., a Board of Trustees workshop will be on January 13, 2022 at 5:30 p.m., and a Board of Trustees regular meeting will be on January 20, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.