The fight for freedom is never over
Dear Editor;
I'm confronted every day with the reasons why I decided to run.
I see Trump and Biden continuing the wars overseas. How many more lives are we going to sacrifice in this unending quagmire?
I hear Trump and Biden speaking about their authority as though they are the ones who grant you freedom. They do not think twice about using government as an instrument to enforce their will or the will of their followers.
Then, we have the recent news of Breonna Taylor. And my heart aches with pain. The government can kick in your door, and you have no right to respond. The war on drugs has gone too far. And sadly, I see no difference between Trump and Biden.
I will be frank with you, Cibola.
The reason I decided to run for office is bigger than the office itself. It's bigger than this one-time election.
We are out to build a movement. The future is ours because the American people share our ideas and we won't be silenced.
I am fighting every day to build this movement. We have seen the liberty movement grow, but I'm afraid we need to do more to bring in voters to our cause.
We don't have the corporate media.
We don't have the laws on our side.
We do have YOU.
You will help us bring the message of liberty to new voters and inspire a new generation of liberty activists.
United State Presidential Candidate Jo Jorgensen (L)
‘Incomplete and inaccurate’
Dear Editor;
Your front-page story on Sept. 23, was incomplete and inaccurate. The headline is indeed inflammatory, but you fail to mention the rest of the story. Such as the fact that the Mayor has already put the City Manager, Laura Jaramillo “on administrative leave,” two times now. Twice the members of the City Council have considered this matter in meetings and twice they have unanimously voted to keep her. She clearly has the confidence of the governing body, except for the Mayor. By continuing to harass the Manager and threaten to sue the City if the Council will not support him is just plain wrong. Your statement that the live Facebook feed of the meeting was cut off “While Hicks was addressing the council …“before adjourning” is just plain false.
Mayor Hicks’ anger is putrefying the City of Grants. He is projecting onto others, his own behavior and rage that is on display during meetings is also just wrong. For example, no one can disagree that Modey has been a “political activist,” a term he uses vilely to place on Laura. He makes unsubstantiated claims that someone has made a death threat to him, so now he postures aggressively with a gun again, during the meeting that you also fail to mention. He is also allowing any random citizen to carry a firearm on City property and wear their guns during City Council meetings. This from the same person who cancelled a bike rally, “because everyone is carrying guns and something bad is going to happen,” I believe were his own words. Well, this is not who we are. What he is creating is not the Grants, New Mexico that I grew up in.
In your cry of insubordination by the City Manager, you failed to mention any of the good things she has worked on to make our town better. As the Manager, her job has been to help find money for projects or other needs of the city. Most recently she collaborated with the County Manager Kate Fletcher and Milan Manager Sarah Austin, to secure 2 million dollars in COVID Relief Funds for small businesses in Cibola County. But you didn’t put that in until somewhere at the end of an opinion piece on one of the back pages. Mrs. Jaramillo has worked during her term on everything that the Mayor takes claim for; when in reality all he does is pound a gavel. I guess I should mention that he will shave for money for projects. He might even call another department head to get something done. The City has had good fiscal standing under Mrs. Jaramillo’s leadership. The department heads in all areas appear to work cooperatively and hard for the City. Why can’t the Mayor do it?
You also did not report how he changed the Agenda for the Regular Council meeting that was supposed to happen on September 14th. That Agenda had two funding items with deadlines on it for 2 resolutions required for our USDA Loan Wastewater Improvement Systems. Hicks removed all items on that agenda and put only the termination of contract for the Manager. The City Council refused to play his game, but had to call a Special Meeting for the following day, to take care of the real important business.
In closing, you know that I am working on the petition to recall the Mayor. We have gone through all due process on this matter under the NM Recall Act. I want to ask the citizens of Grants to strongly consider signing this petition that, if successful, will require a special election on the matter of Recall. It is time to put a stop to Hicks now interfering with important city operations, and filing frivolous lawsuits to try to intimidate the Council that will be nothing but costly to the city. Anyone who wants to sign must be registered to vote in City of Grants elections. We are at City Hall Park on Saturdays from 9am to noon. Follow us or contact me at Recall Mayor Modey on Facebook. Let’s end this madness. Sign the petition!
Sincerely,
Beverly Michael
Citizen of Grants
Keeping the government open
Dear Editor;
At a time when families are struggling to pay their bills and make ends meet, Congress should be doing all it can to work together and find solutions. The American people cannot afford a government shutdown, so I’m glad we could pass this stopgap measure as we continue negotiations over longerterm funding. This short-term deal ensures our local law enforcement can continue to receive essential funding through programs like the COPS grant, our infrastructure projects stay funded through BUILD grants, and our defense programs have what they need to enhance our national security.
US Representative Xochitl Torres Small (D)
Editor’s notes: The Cibola Citizen seeks and welcomes letters to the editor on any and all topics. All letters must be no longer than 500 words (one full page, single spaced) and contain the writer’s name and contact phone number for verification. Unsigned letters will not be printed. The Cibola Citizen reserves the right to edit any and all submissions.