Blessings be upon Cibola County
Dear Editor:
The Cibola County Manager, Kate Fletcher, just informed the Commission that our County has been the recipient of the GFOA Award from the State of New Mexico for best budget management. This is huge. This is an honor that generally goes to the larger counties such as Bernalillo, Santa Fe, and Dona Ana. To be number one out of 33 counties is such an honor. It is a fulfillment of a promise that we made before being elected to bring transparency and accountability to Cibola County's finances.
Thank you, Kate Fletcher, for making the budget your number one priority from day one. Your leadership has brought honor to our small county. Thank you, Paul Ludi, for being the best budget director in the State of New Mexico. Thank you to Wendy and the rest of the administrative staff that makes this all happen. Thank you to the Commissioners that have been steadfast in putting the county’s interests before their own.
This is the beginning of more great things to come. As we have cleaned up our County's finances, we have also worked very hard to make Cibola County the cleanest county in New Mexico. As we continue forward, businesses will come, bringing good paying jobs for those that want to work, and opportunities for our youth to grow and to flourish. Thank you everyone that pitches in to make this happen. May the Lord's greatest blessings be upon Cibola County and upon all that live within it.
Robert S. Windhorst
Cibola County Commissioner
District 4
NO MASKS, too late now!
Dear Editor:
When I was a teenager, I saw signs at stores or small business “NO SHIRT NO SHOES NO SERVCICE”. I can also remember signs in stores that read “WE RESERVE THE RIGHT RO REFUSE SERVICE FOR ANY REASON”. Now when I go into a store it reads “Masks Required & Stay 6 Feet Apart”. Most people are wearing them a few are not. Why is no one in the store saying anything to ones who are not. Walmart has a new policy not POSTED on the doors that they no longer allow open firearm carry. Walmart’s in New Mexico have taken all the firearms out and they no longer sell ammunition or will not restock it. Now we are being told if you are vaccinated you need not wear a mask inside a store. So will the stores take down the mask signs, and make me prove I am vaccinated? I even see small stickers on the floor telling me which way to shop down an aisle, but most people ignore them. I know Walmart has cameras on you to make sure your do not shop lift, guess they don’t care about other stuff. No employee ever says anything to you if you go against the signs or stickers on the floor. As a retired police officer of many years stores often called police to arrest people who stole things in the store, where drunk, or even brothering other customers. If they told you to leave for whatever reason you could be arrested for criminal trespass when the police showed up. The police would rather not arrest you, so they often wrote you a non-traffic ticket. You were often banded from the store and told you would be arrested if you came back. Some stores kept your picture or information so they could remember you. Keep in mind our state government recently fined and or threatened stores in Grants to stay closed, follow the mask rules or get a big fine! Many store employees were assaulted or threatened when they did try to stop people at their doors for not wearing a mask. I am quite sure the law in most states is the same, and they should have just called the police instead of trying to get physical with someone. Its kind of like black Friday when people waiting in line go crazy and rush the doors to be the first one to get the 52-inch tv on sale. Seen lots of fights in stores in the past even before Covid-19 was a problem during the holidays. I know for a fact Walmart trains and has a plan for all the stores when they have a lost child reported to them. A code is announced over the loudspeaker and the doors are locked down until the child is found. Guess they should have come up with a drill for NO MASKS, too late now!
Mr. Harry L. Hall
USAF Veteran Retired Sheriff Lt
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.