The City of Belen will lose:

• $147,498 for improvements to the multipurpose park’s fields
• $54,801 for a Belen arsenic removal plan
• $50,000 for arsenic treatment facilities at Wells 6 and 8
• $50,000 for a Miller Road interchange
• $23,070 for improvements to Christopher Road
• $22,647 for the restoration of the Doodlebug

“While these projects have merit, many are more than four years old, or are underfunded and can’t move forward,” Richardson said today in a press release. “We cannot continue to carry forward this money for projects that are not creating jobs, are not providing critical infrastructure and are tying up scarce financial resources.”

The bill originally included cuts to funding for the North Belen interchange reconstruction, which will provide access to Rancho Cielo, and infrastructure for Signet Solar, a major solar technology manufacturer. That funding cut didn’t remain in the final bill signed by Richardson.

The City of Belen might be in violation of the state law because it didn’t approve a new OMA resolution in 2009. The act requires that the city council determine the appropriate notice for its meetings at least once a year.

The proposed OMA resolution is closely modeled after the 2008 resolution approved by the previous city council. That resolution had been modeled after the New Mexico Attorney General’s sample resolution.

If approved on Monday night, the city would again be in compliance with OMA.

Claudette Riley is leaving the GBEDC to concentrate full-time on her husband’s business after several years with the private, nonprofit economic development group. Her resignation was effective March 1.

With Riley out, the GBEDC, a state-supported program of the New Mexico Certified Communities Initiative, is considering how to move forward.

Other than voting on several administrative measures, the board decided to make Andrew DiCamillo, the director of the City of Belen Planning and Zoning Department, the GBEDC’s acting director.

The GBEDC is one of three Belen-based economic organizations, a list that includes the Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce and the Belen MainStreet Partnership.

Mary Lucy Baca took on the additional responsibilities today at Jaramillo’s direction, as Jaramillo continues to consider an appointment to the city manager vacancy.

“I have accepted only on the basis that it would be temporary,” Baca wrote in a memo to city employees.

A draft agenda for Monday’s regular city council meeting includes a closed session during which Baca and the city manager’s position will be discussed.

According to the New Mexico Open Meetings Act, the mayor and city councilors can meet behind closed doors to discuss “limited personnel matters,” which includes promotion and hiring, among other things.

The former city council, which included councilors David Lopez and Terese Ulivarri, met first tonight to conclude its business and adjourn for the last time. Then the new city council met.

After the newly elected mayor and councilors were sworn in, Councilor Mary T. Aragon moved to have Gallegos elected as mayor pro temp. Councilor Jerah R. Cordova seconded. The vote was 3-0.

While the city council has four seats, one seat was vacated prior to the vote when Mayor Rudy Jaramillo was sworn in.

Jaramillo will likely nominate someone to replace him on the council during next Monday’s regular meeting, and the three city councilors will vote to approve or disapprove the nomination.

Tonight’s meeting agenda included a reorganization of city government — the appointment of an interim city manager, as well as a police chief, fire chief and airport director. Jaramillo, while still a councilor during the former council’s meeting, moved to strike the reorganization from the agenda.

Right now, the city manager’s position is vacant because former City Manager Sally Garley’s resignation took effect today. The other appointed positions remain filled by the Torres administration’s appointees.

According to OMA and the October 2008 OMA resolution, the city council is required to pass such a resolution every year in order to be in compliance with state law.

The purpose of the requirement is to help maintain an open government by clearly defining procedures for public notice of meetings and restrictions on how and when special and emergency meetings can be called, among other things.

Councilor Jerah R. Cordova today requested a copy of the city’s most recent OMA resolution and was given the October 2008 resolution.

Should that be the most recent OMA resolution, the city has been in violation of state law since October 2009.

For example, city employees haven’t been allowed to publicly disclose information about the financial condition of their departments, according to a sample agreement obtained by Councilor Jerah R. Cordova.

The agreements also protect information in workers’ compensation claims and medical records.

The list of “confidential information” that shouldn’t be disclosed is accompanied by vague language that curtails employees’ ability to speak to the public, such phrases as “is in no way limited to” and “other related information.”

“Confidential information is not to be discussed outside of City of Belen offices for any reason or with co-workers, except in a required job-related situation,” the agreements read.

According to the agreements, a violation could result in disciplinary action, including termination.

During the private meeting at Pete’s Cafe in Belen, the four officials conversed about the need for cooperation during the first major transition in city government in 12 years.

According to state law, the city government has 21 days from Election Day to organize itself, appointing a city manager, police chief, fire chief, and airport manager.

During that 21-day period, a city councilor also will be appointed to Jaramillo’s seat, which will be vacated tomorrow night when Jaramillo is sworn in as mayor.

Gallegos called for a prudent and smooth transition, a sentiment shared by all.

Friday’s meeting is the only time the four can meet privately and unannounced because they don’t make up a quorum until the two new councilors are sworn in tomorrow night.

After the swearing in, all meetings of a quorum of elected city officials will need to be open to the public or announced as a closed executive session.

Cordova sought to have a Valencia County News-Bulletin reporter present for Friday’s meeting. The idea was nixed.

The meeting is at 6:00pm at Belen City Hall, located at 100 South Main Street in Belen.

Rudy Jaramillo was elected mayor, edging out Tibo Chavez Jr. by just seven votes. Mary T. Aragon and Jerah R. Cordova took the two council seats by comfortable margins.

Kathy Savilla retained her seat as municipal judge, winning absentee voting, early voting and all four Election Day precincts.

MAYOR
558 – Rudy Jaramillo
551 – Tibo Chavez Jr.
321 – Wayne Gallegos
096 – Arturo Sais

COUNCIL
717 – Mary T. Aragon
687 – Jerah R. Cordova
626 – David A. Lopez
434 – A. Terese “Tinky” Ulivarri
005 – Randy J. Garley

JUDGE
678 – Kathy Savilla
505 – Gilbert Garcia
337 – Eleuterio Roy Gonzales

The results will be certified by the Belen City Council tomorrow night during a special meeting that will include the adjournment of the present city council and swearing in of the four newly elected officials.