12-12-2024 2:01am

Cloudcroft Trustee Meeting Frustrated Citizens: No Vote on Mayors Replacement

Chris Edwards Editor

The Cloudcroft village trustees met in session and the issue of a replacement for the mayor was deferred woth no resolution to a very vocal and frustrated crowd. A link to the trustee meeting can be found at

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/12CJR84FXd9/?mibextid=WC7FNe

As previously reported last week the Cloudcroft Mayor Abruptly Resigns in Special Meeting

The trustees then met this week and with a standing room only crowd, the council deleted the first item off the special meeting’s agenda: the appointment of a new mayor. The deletion of this line item created another round of hostility in the public comments and then a feeling of frustration and being belittled by trustee Tabitha Foster.

The resigned Mayor Craig Turner spoke as a private citizen during public comments. He stated: ."..I want to take a moment to recognize the hard work and dedication of our village clerk. She's been here on the job for just four and a half months and has faced considerable scrutiny. While mistakes have been made, I assure you they were not intentional. The primary reason for these oversights is about time, staff and resources.”

Before Turner completed his comments Pro-tem Maynard interrupted to remind him that his two minutes were up, and was met by boos hissing and cries of “let him finish” from an outraged and frustrated crowd of citizens. Maynard allowed Turner to finish his statement.

After the citizen speakers protested the divisions of the trurstees and completed public comments, Trustee Tabitha Foster, chastised the community members present in the room and the crowd's reaction was far from warm and accepting of her tone nor verbal assault.

In other actions by the trustees. They voted to approve the allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds. Mayor Pro Temp Maynard explained, “Basically this money has to be allocated before the end of the year or obligated or else we risk it being returned to the state.”

The council voted to approve Grants Writer Lauren Groesbeck and Public Works Supervisor Joe John (JJ) Carrizal’s Capital Outlay Requests.

The council voted to approve a nearly three-month extension on probationary periods for new employees, “subject to completion of performance evaluations.”

The council approved the hire of a new village attorney, Zach Cook. Cook is a former Republican member of the New Mexico House of Representatives representing District 56 from his January 16, 2009 appointment by Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of W. C. Williams until 2022.

Deputy Clerk Suzanne Peralta was sworn in as Interim Clerk.

Police Chief Roger Schoolcraft announced one new hire for the village another police officer, Mike Mackewich. Mackewich reenters the force after retirement from the Otero County Sheriff’s Office in 2012. He became a Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office reserve deputy until 2022. The Cloudcroft police department has struggled with staffing as previously reported by AlamogordoTownNews.org.

The meezing then went into closed executive session to discuss personnel matters. The trustees then went back into public session and voted to send the closed door agenda items to the Municipal League for further review and assessment.

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