Willard Adjusts Voting Location
The Willard Village Council convened on Monday, October 14, 2024, absent mayor pro tem Edward Redondo. According to Mayor David Dean, Redondo was out sick. Council member Roberta Chavez was initially not present for the meeting, thinking it had been canceled due to Indigenous People's Day. After a brief phone call from Council member Fay Chavez, Roberta Chavez joined the village council for what was a brief meeting.
During public comment, one village resident stated that she hoped the village's auditor was working diligently on the outstanding audit document (delayed due to the impact of the Ruidoso fire on the auditor) so the village could get "the clean water money" in the next legislative session. Multiple village residents complained regarding a black and white pit bull roaming loose in Willard, killing chickens and rabbits.
Village Clerk Cassandra Garcia reported to the village council that the county commissioners had directed the county clerk, Linda Jaramillo, to move the village's polling location for the upcoming general and presidential election, as the initial location, the community center, allegedly had disability access issues. Mayor Dean commented that this came about because the inspector had used the wrong entrance into the building. Garcia stated that the polling station was moved to the Torrance County Fire and Rescue District 6 Fire Station. Finally, Garcia stated that, because the regularly-scheduled date for the November village council meeting would fall on Veterans' Day, it should be moved. The council voted to move the November meeting to November 18, 2024.
Finally, the village council and the mayor expressed their sympathy for groundskeeper Landon Wright, whose father had recently passed away.