EMS and Fire Departments Unveil Planned Facility

The February 4, 2025, meeting of the Mountainair Town Council began with a moment of silence for Terry Ballejos, who had recently passed away. Mayor Peter Nieto explained that Ballejos was the sister of council member Richard Torres, mother of Carrie and Franchesca Archuleta, and the mother-in-law of Mountainair Public Works employees Carl and Daniel Archuleta.

Following this remembrance, the town council went through department head reports leading to a significant announcement from EMS Chief Josh Lewis and Fire Chief Joshua Archuleta. Lewis and Fire Chief Archuleta shared depictions of a proposed building for the town’s fire and medical first responders. Lewis explained that the current building used by the Mountainair Fire and Rescue Department was built in 1973, and that it had roof leaks. The proposed new fire station would be a two-story structure with multiple passthrough bays. Lewis expected this project to take approximately three years.

Following the discussion of the proposed fire station, the town council approved a memorandum of understanding between the Mountainair Police Department and the Estancia Police Department that would allow the two departments to operate in each other’s jurisdiction for the purposes of providing each other back-up when needed. The agreement would not allow the two departments to conduct patrols for each other, however.

Next, Town Clerk Cheryl Allen requested authorization to dispose of old evidence in the Mountainair Police Department’s possession no longer needed for litigation. The town council unanimously approved this request.

The council’s final matter for approval was a request to hire contractors to replace one water pump and a backup/bypass pump in the town’s Chavez Memorial Park. The town council approved this request unanimously.

During the mayoral comment segment of the meeting, Mayor Nieto announced two sets of events: on March 29, 2025, the town will have its Hall of Excellence event, with a dance to follow later that evening. For Easter weekend (Easter is on April 20, 2025 this year), there will be a dance on Friday, April 18, 2025, and an Easter Egg hunt on Saturday, April 19, 2025.