Police Uniforms and a Possible Chamber of Commerce Return Addressed by Town Council

On the corner of Broadway and Sunset Avenue, opposite the metal cowboy sculpture posting guard at the United Business Bank, Mountainair’s lone police vehicle sat in the growing dark. Sunset came to an end just before the Mountainair Town Council meeting began on December 3, 2024.

During the department head reports to the town council, Public Works Supervisor Carl Archuleta briefed the town council on how the Public Works Department had addressed two sinkholes on Acoma Avenue. Archuleta said that Public Works had installed security cameras in Chavez Memorial Park. Police Chief Paul Lucero noted that there were 57 law enforcement calls in Mountainair during November 2024, with Lucero responding to 27 calls and Torrance County Sheriff's Office responding to 20 calls. Of those calls, Lucero noted, there were two assault calls, one threat of violence, one breaking and entering call, and one dispute between neighbors (note: these descriptors do not correspond to the titles of offenses listed in Chapter 30 of the New Mexico Statutes Annotated, and should not be thought of as specific charges levied against people). Mountainair Fire Department Chief Josh Archuleta reported that the fire department had eight calls in November 2024. EMS Director Josh Lewis said the EMS department had 32 calls in November. Finally, Mayor Peter Nieto noted that the town was coordinating with the Estancia Police Department regarding the possibility of officers from both departments being cross-commissioned, allowing the two police departments to support each other on calls.

The town council considered Mountainair Resolution 2024-29, which included amendments to the town's personnel policies (copies of both resolutions discussed have been requested from the town). Specifically, Mayor Nieto said the resolution would allow the police department to choose its uniform colors. Council member Dustin Kayser moved to approve the resolution, and the town council unanimously voted in favor of this motion.

Resolution 2024-30 was the next matter before the town council, which pertained to a proposal by Javier Sanchez to establish the "Manzano Valley Chamber of Commerce" as a non-profit business organization serving the land grant communities and the Estancia Basin communities. Sanchez stated that the organization would focus its efforts on Southern Torrance County as the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association (EVEDA) focused on Moriarty, in his belief. Sanchez and Myra Pancrazio, Executive Director of EVEDA, have been involved in a dispute since Sanchez attempted to purchase both the Estancia and Mountainair locations of Gustin's Hardware Store, leading to a 2023 statement by Pancrazio at an Estancia Board of Trustees meeting claiming that state law barred Sanchez from using state funding to purchase a hardware store in the municipality because it would harm other businesses. Mayor pro tem Gayle Jones moved to approve the resolution. The town council unanimously voted in favor of the resolution, the final matter before the organization for the night.