Cloudcroft Stops Hauling Water: Plus, Key Takeaways from Last Night’s Meeting
Council also approves $738K equipment grant, $47K in lodgers tax funding to the Chamber of Commerce, employee raises, and begins planning for wastewater plant updates
The Village of Cloudcroft’s February 17 regular session covered department updates, personnel actions, infrastructure grants, lodgers tax allocations, license renewals, and a real property sale.
The meeting concluded with a closed session regarding pending litigation.
Water System Update
Public Works Supervisor J.J. Carrizal reported significant progress following a major water leak repair. Before the fix, the system was pushing an average of 167,000 gallons per day — roughly 5 million gallons per month — with more than 2 million gallons per month “lost into the ground,” he noted.
After the repair, the best single-night performance recorded was 17 gallons per minute (gpms) on the 8-inch line, compared to the previous 70+ gpms at night.
The village stopped hauling water on or around January 31, Carrizal said.
The west pond has been converted to a 1-million-gallon raw water storage reservoir. The 500,000-gallon reservoir is “recovering, sitting at 24 feet of water” against a 40-foot capacity. Carrizal said the village is working with engineering firm CDM Smith on the next steps for well optimization.
Carrizal says if customers have the EyeOn Water app and see water usage when they aren’t home, they should call 575-682-2441 to report it.
Zoning Enforcement
In his report, Trustee Keith Hamilton told the council the village has been without active zoning enforcement for an extended period. “There’s a lot of catch-up that we need to do,” he said.
Planning & Zoning Chair Rick Donnelly confirmed the board meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. in chambers. He said public workshops are planned to discuss potential ordinance changes, with simpler items tackled first.
Trustee Matt Willett raised light pollution as a specific priority. “We have this amazing asset of the dark skies,” he said, noting that current light ordinances have not been consistently enforced.
Volunteer Fire Chief Erich Wuersching announced that Otero County will hold a Community Wildfire Protection Plan public meeting on March 5th at Cloudcroft Middle School, from 6–8 p.m. “All Otero County residents are welcome,” he said.
Library Report
Library Director Sandra Barr said library numbers are trending upward. New services include her proctoring LSATs and GREs and a collaboration with Sunspot Solar Observatory for summer telescope work.
A new intern, Maitlyn Barnett, has been hired and will be paid by Cloudcroft High School during the school year, Barr said. She added that the library has $1,500 in new books and needs to match $2,500 for a GO Bond grant to avoid losing the funds.
Barr raised utility costs as a concern, noting that the library is currently covering the entire building’s costs. She requested the governing body’s support in addressing the budget.
On Thursday, February 19th, Barr, a former professor and PhD in Art History, will present on forgery and fraud in art from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the library.
Down to Business
The council voted on a full docket:
The sale of village-owned real property to Debbie Tate at $2.71 per square foot, totaling $2,597.05. The lower of two comparable sale prices was chosen because the property is “non-buildable” and has historically been used as a driveway.
$1-an-hour raises for employees following a six-month probationary period: Public Works employees David Hunter and Joe Scarfe, and Library Director Sandra Barr.
The appointment of Pastor Larry Evans as chaplain for the Village of Cloudcroft Police Department.
Jessie Willett was unanimously appointed to the Parks and Recreation Board by council vote. The council discussed the legal and ethical considerations of spouses serving together on an advisory board, with Trustee Matt Willett serving as the Parks and Recreation Chair. Village Attorney Zach Cook confirmed it is not prohibited by state statute.
The council accepted a bid from Lincoln Welding & Fabrication for a new informational kiosk at Elevation Park. The kiosk will include trail maps and community event posting areas, modeled on Forest Service kiosks. The project is funded through a $32,000 trails grant, with $12,500 in required village in-kind match.
CDM Smith engineer Chad Johnson presented a scope of work for a preliminary engineering report at a cost of $92,000. Johnson said the report would assess technologies, costs, and funding options for a new plant. The current plant is aging, and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has issued a new draft discharge permit imposing nitrogen limits.
A new plant is estimated to be three-to-five years out depending on funding, Johnson said. A modular “package plant” approach is preferred to minimize service interruption. Johnson said one of the two existing treatment trains could remain online while the other is replaced, meaning residents would see no outage.
The council voted to postpone approval to the March meeting so members could review the written proposal. Village officials said they believe the study cost would be covered by existing grant funding.
The council allocated $47,057 in lodgers tax funds to the Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce.
The total, per Lodgers Tax Advisory Board Chair Julie Bragg: $22,690 for Mayfair and Beer Fest promotional costs; $11,295 in retroactive publication reimbursements; $6,370 for a new marquee sign; and $6,702 in non-promotional Mayfair and Beer Fest costs.
The chamber’s new digital marquee sign must comply with the village’s light ordinance; a chamber representative said the sign can be dimmed on a timer or remotely.
Bragg presented a proposal for a 15-hours-a-month administrative position to handle lodgers tax compliance, collections, award letters, and accounting, paid for by the lodger’s tax fund. The council agreed the village clerk would handle these duties in the interim. Formal action was postponed to the April meeting to align with the budget process.
The council unanimously approved accepting $738,000 in grant funding from the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration to purchase a motor grader, backhoe, dump truck, and maintenance equipment. No village match is required.
The council unanimously voted to decline Water Trust Board Project No. WPF-6553, a water storage, conveyance, and delivery grant. Trustee Hamilton said the village could not meet the documentation requirements, including a budget audit, by the following day’s deadline, and made a motion to decline. Hamilton asked if the project could be funded separately in the future. Carrizal said, “Yes.”
He later told the Reader, “We can approach the Water Trust Board again when we have the proper documentation and financial information.”
The council approved the fourth and final quarter financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Village Clerk Jini Turri said approval was a necessary step before the current 2025–26 budget can be fully adopted in the state accounting system. She noted the village is currently operating on a partially unapproved budget, with only the general fund and water/sewer fund formally approved.
License Agreements, More Appointments
Cloudcroft Art Society: Renewed through December 31, 2026. Rent is based on a percentage of building utilities. Access code issues that had previously locked the group out of meetings were resolved at the meeting; the mayor agreed to provide updated codes.
Cloudcroft Art Workshops: Approved for June–August 2027, allowing the organization to sign artist contracts in advances.
The council appointed J.J. Carrizal as representative to the Southeastern Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SERTPO), with Trustee Hamilton as alternate.
Mayor Dusty Wiley was designated as the village’s representative to the Southeastern New Mexico Economic Development District Council of Governments (SNMEDD COG), with Trustee McCoy as alternate.
Closed Session
The meeting recessed into closed session to discuss attorney-client privileged matters related to threatened or pending litigation—more on that, here.
No public action was reported following the session.
After more than two hours since the start, the meeting adjourned.
Calling all creatives:
NM Creative Industries Division “CreativeCon” coming to Carlsbad, March 7th
Learn about sponsorship opportunities for your business in support of the Reader. Contact us for more information at sponsorship-info@cloudcroftreader.com
Cloudcroft Reader is proud to be sponsored in part by great companies like:
Noisy Water Winery
Family-owned winery crafting thoughtfully made wines from New Mexico grapes, inspired by mountain living.Be in the Mountains Yoga & Massage
A cozy space for yoga and massage therapy at the Village PlazaOsha Trail Depot
Your destination for unique, hand-crafted treasuresJohn R. Battle, CPA, CVA, MAFF, CMAA
Personal & Business Taxes, Tax Planning & ConsultingThe Stove and Spa Store
We offer a variety of services to ensure your hearth and spa dreams are met!The Lodge at Cloudcroft
Landmark Choice Among New Mexico ResortsSacramento Camp & Conference Center
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Adventure Within: Transformative Yoga, Ayurvedic Wisdom, Nourishing Organics, Fair Trade BoutiqueOff the Beaten Path
Eclectic gifts & original artworkFuture Real Estate
Raise your expectations.Ski Cloudcroft
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✨ Book your glow-up today✨The Elk Shed
Purveyors of Southwest Mountain Goods & FineryThe PAC
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For all the ways you love to connectBre Hope Media
Professional photo and video services