Final 2025 Village Council Meeting: 5 Takeaways
December 16th, the Village Council held the last public Council meeting of 2025—marking the final night in the hot seat for Mayor Tim King and Mayor Pro tem Jim Maynard.
Just in time for the holidays, the council members wished each other well and thanked both King and Maynard for their public service.
Former Mayor Bill Denney made a rare appearance at the meeting — he said it was his second Council meeting since leaving office in December 2023. He came, he said, to say ‘Thank you’ to Maynard for his service and friendship. He also said he “hoped more people would get involved” and volunteer with the local government, pointing out that the elected council had run unopposed. Denney himself was appointed mayor when longtime Mayor Dave Venable retired.
Last night’s meeting marked nearly one year since Mayor King’s appointment to the position, and his last meeting presiding as the mayor.
ICYMI, here are a few takeaways:
The state Finance Department (DFA) has frozen about $3.2 million in village Capital Outlay projects until Cloudcroft completes multiple fiscal corrective actions, including the fiscal year 2025 audit, bank reconciliations, asset inventory certification, updated accounting systems, and stronger segregation of duties.
Village officials have submitted a detailed corrective action plan drafted by Lauren Groesbeck, village staff, Mayor King, contractor High Watermark, and Debi Lee from the Council of Governments (COG).
On December 15th, a response letter was sent to DFA, and this morning, the draft corrective action plan was sent to DFA along with supporting documents, including the recent asset inventory and bank reconciliations.
DFA now has the plan in draft form; the intent is for the new administration and council to adopt it at the upcoming January meeting formally.
“We brought that to Senator Jim Townsend today, and he was very receptive to what we had to say and said that he will be checking in on this weekly until it is completed,” Groesbeck said.
She said the COG may serve as a fiscal agent if needed.
Read the DFA letter and village response below:Grantwriter Lauren Groesbeck announced that she will not seek to renew her contract with the village upon completion of her current agreement. After handing Mayor-elect Dusty Wiley, who sat in attendance, a neat manila envelope with Capital Outlay information she’d assembled for the council packet, Groesbeck addressed the council, saying she needed some “time away,” and planned to take the LSAT soon to attend law school.
She plans to spend her final weeks under contract creating a grants manual to share with the new administration and help “button things up.”
The Reader will continue to report on budget, village finances, and grants.In the Volunteer Fire Department report, Chief Erich Wuersching noted that the helicopter landing pad dirt work at Elevation Park is completed.
Mayor King announced the village had hired Rachel Truex as Court Clerk.
Public Works Supervisor JJ Carrizal said the department is “taking advantage of the warmer weather” to continue installation of new hydrants and meters.
The meeting concluded with a round of thank-yous to the staff and officers for their service to the community, and commemorative plaques were presented to Maynard and King. The atmosphere was markedly more genial than the last fractious Council meeting.
King announced that he was “putting a lot of stuff together” and planned to meet with Wiley next week.
The next council meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 20th, at 6:00 p.m.
The Reader is proud to be sponsored in part by great companies like:
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 treasuresCloudcroft Sandwich Shop
In the heart of downtown Cloudcroft, New MexicoJohn 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
Come to the Mountain — Let God Refresh Your SoulNew Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association
We Convert Abandoned Railroad Lines Into Recreational TrailsLaughing Leaf Dispensary
Discover a world of wellness at Laughing LeafInstant Karma
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
The Southernmost ski area in New MexicoCloudcroft Therapeutic Massage
Maximizing Movement, Quality of Life ImprovementHigh Altitude
Your favorite little outdoor outfitter on Burro AvenueBlushing Yucca Esthetics
✨ Book your glow-up today✨The Elk Shed
Purveyors of Southwest Mountain Goods & FineryThe PAC
Pickleball Addicts of Cloudcroft—Pickleball in the CloudsPeñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative
For all the ways you love to connectBre Hope Media
Professional photo and video services
Now, we can put the power of the Mountain Monthly newspaper to work for you.
Advertise in Mountain Monthly and Cloudcroft Reader for total market coverage.
Cloudcroft Reader serves more than 3,200 active email subscribers and more than 14,000 social media followers. With the Mountain Monthly, widely available across the village for free, circulation is higher than ever, and the Monthly informs more than 4,000 followers on Facebook.
Together, our platforms provide comprehensive market coverage: locals, seasonal residents, and visitors who want to stay informed about the Cloudcroft community.
Reach the people engaged with Cloudcroft — locals, seasonals, and visitors. Let us help you reach your best customer prospects with your compelling message. What are you waiting for?
Cloudcroft Stars make local news.
Thank you for supporting independent, factual, and fair coverage.
