ICYMI: February's Village Council Meeting
Catch up with the Reader's breakdown of Tuesday night's monthly council meeting
“You start recovery while you’re still burning,” said VFD Chief Erich at the Tuesday, February 18th Council meeting.
His words ring true for the Cloudcroft village council as they make moves to get the bungled village financial systems in order after learning that our ‘23-’24 fiscal year audit had eleven findings and scads of missing information and reports. They’ve got to chip away at recovery— while still on metaphorical fire.
Beyond last year’s dismal audit, finances haven’t been reconciled for years. According to the report from High Water Mark’s Karen Guitierrez, failures to reconcile bank accounts date back to October 2019.
High Water Mark’s report
Key takeaways from Guitierrez’s report, which—surprise!—contained major financial and liability issues:
Payroll and tax compliance failures, like employees not being correctly set up in the payroll system, missing timesheets, missed filings, and incorrect payments.
Salary increases and promotions without council approval.
Bank reconciliations have been incomplete since October 2019, with reports not matching statements.
Misallocated funds, invoices processed without approval, and missing procurement verification.
Contractors working on village property without required insurance certificates.
Purchase orders issued without designated value.
The current council is focused on recovering as much information as possible, cleaning up the village’s longstanding financial mess, and hiring a Library Director, Village Clerk, and other positions in the village that had several recent turnovers.
What happened at the meeting?
Public Works Supervisor JJ Carrizal reported on the village’s water situation:
According to Carrizal, the village has already spent $34,214.30 to haul in water, which was approved in the January 28th emergency council meeting.
“The East pond is at 280,000 gallons, which is about 35% of the capacity. Right now in our reservoirs—I'm not counting the Hilltop tanks and Woodland tanks, to me those are already in distribution that's already accounted for—so what we have for backup right now is 530,000 gallons total, which equals two-and-a-half days of water if something drastic happens,” Carrizal said.
The village will continue to haul in water and seek alternative sources in the meantime. Carrizal reported that grants writer Lauren Groesbeck is helping the village seek emergency funding for water.
The council announced that a “Water Workshop” is still in the works and will be announced soon, with the addition of Trustee Jim Maynard presenting on rainwater harvesting and collection.
Maynard is the majority owner of Cloudcroft Brewing Company and a managing member of All Family Partners, which owns the Skywater Subdivision. While both entities tap into the village water supply, the brewery and subdivision homes are equipped to harvest and store rainwater and snowmelt.
Maynard proposed future incentives or village exchange programs for installing water-saving tech like rainwater harvesting and high-efficiency toilets.
The council hired a third-party Albuquerque-based REDW accounting firm “for additional financial help,” including creating a “defensible journal entry” for June 30th, 2024, banking reconciliations and financial report restructuring dating back to July 1st, 2024, according to the meeting agenda.
The council approved the current pay rates for Interim Police Chief Chris Swanson and Officer Mike Mackewich. They also approved the status change of Utility Clerk Casey Bowman and Interim Clerk and MVD Clerk Jessica Kovac to non-exempt full time employment status.
The council reaffirmed the village’s 2024-2025 budget as presented at the April budget retreat. Trustee Maynard said the budgets function as “living documents” and that the approved budget was a starting point.
VFD Chief Erich Wuersching stated that Cloudcroft was signed up to become a Firewise Community, with Trustee Gail McCoy leading the effort, which can involve developing ordinances and building codes.
Wuersching reported that the (Hazardous Fuels on Non-Federal Lands [NFL]) grant, which an Otero County third party will administer, should be available soon.
Citizens are eligible for the NFL grants, which you can learn more about here. The Reader spoke with NM Forestry Division Capitan District Project Forester Trystan Harpold and will report NFL grant updates.
Lost Lodge resident and Laughing Leaf Dispensary owner Jim Miller requested to be on an agenda to discuss the Lost Lodge bulk water rates, which are exceedingly higher than the regular village rates. He also asked for the timely signing of his business license, which has been held up in the recent village clerk turnovers.
Former wildland firefighter Judy Seibenaler announced to the council that Erich Wuersching had found the money for evacuation signs to be placed within the village.
The Library Advisory Board welcomes new member Stephanie Collins, who previously served on the non-profit Friends of the Artesia Public Library in Artesia, NM.
After welcoming the new library position, Mayor King said, “At the next meeting, we’ll be doing the same thing for the library director and the library aide. I promise.”
The Planning and Zoning Committee welcomes new member Keith Hamilton, an Air Force veteran who was born and raised in Cloudcroft and served as Zoning Inspector in a 5,000-person community in Ohio for three years.
In a move to ease the remedy of a cesspool at 802 Chataqua, the council finally granted a motion to Mr. Richard Lee, who had brought his plea for a replat to the village several times. The replat reconstitutes his property from 4 lots to (number) 2.
Trustees Jim Maynard, Gail McCoy, Tabitha Foster, and newly-appointed Nick Hanna voted virtually in complete unison for each action item.
The council will travel to Santa Fe next week to meet with legislators and advocate for Cloudcroft. Mayor King said he had requested a meeting with the governor to discuss water and fire and asked that citizens email Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Representative Gabe Vasquez to encourage them to lend Cloudcroft their ear.
Living with fire
The Cloudcroft High School will host a free community seminar with New Mexico State University Forest and Fire Specialist Dr. Doug Cram on Monday, February 24th at 6:00 p.m. in the high school gym.
Dr. Cram will present on what to do when you have to evacuate quickly, steps to safeguard your home and neighborhood, and farm and ranch considerations.
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