Wiley Wins Mayor Race; CHS Cross Country Goes to State; Prescribed Fire; FY24 VoC Audit Results, and More
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Wiley Wins: Election Results and Interviews
Gerald “Dusty” Wiley won yesterday’s mayor race, winning 164 votes to Mayor King’s 124.
Cloudcroft saw an impressive turnout of 288 Cloudcroft village voters. In the 2024 mayoral contest, which coincided with the presidential election, the mayoral race received 307 votes, a mere 19 votes more than the previous year.
In a late night of refreshing phone screens and browsers, both Wiley and King awaited election results well past 10:00 p.m.
Wiley and a group of supporters livestreamed the action at Dusty Boots on Facebook. King hosted a virtual Microsoft Teams digital watch party.
The Reader spoke with both Wiley and King after the unofficial results were made public.
Hear from your Mayor-Elect, Dusty Wiley
The Reader spoke with Wiley shortly after the precinct votes were listed as fully counted.
How are you feeling?
Wiley: ”It will be a lot of work.”
What message do you think voters were sending with this result?
Wiley: “Well, I think they want transparency. And they want somebody who will listen to them.”
What is your game plan between now and January 1?
Wiley: “I gotta get with Tim King and see how much he will work with me. I want to work with the staff that’s there so I can get to know what they do know, or not.”
”I’m hoping that, per the Auditor who was there the other night, King follows through and does what he should be doing. [Garcia] said that they allow them up to January 31, I think. To give them a grace period. He’s got a month and a half to work on it. There’s nothing else he needs, really, to work on. He could focus on that and get it ready for the auditors to come in and start their process so that we could set the ‘24-’25 audit out of the way.”
What would you like to say to both your own supporters and King’s supporters?
Wiley: “Well, to mine—thank you very much. I appreciate the support. I appreciate everything you’ve done and for believing in me. And, King supporters, I will work with them as well. I’m working for Cloudcroft as a whole.”
”It doesn’t matter whether they voted for me or not, I’m gonna listen to all of them. I hope the trustees will listen, and we can move forward from now on. I’m hoping to get the village meetings changed a little bit, where I can get more input with the trustees before beforeotes on different agenda items.”
Anything else you’d like to say tonight?
Wiley: “Thank you to Cloudcroft for believing in me. We got a lot of work ahead and there’s a lot of people that I’m going to be working with, hopefully, on different issues I’ve talked to in the past.”
You’ve got a vacation coming up, right?
Wiley: “Right. I’m going to leave on Thursday morning and will be back the day before Thanksgiving, so we can host the annual Thanksgiving dinner for those who don’t have anywhere to go. I invite them all here. It’s free of charge.”
“They just need the RSVP with Vicky at 575-682-7736. And that will give me a good headcount, so I make sure I have enough food here on hand.”
King’s Response
The Reader spoke with King while votes were being tallied and again after the final results were announced.
We still don’t know the results yet. Are you feeling confident?
King: “I’m fine with either outcome, to be honest. I put it all out there.”
It’s been a tough race.
King: “I’ll keep working until 12/31/2025.”
”Looks like I lost it. It is what it is. No regrets. I put it all out there. Hopefully, Dusty is a good mayor. I really don’t think he knows what he is in for.”
“I feel pretty good. I feel a little free. I’ll move on. Move forward.”
What’s your game plan between now and January 1? What are you prioritizing?
King: I just called Dusty to congratulate him. I want to have a really good transition, because I don’t think there have been good transitions between the past two mayors. So, I’m going to get with (Village attorney) Zach (Cook) and we’re going to get a list together of the most critical priorities. Number one’s going to be the budget. I just mentioned to Dusty that he doesn’t have a clerk. To hit the ground running, he is probably going to start looking for a clerk.”
”He won’t be available till right after Thanksgiving. So we’re going to meet up then. And I’m going to talk with Zach and see if I can get him an email address like ‘mayor elect’ or ‘Dusty at Cloudcroft Village’ so he can start working on stuff.”
“Dusty loves the village as much as I do. So why am I not going to try and do the most of that I can trying to make it a smooth transition?”
Any other reflections?
King: “It’s been a rough year. All my attention’s gone to the mayor. When I ran for trustee, my main goal was to do the whole GIS thing. Use Cloudcroft as a template to learn and see what all the functions a government does and try to incorporate GIS in that, because there’s a ton of small villages around here that need that kind of help. It’s not going to be a tech-heavy council.”
“Keith Hamilton’s been on the council for two months? Gail (McCoy) has been on for four years. Danny Hardwick’s going to be new, and Dusty’s going to be new. I just want to give them a template and get them set up for what they’re going to face.”
“Jim Maynard is not going to be on the council. He possessed a wealth of knowledge regarding all the processes involved in meetings and related matters. That’s going to be missing with the governing body.”
“So whatever I can do to help.”
More Village and School Results
Keith Hamilton was the top vote-getter for Village Trustee with 174 votes.
Danny Hardwick came in second, with 150 votes. Gail McCoy was close behind with 144 votes. This means Hamilton and Hardwick earned four-year terms on the council; McCoy will serve a two-year term.
The Reader spoke with the new council-elects and will publish those interviews soon.
Mark Tatum ran unopposed and received 219 votes.
The School Board race was won by Lance Wright and Michele Anthony, who received 403 and 359 votes, respectively.
The GO Bond passed with 72% of votes in favor of the funding.
Cloudcroft Schools: XC Goes to State, and a New STEM Lab
Seven kids from the Cloudcroft Schools’ Cross-Country running team are racing their way to the State Championship.
Fin Abel, Triston Tompkins, Landry Hunt, Noah Saffle, Raine Langford, Cailan Marte, and Tyler Meszler recently qualified at the Inn of the Mountain Gods on November 1.
They’ll compete on November 8 at the Albuquerque Academy Cross Country Course.
Go, Bears!
STEM Party at Zenith Park
On October 28, Zenith Park was full of life, color, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—also known as STEM—as ExxonMobil opens a new STEM lab at Cloudcroft schools.
Students gathered around the Exxon Mobil hot air balloon and hollered as flames burst upward. DJ Nate Saffle, decked out in a white lab coat, filled the park with beats for an early morning celebration.
Joseph Cueto, one of Cloudcroft’s own, now works for Exxon Mobil in Carlsbad as the community relations manager and was integral to bringing the lab to Cloudcroft.
The lab features robotics, 3D printers, and a curriculum developed in partnership with the Cal Ripken Sr. organization and ExxonMobil.
Your Wednesday Review continues after this brief message. Thank you to our sponsor, Osha Trail Depot:
Your destination for unique, hand-crafted treasures. Located at 102 Mexican Ave. in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.
Lincoln National Forest plans prescribed burns near Cloudcroft
According to a press release, the Lincoln National Forest plans prescribed burns on the Sacramento Ranger District from November 7th to 14th, weather permitting. The goal is to reduce hazardous fuels and lower wildfire risk around nearby communities.
Burn areas:
Aspen and Slide Campgrounds: 35 acres of hand piles south of Cloudcroft.
16 Springs area: 858 acres along Carr Gap Forest Road (607).
Temporary closures are possible. Watch for warning signs on nearby roads. Smoke may be visible around the Wet Burnt, Sixteen Springs, and Mayhill communities during and after operations.
Crews will monitor and mop up in the following weeks to ensure hot spots are fully out.
Check fire.airnow.gov for local air quality, and drive with caution in smoky conditions.
The Forest Service may delay or cancel burns if the weather shifts.
Updates: fs.usda.gov/r03/lincoln | facebook.com/LincolnNationalForest
The 2024 Audit is In. Takeaways from Monday’s Special Meeting
Here’s what you need to know from last night’s special council meeting.
Debut: Mountain Monthly’s First Issue Under New Ownership
The 37-year-old newspaper serves as a local guide to Cloudcroft and the Sacramento Mountains. See the first effort—now free—on newsstands in and around the village.
Your Wednesday Review continues after this brief message. Thank you to our sponsor, High Altitude:
Local Food Assistance Update
The federal government suspended all regular SNAP (food stamp) benefits starting November 1, 2025, affecting approximately 460,000 New Mexicans.
In response, Governor Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Health Care Authority allocated $30 million in state emergency food assistance, allowing partial benefits to reach low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
The state-funded emergency benefits, amounting to approximately 30% of the usual monthly amount, are being distributed immediately so that families can access some assistance while federal funds remain unavailable.
Here are a few local food assistance options.
Cloudcroft’s Michael Nivison Public Library Food Drive
Library Director Sandra Barr has a collection of pantry goods in the foyer of the library. Barr says “the foo,d is for anyone who needs it—no questions asked. If they have anything they want to leave, they can leave it there, too.”
Road Runner Food Bank
Head to rrfb.org for dates and locations—mobile —mobilek: Sacramento Mountain Senior Center, High Rolls.
Mountain of the Lord Faith Fellowship Food Pantry
From Pastor Andy Olsen on the pantry, located by Wimsatt Area off Highway 82: “The Lord’s Pantry is a non-perishable food pantry that is open 24/7 to help those in need. You don’t have to deal with anyone, just co;e and be blessed. If you’re able, bring some food, but never hesitate to take what you need.”
Summit Christian Faith Fellowship
Food pantry available. Located on the western end of Burro Avenue, or find them on Facebook.
Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce/Mayhill Baptist Church
The spirit of Thanksgiving arrives early this year through a partnership between the Cloudcroft Chamber and Mayhill Baptist Church, kicking off a holiday outreach drive on October 26. Locals are invited to fill donation bags with Thanksgiving favorites—canned goods, dry goods, and pantry staples listed on a bag that can be picked up at the Chamber—and return them by November 16, helping ensure every family can enjoy a festive meal.
From the archives:
Joy of Weaving: Joan and the High Valley Weavers
Ripsmatta, Krokbragd, and Overshot are words that sound niche to most, but here in the sunlit basement of the Michael Nivison Public Library, they are exchanged as often as the term howdy at a rodeo.
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Be in the Mountains Yoga & Massage
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Your destination for unique, hand-crafted treasuresCloudcroft Sandwich Shop
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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
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Maximizing Movement, Quality of Life ImprovementHigh Altitude
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