The Artesia City Council addressed a light agenda Tuesday for its first meeting of the new year.
Only three special items were included on the agenda, all presented by City Clerk Summer Valverde:
• approval of a mid-year budget adjustment resolution.
• approval of the 2024 Open Meetings Act Resolution, which included two changes to the regular order of the council’s agendas: the period for hearing visitors will now be held prior to any public hearings; and the Community Development portion of the meeting will now be combined with the portion of the meeting devoted to Infrastructure.
• approval of the acceptance of a donation of a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe to the City of Artesia from the Eddy County Public Works Department.
Valverde also reported to the council that the city’s Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) payments have been well above $2 million.
Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair reported that the leak under the bridge on West Main Street near Fenn’s Country Market has been plugged, and an investigation into how to permanently fix the problem without affecting the surrounding area is continuing.
Police Chief Kirk Roberts stated that euthanizations had decreased at the Artesia Animal Shelter in December with a “healthy city adoption and reclaim rate.”
The council also approved a request from Ashley Lovelis for the use of the Central Park gazebo at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, for a wedding.
As part of its consent agenda, the council granted permission for:
• the awarding of a bid to provide meals and snacks to inmates at the Artesia Detention Center to Artesia General Hospital.
• the ratification of Mayor Jon Henry’s approval of a subrecipient agreement with the Department of Finance and Administration for a 2023 Regional Recreation Centers Quality of Life Grant awarded to the City of Artesia in the amount of $500,000.
• a Memorandum of Agreement between the Artesia Fire Department and Eddy County Fire and Rescue to set forth a mutual aid plan for patient transport services between the two entities.
• the approval of an agreement between the New Mexico State Library and the Artesia Public Library for a public library grant in the amount of $10,352.38.
• the hiring of Jessica Haeck, police detention officer, at a pay rate of $2,946.66 per month; Nathaniel Valenzuela, certified firefighter, $4,705.87 per month; and Lluvia Cabezuela-Sigala, recreation specialist, $3,097.46 per month.
• the promotions of William Johnson, Angel Torres-Gonzales and Stefan Najar to certified police officer at pay rates of $4,325.66 per month.
• the resignations of Chrystal Montes, wastewater assistant, effective Dec. 14, 2023, and Ramiro Granados, firefighter/EMT, effective Dec. 27, 2023.
• one police employee to attend ICS 300 training in Hobbs.
• one fire employee to attend the AHIMTA Incident Management Symposium in Atlantic City, N.J.
• one fire employee to attend Unmanned Aircraft General Drone License Ground School in Carlsbad.
• one police employee to attend PETCPR+Canine Feline CPR and First Aid Certification classes online.
