Citizen-mayor seeks citizen input to solve city problems

Bill Donovan
Special to the Independent

GALLUP — During the first 100 days of his new administation, Mayor Bob Rosebrough wants to attack some of the most prevailing problems within the city with Gallup's number one strength its citizens.

In Tuesday's council work session, he introduced dozens of Gallup residents and a couple of non-residents who have agreed to sit on various task forces that he has created to look into Gallup's problems in the next several weeks and come up with solutions on how to address them.

There are task forces dealing with water issues, quality of life, the relationship between the city and the area Native American population and problems within the neighborhoods.

Each task force has between four and seven members and a city official has been assigned to work with the group.

In some cases, the task forces are expected to last beyond the 100 days but in others, such as the one dealing with Native American issues, Rosebrough said that he wanted it to be short-term since he didn't want to have Native American residents in town concentrated in just one committee.

As part of his Native American initiative, Rosebrough said he also planned to make a personal visit in the coming weeks to meet with the neighboring chapter houses and the Zuni Pueblo.

In the neighborhood initiative, he said he planned to encourage weekend neighborhood cleanups, a city wide series of neighborhood meetings and the formation of city-supported neighborhood associations.

In water matters, he talked about holding a town hall meeting based upon the New Mexico First model and for quality of life, he wanted to establish a source of ongoing funding to pay for initiatives in that area.

Here are the members of the various task forces:

Water

Mary Jean Christensen, Larry Winn, Mark Curley, Billy Armijo and Johanna Manygoats. Staff support: Acting city manager Robert "Buck" Monday and Water Superintendent Lance Allgood. First meeting, 11 a.m. March 24, city hall.

Quality of Life

Howard Britt, Brett Newberry, Prakash Sundarum, Beth Miller, Bill Siebersma, Glen Benefield and Ralph Richards. Staff support: Administrative Services Director Larry Binkley and Bob Widoe, from the Northwest New Mexico Council of Goverments.First meeting: 11 a.m. March 21, city hall.

Native American Relationships

Former Navajo Nation President Albert Hale, Harrison Jim, Pat Chee Miller, Charlotte Bigthumb, Ellis Tanner, Martin Ramancito and Elouise Chicarello. Staff support: Human Resources director Anthony Lincoln and Drug testing Coordinator Clybert Zunie. First meeting, 10 a.m. March 20, city hall.

Neighborhoods

1. City-wide cleanups Karl Lohmann, Barbara Quinones, Leola Sanderson Kinchelow, Hank Stokes and Matt Jopek. Staff support: Marlene Baca from Solid Waste Management and Vince Alonzo, RRSP manager. 2. Neighborhood meetings and associations Cecil Garcia, Angela Chavez, Linda Garcia and Jeannine Russell. Staff support, Police Lt. Marty Esquibel and City Planner Lisa Baca Diaz. First meeting, 11 a.m. March 20, city hall.