Trustees mull own pay raise
Board to consider development matters as well

By Jim Maniaci
Cibola County Bureau

MILAN — The Milan Board of Trustees will consider raising its pay during Thursday's 6:30 p.m. meeting at Village Hall.

The board also will consider several economic development matters, formally approve all the requirements for the March 7 Mayor-Trustees election, take care of routine business and hold a personnel executive session.

Citizens are invited to the meeting, except for the closed door session on personnel. After exiting the executive session, the board will close the meeting with trustees comments and announcements.

There are two matters of old business. One is to act on a contract, or "memorandum of agreement," for use of some of the village farm by the Southwest Academy of Rural Technology, which is headquartered in Gallup.

The other is the pay hike, proposed to be $5,000 in previous discussions, for the four non-mayor trustees. State law forbids current trustees to raise their own pay, so the pay hikes would begin with any new trustees in March 2006 and March 2008. Previous discussions did not include raising the mayor's pay, which is more than $10,000.

New business will begin with a document to ask the New Mexico Legislature for money for a quiet zone at the main BNSF railroad crossing during the night. District 6 Representative George Hanosh, D-Grants, is seeking trustees' approval to pursue the necessary money from the funds allotted each year to each of the 112 legislators.

Next will be a presentation by Tim Hagaman of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, followed by the adoption of the election resolution and the OK to the staff to write-off delinquent water accounts up to Dec. 31, 2004.

The last new business matter may be delayed because of last week's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The board's agenda lists action against Mark Robinson for violating the required 15-foot setback from the rear property line at 1511 Tietjen. The commission on Nov. 10 had to delay action until Nov. 21 because its agenda listed the case only for discussion, not for action.

Citizens will be asked to provide comments to the trustees just before the board goes into its closed-door meeting.

Trustees also will honor the employee of the month, approve the cash journals for Village Hall and the Municipal Court, hear reports from department heads plus Manager Carlos Montoya and approve the minutes of Oct. 20 and Nov. 1.

Citizens may read the supporting documents during regular business hours at Village Hall, Uranium Avenue and Milan Street.

— To contact reporter Jim Maniaci, telephone (505) 285-6184 or (505) 870-7775 (cellular).