Mountainair Hires New Police Officer, Addresses Treasurer Vacancy

MOUNTAINAIR — The Mountainair Town Council approved the hiring of a certified police officer and took steps to manage ongoing financial operations following the resignation of the town treasurer at its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

New Officer Approved

The council unanimously approved the hiring of Jasmine Jaramillo as a certified police officer at a rate of $37 per hour. Mayor Peter Nieto announced the result of the vote to an enthusiastic response in the chamber.

Treasurer Resignation Prompts Administrative Action

The council also addressed fallout from the resignation of Town Treasurer Lori Archuleta, approving her removal from the town's accounts with United Business Bank and authorizing temporary pay increases for three staff members who will be absorbing her duties in the interim.

Mayor Nieto told the council the treasurer position would remain open until a qualified candidate is identified, with no set deadline for filling the role. In the meantime, Town Clerk Mary Martinez will take on additional responsibilities at an hourly wage increased by $5 per hour, Josh Lewis at an increase of $4 per hour, and Jeannie Archuleta at an increase of $2 per hour. Mayor Nieto said the combined $11-per-hour increase would be funded from the vacant treasurer's salary line item, resulting in net savings to the town.

Michael Steiner of the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration, who has been temporarily assisting the town through the staffing transition, joined the meeting via Zoom. The council approved a budget alignment measure — known as a BARS adjustment — to synchronize the town's Tyler financial software with the official DFA budget reporting system. Mayor Nieto thanked Steiner for his assistance, calling it above and beyond what is typically required of the state agency.

Medina Proclamation

Mayor Nieto read a mayoral proclamation calling for the community's continued awareness of the March 25, 2023 disappearance of Christopher Medina. The proclamation expressed the town's solidarity with Medina's family and urged residents to report any credible information regarding his disappearance to law enforcement. The council approved it unanimously.

Mayor Nieto also announced that town employees would be permitted to attend a celebration of life for Medina on March 26, 2026, at Calvary Church in Belén without using personal leave. The service is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM.

Other Business

The council approved a mayoral proclamation declaring May as Motorcycle Awareness Month, an annual action by the town ahead of the riding season.

In financial and administrative matters, the council:

• Ratified a $163.84 reimbursement to Martinez for a personal purchase of office paper made when standard procurement procedures could not be followed in time. The item prompted a broader policy discussion, and the council approved an amendment to Procurement Policy Section 6.10 that establishes a formal reimbursement process for purchases up to $500, with prior mayoral approval and the submission of itemized receipts within seven days.
• Ratified an $848 direct purchase for emergency HVAC repairs to the municipal building, also made without a purchase order due to the urgent nature of the work.
• Approved the destruction of Motor Vehicle Division records from May 2024 through February 2025 in accordance with the town's records retention schedule.
• Approved a revision to personnel policy changing fixed holiday overtime for Public Works employees to standard overtime when work is performed on a fixed holiday, such as Thanksgiving. Mayor Nieto said the change recognizes the burden on Public Works staff who are called out during holidays when other town employees are off.

During the public comment period, Councilor Richard Torres raised concerns about individuals discharging firearms at the town cemetery, noting spent shells and damage to a posted sign. Mayor Nieto said he would reach out to the police chief to increase patrols in the area and would post about the issue on the town's Facebook page.

Mayor Nieto also updated Councilor Torres on ongoing efforts to improve lighting near the railroad bridge, a dark stretch of roadway that has concerned residents. He said the Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative has declined to contribute to the cost and that installing a light would require new transformer infrastructure, potentially running $4,000 to $5,000. The council discussed the possibility of exploring solar lighting as an alternative.