Moriarty council approves employee raises, park and cemetery bids, and police AI system

The Moriarty City Council approved a 3% pay increase for city employees, moved forward with contracts for improvements at Parkwood Park and Mountainview Cemetery, and authorized the purchase of an AI-assisted police report-writing tool during its regular meeting Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

The council also tabled a decision on whether to fill a vacant council seat and later opted not to enter executive session after a resident raised concerns about errors in the agenda’s legal citation and description for the closed meeting.

Closed session dropped after public comment

During public comment, resident Jerry Poll told the council the agenda’s citation for the planned executive session was incorrect. It did not clearly identify the legal authority and subject matter necessary for a closed meeting.

The poll said the agenda referenced the wrong statute number and should have cited the Open Meetings Act provision allowing closed discussions for the purchase, acquisition, or disposal of real property or water rights. He also said the agenda lacked “reasonable specificity” by listing “Tractor Supply” and “Newbridge” without further explanation. In response, Mayor Steve Anaya said the city would forgo the executive session to avoid violating the Open Meetings Act.

City cites progress on audits and DFA-approved budget

In governing-body comments, Anaya said the city’s 2024 audit had been submitted to the Office of the State Auditor and that work had already begun on the 2025 audit. He also said the Department of Finance and Administration had approved the city’s budget. Anaya was appointed mayor after his predecessor, Brandon Webb, resigned following concerns regarding legal irregularities. City officials said the city has been working to address longstanding accounting and reporting issues since that transition.

Vacancy appointment tabled again

The council again tabled an agenda item regarding the appointment of a councilor to fill a vacancy under state statute. Councilors discussed whether to take no action or table the matter again, with Councilor Kim Garcia noting the appointment had been tabled in prior meetings. The council ultimately approved a motion to table.

Open Meetings Act resolution updated

The council approved Resolution 25-26-09, updating the city’s annual Open Meetings Act resolution. Anaya said the primary change was shifting the regular meeting start time earlier, from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Park and cemetery RFP bid recommendations approved

The council approved a recommendation from Site Southwest to award the base bids for work at Mountainview Cemetery and Parkwood Park to Lee Landscapes.

George Radnovich of Site Southwest told the council that three companies submitted bids and said cost estimating has been difficult due to fluctuating material prices and market conditions. He said that Lee Landscapes came closest to the engineer’s estimate and attributed some higher bids to general contractors subcontracting landscape work.

Councilors discussed whether to trim project scope to match estimates or cover the difference with general fund dollars. Councilor Bobby Ortiz said delaying the project could increase costs later, and the council voted to proceed with the low bid.

Financial analyst approved as the city addresses accounting system problems

The council approved proceeding with an RFP selection for a financial analyst after receiving a single proposal. Anaya said the city needs to be specific about the analyst’s scope of work and said his goal is to resolve major accounting issues before the city begins its next budget cycle in the spring.

City Clerk and Treasurer Emily Sanchez and Finance Assistant Manager Joycelyn Martinez described ongoing reconciliation problems in the city’s accounting system, based on the same Tyler software that has caused problems in the county and Mountainair, including transfers that appear to be posting incorrectly and beginning balances that may not have been properly established when the system was implemented.

Staff also said the Department of Finance and Administration now requires more detailed reporting of gross receipts tax revenues, including intercepts tied to the civic center and solid waste operations, which had not been consistently reflected in prior reports.

3% employee COLA and wage adjustments approved

The council approved a 3% annual increase for city employees. Anaya said the city had initially budgeted for a 2.5% increase but recommended a 3% forward-looking adjustment to simplify implementation and recognize employees for increased workloads during recent transitions.

Councilors also approved additional wage adjustments tied to a compensation study, with the stated goal of bringing affected employees up to minimum pay ranges. Anaya said the changes involved several positions, including in the fire department and the planning and zoning department.

Police AI report tool authorized; chief cites staffing improvements

The council approved Police Chief Adan Urbina’s request to purchase Axon Draft One, an AI-assisted tool that generates a first-draft police report based on body camera footage. Urbina said officers would still need to proofread drafts because AI-generated text can include incorrect or random words, but said the tool can reduce report revisions during supervisory review and allow officers to spend more time in the field. Councilor Ortiz said the tool could reduce the amount of time officers spend writing reports in the office and increase on-the-street coverage.

Urbina also reported two recruits were scheduled to graduate from the police academy later in December and said the department expects to increase staffing coverage, potentially moving toward 24-hour coverage beginning in January.

Fire department PPE purchases approved; grant update

The council approved Fire Chief Richard Hart’s request to purchase turnout gear, helmets, and hoods using carryover fire protection funding approved by the state for personal protective equipment.

Hart said updated requirements drove higher costs for some items required to comply with national standards. He also reported the department handled 88 calls in November, including 64 EMS calls with 33 transports, nine fire calls, 15 inspections, and eight mutual aid calls.

Hart said the city has secured a $600,000 grant through the state fire marshal’s office to replace an aging fire engine and expects to return to the council with specifications and a purchasing request in the coming weeks.

Department updates: infrastructure and development activity

Public Works Director Jeff Tapia said the city recently addressed an emergency sewer and water issue and credited Clerk/Treasurer Sanchez with securing emergency funding for the work.

Tapia said about $96,000 remains from that funding and warned that additional repairs may be needed to replace failing manholes, including one near the sewer plant that is corroded and holding water, which could disrupt citywide service if it fails.

Planning and Zoning Administrator Maria N. Martinez reported progress on a site plan for the proposed Tractor Supply project, noting that the Planning and Zoning Commission approved plat vacations that remove existing lot lines to allow the project to move forward.

Martinez also said preliminary discussions are underway with Maverik and clarified that a metal building under construction along West Route 66 is a diesel mechanic facility located on Impala Lane.

Next meeting and swearing-in

Anaya said the city plans to hold a swearing-in ceremony on Monday, December 22, 2025, at 6:30 PM.

The council discussed holding its next regular meeting on Wednesday, January 14, 2025, at 6:30 PM.