Mountainair Town Council Approves Cemetery Board and Interim Budget
Summary
The primary focus of the regular meeting of the Mountainair Town Council on May 20, 2025, was the appointment of five members to the town’s newly created cemetery board, the approval of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) Interim Budget, and starting the design process for the Mountainair Department of Public Safety building.
Council Actions
The town council took the following actions during the meeting:
- Approval of the FY2026 Budget - Unanimously Approved
- Appointment of Five Members to the Mountainair Cemetery Board (Grant Preston, Julia Butler, Albert Stevens, Wanda Sullinger, and Mary Hewitt) - Unanimously Approved
- Approval for Posting an Advertisement Seeking a Treasurer/Clerk - Unanimously Approved
- Approval for Disposal of Property located at the Town Hall and at the Dr. Saul Community Center - Unanimously Approved
- Approval to Destroy Motor Vehicle Division records from June 2023 to April 2024 - Unanimously Approved
- Approval to Proceed with the Designing of the Mountainair Department of Public Safety (DPS) Facility and to Proceed with the Planning Phase of the DPS Facility Project - Unanimously Approved
Discussion
During the discussion of the FY2026 interim budget, Mayor Peter Nieto stated that Mountainair residents can expect solid waste disposal rates to increase by $5.00 to $6.00 per month to cover rising costs. Water, gas, and sewer service rates will automatically increase for residents on July 1, 2025.
Mayor Nieto stated that the municipal cemetery on Red Bluff Road, previously owned by the Harris-Hanlon Mortuary, will not include the adjacent Roman Catholic cemetery; however, it will provide vehicle access to that cemetery. Previously, access to the Catholic cemetery from the municipal cemetery was only on foot.
Along with a treasurer/clerk role that the town is seeking to fill at the town hall, Mountainair is also looking for a public works employee, as current employee Todd Pohl had submitted his notice of resignation.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief Josh Lewis addressed the Mountainair Town Council regarding the DPS Facility, which is intended to house the town's EMS, fire, and police departments. Lewis said that the total cost estimate for the facility is between $8 million and $10 million. Mayor Nieto noted that the facility will be the largest volunteer fire station in the state of New Mexico. At the time of the meeting, the town had not yet bought the land for the facility.