Council meeting contentious over rates

FORT SUMNER — Village councilors and Mayor Louie Gallegos fielded complaints over new water and sewer rates from a room full of residents during a regular council meeting July 11.

The discussion over the rates, which took effect with the June billing cycle, dominated the meeting, even though the issue was not specifically listed on the agenda.

Resident and former city employee Jesse Sanchez criticized the rate hikes, saying the council spends money unwisely and does not make good use of employees. He accused city workers of being lazy and conducting private business on city time and said recent raises granted to city workers should not have been given. Instead, he said, councilors and Mayor Gallegos should take pay cuts rather than raising water and sewer rates on residents.

An analysis by the Rural Community Assistance Corporation recommended water and sewer rate increases because the village had fallen out of compliance with the covenants of federal water and sewer system loans, which require the village to charge enough to pay for debt, service, labor and other costs, as well as developing a set-aside fund for future repairs and improvements.