Water rates workshop to be held by councilors on Monday afternoon
Terri Harber News Reporter A workshop for the mayor and city councilors to discuss how to proceed with a resolution to adjust the water rates that went into effect on July 1 will be on Monday at 1:30 p.m. at the Roswell Convention Center, 912 N. Main St.A review of the Water Department's operations, finances and other related matters is also expected to occur. There was a public discussion among members of the infrastructure committee this past Monday about organizing a workshop before the public hearing already set to happen at 6 p.m. on Sept. 30. That evening, the councilors are going to be asked whether to repeal Ordinance 24-05 and replace it with a new rates ordinance, no. 24-12. The purpose of this type of action is to do away with water bill charges based on the amount of a customer's water use that rises steeply. The tiered rates would be replaced with a flat rate for the customer's amount of monthly consumption.City officials have explained that the tiers were created to encourage water conservation.The replacement ordinance presented at the Sept. 12 council meeting would set the amount billed at $3.50 for each 1,000 gallons of water used. It would also adjust the wastewater fee to $2.69 for every 1,000 gallons each customer produces.More than 300 people attended that council meeting. Many people were shocked (and quite a few also angered) to see billing amounts that had doubled, tripled or climbed even further for a sizable number of people. Residents lined up to describe to city officials how those unexpected and substantial bills have affected their lives and impacted their finances. Those with lower incomes told city officials they've had to choose between paying those bills and such other necessities, such as food and prescription medications. Others have had to resort to taking out short-term loans or leaving cherished possessions at pawn shops, some city councilors have been reporting. Many of the speakers were also surprised when they saw the amount of water the city reported they had used. Some residents and officials wanted to find out whether those meters might be somehow contributing to the sky-high rates that a significant number of people have been charged.The Water Utility Rate Study introduced in September 2023 was used to determine the rates that took effect in July. It was conducted by a now-former city employee who worked in the Water Department, said City Manager Chad Cole. He has said that one of the mistakes made was to start the new rates during the summer when people consume the most water. Some of the infrastructure committee members expressed hope that the workshop will allow the full council to reach a consensus. The replacement ordinance, while eliminating the tiered rate scale, would result in an estimated 50% more cost on average than what customers were paying before July 1. It was suggested by Councilor Edward Heldenbrand the adjustment not be higher than a 30% increase over the rates charge until the end of the past fiscal year, which was June 30.Mayor Timothy Jennings said he was concerned about the adjustment not providing enough money to make needed repairs on the aging water infrastructure. During the Sept. 12 council meeting, he spoke at length about the city's various water service challenges that need to be resolved, such as the high cost of replacing old pipes originally placed during the mid-20th century. Many have been in use since the 1940s and are in the worst condition in the neighborhoods where lower-income families reside. The cost is currently about $1 million for three-quarters of a mile of new pipe, he also stated that evening. The now-famous piece of corroded pipe Jennings arranged to have displayed at that council meeting was last seen at city hall, near the entrance of the city clerk's office. That pipe's failure caused subsequent leaks down the system, for example, he said.Another challenge the city faces is that the water department's budget for the current fiscal year didn't appear to include all anticipated expenses. City officials have voiced a desire to have this interim solution in place as soon as possible. In the meantime, it's expected that a contractor will examine that department, which is an enterprise operation.
NMSU names new president
Reporter 02 New Mexico State University (NMSU) has selected Valerio Ferme as its next president, according to a Friday press release.
The NMSU Board of Regents voted unanimously at a special meeting Thursday to select Ferme as the university system's next president following a national search and visits from four finalists, the release said.
Ferme most recently served as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Cincinnati, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he championed student success via numerous access and retention investments.
Ferme's husband is Giorgio Corda. Both are native Italians.
Ferme joined the University of Cincinnati in 2019 as dean of the college of arts and sciences, where as dean, he spearheaded a commitment to research that increased sponsored awards from $10 million to more than $22 million annually, while expanding its teaching in the areas of experiential-based learning and cooperative education, according to the release.
Ferme served as dean of the college of arts and letters at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Ariz, from 2017-19, and divisional dean for the arts and humanities at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colorado, from 2015-19. Ferme taught for 19 years and served repeatedly as chair of the Department of French and Italian while in Boulder.
At NAU, Ferme increased underrepresented faculty hires and bolstered collaborations between students and organizations in the Flagstaff area, as well as with the Native American people of Arizona's high plains, the release said.
Ferme earned undergraduate degrees in biology and religious studies at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, master's degrees in comparative literature and Italian studies from Indiana University, in Bloomington, Indiana, and a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of California-Berkeley, where he was awarded Fulbright and Chancellor's fellowships.
As a scholar, Ferme has published three monographs, three edited volumes, two scholarly translations and a bilingual collection of poetry, in addition to over 60 s and reviews, according to the release.
Regents Chair Ammu Devasthali thanked the candidates and the community during Thursday's meeting.
"To the presidential candidates, thank you for your interest in NMSU and for sharing your vision for our university's future," she said. "Your participation has enriched this process immeasurably.
"To the NMSU community – our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends in Las Cruces, throughout New Mexico, and around the world – your engagement has been inspiring."
She said the feedback received from the university's faculty, staff and students, as well as from the community, provided the board with invaluable insights.
"Your voices are a big part of the success of this process," Devasthali said.
Interim President Mónica Torres will continue to serve in that role until Ferme can begin his new role at NMSU, the release said. Ferme's start date will be determined during contract negotiations and after the Board of Regents final approval of the contract.
Man dead in fatal shooting
Alex Ross Breaking News ReporterThe Chaves County Sheriff's Office is investigating a fatal shooting of a man Friday west of Roswell.
Undersheriff Charles Yslas confirmed Saturday that Gerardo "Jerry" Conde, 34, was found with a gunshot wound near 4500 West Second Street.
Deputies, along with officers from the Roswell Police Department and New Mexico State Police, had responded at 2:45 p.m. to a report of a possible shooting when they discovered Conde wounded in the backseat of a white Sedan.
Conde was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Yslas did not disclose any additional information Saturday about motives or possible suspects but did say that Conde's death is being investigated as a homicide.
