The #NewMexico State Auditor is asking to see #ColumbusNM's corrective action plan following its horrible financial audit.

Also, when Mayor Salas returned late from his vacation, another village official alleges he was in such a bad mood that he verbally threatened her.

Reporting from the #DemingHeadlight:

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/04/14/columbus-official-alleges-mayor-threatened-police-report/

The story in #ColumbusNM seems to indicate intensifying pressure. A police report details an alleged verbal threat by the mayor against an elected trustee who has been getting to the bottom of serious mismanagement at town hall. Meanwhile, the #NewMexico State Auditor is asking to see a corrective action plan within 30 days. https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/04/14/columbus-official-alleges-mayor-threatened-police-report/

The mayor of #ColumbusNM reported missing. #LunaCounty sheriff seeks tips after mayor apparently entered #Mexico at #Palomas on April 4, having announced he would be on vacation for a week in the midst of a financial emergency at the village. He was expected back at town hall Monday, but has not been seen since he left and isn’t answering phone calls or emails. https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/04/11/columbus-mayor-esequiel-salas-reported-missing/

Now the trustees of #ColumbusNM have a new question as they dig into the books (belatedly) to figure out why the village is broke: Why was a separate bank account created for the RVs without the trustees' knowledge or approval?

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/04/06/columbus-trustees-continue-slog-budget-mess/

These 8 RVs were donated to #ColumbusNM via Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office a year ago for emergency housing after a fire destroyed a tenement building in the village.

The purchase was funded with federal COVID-19 aid and the county had been the fiscal agent, but it wanted them off its books.

There have been questions about these RVs for a while. Where is the collected rent going? Who gets to rent the RVs? For how long? Nothing is written down and the mayor hasn’t said much.

In #LunaCounty #NewMexico commissioners will consider reviving a dormant citizens' planning commission. This is something several citizens and a newly elected commission have been calling for.

Interestingly, they also agreed to the county manager's request to release eight RVs the governor donated for #ColumbusNM, for which the county had served as fiscal agent. (More…)

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/04/07/luna-county-commissioners-consider-reviving-planning-commission/

A broadband project announced yesterday involves installing 49 miles of fiber optic in #LunaCounty #NewMexico, bringing service to #ColumbusNM and remote areas south of #DemingNM.

822 locations sounds like a modest number but it belies the geographic scope of the undertaking, mostly covered with federal #COVID19 money and some matching money by the provider.

And they say they'll have it done in a year, which is bold.

Story from #DemingHeadlight:

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/04/01/rural-broadband-project-will-connect-columbus-luna-county/

#FTTP #broadband

The village of #ColumbusNM is over budget and broke, the state of #NewMexico is urging emergency measures and a plan to make it through the fiscal year, and special meetings are scheduled next week.

The small municipality (pop. 1,500 or so) has been plagued with #Governance problems for a long time.

The recently released financial #audit for 2021-22 presents a sobering portrait of town hall.

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/03/26/columbus-annual-audit-heightens-concern-finances/

That's not so easy. Recent history has provided good news stories about corruption, federal sting operations, and local disputes. No tradition of solid governance has been established. #ColumbusNM has no professional town manager or experienced financial staff. Turnover is high. Accounts are in a shambles. Whoever gets elected mayor is the de facto executive, this is an election year, and it’s not clear Salas could get re-elected if he runs. So now what? Unclear.

Village of #ColumbusNM slashing staff hours and curtailing spending because it is so low on operational funds. Mayor Esequiel Salas forgoing his own stipend as well. He says he is waiting for "reimbursements" from the state after using general funds to pay for capital projects.

The village's accounting firm warned in February that it was "dangerously low" on cash. How did the border village in #NewMexico get to this impasse? (cont.)

The village of #ColumbusNM #NewMexico is in trouble. Trustees have permitted management at town hall to deteriorate to the point that basic services are dangerously underfunded. The village's annual audit presented 28 findings with several material weaknesses, and has not even been discussed in open session.

The village's credit rating and access to capital funds could be in jeopardy next.

Reporting from #DemingHeadlight:
https://www.demingheadlight.com/demingheadlight/news/2023/03/18/columbus-trustees-wade-budget-financial-problems

Today is the anniversary of the March 9, 1916 attack on #ColumbusNM ordered by #PanchoVilla.

I took a dip into the archives to research how #localnews reported on the raid and its aftermath at the time. This included reporting by the #DemingHeadlight (which is still around) and the Columbus Courier (which is not).

Some of it is hard to read now.

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/03/10/columbus-scene-daring-raid/

#journalism #MexicanRevolution #history #propaganda

The border village of #ColumbusNM has severe governance issues, as this report illustrates (and more that we've been producing).

And this is why we need #localnews. One of the reasons it got this bad is that for years there was no one wearing down their shoes and sharpening their pencils and reporting on this community. #journalism #newstodon #DemingHeadlight

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/03/03/columbus-trustees-set-last-minute-meeting-cabalgata/

The past month has been really tough for the #DemingHeadlight and I've had doubts about our financial survival, but we may be turning a corner. In any case, we're still putting out #newspapers and today's is a good one, with news of #DemingNM and #ColumbusNM (which is experiencing governing chaos), interview with a congressman, a preview of the annual Rockhound Roundup, a good opinion page and more.

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez of #NewMexico visits #DemingNM and #ColumbusNM to address natural gas prices and issues affecting development near the Columbus port of entry. #localnews #DemingHeadlight

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/02/23/rep-gabe-vasquez-visits-deming-columbus/

Wednesday's edition of the #DemingHeadlight is PACKED, and there's breaking news on DemingHeadlight.com, too. In this issue: A strange story from #ColumbusNM, #NewMexico Special Auditor orders exam of #DemingNM utilities, the #ForestService is sued to prevent aerial shooting of feral cattle in the #Gila wilderness, high school sports, and #NMleg updates from the state Legislature. I love this paper. #localnews #newspapers

Part of my reporting area is a small village on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border, #ColumbusNM, pop. 1,400 more or less. A port of entry sits just south of the village, and there are farms and ranches nearby. It has some interesting history and landmarks.

The municipality is running out of cash -- it can make one more payroll. The last council meeting broke down into shouts and nearly got physical.

https://www.demingheadlight.com/2023/02/16/columbus-meeting-descends-shouting-match/?fbclid=IwAR0V4VBblG3gMFGV0B2U00WXw5M0rhV4lhP-3dDfTP8LmnzrBTVsyooDsUE

New issue of the #DemingHeadlight is packed and I dunno how I can keep this up with a reporting staff of two (that includes me).

A refurbished community monument sitting at the #ColumbusNM prompts debate while #NewMexico's senators seek more support for local migrant aid organizations; editorial on hidden costs of oil prosperity, sports, correcting the #FCC broadband map for #LunaCounty, a #tripledemic update, and more...

#localnews #Newspapers

In the border village of Columbus, NM, the last remnant of the original bank building — which took bullets in the 1916 Battle of Columbus — is a shrine today. See reply for a closer look.

#ColumbusNM #border #history #shrines