SAGUACHE — Former Saguache mayor Elvie Samora was appointed as the new mayor for Saguache during the Saguache town board’s regular meeting Tuesday, Sept 12. Greg Terrell, elected in 2016, resigned from the board as mayor earlier this month.
Samora will serve as mayor until new elections are held in April of 2018.
Three trustees appointed Samora as a new board member Sept. 8, along with Timothy Chittum and Randal Arredondo. The new board members then voted Tuesday with fellow trustees Luana Lovato, Loren Aldrich and Susan Collins to appoint Samora mayor.
To replace the seat vacated by Samora, the board approved an application previously reviewed at the Sept. 8 meeting, appointing Saguache business owner Terry Gillette to the board. Gillette, Arredondo and Chittum will also be up for re-election next April.
Interim town administrator Brandy Reitter said she was happy to see the town finally pulling together again, commenting: “A full board is so important.”
During the Sept. 12 meeting, the new board also learned that the proposal slated for a decision in November regarding whether or not voters favor marijuana retail shops and an inspection station in Saguache failed to meet the deadline for placement on the ballot.
Reitter explained Tuesday during a phone conversation that while the previous board had approved the measure to be placed on the ballot, no one signed the approval. “The mayor (Terrell) resigned the day before the deadline,” so the deadline could not be met, she said, adding the deputy clerk and none of the other trustees had signed the approval either.
The measure can always be placed on the ballot for 2018, she commented.
Questions about the progress of the town’s sewer project will be discussed later, Reitter noted. Currently plans for the project are under review by the state and any further action will need to wait until the state approves the plan submitted originally by the town.
Trustees met again during a special meeting Sept. 18 to approve tentative candidates for the positions of town clerk, deputy clerk and a maintenance person. The names of the candidates will be released once they accept their proposals from the town, Reitter said. The board also approved Reitter’s contract as interim town administrator.
A work session to review the progress made on various town projects will be held Sept. 27 at the Road and Bridge Building, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Another special session meeting is scheduled for early October.