The Aztec City Commission meeting Tuesday night was more than just business – it was a celebration of community spirit. With a packed chamber looking on, officials honored Just Serve, a dedicated volunteer organization, and recognized Aaron Lierz, runner-up in the Youth of the Year competition, who presented his essay to the commission.
City Manager Jeff Blackburn was contacted by Connie Hutcheson May 3, inviting him to see the happenings at the Aztec Senior-Community Center, where Just Serve was working on three tasks.
Blackburn said when he arrived “industry was happening,” and he met with Dixie Hatch and Tanya Stinson.
Work done by Just Serve included converting open space on the south side of the senior center to patio area, stripped and resealed the senior center stage and cleaned up and improved the memorial garden, Blackburn said in an email.
“But what I was really impressed with was the kids. They were organized. They were out there working hard, and they were learning about our community and volunteerism, and we just want to recognize that tonight,” Blackburn said.
Hatch was presented with a certificate by Mayor Mike Padilla, who also visited the facility Saturday.
“Amazing, these people working on the benefit of our community. It means a lot to all of us as elected officials … so with that, I have a certificate of recognition,” Padilla said.
A mix of youths and adults stood for a round of applause.
“It was wonderful,” Hatch said. “We want you to know that every April is Global Youth Service Day. So … we hope that we can keep this going to help out wherever and get even more used in the community, to come and help.”
Michelle Meyering, Boys and Girls Club of San Juan County executive director, acknowledged the youths of Just Serve.
“I applaud you guys for getting out and getting your hands dirty and sweating a little for the betterment of this community,” she said.
Every year the Boys and Girls Club of San Juan County conducts a Youth of the Year competition, as part of a national event. The applicants read their essays before a panel of judges, community members and board members
Lierz, representing the Aztec Boys and Girls Club and Aztec High School, read his essay to close the Youth of the Year banquet in Santa Fe.
“And there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The number of people who applauded his composure, he was in his Junior ROTC uniform, and let me tell you, he represented the city of Aztec extremely well,” she said, asking Aaron to come to the podium and present it to the commission.
“It is an honor to stand before you today and discuss something that has filled my life and dreams and is shaping my future motivation. Life is a journey filled with ups and downs, successes and failures, joining hardships, but through it all, one thing remains positive, the need for motivation and support,” read Aaron’s opening lines.
Jennie Achee, Finance director, presented Chris Garner representing PB & H LLP, who remotely presented the audit report on the chambers large screens. The audit was completed in December 2024 and submitted to the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor.
Explaining what an audit is, Garner said they were hired to express an opinion on your financial statements, meaning what is called “reasonable assurance,” because there is no way they could look at every transaction.
The report spells out how testing internal controls above what auditing standards require, followed by communicating significant matters, Garner said.
“There’s 21 additional items that we have to test. So we test things like procurement, travel and per diem,” he said.
Their opinion states that the financial statements are fairly presented in accordance with the standards that they and the city have to follow, the highest level of assurance they can give.
“And with that lower threshold, we did not have any findings. We had no exceptions,” Garner said, adding the entire city and staff is following procedures and there are no findings.
The whole reason for this communication is to let the commission know they have a good infrastructure for their financial records and can rely on their reports.
A resident spoke about his struggle getting water from the water company No. 30, Road 2581.
“I’m aware of this, and I appreciate the plight of these folks,” Blackburn said.
The infrastructure, he said, is not adequate to supply water and support growth. “And we can’t support growth out there if we approve a meter for them, and we better approve a meter for everyone else that moves in, and currently, the water pressure just won’t support it,” Blackburn said. “Unfortunately, that is a buyer-beware-type of thing.”
He added that they’re about $2 million away from running a water line in that direction, and the whole system was built undersized. Ruben Salcido said there was no moratorium in place, but the issue was an undersized infrastructure.
This article was updated May 19 to add two omitted items, Item D and Item E.
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