Roswell Daily Record THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
Gov. denies Roswell’s bid for vet cemetery Vol. 123, No. 92 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
Roswell’s request for a federally designated veterans’ cemetery was denied, Gov. Susana Martinez announced Tuesday. The four cities selected for the first phase of the new state program to provide veterans’ cemeteries for rural communities were Angel Fire, Carlsbad, Fort Stanton and Gallup. The Chaves County Veterans’ Cemetery Board
Blood moon
submitted an application to the state in December, in an effort to be included in the governor’s new regional veterans’ cemetery program. Col. Ron McKay, board member of the Chaves County Veterans’ Cemetery Board, said the governor’s decision was a letdown. “The main thing we wanted was the designation,” McKay said. “That’s what bothers me. It’s a big letdown for the people here. I don’t understand it — after all the conversations
April 16, 2014
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we’ve had with her and the comments they had said that we were one at the top of the list.” Those working on the Gen. Douglas L. McBrideRoswell Veterans’ Cemetery will regroup and see about what to do next, he said. “We’re going to have to maybe look at the federal (designation) now,” McKay said. To fully build the 5-acre cemetery, the group will need $1.5 million, McKay said. If the cemetery had been
included in the state program, it would have received $150,000. Since December, the city of Roswell was allocated $250,000 in state capital outlay funds for the veterans’ cemetery by the Legislature this year. The city also provided $75,000 to jump start work on a 2acre section at the site in December. The city built a cul-desac and has started work on irrigation. Two walls are expected to be delivered that will hold the remains
of veterans. The cemetery board expects to hold a grand opening July 4. Once federally designated as an of ficial veterans’ cemetery, the nonprofit organization would receive $300 per burial to help cover costs and allow for other official work at the site. But, the money was not as important as gaining the official status, McKay said. “We just want the designation, the money is secondary,” McKay said. “It would help to get those fed-
The full moon blushes red as it passes into Earth's shadow during a total lunar eclipse early Tuesday morning.
Snyder cleared in Hatch Act complaint JILL MCLAUGHLIN RECORD STAFF WRITER
Chaves County sheriff candidate Britt Snyder was notified by the federal government that he was not in violation of the Hatch Act, he announced Tuesday. “There was never a doubt in my mind I had done anything to violate the Hatch Act, but I had to get that officially from them,” Snyder said. Orie “O.L.” Adcock, campaign manager for sheriff
candidate Gary Graves, had filed the complaint, alleging that Snyder had violated the elections law as a candidate while also employed as chief deputy at the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office.
The complaint also alleged that he used his official authority for partisan political purposes while conducting his campaign, according to a letter written to Snyder by Erica Hamrick, deputy chief of the Hatch Act Unit of the U.S.
Office of Special Counsel. “…We have determined that you are not covered by the Hatch Act, and we are closing the above-referenced file without further action,” Hamrick wrote. The Hatch Act restricts the political activity of employees who work with programs financed in whole or part by the federal government and is generally a guideline for federal employees who run for
In July, Martinez announced the development of a strategic plan to bring veterans’ cemeteries closer to New Mexico’s veterans and their families.
Ray Seva, public information officer for the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services, said Martinez reviewed all applications, including those sub-
Police Committee discusses officer retention program RANDAL SEYLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
Mark Wilson Photo
eral funds for burying people too. We’re not letting up on it.”
The Roswell Police Committee discussed a proposed master law enforcement officer program for the police department during their regular monthly meeting Monday evening at City Hall. Chief Phil Smith presented his proposal for a “master track” program which would reward officers with experience, education and physical fitness with extra pay — a program the chief believes could improve retention for the department. “We have officers who, after they have been here for five years, are employable anywhere and they are really sought after,” Smith told the committee. Several police departments both in state and out have courted Roswell Police of ficers, thanks in part to the excel-
See CEMETERY, Page A3
lent reputation the department has as a professional organization. “This master track program would give us a way to both reward officers and convince them to stick around,” Smith said. The master track increases could be up to 8 percent, but it would be the rare of ficer who would score that highly on the exam. “If we started this today, we have 17 out of 94 officers who would qualify to participate,” Smith said, The master track looks at physical fitness and overall health of the officer, continuing education credits of the officer, and length of service. Officers with college degrees could qualify for the program more quickly than those without degrees, but officers without college degrees could be eligible for the program See RETENTION, Page A3
Pearce, public discuss prairie chicken
Dunn outraises Powell nearly 3 times over
SANTA FE (AP) — Republican Aubrey Dunn has raised nearly three times more campaign money than incumbent Democrat Ray Powell in the race for state land commissioner. According to finance reports filed Monday by the candidates, Dunn collected $64,211 in contributions, including $15,000 in personal loans. Powell raised about $21,654. Dunn, a Roswell banker and rancher, had cash-on-
hand of $48,551 and Powell’s campaign reported a balance of $44,958. Oil and gas interests contributed $21,590 to Dunn, including $5,200 from Artesia oilman Peyton Yates. Labor unions gave $4,250 to Powell, including $1,000 from the Teamsters union. In the race for secretary of state, Democratic challenger Maggie Toulouse Oliver has a fundraising advantage over Republican incumbent Dianna Duran.
See SNYDER, Page A3
Oliver collected about $111,900 in contributions while Duran raised $82,800 in the past six months. Oliver reported cash-on-hand of about $95,000 and Duran had $83,000.
Democrat Hector Balderas has opened up a large fundraising advantage in the race for attor ney general, according to the latest campaign-finance disclosures.
Mark Wilson Photo
Congressman Steve Pearce greets his constituents during a town hall meeting to discuss the lesser prairie chicken at the Roswell Chamber of Commerce, Tuesday. Some 100 people engaged in the informative two-hour discussion, including local officials, farmers, oil and gas company representatives and others who were concerned about the new listing of the bird by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife. For a full report, see Thursday's edition of the Roswell Daily Record.
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TODAY’S FORECAST
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGES A8 & A9 • LYLE D. BERT • JOHN LEE EUDY • JANE BARBEE RAY DENIO • RONALD EUGENE HILL • VALERIE TSCHAPPLER HETT • BRYAN (CHIP) CHIPPEAUX • MILDRED LUCILLE REEVES
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B7 COMICS .................B6 ENTERTAINMENT ...A10 FINANCIAL ..............B4
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2 HOROSCOPES .........B2 LOTTERIES .............A2 NATION ..................A9
OPINION .................A4 SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ............A10