Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 123, No. 241 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
October 7, 2014
Hearing set for sexually oriented businesses BY JEFF TUCKER RECORD STAFF WRITER
The Chaves County commissioners will host a public hearing next month on a proposed ordinance that would regulate sexually oriented businesses in the county “to protect the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the citizens of Chaves County.” A draft of the proposed ordinance obtained Monday from the county’s Planning and Zoning Department
states the proposed law seeks a “modified dispersal approach” and would require any adult business to be located in a commercial or industrial area. Adult businesses would also be required to be at least a mile apart, and at least a mile from residences, parks, schools. day care locations and religious facilities and institutions. The proposed ordinance would amend portions of the Chaves County Zoning Ordinance by adding a new
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article that regulates the location, permitting, licensing and operation of sexually oriented businesses and/or adult entertainment enterprises. The proposed ordinance would add definitions and define land uses for adult businesses, while providing for the licensing, administration and enforcement of activities. The proposed ordinance would allow the inspection of adult businesses, with performance standards and
requirements for “the protection of the health, safety and welfare of all citizens of Chaves County.” The city of Roswell adopted a similar measure in July 2013, with a 1,000foot mandatory zone between adult establishments and certain other structures, such as schools. The county commissioners will host a public hearing on the proposed ordinance at their Nov. 20 meeting at the Chaves
County Administrative Center at 1 St. Mary’s Place in Roswell. A vote on the ordinance could take place after the public hearing. County Planning and Zoning Director Anders Sheridan, who drafted the proposed ordinance, said Monday he will present a staff report on the proposed ordinance at the public hearing. Sheridan has said the county’s current zoning ordinance contains no pro-
Pets blessed at St. Andrew’s Church BY TIMOTHY P. HOWSARE RECORD EDITOR
Timothy P. Howsare Photo
The Rev. Dale Plummer blesses pets Sunday during St. Andrew’s annual Blessing of the Animals service.
FLETC lockup draws criticism ARTESIA (AP) — Trailers have been set up for a school at a federal immigration detention center in an isolated New Mexico desert town. A basketball court and a soccer field have been installed. And detainees are pleading their cases over a video link with judges in Denver. Officials say that the facility, billed as a temporary place to house women and children from Central America who were among a wave of immigrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally this year, could remain open until next summer. “All of us would love to see the doors close in Artesia but the reality is the need will probably be there until the end of the high season, probably August next year,” a gover nment of ficial told immigration advocates in a recent confidential meeting. The AP had access to a recording of the meeting with the official, whose name or position was not identified. The detainees at the Artesia Family Residential Center, meanwhile, are growing increasingly
frustrated that they are being held with no end in sight while earlier border -crossers were released with orders to contact immigration officials later. “I'm being punished for coming here, they tell us,” said Geraldyn Perez. She said she fled death threats by gangs in Guatemala. The center opened as federal of ficials were realizing over the summer that the thousands of border-crossers they released had disappeared into the nation's interior and never showed up for any meetings with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The government official in the recorded confidential meeting acknowledged that about 70 percent of the released families vanished. The official explained to human rights activists that prolonged detention of children and mothers is “not punitive,” adding that detention is not a tool for deterring wouldbe immigrants, many of whom have made claims of asylum.
See FLETC, Page A3
HIGH 88 LOW 54
TODAY’S FORECAST
visions or regulatory language to identify or address sexually oriented businesses. While there currently are no adult businesses in Chaves County, the five Republican commissioners said they want to get in front of the issue in case such adult enterprises should surface in Chaves County, as they have in Eddy County. A strip club called the
Normally, pets aren’t allowed in church unless they’re service animals. But on the first Sunday of every October, most Episcopal churches hold a special service where people can bring their pets into the church to be blessed. The tradition honors St. Francis of Assisi, who loved all of God’s creation and is the patron saint of animals. Stories are told of how birds would gather in the trees to hear St. Francis talk about God and how the Catholic friar once persuaded a ferocious wolf to stop attacking and eating villagers in the small town of Gubbio. On Sunday afternoon, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Roswell held its Blessing of the Animals service, which blessed both living pets
See HEARING, Page A3
and memorialized pets that have died. The service was conducted by The Rev. Dale Plummer and The Rev. R.J. “Bud” Milner and organized by parishioner Sally Pretti. Donations were accepted for the Roswell Humane Society. About 50 community members brought their pets to the church to be blessed. There were dogs, large and small; a couple of cats and even a parakeet. A prayer of remembrance was held for those pets that have passed on. One pet owner brought to the front of the church the “cremains” of two of her beloved pets. Plummer said there is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth called the Rainbow Bridge. “When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this See PETS, Page A3
Police department disciplinary policies discussed BY RANDAL SEYLER RECORD CITY EDITOR
How are employees disciplined within the Roswell Police Department? Disciplinary actions against officers within the police department is carried out in a regimented fashion, including hearings and union representation — but the system only applies to officers who have completed their one-year probationary period, according to city officials. The Roswell Police Officers Association represents all non-probationary members of the department up to the rank of commander, according to Todd Wildermuth, RPD public information officer. “The chief, deputy chief and commanders are not members of the Roswell Police Officers Association,” Wider muth said in an email. However, the rest of the officers who have completed their 12-month probationary period are eligible for the department’s appeals process and representation by the union in cases of disciplinary actions, Mayor Dennis Kintigh said on Friday. “Officers with over one year and sergeants are members of the union,” he said. Internal problems involving police officers are investigated by the inter nal af fairs division of the department, Kintigh said. There is not a human
• RALPH G. BURNSWORTH • SANDY ERNEST BASS • MARGARET WALDO
meeting with the city manager, the employee may submit a written request to the HR director requesting a hearing before a hearing officer, who will be appointed by the city manager. Following a formal hearing on the appeal, at which both sides can make arguments and present evidence, the decision of the hearing officer is final and binding, Wildermuth said. There are no appeals available for an oral reprimand. Also, Roswell Police Officers Association members involved in the appeal process may also have a meeting with the chief as part of the process and a final hearing may be before an arbitrator rather than a hearing officer. If the employee is an association member, which means a non-probationary of ficer, he or she can request to have an association representative assist him or her through the process, Wildermuth said. Police officers are expected to conduct themselves in a manner above and beyond the behavior of a typical employee, Kintigh said. Not only are they subject to the city’s and the department’s regulations and policies — police officers are under constant scrutiny from the public as well. “You’ve got to explain
resources person assigned to the department, and all human resources tasks such as benefits administration are handled by the city’s HR director Jetta Miles, the mayor said, but disciplinary actions are handled within the department. “In most cases, the department’s Inter nal Affairs agent investigates when directed by the chief,” Wilder muth said. “In instances when a conflict may exist for the Internal Affairs agent or the agent is unavailable, the chief will appoint another investigator. RPD employees are also free to file a grievance through an alternative city mechanism.” Wildermuth said the city has its own process, outside of but similar to, the police department, or through an outside agency if appropriate. The steps of progressive discipline within the police department include oral reprimand (which can include training and counseling if appropriate), written reprimand, suspension from duty, demotion in rank, and dismissal, Wildermuth said. “The discipline process is most often progressive from step to step, but may jump forward to a more severe level if warranted in a particular case.” Oral and written reprimands are administered by supervisors, but suspensions require the involve-
ment of the chief or deputy chief, according to Wildermuth. Supervisors can also suspend an officer for a shift if the officer arrives to work unfit to serve, Wildermuth said. Demotions in rank require the approval of the police chief or deputy chief, and termination requires the approval of the city manager. “For instances of written reprimands, or allegations of violation, misinterpretation or misapplication of the city’s Personnel Rules and Regulations or department policies, the employee may submit a written request for review of disciplinary action to his or her immediate supervisor,” Widermuth stated in his email. “A meeting is held between the employee and the supervisor, and possibly including the department head, to try to resolve the matter. If no resolution is reached, the employee can make a written appeal to the city HR director, who presents it for review by the city manager or the manager’s designee. A meeting is held between the employee and the city manager or his designee, following which the city manager issues a final decision regarding the appeal.” In instances of suspensions, demotions or terminations the same process applies, with the following addition — if the grievance is not resolved following the
• RAYMOND GONZALES
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
FINANCIAL ..............B4
LOTTERIES .............A2
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6
COMICS .................B5
See DISCIPLINE, Page A3
HOROSCOPES .........A8
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8