Socorro County Manager Lotrich stops illegal livestock meeting from happening

The County Livestock Loss Authority meeting held at the Socorro County Annex building on Wednesday did not proceed due to lack of votes to approve the agenda.

Nelson Shirley, the non-governmental representative on the board, said items were missing from the agenda, which was posted to the newspaper prior to its finalization.

“Under the Open Meetings Act, if the agenda is not made public, we can’t take action on items,” Shirley said.

James E. Paxon, chairman of the board, confirmed the agenda was posted per the Open Meetings Act in Socorro, and it did meet the requirements for the posting within 72 hours in advance.

“We cannot change the agenda, but if you wish to register which items were left off we’ll record those,” Paxon said.

Shirley said he’d like to have a special meeting with the items left off; Paxon said it would be noted, but they couldn’t vote on that right then.

Tom Paterson, the livestock producer representative on the board, joined the objection to the agenda. He said his understanding was that the administrator was responsible for putting all the items they sent to her, but that didn’t happen.

“For example, one of the issues that Doctor Ebert and I have worked on extensively over the past month is the application for indirect damages. And I guess you could try to get it under something under this agenda, but you’d have to be guessing to put it, and I don’t think we should make a public guess. So, I register my objection,” Paterson said.

Paxon said Item B under Old business was listed as “indirect damages processes and funding approval” and Patterson said he felt it would require the public to guess.

Ray Martinez, Socorro County director, made a motion to approve the agenda; Chair Paxon seconded it. Martinez and Paxton voted in favor of the agenda, and Audrey McQueen, Catron County director, on Zoom, Patterson, and Shirley voted against it.

Paxon said they could not go forward without an approved agenda and requested a motion to adjourn.

Paterson said he believed they could still have a discussion without voting. Socorro County Manager Andrew Lotrich, who was in the audience, stood up and requested to speak.

“Thank you, Directors, under the Open Meetings Act, if there is no published agenda, there cannot be a meeting of any kind. So any discussion would have to cease and desist at this time since you’re here in Socorro County, in Socorro County chambers; this would potentially be an illegal meeting that my recommendation to chair Martinez at this time is, if there is no agenda that has been approved, you must immediately leave this meeting, it has to be adjourned… you cannot have a formal meeting in this building without a formalized adoption of an agenda,” Lotrich said.

Paxton agreed and asked for a reconsideration of the agenda.

Martinez made a motion to adjourn.

Paterson said he felt the agenda was insufficient, “I genuinely regret that I’ve driven three hours to be at this meeting. Other people have traveled a fair distance.”

McQueen said she felt that since everyone was present, they should try to have a meeting.

“I’m looking at the list that Tom sent me reports, old business, new business, 18 items. Seventeen of those items are in this agenda by consolidation, if they are or not, and you have your sheet, that’s where we are not sure,” Paxon said.

Paterson reviewed items individually, stating which were on the agenda and which were not.

“So, I think there are a number of items that are not included, and I think they deserve the attention of the board and the public would not know from the agenda,” Patterson said.

Paxon responded that he wasn’t sure if the Open Meetings Act requires agendas be specific with additional information. He said 16 out of 17 items requested were on the agenda.

Paterson said he respectfully disagreed.

“I apologize for the people that came far, but if we’re not going to do it proper if we are not going to do it legally, I think we need to adjourn,” Martinez said.

Paterson seconded Martinez motion to adjourn and it was unanimously voted in favor to adjourn.

The County Livestock Lost Authority was formed in November 2022 to compensate livestock lost to Mexican wolves. This includes cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. The board is a joint effort between Catron, Sierra, and Socorro counties, with each contributing $100,000 a year to compensate ranchers. Last year they received 1.5 million in funding from the legislature. The CLLA also work with the US Fish and Wildlife Department and New Mexico Agriculture Department to get funding from federal and wildlife advocate groups.

The meeting was rescheduled for Monday September 30 at 10 a.m. at the Socorro County Annex building, 198 Neel Avenue in Socorro.