Peralta council approves new spending rules after public debate

Peralta’s latest spending rules moved more day-to-day control inside Town Hall while trying to keep the council in charge of the bigger money decisions. The Town Council unanimously approved a new procurement policy and financial and internal control policy during a special meeting on April 29, after a public debate over who should be able to spend, how much oversight was enough and how construction work should be handled.

The key amendments delegated financial oversight to Mayor Joseph Chavez and removed construction services from the discretionary spending authority of Town Clerk Kori Taylor, who serves as the village’s purchasing agent. The sharpest disagreement centered on a proposed $20,000 threshold that would have allowed the procurement officer to approve purchases without an explicit council vote. Councilor Randy Smith said the limit was too high and argued that the policy needed stronger accountability and more checks and balances.

Smith tied that concern to a prior community center fence episode, saying it suggested work may have gone forward without the council’s knowledge. His objections fit a wider pattern in Peralta, where procurement questions have repeatedly surfaced as the town tries to advance projects tied to the community center and other capital work. In December 2025, the council tabled construction bids for the community center project after confusion over contract language and purchasing methods, and Smith said at the time that he had called New Mexico procurement specialist manager Johnny Desha about general service agreements.

Mayor Joseph Chavez pushed back on the argument for tighter limits, saying a threshold set too low could slow routine operations and make it harder for the town to function. He said he planned to stay closely involved and review spending regularly with the clerk, while keeping staff flexible enough to buy supplies and move projects forward. Town attorney Steve Chavez also reminded the council that the governing body is legally responsible for municipal finances and property, underscoring that the elected board still holds the final authority even as staff receives more room to act on routine matters.

The stakes are practical in Peralta, where officials have been working to renovate the old J&L Country Kitchen building into the Peralta Community Center. The town received $1 million for the project in June 2024, asked for $6 million during the most recent legislative session and came away empty-handed. With that funding gap still unresolved, the new procurement rules will shape how quickly Peralta can advance construction and how visible those spending decisions remain to the public.