Sandoval treasurer spars with manager

County commissioners vote to recommend finance policy changes

Treasurer Laura Montoya and Sandoval County commissioners clashed during Thursday’s regular Board of Finance meeting as they discussed responsibilities and interpersonal communication, with Chairman Darryl Madalena later calling the treasurer’s behavior “belittling” and “uncooperative.”

A Rio Rancho woman whose husband, Wesley Bassett, was to be honored at the 6 p.m. regular commission meeting left without recognition as the treasurer argued at length with county employees and the board during the meeting, causing it to run over an hour longer than scheduled.

Presentations were given by Montoya, county financial adviser Rob Burpo and County Manager Phil Rios. Montoya also introduced the new vice treasurer, Richard Young.

Rios proposed changes to the Sandoval County Investment and Deposit Policy in the section concerning the investment committee.

The investment committee is an advisory group created by the county commission. Rios said it does not make financial decisions or interfere with the treasurer’s duties, but is supposed to work as a team with the treasurer’s office to provide the commission with financial insights.

“This committee is not my committee,” Rios said. “This committee is the board of finance’s committee.”

Rios said he has been attempting to follow his duties as directed by the commission, but has been unable to do so because of the treasurer’s lack of cooperation.

The policy changes were based on those used by Class A counties, Rios said. He said he adopted clear, but not stringent, language to define roles and duties of the treasurer, board of finance and the investment committee.

Some changes regarded mandatory attendance at investment committee meetings and transparency.

Another change regards an appointment to the committee. The policy calls for an ordinary

county citizen “experienced in investment and deposit issues” to participate as a member of the investment committee.

That position, which was supposed to be filled by an appointee of the treasurer, has been vacant since November 2015, according to county spokesman Sidney Hill. The changed policy allows the citizen member to be appointed by the Board of Finance.

Montoya objected to the proposed changes.

Rios provided evidence of Montoya’s repeated absences from meetings. He read aloud an email she sent him, in which she stated she was not required to attend investment committee meetings or participate. He also said Montoya has not provided him critical financial information he needs to present to the board.

Montoya denied the accusations. She claimed she was unable to attend the meetings due to other commitments. She also said she sent representatives from her office to attend in her place.

“I have an open-door policy but no one has walked through it,” she said.

She suggested Rios and Burpo attend meetings led by her instead.

Commissioner Nora Scherzinger said she was unsure whether a “power struggle” was taking place and that the commission is not getting the information it needs.

Burpo said Montoya’s lack of cooperation is preventing him from presenting accurate financial analyses to the board.

Montoya left her seat during his presentation, rolling her eyes at one point and laughing while he presented the analysis.

“We can’t usurp each other’s authority and that’s exactly what’s going on right now,” said Montoya at one point.

When Commissioner Don Chapman later addressed Montoya’s concern that the commission was trying to “usurp” her authority, Montoya denied saying it. That led to a sharp exchange in which Montoya repeatedly interrupted Chapman.

When Madalena criticized Montoya for rolling her eyes, she accused him of being disrespectful and launched into an attack on his office.

“I am an elected official by the entire county. You were elected by one fifth of it,” she said.

“Just one fifth? Exactly. And that’s the one fifth that has been here for many years,” retorted Madalena, the only Native American commissioner.

“I didn’t say ‘just’,” Montoya argued, interrupting him.

Madalena ordered Montoya to be respectful of Rios, Burpo and others present.

Commissioner James Dominguez cast the first vote to pass Rios’s policy changes. Dominguez, who is on the investment committee, cited a discrepancy in Montoya’s claims to have sent representatives to attend meetings.

He said the representatives who attended did not have necessary financial information and called it “negligence” on Montoya’s part.

The commission’s vote to recommend the changes was unanimous.

“I believe that cooperation is indeed in need in this commission,” said Dominguez at the conclusion of the meeting, “and we need to move forward.”

Montoya left immediately as the meeting adjourned.

“I believe she was just making a political statement and just trying to make a farce of this whole meeting,” Madalena told the Observer.