Hearing set in Outward Link Trail dispute
Former town manager stays mum regarding backpay evidence requests
Two civil lawsuits involving the Town of Taos continue to crawl through 8th Judicial District Court.
No headway has been made in a dispute involving the town and its former manager, Rick Bellis, who sued the municipality for backpay in February of last year, while a hearing is scheduled for April 18 in the dispute over access to the Outward Link Trail.
The Town of Taos filed a civil suit in 8th Judicial District Court last April seeking to compel property owner Elisabeth Bamberg to desist in blocking what the town insists is a documented and legal right of way through a vacant property Bamberg acquired in September 2021 off Paseo del Cañon East. Bamberg countersued, claiming the town has not complied with an easement agreement requiring management, trash pickup and other conditions be met, and therefore had lost its right to the easement, which she additionally claims has created a nuisance. She is seeking unspecified damages.
In February of last year, Bellis sued over $38,193 in unpaid personal and administrative leave that he said he is still owed. Two months after Bellis filed suit, the town responded with a countersuit against Bellis asking him to reimburse it $15,577, the amount officials maintain the former town manager was “improperly” overpaid. On the same day, April 19, 2023, the town also requested a 12-person jury trial.
Bellis hasn’t responded to any of the town’s court filings since August, despite the town’s demand he produce evidence relevant to the municipality’s counterclaim. On April 2 of this year, attorneys for the town requested a hearing to ask Judge Emilio Chavez to force Bellis to produce evidence in the case and answer 27 interrogatories. Bellis did not respond to messages seeking comment for this story.
The $15,577 was part of a compensation package Bellis received during the final days of Dan Barrone’s mayoral administration, and was paid out roughly two weeks before Bellis was replaced in the early days of the Pascual Maestas mayoral administration.
“On or about March 29, 2022, former Mayor Daniel Barrone intentionally or mistakenly and improperly caused CounterDefendant Bellis to receive payment of 30 days administrative leave prior to Counter-Defendant Bellis’ separation from employment with the Town,” the town’s counterclaim states.
The Maestas administration hired Andrew Gonzales as town manager on April 12, formally ending Bellis’ tenure. Maestas and Gonzales subsequently ferreted out what they believe were improper severance payments not only to Bellis, but to former Finance Director Marietta Fambro, who resigned her executive position just before she took office as a newly-elected town councilor on April 1. Fambro is not named in any legal proceedings undertaken by the town.