Commission cancels meeting, to head to court

December 10, 2009

The Valencia County Commission directed staff to cancel next week’s regular meeting so one or more commissioners can attend a court hearing challenging the county’s permanent ban of an outspoken citizen.

“There’s a problem with some commissioners having to go to court, so we’re going to postpone that,” said Commissioner Don Holliday.

Commissioners Pedro Rael and Georgia Otero-Kirkham, and possibly others, are expected to attend a court hearing in Bernalillo next week, where a judge will hear arguments concerning the ban.

Two months ago, Mike Wood of Las Maravillas was permanently banned from attending county commission meetings, with the county citing what it called Wood’s continued disruption of meetings. Shortly after, Wood obtained a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction so he could continue attending the meetings until a judge could decide the case.

The court hearing is scheduled for December 16 at 3:00pm at the Sandoval County 13th Judicial District Courthouse, located at 1500 Idalia Road in Bernalillo, a long drive from Valencia County. The commission meeting had been scheduled for 5:00pm that same day.

County Manager Eric Zamora said any items the commission needs to consider will be placed on an agenda for a special commission meeting to be on December 21 at 8:30am.

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