Town officials say unclear maintenance responsibilities and animal shelter expenses are prompting work on potential ordinance changes

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

MESILLA - The Town of Mesilla is examining possible changes to its community ditch maintenance and animal-control ordinances after officials identified questions about property owners' responsibilities and expenses associated with taking animals to shelters.

Community and Economic Development Director Eddie Salazar told the Board of Trustees during its Tuesday, Oct. 20, meeting that staff is working to address both issues. No ordinance amendments or new fees were presented for approval.

The discussions could eventually affect how property owners maintain community ditches and how the town recovers some animal-control expenses.

Who is responsible for maintaining community ditches?

Salazar said questions about community ditch maintenance have become increasingly common among residents, particularly in connection with code enforcement.

Mesilla lacks a local ordinance clearly establishing maintenance responsibilities for those ditches, he told trustees.

That uncertainty can create problems when town employees speak with homeowners about ditch conditions, including whether property owners are responsible for keeping them clear.

Salazar said he wants to develop an ordinance addressing those responsibilities.

He did not present proposed language, an enforcement mechanism or a timeline for bringing the measure before trustees.

Animal shelter costs prompt review of fees

Salazar also identified animal control as an area where the town's regulations need attention, particularly because Mesilla lacks a dedicated animal-control fee schedule.

He said some expenses currently borne by the town could instead be assigned to animal owners.

As an example, Salazar described the expense of transporting a surrendered dog and its puppies to a shelter.

At approximately $58 per animal, he said, a surrender involving several animals could cost the town $500 to $600.

Those figures describe potential expenses to the town, not a proposed surrender fee for residents.

Salazar did not identify specific charges the town intends to impose or explain how any future fee schedule might account for residents unable to afford animal-care expenses.

He also raised concerns about residents repeatedly borrowing animal traps without addressing the conditions contributing to continued reproduction among stray animals.

Salazar referenced trap-neuter-return programs and the need for public education as part of addressing animal-control problems.

He said an animal-control officer is assisting him with work on proposed ordinance amendments.

Changes remain under development

Neither the ditch maintenance issue nor the animal-control proposals appeared before trustees as an ordinance for consideration Tuesday.

Salazar's remarks came during a staff update, and trustees did not vote on changes to either policy.

That leaves several questions unresolved, including how the town might define ditch maintenance responsibilities, which animal-control expenses could be recovered from owners and whether any future fee schedule would include exceptions or reduced charges.

Any specific changes would have to be developed and brought through the town's applicable ordinance approval process before taking effect.

For now, the discussions offer Mesilla residents an early look at local regulations that town officials believe need clarification or revision.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.