By Jennifer Garcia
jgarcia@riograndesun.com
Managing Editor

It took less than 10 minutes for the City of Española to get voted off of the North Central Solid Waste Board on March 19.

The decision, made during the regular NCSWA meeting, was unanimous. Rio Arriba County Manager Jeremy Maestas was absent and so was City of Española councilor and NCSWA Board Secretary Peggy Sue Martinez, but that’s nothing new, as it’s been nearly two years since she last attended a board meeting.

During the meeting on March 19, NCSWA General Manager Leo Marquez read Resolution Number 2026-03-02, A Resolution by the Board of Directors of North Central Solid Waste Authority Removing the City of Española from Membership in the Board of Directors of the North Central Solid Waste Authority.

The resolution stated that the board of directors of the NCSWA met in regular session and they seek to remove the City of Española from membership on the board of directors because it has not actively participated in governance, decision-making and operation of the authority and they feel it’s in the best interest of the board of directors to remove the city.

“Pursuant to the Joint Powers Agreement among the parties, the Board of Directors of North Central Solid Waste Authority votes to remove the City of Española from membership in the Board of Directors,” the resolution stated. “This action related only to the City of Española’s membership in the Board of Directors. The existing service contract between North Central Solid Waste Authority and the City of Española will remain in place.”

Board Chair and Rio Arriba County Commissioner Alex Naranjo asked what business the city does with the NCSWA, to which Marquez answered: “We truck their trash.”

He said the city has begun picking up residents’ trash on their own and no longer depends on the NCSWA to do so, however, they do transport it.

“That has nothing to do with what we’re doing here,” Naranjo said in regard to the vote to remove the city from the Authority. “Is that (the removal) your recommendation?”

Marquez said it is. Immediately after, Ohkay Owingeh Board Member Lucia Sanchez made a motion to remove the city, which received a second by Santa Clara Board Member Bernardino Chavarria for discussion.

He said it may be a little premature to remove the city since there’s been a change in the administration with the election of a new mayor and maybe things might change.

Sanchez disagreed.

“It’s a cyclical pattern, they jump in, they jump out,” she said. “If the new administration is open to discussion, we welcome that …”

Naranjo concurred with Sanchez and said “Enough is enough.”

In the last two years, a city representative has only attended NCSWA meetings once, Naranjo said. He pointed out that most meetings last about half an hour and take little of his time and everyone else’s, so it’s not fair that the other board members attend meetings and Martinez does not.

“It’s very unfair,” Naranjo said.

With that comment, he called for a vote. The vote carried 3-0, with Chavarria, Naranjo and Sanchez all voting in favor of dismissing the city.

The NCSWA will need to fill that vacant seat but it’s unclear when that will happen. During a Jan. 15 NCSWA meeting, there was a mention of replacing Martinez with Ernest Vigil, the mayor of Chama.

“We need to do a resolution with the attorney and take a vote,” Naranjo said in January. “Get them out of here and have the mayor of Chama.”