October 2022

The Las Animas County Board of County Commissioners covered a short, but mixed, agenda during its second October regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Trinidad City Council met for a regular session Tuesday, Oct. 18, covering an agenda full of budgets, appointments and simple clerical matters.

The New Mexico State Ethics Commission, an independent state agency that seeks to promote the integrity of state and local governments, voted to authorize opening an investigation into former Colfax County Manager Mary Lou Kern for her alleged involvement in the overpayment of nearly $600,000 to a contractor. A spokesperson for the commission confirmed to The Chronicle-News that the NMSEC authorized the filing of a civil action in New Mexico district court against Kern at its Oct. 14 meeting. “The State Ethics Commission publicly approved its staff to pursue a civil action against former County Manager Mary Lou Kern because of alleged violations of the Governmental Conduct Act governing ethics of public officials,” Colfax County said in a release last week.

DENVER — The Colorado Department of Human Services has announced that the Division of Economic and Workforce Support is the new name for the former Employment and Benefits Division. This name change better encompasses the division’s mission and new strategy to provide leadership and resources that create lasting solutions for reducing poverty and improving wellbeing among Coloradans.

Workforce shortages and overburdensome regulations top the list of most important issues for Colorado business leaders, a new survey finds. The survey, conducted for the Colorado Chamber of Commerce by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates, found that of the 150 business leaders questioned, 27% said “too few workers” was the most important issue facing businesses in the state, while 26% said regulations.