
Las Cruces City Councilors concluded a Special Meeting on Jan. 13, validating a process over the previous year that culminated with Ikani Taumoepeau's installment as City Manager. This meeting was triggered by the New Mexico Department of Justice's announcement in December that the council's initial hiring process did not comply with the Open Meetings Act, according to the City of Las Cruces.
As a remedial measure, each councilor detailed their accounts of the non-public discussions, from 2024, about the selection process that led to Taumoepeau's hiring. In the public eye, a decision was then made to ratify the prior actions which effectively recommits to their choice of city manager.
The importance of transparency is not lost in local governance, as the New Mexico Attorney General emphasized that correcting the procedural error requires acknowledging the discussions outside public view. The council's Jan. 13 session, now available for public viewing on the city's YouTube channel, serves as not only a corrective measure but a reaffirmation of Taumoepeau's role in leading the city staff.
The council's unanimous vote to approve, or ratify, the city manager's selection from last year ensures that Taumoepeau, who's been serving since April 1, retains his position with renewed legitimacy. City government will resume its regular meeting schedule post the observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, Jan. 20, with the next session slotted for Tuesday, Jan 21, at the Council Chambers.