Mayor & Council

City Offices
103 Water Ave., | PO Box 1080
Elephant Butte, New Mexico 87935
United States
575-744-4892

Mayor–Council Form of Government

MAYOR/COUNCIL MUNICIPALITY:

Voters have only those rights to vote on council actions that are provided in the statutes; they do not have the right to recall elected officials.

MAYOR:

Chief executive and administrator of the municipality. Presides at governing body meetings; votes only in case of a tie. Supervises appointed officers and employees of the municipality and, with approval of the majority of all members of the governing body, hires and fires. Has no veto over actions of majority of governing body.

GOVERNING BODY:

Legislative branch of the municipality. Consists of the mayor and not less than 4 or more than 10 councilors. Councilors  elect one of their members to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore to perform the duties of the mayor in his/her absence. Mayor Pro Tempore can vote on any issue even when he/she is presiding. Governing body controls all finances and property, passes ordinances and resolutions, approves hiring and firing but may not make appointments or hire on its own, sets salaries, establishes and abolishes jobs, sets its own rules and procedures. Governing body cannot remove the mayor, the judge or its own members.

CITY MANAGER:

The City Manager is the non-elected chief administrator of the municipality. Appointed by the Council and serves at their pleasure. Supervises, hires and fires all municipal employees. Enforces all ordinances and implements all policies set by commission, prepares draft budget, attends all meetings of the Council, has no vote.