Residents press council on mayor's rally attendance, lead‑pipe notices and library funding
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Summary
Public comment at the April 6 Las Cruces City Council meeting focused heavily on three concerns: mayoral participation in an anti‑abortion rally, alleged failures by Las Cruces Utilities to notify owners about galvanized piping, and calls to prioritize the library and recreation centers in GRT funding allocations.
A steady stream of public commenters at the Las Cruces City Council meeting on April 6 pressed the council on civic and health matters, centering three issues: the mayor’s attendance at a pro‑life rally, accusations that Las Cruces Utilities failed to notify owners about galvanized piping and possible lead risks, and calls to prioritize libraries and parks in the city’s new GRT spending.
Several speakers said Mayor Eric Enriquez should clarify whether he attended a recent anti‑abortion protest in a personal or official capacity. Jane Asch told the council she respected the mayor’s right to religious belief but asked that when he appears at future protests he explicitly state he is attending as a private citizen and not representing the office.
Multiple commenters raised water‑safety concerns tied to galvanized piping and the federal lead and copper rule. Lynn Moorerer cited handouts and prior meeting material to allege that the city failed to provide timely notice to most properties where galvanized piping was identified and that some properties were not listed in the inventory at all. Moorerer said the lack of timely notification prevented property owners, including a local elementary school, from taking protective measures. She told the council: “Of the 83 properties, the city provided no notice whatsoever to 8 of them. For the remaining 75, the city failed to provide timely notice to any of them.”
City staff did not provide an immediate operational rebuttal during public comment; councilors asked staff to follow up and to provide documentation and next steps to the council and the public.
Many residents also urged the council to prioritize community projects such as the public library and accessible parks when spending GRT revenues. Lucas Hernan, who reported attending the GRT community sessions, said the public had consistently prioritized libraries, recreation centers and roads and urged the council to honor that input. “Invest in our communities, parks, recreation centers, roads, libraries,” he said.
There was strong disagreement in the room about whether investments in police training infrastructure advance community safety or divert money from libraries, parks and youth programs that residents said would prevent crime by addressing root causes. Speakers on both sides gave the council examples and research‑oriented arguments.
What happens next: Councilors asked staff to bring back documentation and a prioritized project list reflecting the GRT allocations and to follow up on the alleged notification failures related to galvanized piping. Council members also signaled plans to continue the conversation about civic priorities at upcoming work sessions.
Public comment is part of the formal record for the council; requests or allegations that require operational action were referred to staff for investigation and response.
