Board hears legal timeline for upcoming vacancy; approves amended lease with Pueblo of Pojoaque

At the Oct. 8 meeting, the board received legal guidance on an upcoming board vacancy that will take effect Jan. 1, 2026. Linda Tridageli advised trustees the board will have 45 days after the vacancy to appoint a replacement and that the board should generally wait until election results are certified before making formal appointments. She said the board should prepare a candidate packet, public notice and an informational meeting so that it can act promptly after certification.

Tridageli also described statutory constraints trustees should screen for — for example, whether a prospective appointee has a felony record that has not been pardoned or is an employee of the district, which would make them ineligible to serve — and recommended the board publish qualifications and timelines when it begins the post‑election appointment process.

Later in the meeting the board reviewed and approved an amended lease with the Pueblo of Pojoaque. Administration said the amended document shortens the initial lease term from five to three years and makes the 99‑year renewal contingent on a successful land exchange and recorded deed. Legal counsel reviewed the MOU and the amended lease and staff said there is no monetary exchange required under the amended terms. The board voted to approve the lease extension as presented.