White, Barnett, Riethmayer win election, council to vote on banning synthetic drugs
The results are in from the May 11 mayor and school board elections. Rick White won the mayor’s race and Ricky Barnett and Becky Riethmayer were elected to the school board. And two new city council members, Alan Monroe and Bruce Fleming, will take their seats at Monday’s council meeting. There was not a city council election since there were three seats and three candidates.
Election results were: For mayor, Rick White 261, Jim Atwell 177, Ross Paiz 40, Richard Morris, Jr. 16. For the school board, Ricky Barnett 408, Becky Riethmayer 292, Jose Cigarroa 211, Jason Rector 166, and Victor Guerrero 104. Both the city and school district will canvass the results at the next meeting.
The city council will meet in regular session Monday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers, 619 Main St. All council meetings are open to the public. After canvassing the election results, Mayor White and councilmen Monroe, Fleming, and Pope will be sworn in at the meeting. Outgoing council members Mark Osborn and Jim Atwell will be recognized for their service.
The council will vote on an ordinance to approve a settlement agreement between the Alliance of Xcel Municipalities and Southwestern Public Service Co. regarding a rate change request. A variance request for a trailer house located at 805 Woodland by Filiberto Juarez will be considered.
Friona Police Chief Frank Mooney will give a departmental report regarding budget, expenses, personnel, and upcoming activities and events. Action will be considered on the April accounts payables and financial statements.
The council will discuss and vote on an ordinance to prohibit the sale, gift, barter, delivery, possession or use of illicit synthetic drugs. The drugs to be banned in the city include Spice, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic marijuana, bath salts, synthetic cathinones, synthetic stimulants, or other misbranded drugs. City manager Patricia Phipps said none of these quasi-drugs are being sold legally in the city now and the ordinance will make it officially illegal to sell them in Friona.
