In a SUNfoto published in August 2012, Rio Arriba County Commissioner and North Central Regional Transit District Board of Directors Vice Chairman Barney Trujillo stood between Taos County Commissioner and Board Chairman Daniel Barrone and Española Mayor Alice Lucero at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Jim West Regional Transit Center.
Since that photo was published, sightings of Trujillo at the Center have been few and far between.
Trujillo has attended Board meetings at the Center sporadically since he appeared at the ceremony and has been absent from meetings for the past six months. During that period, Rio Arriba County Manager and Board alternate designee Tomas Campos was absent three times, meaning Rio Arriba County had no representation during those meetings.
Since Trujillo’s string of absences started in July, he has missed votes on the infrastructure capital improvement plan, a resolution continuing free route fares through 2015 and a route expansion to Ghost Ranch.
Of the 44 meetings held since Trujillo joined the Board in 2011, he has been missed 14 of them.
He also missed two presentations from the private consulting firm KFH Group, about a service plan update that would modify every route in the District. The District currently operates 11 routes that are either based in, or run through, Rio Arriba County and the update would add coverage to areas like Velarde, Los Ojos and La Junta.
Barrone took a diplomatic tone when discussing Trujillo’s truancy streak.
He said he’s been able to rely on Trujillo to show up for important issues in the past, but with a Board vote coming next month on the update, his presence is desired.
“I would hope that he would attend, given the vote that will take place,” Barrone said.
Barrone said he has not received any calls from Trujillo explaining his half-year absence.
Campos said in an interview he did not believe Trujillo had been absent from Board meetings for six months.
Campos said Trujillo had arrived late at the July and August meetings and the stenographer had counted it as an absence.
District minutes include an attendance list and note, in parentheses, whether a Board member or alternate designee is late.
The minutes state Trujillo did not attend the meetings in July or August, with Campos filling in for him in August.
Campos said it’s difficult for Rio Arriba County employees and elected officials to attend meetings on Fridays because of the amount of meetings and events that are scheduled on those days.
He said he may suggest to District officials that meetings be moved to a different day of the week.
While the presence of Campos at previous meetings fulfills Rio Arriba County’s obligations as a Board member, Trujillo’s obligation as a Board officer is going unfulfilled.
District bylaws state “time availability” as being one of the criteria for being an officer.
The Board can vote to remove an officer at any time with a two-thirds vote. Trujillo’s two-year term as vice chairman will end in April 2014.
North Central Regional Transit District Executive Director Anthony Mortillaro declined to comment.
Trujillo joined the Board in February 2011 and was elected Board vice chairman a little more than a year later.
Trujillo did not return requests for comment.
As a part of the tax district, Rio Arriba County contributed $567,199 in gross receipt taxes during the 2013 fiscal year.