Timothy Jennings Mayor at City of Roswell | Facebook website
Timothy Jennings Mayor at City of Roswell | Facebook website
Christopher Cortez has been sworn in as the new city councilor for Ward 3 in Roswell. The ceremony took place on January 10 at City Hall, with Circuit Judge Bobby Baldock of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit administering the oath.
Cortez's appointment follows the resignation of Councilor Matthew Chappell, who left his position after accepting a job promotion that requires relocation to Albuquerque. Mayor Tim Jennings recommended Cortez for the role, and his appointment was unanimously approved by the remaining nine councilors during their regular meeting on January 9. Cortez will serve through the end of this year and may choose to run in November's municipal election to retain the seat for an additional two years until 2027.
Expressing gratitude, Cortez stated he is “honored” to be selected. He brings experience from his previous roles on both the Planning and Zoning Commission and Airport Advisory Commission. Additionally, he contributed to developing Roswell's city master plan adopted in 2016.
Ward 3 covers a significant area west of Main Street between West Berrendo Road and West Bland Street, overlapping portions of Wards 1, 2, and 4.
In other developments at Thursday’s Council meeting, Ward 2 Councilor Juliana Halvorson was elected mayor pro tem unanimously by her peers. This annual selection allows her to fulfill mayoral duties if necessary. Halvorson has served on the City Council since March 2022 and is involved with both the Public Safety Committee as chair and as a member of the Finance Committee.