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A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW

MEXICO TO NAME THE UTTON TRANSBOUNDARY RESOURCES CENTER'S

OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM AFTER THE JOSEPH M. STELL WATER OMBUDSMAN

PROGRAM.

WHEREAS, Joe M. Stell has served his community and the

state of New Mexico for more than seventy years as an athlete,

a coach, a teacher, a mentor, a leader and an example; and

WHEREAS, Joe M. Stell has been a rancher near Carlsbad

in between teaching for thirty-seven years in the Carlsbad

school system, earning some degrees and continuing education

credits along with expertise from the "University of

Experience"; and

WHEREAS, Joe M. Stell served as state representative

from district 54 for the past twenty years, where he helped

revise the Election Code and contributed to issues on farming

and ranching, education, public safety and water law; and

WHEREAS, he won four state championships in his coaching

career and in everything he has done, he has set an example of

humility, erudition and fairness and has become a real

champion in the eyes of everyone who has worked with him; and

WHEREAS, water is a critical issue to all New Mexicans

and yet is controversial and the source of difficult conflicts

that need to be resolved; and

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WHEREAS, with Representative Stell's support, and under

his leadership, the university of New Mexico created the Utton

transboundary resources center ombudsman program on water to

foster dialogue and creative approaches to difficult problems

such as water conflicts; and

WHEREAS, the Utton transboundary resources center

ombudsman program helps water users and other stakeholders to

understand and resolve water issues; and

WHEREAS, Joe M. Stell has always emphasized and

exemplified fairness, respect and a dedication to solving

problems and finding solutions;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the board of

regents of the university of New Mexico be requested to name

the Utton transboundary resources center's ombudsman program

as the Joe M. Stell Water Ombudsman Program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be

transmitted to the board of regents of the university of New

Mexico.