Section 49-5-8 - General powers of board.
49-5-8. [General powers of board.]
That said board of trustees shall have the following powers:
A. to control and manage the land grant and prescribe rules and regulations for the administration thereof; to prohibit all trespasses and depredations upon the unallotted and unappropriated lands within the grant; to institute actions of ejectment to recover the possession of any such unallotted and unappropriated lands and any other action or suit that may be necessary and proper in the exercise of the powers herein conferred;
B. to sell, convey, lease, mortgage or otherwise dispose of, under such rules and regulations as the board shall adopt for the purpose, the unallotted and unappropriated lands within the grant; but no such sale, conveyance or mortgaging of any such lands, or lease thereof for a longer period than five years, shall be made until such lands shall have first been appraised by at least two disinterested inhabitants of the grant, to be appointed by the judge of the district court for the county, nor for a sum less than two-thirds of the appraised value;
C. to recognize and confirm by deed of conveyance all bona fide adverse holdings of real estate within the grant: provided, however, that if any such board shall fail or refuse to make such conveyance upon demand the person aggrieved shall have the right to file a bill of complaint in the district court for the county, praying that such board may be compelled to confirm and convey to him and his heirs and assigns the lands described in the bill of complaint. If, upon the hearing of such cause, it shall appear that such person is entitled, under the laws, usages and customs of Spain, Mexico, the state of New Mexico or the United States, to such land, a decree shall be entered in such cause requiring such board of trustees to confirm and convey to him, and his heirs and assigns, the lands aforesaid: provided, however, that no part of the costs of such suit or proceedings shall be taxed to the board of trustees or paid by such board.
Any conveyance made in pursuance of the provisions of this article shall operate to conclude all persons claiming by, through or under the original title upon which the owners of such grant base their claim thereto the lands described in such conveyance. The words "owner" or "owners," wherever the same occur in this article, shall be construed to mean the members of the colony or community to which said grant was originally made, or their successors in interest, including all persons residing within the limits of the grant who shall have been in occupancy and adverse possession of any part or portion of such grant for a period of two years or more next preceding February 23, 1905;
D. to have a common seal;
E. to adopt all necessary rules and regulations for the carrying out of the powers conferred in this article.