N.M. Stat. § 73-15-1
Appointment of appraisers.
A. At the time of making its order organizing the district or at any time thereafter, the
court, or board of judges as the case may be, in the manner provided shall appoint
three appraisers (herein described and referred to as appraisers or the board of
appraisers), whose term of office shall be until the appraisals of benefits and damages
are filed and finally determined by court and whose duty it shall be to appraise the lands
or other property within and without the district to be acquired for rights-of-way,
reservoirs and other works of the district, and to appraise all benefits and damages
accruing to all land within or without the district by reason of the execution of the official
plan.
B. Two of said appraisers shall be freeholders residing within the state of New
Mexico, who may or may not own lands within said district. Each of the appraisers shall,
before taking up his duties, take and subscribe to an oath that he will faithfully and
impartially discharge his duties as such appraiser, and that he will make a true report of
such work done by him.
C. The said appraisers shall at their first meeting elect one of their own number
chairman, and the secretary of the board or his deputy shall be ex-officio secretary of
said board of appraisers during their continuance in office. A majority of the appraisers
shall constitute a quorum, and a concurrence of the majority in any matter within their
duties shall be sufficient for its determination.
D. The court or board of judges as the case may be, shall fill all vacancies in the
board of appraisers, or may appoint a new board, all in the manner provided, as
occasion may require, which new board, if appointed, shall perform all the duties and
exercise all the powers of the appraisers of the district.