By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The Raton City Commission met in regular session on Tuesday, July 12 and among the items on the agenda, approved road projects and heard about Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) projects for the upcoming legislative session before going into executive session to discuss the litigation on the landfill lawsuit brought by Mark and Lori Van Buskirk.
Commissioners quickly approved the closing of Buena Vista Street for the St Patrick’s/ St Joseph’s Annual Fiesta which is set for August 5 thru 7, 2016.
They then approved the dispatch agreement with the Town of Springer. That agreement remains the same as last year but City Manager Scott Berry noted that they are reviewing the agreements by looking at call volumes to determine if the costs of these agreements are being covered. Mayor Sandy Mantz noted that they have been the same since she has been on the commission but dispatchers have received pay increases each year and we probably need to change the price on the agreements.
Commissioners approved the Cooperative agreement with NMDOT. The money will be used for repairs on Savage, Cook and Apache between First and Second Street. According to Berry the work will begin about the same time as the work on Tiger Drive to utilize the asphalt milling equipment that will be in town for the Tiger Drive project. W.M. Serazio was the only bidder for the downtown repaving project. His bid came in at $81,385.72. Berry noted that some curb and gutter work would also be done during the project.
Commissioners voted to have Mayor Pro-Tem Neil Segotta to be the city’s voting delegate at the New Mexico Municipal League meeting coming up in Hobbs. Commissioner Lindé Schuster will be the alternate.
Commissioners approved a solid waste grant agreement with the New Mexico Environment Department to help pay for drilling a new water monitoring well at the landfill. The new well will replace an existing well. Jason Phllips noted the bid for the actual drilling will be let soon and that the grant will only offset some of the cost which is much better than the city having to pay the whole cost of drilling.
Commissioners heard from City Manager Scott Berry about the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan for 2018-2022. Street improvements top the list followed by the Lake Maloya dam safety improvements. Raton Police car replacement and other public works vehicle replacements. Berry noted that repairs to the police units are getting to a point that it will be more cost effective to replace than repair the units. Berry also noted that several of the public works vehicles and heavy equipment will need replaced as repairs to the heavy equipment is beginning to get very expensive with some in the neighborhood of $10,000. (Link to ICIP Priority List)
Berry informed commissioners that the multi-modal center is nearing completion and should be done in the next month. Concrete work is being completed and stucco will be applied within the week. In his report he added that the work on the Lake Dorothy Dam will be started soon and the same company will do some sealing work on the Lake Maloya spillway.
Work on the digital theater equipment is progressing as Architect Dave Little is working with the state to meet their requirements for the equipment and grant.
Bear proof dumpsters have been deployed throughout Raton with more to come. Berry noted that the bears are not very happy and have turned some of the dumpsters over. Berry noted it takes at least two men to return the dumpsters to an upright position. He did note that the dumpsters don’t work however if residents don’t close the lids.
With that commissioners moved into executive session to discuss litigation and will meet again on July 26 at 6:00 p.m.
Raton Mainstreet and Balloon Rally Proclamation
