By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners opened their first meeting of the new year with comments from Thomas Hay once again concerning the intersection of Rio Grande and Second Street.
Since Second Street is a state highway there isn’t too much the city can do and city manager Scott Berry will talk once again with Phil Long Ford to ascertain if they are still wanting to close the 100 block of Rio Grande.
Commissioners then passed the open meetings act resolution for their meetings and approved the minutes from the last meeting in December 2016.
City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci gave commissioners the November 2016 financial report noting that this is the time of the year when gross receipts normally decline and that the city is waiting for the final half of property taxes to come in. The good news however is that the GRT showed a significant increase of 5.48% over budget. Commissioners then approved the report and went on to the budget adjustments for 2017. (Link to nov-2016-financial-repor001) (Link to budget-adjustment-6001)
The budget adjustments are due mainly to hail insurance payments and distribution. Antonucci noted that there was one big change and that was to transfer monies for repairs and maintenance to the Aquatic Center, noting that the recent repairs to the pool boiler cost $6000. Commissioners approved the adjustments.
Commissioners then approved a task order for Molzen Corbin to update the SWPPP which is a storm water plan at the airport in the amount of $5980 which the State Aviation Department will cover 90%.
Commissioners approved RCI (Records Consulting Inc.) to once again perform the annual fixed assets update for the cost of $11,800. Commissioners also approved the disposal of some obsolete office equipment that as City Manager Berry noted once the city finishes with equipment it is pretty used up.
In the city manager’s report Berry noted that the city crews spent Thursday night and all day Friday working on snow removal and came back in Sunday to get the schools ready for Monday. He then thanked all those involved with the ongoing cleanup.
Doss Aviation has three students in their current civil aviation class and that the building is in the final stages of the lead cleanup process and it is hoped it will be done for the Armory Board’s meeting for the first quarter of the year.
He also noted that the contractor (Via Del Sol) for the JJAC program will be leaving New Mexico completely and that they intend to terminate service by April 20, 2017. The board that controls the juvenile justice program will begin looking for a new contractor to take over the contract which normally runs through June 30.
Berry also noted that bear proof dumpsters that have lids left open which includes the big lids as well as the small lids will not be picked up as the emptying process is damaging the lids. The lids are swinging open when they reach the top of the lift and are being scrunched by the truck.
Keep the lids closed he asked residents.
Dan Campbell said talked about the fuel spill in the Cimarron River last month and noted that the city was not taking water in at the pump station at the time of the spill and that the state will continue to monitor the situation as will the city until there is no contamination detected before using water out of the river. Campbell also updated commissioners about the funding work for the filter plant and that the USDA paperwork was presenting frustrating problems in part because USDA wanted things broken out by waste water and drinking water billing.
City offices will be closed Monday January 16 in observance of Martin Luther King Day and commissioners will meet again on January 27, 2017.
