By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, June 13th and approved the Raton Mainstreet street closure of First Street for the 4th of July activities and parade to be held that day. The parade will be held at 5:00 p.m. before the fireworks. They also approved the activities for the 2017 International Santa Fe Trail Balloon Rally and the Lodger’s Tax request for the Gate City Music Festival for $11,000 to help with expenses. Diana Sanchez told the commissioner that Susie Bogguss will be the headliner this year on Sunday September 3 at the Shuler.
The agreement with the firefighters local was tabled since the group had not voted on the contract yet.
Human Resource Development Associates, Inc. received the nod for the contract to run the Direct Youth Services for this fiscal year. They beat out Valle Del Sol of New Mexico based on the scores of the evaluation committee. Valle Del Sol ran the program this last fiscal year. (Link to the JJACC RFP)
Commissioners approved the dispatch agreement with the Town of Springer, the agreement is basically the same as last year and covers part of the cost of dispatcher’s payroll.
The RPS budget adjustment #2 was approved. The adjustment transfers funds from the Gross Income Fund to the Capital Projects fund. The total transfer is $181,440.00 which moves the money into the capital fund due to an increase in revenues in the gross income fund. (Link to the RPS Budget Adjustment #2). City Manager Scott Berry also talked about the current testing for a black start that RPS will work on this week beginning on Thursday night at midnight till about 4:00 a.m. The testing is important to get all the bugs worked out so that in the event that Raton loses power they can start the generator within a short time and begin bringing the town back up. The blackouts could also occur Friday morning and Saturday morning depending on how the testing goes.
Commissioners approved the resolution showing the changes in the health insurance program which moves the city employees back into the state insurance program. They then approved budget adjustment #14 which covers several line items to balance things out for the end of the fiscal year. (Link to the Budget Adjustment #14)
In the city manager’s report Scott Berry noted the airport improvements were moving along and that several plants that didn’t make it through the winter will be replaced at the multi-modal center. He has several meetings planned this week including the conclusion of the strategic planning meeting and the EPA meeting conclusion. Street projects will be underway this week and into July and August.
He also noted that it is important that property owners to work at keeping weeds and grass down and noted the convenience center is open on Saturdays to take yard waste and reminded residents to keep the dumpster lids closed they can’t keep the bears out if they are not closed.
With that Mayor Pro-Tem noted that he was at a meeting where he learned that the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department can keep Gross Receipts Tax payments without telling the community they are doing it until they reach a certain level. There is a lawsuit being filed concerning just that thing where Tax and Rev has withheld money form five communities in the state.
After 26 years and over $120,600 raised the Knights of Columbus will be retiring from the St Jude’s Bikeathon. Frank Cimino told Raton City Commissioners Tuesday evening after receiving the Proclamation recognizing the Bikeathon.
Cimino told commissioners he hoped that a group, possibly one of the families that have been so active in the annual event will pick it up and ride with it.
Commissioners also heard from the Yob family concerning the slowness or lack of progress in the Mandy Van Landingham murder case.
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, June 27 and will be broadcast on KRTN 1490 AM.
