By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met Tuesday evening, May 8th to hear about the budget and approve agreements with CYFD and the AFSCME Council #18 as well as present six different proclamations.
Raton Fire Fighters won the Battle of the Badges competition based on votes that they received during the blood drives in 2016 and 2017. Ana Louisa Coronado along with Sara Munden presented the award. Coronado noted that United Blood Services has been very pleased with Raton’s generosity with giving blood. She noted that Raton has exceeded the goals that a small town is expected to give and because of that will hold a three day blood drive in the future because so many people were turned away form the last one.
The budget was once again a big topic as a preliminary budget is due into the state on June 1st. City Manager Scott Berry once again told commissioners that while they are projecting a flat income for the city the effects of the closing of K-Mart is yet unknown. He noted that city staff has managed to come in under budget this year and he is hopeful they can at least maintain that for the coming fiscal year.
Berry noted that salaries consume a large portion of the city budget with Police, Dispatchers and Fire taking up 56% of the budget with the services they provide. He went on to note that the police department is still understaffed and that Carol Baca who is head dispatcher will retire very soon.
Berry also noted that they will be looking at funding sources to build a new hangar at the airport which he feels is badly needed for the flight school and to house visiting airplanes. A new ambulance will also be in the works to replace an existing one that is nearing the end of its useful life. Street projects are also on the plate with a chip seal project slated for later this summer and he is hopeful they will get Hospital Drive done this summer as well. MAP and COOP grants will be applied for to help with other street projects that the city will be working on in the coming years.
Paul Jenkins again asked the commission for $15,000 for a contractor to work on a vacant buildings inventory. Jenkins is wanting this as a marketing tool to hopefully help sell, lease or rent these properties.
Commissioners approved the Raton Mainstreet Carnival which will locate on the parking lot at the high school June 7-10.
Commissioners approved the agreement with AFSCME Council #18 who represents the blue-collar city workers. They will see a two percent raise over the next two years and a 1.75% raise in the third year of the three-year contract. Berry noted the agreement is basically the same as the last one.
Commissioners have agreed to set a public hearing on the rezoning of the old Morgan Building site from L-I to C-3. They also approved a public hearing for an area that abuts Arnold Street Woodrow Avenue and Market Streets from an MHS to an R-5 zone. Berry told commissioners that the rezone was a request by him to clean up the zoning in those areas. He noted that both of these properties are zoned in what is known as a spot zone which served the purpose at one time but no longer fits the needs of those areas.
Danielle Archuleta went over the new Children’s Youth and Families grant with commissioners noting that the amounts for the grant services have been reduced for this year. The organization is to help eleviate negative behavior in the school systems. Most of the fees have dropped by as much as $100 such as the per service fee for counseling from $250 to $150 with other fees dropping from $25 to $50.
Berry made note of the hard work that city workers have put in over the last year noting that the police department is understaffed and seeing more overtime and that city crews are now beginning to look at bridges and drainage canals as well as street repairs. He also noted that they would be advertising for a Deputy Fire Chief which was recently vacated.
Commissioners also approved a work session with Lodger’s Tax Board on Monday May 14 as well as a budget workshop that evening at 5:00 p.m. The next Regular meeting of the Raton City Commission will be May 22, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.
