By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners heard funding requests and Lodger’s Tax recommendations before approving the interim budgets for the City of Raton, Raton Water Works and Raton Public Service in a marathon session lasting well over three hours Tuesday evening.
Commissioners heard from Devin Barton about the branding committee’s decision to go with a new slogan for the city. “Raton Your Pass” which incorporates a play on words on the well-known Raton Pass based on the history and opportunities of the area. Many in the world know Raton Pass, comments from many travelers who know it as the place they got broke down, or many other more favorable comments about the famous passage. The branding committee then asked for, and received $1000 to start the process of designing a logo to go along with the new slogan and begin the branding process. (Link to the Brand Essence Statement)
Commissioners approved the event forms for four upcoming events, International Santa Fe Trail Balloon Rally, Raton MainStreet 4thof July event and Parade on First Street. St Patrick’s St Joseph’s Walk/Run and the Color Run sponsored by Jamie Esquibel which will benefit the Raton Humane Society.
Commissioners then heard from the Center for Sustainable Community on a NM True Co-op Grant and the proposed marketing management services. The ad campaign the group chose was one that targeted Texas called the NMTP Texas Monthly Media Buy. The ad campaign will put a full-page ad in Texas Monthly magazine’s New Mexico Travel section along with an email blast the reaches over three million people, a 1 paragraph Ad editorial listing in the online magazine with a link to the ExploreRaton.com web page. This will be in the April 2019 magazine. Commissioners approved the $4,287 for the Center which is due in December. The NMTP Grant is for $4287 plus $500 of creative Ad Production Assistance. The New Mexico Tourism Department will assist in developing this ad campaign.
Barfield went on to explain about the Flex Grant she was awarded for $5000 of which $2500 will be used for Radio and the other $2500 will be used for Social Media Marketing. The city’s match is $5000 and the grant will pay $5000. She noted that the group never has done much in the social media area.
The marketing management services that were started about a year ago with Jessica Barfield and Geoff Peterson are showing signs of progress as the ExploreRaton.com web page has been updated along with local hotels using Jackrabbit to book rooms off the ExploreRaton.com Facebook page. That promotion started back in October of 2017 and has booked over 190 rooms at local hotels for a fraction of the cost of the big web services. Barfield shared with the commission that 1.56 million people have seen the ads for Raton with 72,000 website visitors. $106,396 of the Google Grant has been spent so far.
Barfield noted that they will be pursuing more social media marketing in the future and have acquired the services of Patrick Brown who has recently moved to Raton from Tucson. He told commissioners that he was doing much of the work pro-bono as he believes in the projects that the center is doing. The management contract will be considered for renewal by July 1st.
Commissioners heard about the Run to Raton car show and event which will include six bands this year for the two-day event in Raton. Last year’s event drew crowds from many faraway places and it is expected to be as big or bigger this year. Commissioners approved the $11,015 to help with the expenses for the event.
Commissioners also approved a request by the Raton Museum that had been tabled by the Lodger’s Tax Board earlier for help in paying for a billboard and a New Mexico Magazine ad for $7213. The billboard is located on the east side of Raton on highway 64/87 on the south side of the road just as you come into Raton.
Commissioners then heard from Terry Baca about funding the Raton Arts and Humanities council noting that the funding they get from the foundations has been drastically cut. Baca noted that Brenda Ferri has been looking at grants and other forms of funding for the group and that they are also trying to work out an agreement with the Shuler Restoration to work together on some of the live acts they book. RAHC asked for $1500 a month or a total of $18,000 for the year. Commissioners approved that request.
The Raton Museum also requested funding for this year in the same amount as last year, $30,000. Kathy McQuery noted that many people do a lot of genealogy research at the museum and that their photo collection is quite extensive. Commissioners also funded that request.
Dee Burks was on hand for the Chamber of Commerce annual report where she noted that the volunteers at the visitor’s center have donated thousands of hours and greeted over 20,000 people in it’s first full year. The chamber’s visitors guide is at the printer and will be picked up later this week with the electronic version going online before Friday. Burks noted the guide is 56 pages this year up from the 48 printed last year have and they’ve ordered 25,000 copies. Burks noted that the chamber saved money this year on the guide by doing much of the layout themselves. Burks noted they have created Brews and BBQ road trip that features food and brew in the area and gives a planned tour for people to follow. Commissioners then approved the MOU they have with the Chamber to help fund the tourism coordinator position.
Commissioners approved the dispatch agreement with the Town of Springer for $32,000.
The loan the city has with the New Mexico Finance Authority that was approved in 2013 has reached the end of its life and will be refinanced with the amount going toward the transfer station. The remaining amount is $539,400. The loan will be closed out and refinanced to help build the new transfer station.
Commissioners heard that the city is still above last year’s budgeted GRT by about 4.25% which will help with the upcoming budget numbers. City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci is preparing to close out this year’s budget and had several transfers for the commissioners to approve. Many are simple transfers to balance grants and other line items. (Link to the April Financial Report) (Link to the Budget Adjustment #14)
Commissioners approved the disposal of the Warzilla equipment to get it off the RPS books since it has been totally replaced.
Commissioners heard that there is some money left over from an old revolving economic development loan the city had used to finance a couple of economic development projects that went bust. In the process of collecting the old debt from the companies the city has accumulated over $60,000. Commissioners agreed to use this money as seed money and put it to use in other economic development uses.
Commissioners then discussed the budget and added the items they approved to the interim budget Tuesday evening. Commissioner Chatterly excused herself from the room while the other commissioners discussed salaries making note of the conflict since her husband Jared is the Parks and Rec Director. City Manager Scott Berry noted that Raton Water Works was giving all of their employees a 2% raise with RPS going for a 2.5% raise. Commissioners then approved a 2% raise for city employees. Commissioner Chatterly then came back in to finish the meeting.
City Manager Scott Berry noted in his quick report that he attended the NM Dam owners conference and the city is courting the group to come to Raton next year. He gave a report on the Track Fire restoration project which, some say, has been the only successful project in the state. He added that they have been involved in the preliminary design for the Hospital Drive improvements and is asking DOT for relief on the environmental process.
Commissioners then went into a closed session to discuss the city manager.
Commissioners will meet again June 12 for their regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. and with the Lodger’s Tax Board at 4:00 p.m. that day for a work and training session. The regular meeting will be broadcast on KRTN-AM 1490.
