By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners sat down to a long agenda on Tuesday, June 12th, with grants and loans being the primary topics of action.
Prior to the regular meeting Commissioners met at 4:00 p.m. with the Lodger’s Tax Advisory Board to go over policies and ideas before going into regular session at 6:00 p.m. The early session was attended by many of the stakeholders with Lodgers Tax funds as the meeting was called as the Commission and the Lodgers Tax Board look for ways to improve communication and focus more on ways to help Raton’s organizations, events, and amenities.
Tuesday evening’s meeting began by approving the street closure for the Run to Raton event as the first major item on the agenda.
Commissioners then held a public hearing to rezone the old Morgan Buildings property from light industrial to commercial. All of the surrounding property is zoned commercial, so this action will eliminate the island industrial zone. The new property owner is doing demolition on the site now in preparation for other ventures. With no disapproval, commissioners approved the rezone action and approved the change in the city zoning map.
Mark Pena told commissioners that he is wanting to create a Senior Living Mobile Home Park in the area formerly known as the Mountain View Trailer Park. Pena was not able to present his proposal to the planning and zoning board to rezone the area from MHS to R-5 so commissioners postponed their decision requesting that Pena take it back to the P&Z board for their consideration. The area in question is Lots 17 through 20, block 16 of the Fairview Addition. The property abuts Arnold Street, Woodrow Avenue and Market Street.
The city put out two requests for proposals for subcontractors for FY 2019 CYFD Direct Youth Services Grant for the Restorative Justice Program and the Girls Circle and Boys Council. Three proposals were received for the Restorative Justice Program with Peace Through Education having the highest score as graded by the three Continuum Advisory Board members. This portion of the Juvenile Justice grant through CYFD is for $15,000.
There were also three proposals for the Girls Circle and Boys Council programs. Human Resources Development Associates Inc., received the high score from the Continuum Advisory Board members. The Girls Circle portion of the grant is for $60,000 with the Boys Council portion being $49,500.
The next item commissioners tackled was tipping fees for solid waste and the transportation of that solid waste. The only bid for tipping fees came from Waste Management Midway Landfill near Fountain Colorado. The tipping fee bid rose $0.48 to $16.46 per ton, the City of Raton generates about 20 tons per day. Arthur Rolloff outbid BTU who has had the contract for the last four years with a bid of $375 per load while BTU bid $409 per load.
Raton Solid Waste Department applied and received a $25,000 RAID grant or Recycle and Illegal Dumping grant to recycle the remaining tires the temporary transfer station has accumulated. Jason Phillips noted the grant was 100% funded meaning the city didn’t have to come up with matching funds.
City Manager Berry noted that the city did not receive a Municipal Arterial Paving grant this year but received a NMDOT COOP grant worth $75,000 and with a city match of $25,000 makes it a grant worth $100,000. Berry noted the grant will be used for street projects.
Commissioners approved budget adjustment #15 for FY 2018 which included a line item transfer for fire department overtime due to the Ute Park Fire. (Link to Budget Adjustment #15 FY2018)
Commissioners introduced the Ordinance to Repeal Ordinance 666 which is the 1% gross receipts tax for Raton Water Works bonds which will be paid off in December of this year. Commissioners then approved the resolutions for the Filter Plant Grant and the Filter Plant Loan.
Commissioners then postponed a decision on the Bonds for the filter plant project and interim financing at the request of Raton Water Works General Manager Dan Campbell. He noted there is more paperwork that is required and that the Feds won’t do interim financing on a project over $500,000 requiring the Water Department to seek interim funding for the project.
Commissioners also postponed a decision on the contracts and lease agreements with BNSF and Amtrak for the depot. Berry noted that there were some changes in the contract with BNSF that he wanted the city attorney to look at and Amtrak had made some changes in their contract as well that needed a legal look see.
While the City of Raton does not have the authority to ban fireworks they do have an ordinance in place that allows them to control what is sold and what fireworks are legal in the city limits. Tuesday evening they passed a resolution for strict enforcement of that ordinance due to the extra dry conditions. (Link to Fireworks Enforcement Resolution)
Commissioners approved the Solid Waste Transfer Station Loan Escrow Agreement which puts the remaining portion of the loan monies in an escrow account. Due to unforeseen delays the full portion of the loan had not been used and is thus put in an escrow account so that when the loan is due it can be paid.
Commissioners approved the grant agreement for phase two of the Taxiway A rehabilitation project. The city will pay 5% with the State paying 5% and the Federal Aviation Administration covering 90% of the project costs.
Berry noted in his report that there will be a BARE Team assembled to do post Ute Park Fire rehab work. The city’s interest in the project is the protection of the Cimarron River as it is a supplemental water source for the City of Raton and the Village of Cimarron.
Commissioners will meet again on June 26 at 6:00 p.m. for their next regular meeting. The meeting will be broadcast on KRTN AM 1490.
