An increase in expenses and decrease in revenue was a theme that repeated itself at the regular Raton City Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 14th.
The City heads into the next fiscal year soon, and questions about monies have Commissioners cautious about commiting funds until numbers can be examined in the next few weeks. City Manager Scott Berry said maintaining levels of service is one of the top priorities as the Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) collected is some 9 to 10 % down from last year. Berry said the Small Cities Assistance checks have helped but a decline in the number of construction projects and other factors have made this next year’s budget a challenge. The Commission will accept public comment on the FY2020 Budget until May 28.
The public hearing on the proposed water and sewer rate increase had no one coming in front of the Commission to voice their concerns. The proposed 3% increase will be voted on at the next meeting and if enacted will mean, based on 6,000 gallon average residential user, the monthly fee will increase by $1.36 or about $16.28 per year. “Our rates are substantially lower than most cities in the state,” according to Berry, “But operation and maintenance, stricter government standards, and the cost of chemicals keeps going up.”
The Commission also unanimously passed a new two year agreement between the City and Raton Firefighters Local 2378 which established a 1.25% pay increase for next fiscal year and a 2% increase the following year.
Public Works Director Jason Phillips came before the Commission with another example of increase in expense as Gordon Environmental increased its monitoring fee for the old landfill from $25,400 to$33,500. Phillips said he expects the price to go back down next year, and City Manager Berry told the Commission that it’s a 30 year monitoring commitment after the closing of the landfill and the city is now just in the second year.
The Commission approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Raton Mainstreet and then also approved a $5,000 increase for financial support for Raton MainStreet for a commitment of $40,000 per year.
They also approved event forms for Raton MainStreet’s Sumer Carnival, June 6 thru 9 and its 2019 Balloon Rally set for July 4, 5, and 6.
The Commission tabled funding requests of $18,000 from the Raton Arts Council and $30,000 from the Raton Museum until numbers can be crunched on the Lodger’s Tax Non-Promotional Fund from which the monies are taken from.
City Manager Berry noted during the Budget discussion, that he’s going to be soon posting a full time position open for a person to address the blight, dilapidated buildings and code enforcement that is critical to the City’s economic development.
Berry also said that HO construction has returned to finish the Great blocks Program on First Street and should complete the work within the next 30 days. Berry also said work at the Crews Field Municipal airport will be finishing up soon, but the Filter Plant Project is a long term project.
Rehabilitation on Hart and Brilliant Streets will begin July 1 and should be complete by October 1.
Berry also said the Planning and Zoning Meeting that was scheduled for May 16 has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.
Berry said that he and Phillips attended an American Council of Engineering Companies of NM conference and the City received an Engineering Excellence Award along with Bohanan Huston for the Raton Multi-Modal Center.
The next Raton City Commission meeting will be on Tuesday, May 28 at 6 pm and will be broadcast on KRTN AM 1490.
