By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commission met Tuesday evening March 26 for the second meeting of the month where they listened to board recommendations and approved the financials for the city.
After a proclamation for Allen Litchfield and Terri Cruz commissioners heard from the Raton Arts and Humanities Council for non-promotional lodger’s tax funding. The request is for $18,000 which covers the partial cost of running the Old Pass Gallery that cannot be covered by grant funding. Commissioners approved the rquest.
Commissioners then heard recommendations from the Lodger’s Tax Advisory Board that recommended $20,532 for the Gate City Music Festival to Raton Mainstreet and $12,000 to KRDO for Gate City Music festival advertising. Lorri Morgan will be the headliner for the event this year. There is also a request for $9,248 for Raton Mainstreet for the Beautification Coalition to cover expenses for Lisa Camp who takes care of the flower baskets on the light poles in the downtown area. Tumbleweed Magazine is requesting $2,625 to cover advertising in their magazine. All Requests were approved.
The planning and zoning commission brought forth a recommendation to approve the lot consolidation for the Maverick Incorporated gas station in south Raton on lots 1&2 Block 5 of the Eagle Tail Inc Subdivision. This is the triangular piece of land just south of the NMDOT yard.
Commissioners heard a proposal for the 2024 fireworks display to be held over the July 4th holiday from J&M Displays. The proposal for the show is $32,200 this year because of insurance increases and other costs to do the program.
Ken Abeyta the District 4 Little League President and Dustin Walton Raton Little League came before the board to discuss the possibility of hosting the Little League District Playoffs. Raton has been selected to host the playoffs as Las Vegas pulled out leaving Raton the only bidder to host the playoffs. There is a lot of work that will need to be done to bring the fields up to specs. Raton Little League has received the new scoreboard, and it should be installed next week. Along with other work going on at the fields Jason Phillips is hopeful Raton will be ready for the big event.
Engineering Analytics brought a fee proposal to design bridge replacements along Railroad Ave and Shuler Street. There are three bridges in the proposal with a total cost of $85,000 for the design work. This project has been in the works for about 10 years while the city was searching for money to fund the project. Another issue is how old the bridges are and that could impact the costs. The city has $500,000 ready for the project and the costs will be watched carefully in case the street department needs to step in and help to hold costs down. A couple of the bridges are the only route in and out of the area and engineers will have to look for ways to minimize that or find alternate ways around the bridges.
Commissioners acted on an addendum to the City Manger’s contract which states the city manager may not live more than 20 miles away from Raton. This is a change from minutes to miles on the contract.
City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci presented the FY24 February financial report which included both good and bad news as the GRT continues to be above budget at 5.96% but the gasoline tax and lodger’s tax continue to fall behind. The gas tax is about 16% down from the previous year. (link to Financial Report February FY24)
Budget adjustment #11 for FY24 includes several line-item adjustments. Antonucci noted that the small cities adjustment was received, and it was higher than expected. Raton will be losing another fireman soon and will be seeing extra overtime until they get a new hire or hires. (link to Budget Adjustment #11 FY24)
City Manager Rick Mestas reported that the Pueblo Colorado IT department visited and helped the city work on IT modernization updates. The Raton PD will be working with the Municipal League to update policies. The Public Works crews have been working at the ball fields with work on the concession stand and other work that has saved the city $30,000.
The airport grant has been executed and are coordinating the work on the tank farm. Mestas noted that Michael Martinez and Gerardo Tafoya have passed their probation period and are now full-time city employees.
In conclusion Mestas took note of the tragedy in Baltimore quoting Eleanor Roosevelt who said that “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.” Sometimes that responsibility wears a badge and sometimes it carries a shovel. He asked for prayers for the highway workers on the bridge and their families and for Officer Justin Hare and his family.
City Hall will be closed Friday March 29, for Good Friday. The next regular commission meeting will be on April 9, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at the Raton City Hall.
