By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met Tuesday evening May 14, 2024, for their regular meeting where they heard a report on the city audit and presentations about the Bartlett Mesa acquisition and reports from Blu Dragonfly Brewery and Ramel Family Farms.
Julie Main brought a letter signed by over 90 people expressing opposition to a casino.
Alicia Evans talked about a trash program that will occur on June 1 to pick up trash around town.
Pat Walsh talked about light pollution. She is involved in a telescope project because of the dark sky around the area and wants the commission to be aware of lighting in new businesses.
Scott Foreman talked about a film that they are bringing to the El Raton about Jews and Palestinian concerns at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday May 18, 2024.
Ann Theis talked about the work at the Kearney School and about the program they have at Kearney on June 8, 2024.
Jeremiah Armijo with SJT Group LLC presented the City of Raton and Raton Public Service audit report for this year going over the duties and responsibilities of the audit team and what items were looked at during the audit. There were 33 audit adjustments found during the audit that were easily remedied. There were 9 reclassification adjustments and two other items involving GRT and the sanitation funds for the city. RPS had 14 items requiring adjustments with seven reclassification adjustments. There were no exceptions found in the audit giving the City and RPS a clean audit.
Commissioners formally acknowledged the audit report as required by ordinance. Commissioners approved using SJT Group LLC for the FY24 audit.
Terry Sullivan, New Mexico State Nature Conservancy Director made a presentation concerning the Bartlett Mesa and Buck Ridge Ranch acquisitions. He covered what has gone on over the last couple of years and told the commissioners that the plan is to transfer the property to the New Mexico Game and Fish Department. He also covered some ideas for expansion of trails in the new acquisition that could trek into Colorado and Fisher Peak State Park.
Colin Tawney spoke to commissioners about the work going on at the Armory where they are expanding their brewing operations. They have spent about $200,000 to expand operations. They have also expanded their distribution for their products. He also covered some of his plans for other expansion efforts and programs that they could have at the armory as the area behind the building is fenced in and can legally have a concert type event that can serve alcoholic drinks. He also noted that life has brought new things his way as well as age becoming an issue and he is looking at an exit plan and is hoping that it will continue to grow but he needs some additional help.
Ramel Family Farms are continuing to grow the operation. They currently have six employees at present including himself, noted Khalatbari-Limaki. He added that distribution for their products runs from Wagon Mound up to Pueblo. They are also providing products to Cimarron Schools. They are hoping to expand their distribution to allow local producers to use their connections to expand their distribution. They are harvesting about 250 to 300 pounds of greens a week currently. They are wanting to expand their refrigeration going into the summer to hold more products. All of 2023 their sales were $43,000 and so far in 2024 they are over $100,000 in sales.
Commissioners conducted a public hearing and discussed the FY25 Interim budget that will be due by June 1st into DFA. City Treasurer Michael Ann Antonucci went over the budget and gave the commissioners some of the highlights including an increase from 3% to 5% on the budgeted GRT for the upcoming fiscal year. There will be a couple of airport projects as well as some in town projects including pickle ball courts and the tunnel project. There continues to be a concern over the decline of the gas tax and being able to use that money for matching funds for street projects. Total expenses are just over $6 million this year. The city will see a total budget of just over $21 million including some of the big projects coming up this year.
Christine Valentini of Raton Mainstreet gave a report on an impact study from the last five years. Mainstreet has worked to improve the downtown area and help to improve the quality of life. The Raton Mainstreet has once again become an accredited program. They have had over $1,409,600 in private reinvestment with $1,244,000 in community reinvestments. They have helped add 84 jobs to the workforce and received $2,030,498 in grants.
Commissioners approved the Biennial MOU with Raton Mainstreet which includes funding for the Mainstreet Director Brenda Ferri.
Commissioners approved $50,000 to help with Raton Mainstreet for the upcoming year.
Commissioners heard about a variance request by Don Cunningham to build a 7ft high fence and retaining wall to help with flooding. The property he purchased was a vacant property that he purchased, and his neighbors are all in agreement with what he is doing. Commissioner Mark Honeyfield read the ordinance concerning this and questioned the set back on the property. Cunningham had already started the work before asking for the variance on the work has created an issue for the city. Commissioners disproved the request in a 3 to 2 vote.
Commissioners reviewed the planning and zoning board recommendations that change the zoning for the Casa Lemus Restaurant and Motel to allow the sale of each entity separately should the current owner Jose Lemus wish to do that in the future. This is in part because of changes in franchise requirements by some corporations. Lemus noted that he ran into issues when they partnered with Wyndam because they didn’t want the restaurant associated with the hotel. It also caused him issues with insurance as rates increased for the restaurant. Commissioners approved the request on a 4-1 vote.
Commissioners approved the dispatch agreements with the Town of Springer and the Village of Cimarron. $32,004 for Springer dispatch services and is an extension of the current agreement. $22,000 for dispatch services for Cimarron and is an extension of the current agreement.
Commissioners heard a proposal by Lamar Billboard for the city to advertise on billboards at near the Raton Folsom exit at a cost of$13,194.75 and will be used to highlight Sugarite Canyon State Park. The funds come from the Lodger’s Tax promotional funds.
City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci told commissioners about the Juvenile Justice grant budget adjustment number two. This adjustment will increase the youth sub committee an increase from $300 to $525. Commissioners approved the request.
Commissioners then approved the City Manager Rick Mestas as a certifying official for the HUD Grant #B-23-CP-NM-1059.
Commissioners approved a change order for the Type I Ambulance utilizing the Houston Galveston Area Council contract. The change order deals with changing out a no longer available decon filter to a newer version which costs an additional $8678.03. Dusty Russell noted this is the ambulance that the city has had on order for three years.
City Manager Rick Mestas announced that they received word that the City of Raton will receive a EDA grant in the amount of $2 Million for building renovations and equipment to support the development of a media training center. The project will be matched with $500,000 in local funds and is expected to create 35 jobs and generate $10 million in private investment according to grantee estimates.
Mestas mentioned Jason Phillips, Chief Garcia, Chief Burk, Commissioner Honeyfield and Jaden Welch responded to an accident that caused the red tagging of a building in downtown Raton. They all pitched in and brought their teams together to bring order to a chaotic situation in downtown.
In closing Mestas mentioned his father’s brother Bernard Duran, he referred to him as his father’s brother because he never got the chance to be uncle. Duran was wounded south of the Moselle-Saar Triangle during the battle of the bulge. He later succumbed to his injuries and as Memorial Day arrives Mestas wants people to remember those brave men and women who lost their lives in the service of our country, those like PFC Bernard Duran of the 94th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop of the 94th Infantry Division of Patton’s 3rd Army.
The next regular meeting of the Raton City Commission will be May 28, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the commission chambers.
