By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met Tuesday August 27, 2024, for their second regular meeting of the month with a report on the Explore Raton web page from Patricia Duran and then dealt with zoning issues in south Raton.
Police Officer Robert Trujillo was introduced to the commission as a new employee.
Warren Walton was present to talk about littering and the ARF Building which has been vandalized to a detrimental point and appears that it has not been addressed.
Patricia Duran presented the last six-month progress report. She told commissioners that there were three social media influencers who came to Raton with close to 40,000 hits from their posts. She added that with the photo shoots and video Raton will have several items on New Mexico True with the possibility to reach over a million people through their media presence. There have been well over 400,000 reached via Raton’s social media presence.
Commissioners heard about two items from the Lodger’s tax advisory board. One request was from Raton Mainstreet for $26,230 to cover advertising, T-shirts, sanitation, hospitality, Shuler Sound, outdoor entertainment etc. Commissioners approved the request.
The second request comes from the Center for Community Innovation concerning media management and the Explore Raton management. The request is for $40,000 to cover the management of Google ads and other media management. Commissioners also approved this request.
City Manager Rick Mestas told commissioners about an amendment to an MOU with the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. The MOU covers costs that are incurred should there be an accident with a WIPP Transport. The amendment covers who will manage the funds in the event of a WIPP transportation incident. NMEMNRD will also up the amount available from $7000 to $40,000.
Commissioners approved the purchase of Scott Air-Pak X3 Pro SCBA for the fire department. The funding for this will come from the Fire Protection Funds. The total purchase price for the airpaks is $375,635.00 for 34 units along with 68 cylinders.
Blue Sky Upfitting LLC provided the city with a quote through the state pricing agreement to equip three of the new Police Units at a cost of $18,112 each for the three units for a total of $59,336. Funding will come from law enforcement funds and the general fund. Commissioners approved the agreement.
The Planning and Zoning Board is requesting the consideration to hold a public hearing on a rezoning request for property located at 2018 La Mesa Drive, the old La Mesa airstrip from a C3 to an R1 zone.
That was followed by a request to then change the R1 rezone to a G zone or Government Use District for property at 2018 La Mesa Drive where the city of Raton solar array is located.
Another request for the property at 1133 Price Street be rezoned from MHS to C3. The property in question is the is the Trade Winds Mobile Home Park. According to Randy Madison, chairman, of the planning and zoning board all of these rezoning requests are consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan. A public hearing will be scheduled for all three of these rezoning requests.
Raton will enter into a grant agreement with the New Mexico Department of Information Technology Office for broadband access and expansion. The grant in the amount of $100,000 will cover the direct costs of grant writing, architectural and engineering design for improving broadband services in north and east Raton.
The elevator at the Raton Convention Center is in need of some work so the city will request funding from a Destination Forward Grant from the New Mexico Tourism Department. The grant will cover the cost of the elevator modernization project. The grant will be for $121,718.02 with the city providing matching funds which are yet to be determined.
The city will also ask for funding from the New Mexico Tourism Department Liter Control and Beautification on the Clean & Beautiful grant program. The grant agreement will provide $7650 with the city providing 25% matching funds in kind to cover a PSA campaign and signage for anti-littering, bear safe receptacles and pet waste stations.
Commissioners went over the July 2024 financial reports which will officially begin the reporting for the new fiscal year. City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci presented the report with continued good news on the GRT front which is up by .62%. Lodger’s tax will have to be watched carefully especially as spring approaches to make sure the city doesn’t run out. The gas tax continues to be a concern especially if the city gets some of the road grants they have been asking for. Should the gas tax fall short general funds will have to be used for matching funds. (Link to the July 2024 Financial Report)
In the city manager’s report Mestas noted they will meet with Renee Bellew, a supervisor for the Recycling and Pollution Prevention section of the EPA to discuss grants the city is working on with the EPA. The city will participate in a meeting with several other groups and the US Department of Transportation about participating FY23 Thriving Communities, Networked Communities and Community of Practice during their office hours on Wednesday September 4th.
Mestas noted that the public works department hand laid 72 tons of hot mix around the town this week. There will be an economic development summit October 16th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. where citizens can learn more about capital outlay and congressional directed funding. On October 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to meet representatives of municipal and regional governments in Northern NM and Southern Colorado. Together they will explore regional collaboration to advance community goals and mee the needs of our citizens.
The next regular meeting of the Raton City Commission Meeting will be September 10, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the commission chambers at City Hall.
