By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The Bartlett Mesa Ranch now owned by the Nature Conservancy a 501(c)3 corporation has agreed to sell the Bartlett Mesa Ranch that it purchased earlier when the last owner sought to preserve the land for public use.
The ranch was acquired by the conservancy as part of a deal to expand the area of the state parks north of Raton. The Bartlett Mesa ranch will be sold to the New Mexico State Game Commission and New Mexico Game and Fish Department collectively called the Department for $2,220,000.
The city received an appropriation from the New Mexico Legislature of $564,000 to fund a portion of the purchase of the property. The department has agreed to fund the remaining purchase price with the closing date on or before December 31, 2024. Once the property deal has been closed the property will belong to the New Mexico Game and Fish Department and will be held for the purpose of a wildlife area.
The property sits on the top of Bartlett Mesa on the west side of Sugarite Canyon and will add 2,224 acres to the recreation area. (see map).
The other big money deal the city commission approved at their last commission meeting involved an Economic Development Administration grant in the amount of $2,000,000 for the purpose of financing the acquisition of and/or improvements to the real property in the agreement. The real property in the agreement is the Kearney School property located on South 3rd Street in Raton and will be used for a film school and education center.
As part of the original grant the EDA was requesting a first property lien to secure the award. Municipalities are created by statute and are bound by the power set forth in the statutes creating that municipality. In New Mexico NMSA 1978, 3-18-1 grants specific powers including the power to enter into contracts or leases and to acquire and hold real property. The municipality also is required to protect the property of the municipality and the inhabitants. The statute does not confer the specific power to grant a first priority lien.
It was also determined that a first priority lien could put the ownership of the city property at risk and be contrary to the city’s obligation to protect municipal property. In order to receive the grant, the city will enter into a covenant of purpose, use and ownership which will be recorded with the county clerk’s office to provide notice to all persons of any and all restrictions on the title of said property, to use all or part of the project property.
The EDA considers the useful life of the project property to be 15 years and for that time frame the city will not sell, lease, transfer, convey, encumber or mortgage an interest in the project property nor shall the property be used for any other purpose than is set forth in the agreement.
The city currently has $6.1 million in hand to do work on the Kearney School Building which is still short of what it will take for the remodel of the building. The architects are working on the final plans and will be going out for bid soon. The city will continue to look for other grant opportunities for funding.
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