By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City commissioners met Tuesday March 11, 2025, to discuss budget guidelines, dangerous buildings and discussed a quote for a skate park and Pump Track at Romero Park.
City Manager Rick Mestas informed the commission about the upcoming FY26 interim budget and guidelines on how the city will proceed with this year’s budget. The interim budget is due into DFA by June 1, 2025, and the final budget is due by July 31, 2025.
Commissioners approved the Cinco De Mayo event to be held at Ripley Park on May 3rd and 4th followed by the discussion of dangerous buildings at 220 N 4th Street and 436 Savage Avenue. The owners of the buildings will be given notice and have 30 days to respond or begin demolition. After that the city will begin the process of getting the demolition done. Commissioners approved the demolition process to begin.
The commission then heard about the application for COOP road funds from the NMDOT for road work in the city of Raton. The city will request $150,000 with $112,500 from NMDOT and $37,500 matching funds from the city. This is for stockpile material for patching and other street work in the city.
The proposed MAP street work for this fiscal year will include street and alley resurfacing with an estimated cost of $420,000 to include $315,000 NMDOT funding and the city match of $105,000 from the city gas tax. The MAP projects this year will focus on North 4th street and North 1st street. Jason Phillips noted this is the same application the city applied for last year but was not funded.
The city has received a quote from American Ramp Company for a skate park and pump track in the amount of $194,946.30 and will be funded by the Romero Park improvement grant of $500,000. Funds for the project will utilize Sourcewell CO-OP procurement contact #112420-ARC contingent on DFA approval.
Parkhill provided the city with a proposal for 2025 landfill environmental monitoring services. The city is required to monitor the landfill to comply with NMED requirements. To complete this project a lump sum fee of $30,000 excluding NMGRT with monthly invoice. In that amount $7,700 is allocated for subcontractor analysis of ground water samples. Solid waste enterprise funds will be used to fund this project.
Commissioners approved out of state travel for Mayor Segotta to attend the 2025 Main Street Now conference in Philadelphia PA April 6-8. The conference is designed to help local leaders improve and strengthen the social, civic and economic fabric of their communities. The cost of the trip is estimated at $1000.
Commissioners heard from City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci about Budget Adjustment #10 for FY2025. The adjustment moves money around for legislative and travel expenses. Other adjustments include salary for Police, dispatch, public works, engineering and airport expenses.
In the city manager’s report Rick Mestas noted that the police department is recruiting for two officers and a dispatch position while the fire department is needing to fill three positions. Public Works have spent time with snow removal and work on the ball fields. The city engineer will travel to Santa Fe to meet with Santa Fe Community College to bring career and technical education training and education to some of the city facilities.
The city engineer Jayden Welch attended aviation day and heard that there is a growing movement of space industry clustering in the area of New Mexico and Colorado. They describe it as a space corridor from Denver to Albuquerque calling it Space Valley. The City of Raton is right in the middle of the corridor and Mestas and Welch are looking for ways to participate.
The commission will meet again March 25, 2025, for their next regular meeting at Raton City Hall.
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