By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met Tuesday evening March 25, 2025, to a packed house as residents were in attendance to hear the discussion on the reproductive clinic that Governor Lujan Grisham pushed through the legislature in a last-minute addition to capital outlay projects as part of House Bill 450.
The bill outlines $1.2 billion in capital outlay projects including $10 million for a reproductive clinic in Northern New Mexico. The funds are to be allocated to the University of New Mexico who will be the fiscal agent for the project. At this time the project is not shovel ready nor has a location even been selected for the project. Representative Pat Woods mentioned Raton in the discussion of the approval of House Bill 450.
City Manager Rick Mestas read a statement indicating that no one at City Hall, Raton Public Schools or any other entity that he knew of, were aware of this project. He added that when the Governor visited earlier in January, that this topic wasn’t even brought up. Mayor Neil Segotta noted this caught everyone off guard and that it was brought to light on Wednesday last week.
Warren Walton was the first to speak on this topic asking about what property UNM has up here and can we fight this? Walton noted when the governor’s town hall was in town that he told her about the problems we have with health care. Anita Verdin spoke about the abortion clinic that stated it is not wanted or needed. She gave us a list of the things we need and needing the help simply to keep our hospital open and operating. Brandy Dietz noted our community is in need of medical services and brought this up at the town hall and a recent rotary club with the new CEO at MCMC. Angela Gonzales asked who is going to lead this and create a petition to present to the governor’s office. Mayor Segotta said he will do it. Cory Flanagan First Baptist Church pastor spoke against this proposal. He noted that we need more medical services that actually provide needed medical services.
As this was a discussion item on the agenda, no action took place place, Mayor Segotta noted the commission will keep an ear to this topic and will keep the public informed as things happen.
Commissioners received heard about the Congressionally Directed spending requests for FY26. The requests include $2 Millions for Airport Apron, $1.5 Million for the I-27 alignment, $2 million for the Animal Shelter, $10 Million for a pedestrian bridge, $,406,000 for Wastewater Treatment, $15 million for Fire and EMS training center and dispatch center and $17 million for a trade’s education building and education investment. Commissioners approved moving this spending proposal forward.
The commission voted to introduce the codification ordinance thirteenth supplement. It is an ordinance enacting and adopting a supplement to Ordinance 940 this is required to update ordinances 1020 through 1028. The last housekeeping was last done in 2022.
The Lodger’s Tax Advisory Board recommended $4190 ($1000 Digital Media and $3190 Annual Events fund) for the Cinco de Mayo celebration put on by Carmen Martinez and the Nasty Whips Car Club and $2500 for the 2025 New Mexico Vacation Guide by Matt Ganter. They also approved $4500 for FY26 New Mexico True Coop Grant by Patricia Duran, NM True will match up to $9000 for this project.
Commissioners approved the event form for the Independent Riders of Raton and Laurie Bunker Car Show on April 26th. They also approved out of state travel for City Engineer Jaden Welch to attend the 40th Space Symposium April 7-9 in Colorado Springs. The cost of this trip is estimated at $1830.00. This is an economic development trip hoping to get Raton involved in the Space Valley as it’s being called. Raton sits in the middle of the Space Valley that runs from Denver to Albuquerque.
Commissioners approved the purchase of two 2025 GMC Yukon 4WD diesel vehicles for the Raton Fire Department utilizing the CES price agreement. The cost of the vehicles is $77,280 each or $151,468 with CES discounts.
Commissioners approved a grant agreement with the NM Finance and Administration Department and the Administration Department for Radio Communications System to purchase new radios for the police department. This is the first step of many in the process of working up a new radio system for the police department. The city is asking for $250,000 for the project. This will replace an aging radio system that has been in service for over 20 years.
Commissioners approved the Aviation Consumables grant between the city and the New Mexico Department of Transportation. The grant of just over $20,000 with a match of 2,222.00 from the city covers consumables that are used by the airport in the day-to-day operations.
Commissioners heard about the agreement with Colfax County for inmate confinement in the Vigil Maldonado Detention Center. The cost to house an inmate is going up from $99.75 to $170.00 per detainee. This increase will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
Commissioners heard the recommendation of an award for the Kearney School Project. The city received one bid from Franken Construction which far exceeded the architects’ estimate by about $4 million.
Southwest Hazard Control presented a proposal for the Kearney School TSI and Soil Abatement Utilizing the CES Contract for funding the work. The cost estimate is $20,994. The work will consist of abatement and disposal of approximately 100 OLF of ACM pipe insulation and soil cleanup.
The city has received a cost estimate for work on the foundation at city hall from Reineke Construction utilizing the statewide price agreement. The scope of the work will include soil testing and reports at a cost of $12,000, stabilizing foundations at a cost of $200,000. With NMGRT the total cost of the project is $229,507.60. Commissioner Honeyfield has had some experience with this contractor and recommends that the city have the soils report done by a third party and then dependent on the soils report determine what the city needs to do. Commissioners rejected the bid from Reineke and voted to have someone else do the soil tests.
Item O Cleanup of 805 N 4th and 801 N 4th will include demolition of walls back yard landscaping, fences entire site will be roughed graded. Grancor Environmental estimates the cost of this cleanup at $51,279.16 through the CES purchase Contract. Commissioner Honeyfield and Mayor Segotta both voted no creating a tie vote. Commissioners voted to postpone Items O and P until the next meeting.
Item P The city has received a proposal from Grancor Environmental for building removal and disposal for 1521 Cedar Street ($57,183.50), 1133 Price Street ($32,989.36), 524 South First Street ($38,209.79) and 108 Pecos Avenue ($19,827.60) utilizing the CES Contract. The cost of the work is estimated at $148,210.25. All of the waste generated from these projects will be disposed of at a regionally approved waste disposal facility.
Resolution 2025-17 was approved which specifies the use of credit card use by employees through InBank. Resolution 2025-18 was approved after commissioners heard from City Manager Rick Mestas on the FY25 February Financial Reports. The city continues to see an increase in GRT 2.55% above budget, but the Gas tax continues to see a decline this month by 1.6%.
Commissioners approved FY25 Budget Adjustment #11 which includes several line items that include adjustments for insurance.
The city will apply for Transportation Project funding for small bridge replacement project phase II. The funding will be for bridge replacement with NMDOT funding 95% or $495,714.76 with a city match of $26,060.25 for a total cost of $521,805.01. Mestas noted these are just applications and that no funding is guaranteed.
Commissioners also approved the application for Transportation Project funding for a Citywide Chipseal project phase II. The cost of this project is $594,232.40 with 95% from NMDOT and 5% from the city of Raton.
Commissioners acted on Resolutions 2025-22 and 2025-23 concerning a dangerous building or premises requiring removal at 220 N 4th street and a building at 436 Savage Avenue. The commission voted to move forward with the demolition proposals.
In the City Manager’s report Mestas noted that the capital outlay funding from the state legislature goes as follows. Mestas noted that if you take out the $25,000,000 for the Clayton Interchange and the $2,000,000 for Sugarite this would leave us up by $190,000.00.
$125,000 RATON ANIMAL SHELTER CONSTRUCT
$145,000 RATON CONVENTION CTR REN
$100,000 RATON KEARNY FILM SCHOOL IMPROVE
$2,000,000 SUGARITE CANYON STATE PK VISITOR CTR CONSTRUCT
He added that the Police departments is still recruiting for two officers while the fire department is needing three more firefighters. The Economic Director and Film Liasson are in are in California recruiting investors and Mestas noted that he has talked to them regularly and they are seeing some progress.
The Raton City commission will meet again on April 8, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. for their next regular meeting.
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