By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton city commissioners heard from City Manager Scott Berry and others with regards to the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan Tuesday evening at their regular meeting.
Commissioners also heard from Dan Campbell and Fire Chief Jim Matthews concerning their funding needs in the future. Campbell noted however that most of the funding needs for the water department are going to be very expensive as they are needing to work on the Lake Maloya Dam and water filter plant and waste water plant.
Raton Fire and Emergency Services will be needing to replace a couple of ambulances over the next three years and have included that on the ICIP list. Matthews noted that they will be able to replace one ambulance with fire fund monies but will need assistance with the other and upcoming replacements in the future. (Link to ICIP List ICIP Project List)
After approving the street closure from Rio Grande to Clark on First street for the Gate City Music Festival commissioners also approved the Lodger’s Tax Advisory Board recommendation to give the Gate City Music Festival $11,500 from the contingency fund to help with advertising and other expenses related to the event.
Commissioners appointed Laurie Bunker to the planning and zoning advisory board.
Commissioners then heard from Berry on the vacation of a right of way on the Palace Site which is just west of Castlegate Street and north of Highway 72. The vacation also included Lots 21 through 28 of the Broadview Subdivision. The only issue to come up with the vacation was the need to abandon utilities and create a utility easement. Commissioners approved the vacation subject to completing the utility easement.
Commissioners also approved the annual airport maintenance grant which will cover the consumables used at the airport. Commissioners also approved a task order which covers the engineering services for the fuel farm. Berry noted that the fuel tank will have to be moved further from the terminal building to meet Environment Department requirements.
In Berry’s report to commissioners he noted that the Multi-Modal Center is progressing that Sod will be delivered on Wednesday and that the biggest concern is still the parking paving that has been delayed by the rain. They are still hoping for an August 31 completion date.
Tiger Drive is complete with the exception of some striping namely that at the railroad crossing. Work on the Avenues downtown is continuing and looks to be about three more weeks for completion.
The Barrier soil work at the landfill should be completed soon and then the top soil will be put in place with some seeding to take place with a final seeding due in the spring.
The airport will be awaiting a slide gate to help keep wildlife out of the airport property and he noted that they are talking about taxiway D which will go from Taxiway A to the Doss Aviation Building.
Berry also noted in his report that there will be a lot of construction debris coming in and he estimates it costs the city $70 a cubic yard to handle that waste. He is recommending contractors contact one of the rolloff services and use them to transport the waste to an approved landfill probably the one at Levi.
Commissioners will meet again on August 23, 2016 for their next regular meeting.
