By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners held their regular September meeting Tuesday evening the 14th and received good news concerning the taxation and revenue case that the city was a partner on with 43 other municipalities and counties.
Under mediation the parties agreed to a settlement of $50 million dollars to be distributed as a percentage of the claim each entity requested. The original lawsuit was brought by the City of Albuquerque in 2018 as a result of a miscalculation/underpayment of gross receipts taxes. The agreement was reached on September 7, 2021 and Raton will receive $53,214.12. $5770.40 will be paid to attorneys for their work on Raton’s behalf leaving Raton with a payment of $47,433.72.
Commissioners approved the celebration permit for Colfax Ale Cellars for a conference reception at the Raton Museum on September 30. They also approved the event form for the Raton High School Homecoming parade on September 24.
Commissioners approved a grant agreement for the Raton Senior Center kitchen renovations. Replacement of the walk-in cooler will be the big expense for this project.
Commissioners approved Human Resources Development Associates Inc (HRDA, Inc) as a subcontractor for the Restorative Juvenile Justice Program. There were two bids submitted to the RFP, Zia Youth was the second bidder. HRDA Inc received the highest score from the Continuum Advisory Board members for their proposal.
City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci informed commissioners that DFA had approved their FY22 Budget and from this point any changes will be by budget adjustment which was the next item on the agenda. Antonucci noted that the city purchased body armor for police officers using savings from unused salary. She also noted there would be temporary transfers to cover expenses from several projects underway.
City Manager Scott Berry noted that the CDBG project work would be progressing in the area of the post office. The city has requested that apron reconstruction be the next major project at the airport and the city will be accepting bids for the new hangar project and hopes to begin construction on that project to be completed this spring.
Jolene Green has accepted the position of Facilities Manager and George Riley will join the staff at city hall doing full time code enforcement.
The next city commission meeting will be September 28, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. at city hall.
