By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met on Pi Day for their first regular meeting of March where they approved a large chip seal street project that will cover over seven miles of Raton streets and other projects.
Commissioners heard from Dustin Walton, Raton Little League president, about the MOU and noted that they have raised money to purchase a new scoreboard for Ragsdale Field. One concern they did have and has been brought up by many is restroom facilities. Currently there are porta potties in use at Gabrielle Field and near Jim Wade Field. Walton also noted that they are going to bring softball back as well as a senior league. Commissioners approved the MOU.
Magnum Welding and Construction was the low bid for the Sugarite Ave reconstruction project with a bid of $870,580.20 which came in below the engineers estimate of just over $900,000. The other bid for the project came from Hasse Contracting Co. for $1,445,000.00. Work on the project will likely start in May.
Commissioners accepted the proposal from Moss Adventures for the Metropolitan Redevelopment Project form Moss Adventures to rework the Coors building in Downtown Raton. It was noted that they plan to put a printing company in the basement of the building and Sandy Young noted that she is ready to begin work as soon as they can and bring new life back into the building.
Commissioners approved the purchase of two new Ford Explorers for the Police Department and Public Works from Phil Long Ford in Raton. The cost of the vehicles will total 77,320 after a CES Discount of $4,000.
The street maintenance contract with Archuleta Construction was extended for another year with pricing to remain the same for the next year. This contract is utilized for things like curb and gutter repair or to help local residents redo their curb and gutter or sidewalk as long as the homeowner agrees to pay for half the project.
The contract to utilize Highland Enterprises for a chip seal project that will cover just over seven miles of Raton streets. The cost of the project will be about $1,000,000 with the state covering 95% of the cost and the city covering the remaining 5%. (Link to Chip Seal Street List) (Link to FY23 TPF Project Map – Chip Seal Map)
A proposal from Parkhill for landfill environmental monitoring was accepted. This is a continuation of the environmental monitoring program that the city is required to do per the agreement of the landfill closure.
Amendment #2 with the Youth Services JJAC Subcontract was approved. The agreement changes include the budget adjustments that have occurred over the last couple of months from the short cycle grant increase from CYFD.
Budget adjustment #11 for FY2023 was approved. It includes line item adjustments for salary changes monies received for workers comp payments. (Link to Budget Adjustment #11 FY23)
Commissioners approved the union contract with the Raton Police Officers Association. The agreement includes a 14% raise which City Manager Scott Berry noted was badly needed in order to keep officers on the force. The city has had several officers move to the Colfax County Sheriff’s department for high wages and overtime benefits. This increase will be effective immediately and will cover not only the officers but unrepresented employees such as dispatchers, the captain and chief. Berry noted it was like they were in a bidding war for officers and Raton needed to up the game in order to recruit new officers and keep them.
In his report Berry has been watching some of the legislative happenings and noted that Raton has received full funding to finish the purchase of the Bartlett Mesa Ranch property and only received $60,000 for public works equipment on House Bill 505. HB505 still must be approved by the Senate. Other projects on the list were not approved. Of the $66 million on Senate Bill 192 none of that money had ties to Colfax County. The state will also see a decrease in the state GRT from 4.875% to 4.375%.
Berry has submitted the applications for the MAP and COOP funding programs for street work. He has also been working with Clayton and Union County on a spending request for an I-27 project asking for $2 million of which the state has pledged $400k of matching funds.
Commissioners will meet again on March 28, at 6:00 p.m. for their next regular meeting.
