By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met Tuesday May 13, 2025, for their first regular meeting of May to take care of the interim budget and engineering proposals for upcoming projects for the city.
Proclamations were upfront on the agenda with Mayor Neil Segotta marking the passing of city employee Nick Tarufelli.
Si Trujillo spoke under Citizens Present and was concerned about the mountain lions that are being seen in town and is asking the city to work with game and fish about the safety matter.
Synthia Molina, Director of Community and Economic Development, gave the commissioners an overview of the history of Local Economic Development (LEDA) grants and best practices for the city to follow when applying for these types of grants and for reporting about the results as their is added attention being placed on their performance.
Commissioners held a public hearing and discussion for the FY26 interim budget which is due into the state this month. The budget this year will see an increase in insurance premiums of 20% instead of the 10% that the city was anticipating. Capital expenditure still needs to be nailed down, especially new equipment. City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci noted that she is still working with pay raises and how that will come out for the budget before other expenditures are considered. Antonucci is budgeting for a 2% increase in GRT to help with the revenue figures. Antonucci noted that several projects are or will get under way soon and she is expecting those projects to be about $16,000,000 to support the 2% GRT increase.
Commissioners heard from Therese Gallegos concerning their resolution designating 436 Savage Avenue as a dangerous building. They are requesting the city rescind the resolution to allow Gallegos the allotted time to do something with the property. Gallegos is expecting two years before he could really do something about it. Commissioners rejected the appeal.
Commissioners heard from the Raton Museum who is requesting $32,400 to help with funding of the Raton Museum for this upcoming year. The Commission approved the request, which is the same amount that was requested last year and will come from the lodger’s tax non-promo fund.
Commissioners approved the event forms for Raton MainStreetSun Valley Rides Carnival to be held June 12-15, 2025, and the International Santa Fe Trail Balloon Rally over the July 4th holiday here in Raton.
Commissioners then approved the lease and service agreement with Safe Haven Baby Boxes with the City of Raton and Colfax County. The box will be placed at the Raton Fire Station at 127 Clark Ave. Once a baby is placed in the box an alarm sounds so someone can come pick up the baby. The cost of the box is $15,000 and the city will cover the $500 annual maintenance fee.
Resolution 2025-29 declares a 1992 fire engine as surplus equipment and will donate the equipment to the Chama Fire Department. The value of the truck is estimated at about $15,000.
Engineering Analytics brought three proposals to the commission, one for the north underpass rehab project, a second for the geotechnical work for the Three Bridge Project which is now a two bridge project and may become one depending on funding, and the third for the geotechnical investigation at City Hall. The city has requested $54,500 for the North Underpass project engineering and planning. This project will repair busted curbs and gutter and sidewalks and railings as well as painting the steel portions of the structure.
The two-bridge project will do geotechnical work for two bridges on Railroad Ave and at the same time do the geotechnical work at City Hall thus keeping costs down by keeping the driller in town for all three projects and not having to call him back in. The cost estimate for the preliminary work on the bridge project is $19,100.
The agreement with the Department of Public Safety is for data sharing and allows the Raton Police Department to access traffic and DMV records as well as other data and sharing with DPS of the data collected by the Raton police department.
Commissioners approved an MOU between the Clayton Police Department and the Raton Dispatch Center for E911 answering point services. When the E911 system goes down in Raton, Clayton will be the E911 answering point until the service can be restored. This MOU is required because the principals have changed, and new signatures are needed.
Commissioners then approved the annual dispatch agreements with the Town of Springer and the Village of Cimarron. The cost of the agreement with Springer is just over $32,000 a year and $22,000 a year for Cimarron.
Ayer’s and Associates, Inc. was selected for contract services on the Brownfield Program. This is a federal grant, and commissioners are concerned about the feds recalling the grant money.
Commissioners then heard about the agreement for the 4th of July Fireworks display from Do It Right Pyro for $38,555.87 who was the only bidder. Commissioners approved the expense.
Commissioners received an estimate from Mosark, LLC for replacement of the HVAC roof top unit for the police department in the amount of $20,460.82 and will be paid for through the general fund reserve.
Budget Adjustment #13 was presented to the commission covering several line-item transfers for various items including the fireworks and senior center stove hood.
City Manager Rick Mestas gave his report noting that the city is dealing with the uncertaintity in Federal funding over the last few weeks and are working with our federal delegation to determine the status of the grants the city is currently relying on. City crews are preparing for the little league all-star tournaments.
Mestas ended his report with a big thank you to RPS staff especially Janti Abaza, Adrian Mendez and Donald Garcia for their assistance on the Western Wood Products fire on Monday. He also gave the Raton Fire Department a hearty thank you for the work they did in controlling the fire and keeping it from being worse than it was.
The commission then moved into an executive session to discuss the city manager’s annual evaluation. The next City Commission meeting will be on May 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the commission chambers at City Hall.
L to R: Shawn Smith, Tucker Hairston, Jacob Helton, Jake Gass, Captain Jacob Butt, EMS Chief Dusty Russell
