By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The Raton City Commission convened a special meeting to continue work on the FY27 budget which found the city with over a $300,000 deficit that the commission will have to look for cuts to balance the budget.
Last year the commission was fortunate enough to have an increase of GRT that was above budget projections. City Treasurer Micheal Anne Antonucci is hoping this trend will continue. It is believed that online sales were the biggest part of the increase. There will be several construction projects that will begin this year as well that should bolster up the city income.
Antonucci noted in her discussions that 70% of the budget is for salaries and that is where some savings may come from as those positions go unfilled due to the inability to find qualified personnel.
Discussions with department heads were held this last week in order to determine needs and how things operate so that the city can create a budget for those departments. Overtime hours are a problem for employees as they fill in for unfilled positions. Police are down three officers and are short in the dispatch department as well.
Antonucci went over some of the construction projects, noting that timing will be important as there is a two-month delay in getting the GRT from the state. Interim City Manager Neil Segotta noted that the discussions with the department heads were productive noting that Chief Burk found $60,000 that could be cut or reallocated to cover other items. Vacancies are showing up as a double edge sword as they increase overtime but there are savings from not having to pay the salaries. The PERA and insurance will also show a decrease because of the vacancies, but Antonucci wants to be careful with those cuts in case the city can fill those empty positions.
Clarification discussion followed with Antonucci answering questions about line items and where the monies went to or came from. Noting that the Shuler rental has been accruing money that hasn’t been spent or moved elsewhere. Having an auction for surplus equipment or surplus vehicles was discussed to bring in some funds. Discussion about Raton Mainstreet funding from economic development was brought up and it was noted that the relationship with Mainstreet and Raton has been very beneficial, bringing in many millions of dollars for projects in the downtown area and that the city needs to keep that relationship going.
Discussion about small cities’ assistance income being all over the map and can it be predictable income? Antonucci noted that it has been very difficult to predict the amount of income from that funding noting that it is better to have some reserve rather than depend on that source of funding.
Lodger’s Tax funding is down about $35,000 over last year and will be one item that will have to be looked at closely. Antonucci noted there are some items that they could move monies around from non-promo funds or projects that can be postponed saving some expenditures.
Jason Phillips noted that his department has seen a decrease in personnel over the years and noted that as long as the expectations don’t increase without personnel increasing in his department will do what they can do with the personnel that he has. He added that rates haven’t increased over the years especially in the sanitation department, and that will need to happen to keep going at the current rate. Mayor Chatterley appreciated the work that the public works is doing and how well Phillips has managed to stretch money and get the best bang for the buck.
Fire Chief Anthony Burk talked about his budget and where he can cut. He has heard from the state fire Marshall’s office learned how he can move money around to cover what he needs this year. The other issue that they are looking at is EMS funding and billing. He noted that he has had to decline transfers due to staffing shortages and had to look at different means to transfer patients. During the fire in Sugarite they had to work with the hospital to make that work as they couldn’t make any transfers during that time. He noted that EMS and Fire funds that they have access to cannot be used for salaries and have to be used for specific items.
Synthia Molina talked about economic development looking at salvage and recycling type services as well as trying to attract skilled workers from higher living costs areas such as Orange County California and Denver.
Segotta noted after listening to the department heads definitely sees that public works need extra employees and the city will have to look at ways to make that happen in order to maintain the properties that city takes care of, especially the parks and such.
A final interim Budget will be presented to the city commission at their next regular meeting May 26, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the commission chambers at City Hall.
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