By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met Tuesday morning April 29, 2025, to attend to a couple of business items before discussing the FY26 budget in preparations for sending an interim budget to the Department of Finance at the end of May.
Commissioners first item of business was to renew the consulting services agreement contract with Engineering Analytics, which was approved, followed by a request from Kayvan Khalatbari to place two greenhouse high tunnels on the Armex Building property using a USDA grant for funding. Since the city is the property owner, they must give their approval for the project which is expected to add about $50,000 in value to the property and fits within the city’s local economic development act agreement with the Ramel Family Farms. Commissioners approved the request.
Commissioners then heard from Municipal Judge Christine Piancino who spoke about a judge’s conference put on by the Municipal League indicating the pre-registration fee of $300, she felt was a little high and will go up to $350 the day of the conference.
City Treasurer Michael Anne Antonucci is waiting for the final list of capital equipment requests and is recommending that the city budget for higher insurance premiums as the city should see an increase there.
She also recommended the city budget for a pay increase for non-union employees. The union employees will see an average of 3% salary increase this year. Last year employees received 4% with others seeing as much as 10%. With the increase in insurance premiums employees didn’t see that much of a raise. The city pays an 80/20 premium for employees’ insurance premiums.
Discussion on upcoming projects gross receipts impacts were discussed. Antonucci is expecting that the construction projects this summer should be helpful to the city’s bottom line especially in light of the steady increase over the last year. The city GRT has been at least 1.5% above budget this fiscal year. With the increase in GRT, pay increases should be covered for the upcoming year.
Discussion about salaries especially the public works department noted how low the pay is, and Jason Phillips added he would take a small percentage cut to give his employees a slightly higher increase. Antonucci noted that salaries are the biggest expense for the city. Commissioner Mark Honeyfield asked that the salaries be broken out with admin versus field workers. Mayor Pro-Tem Lori Chatterley said she would be comfortable with a 5% increase for non-union employees with others chiming in, in agreement. Capital equipment is also a concern as old equipment is needing replaced.
The city is required to keep 1/12 of the general fund in reserves which currently is just over $625,000. Chatterley asked how many 12ths the city has? Antonucci figured by the end of the month the city could have 5/12ths in reserve. There will be some expenses this summer that the city will have to dig into the reserves. The work on City Hall will be one of the projects that will likely need to expend reserve money.
Antonucci noted that the city did not receive a proposal for audit services this year and will have to go back out and request proposals for audit services at a later date hoping that after others have received their bids that the audit firms would be mor ewilling to work on Raton’s audit.
Security cameras were also discussed with Phillips noting that he would like to have more cameras on the parks. Police Chief John Garcia noted that they are a good force multiplier and the list for having them on site is growing longer. Garcia noted they have greatly helped however once they are moved the activity slowly comes back.
Commissioners will continue their budget work at other meetings and regular meetings in order to get the budge out.
