By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Raton City Commissioners met Tuesday evening August 12, 2025 for their first regular meeting of the month where they addressed a public hearing on the Ramel Family Farms ordinance and heard about resolutions for supporting future interstate highway programs.
Commissioners held a public hearing to give citizens a chance to speak on rescinding the ordinance for the Ramel Family Farms. The ordinance was presented to the commission at an earlier meeting at the request of Kayvan Khalatbari owner of Ramel Family Farms, requesting that the economic venture with the city be terminated. The termination date for the agreement is December 31, 2025.
Commissioners reviewed three resolutions concerning future interstate concerns. Resolution 2025-47 supports a future highway funding formula program and makes sure that Raton is part of the federal funding.
Resolution 2025-48 supports a feasibility study for Heartland Expressway, Theodore Roosevelt Expressway and a portion of the Ports-to-Plains as high priority corridors.
Resolution 2025-49 supports an interstate designation for Heartland Expressway, Theodore Roosevelt Expressway and a portion of the Ports-to-Plains as high priority corridors and numbering future interstate segments.
Colin Tawney presented a report on the progress at Blu Dragonfly Brewing and their canning process that they are now using. They are using two different brewing systems at the National Guard Site at Crews Field property. He talked about the beers and how some of the local recipes have taken off. He thanked the commission for the excellent water quality which doesn’t require filtering. He noted they are now selling in all the local towns and have added Santa Fe and Albuquerque to his clientele. They have acquired an investor who is looking at opening a place in the area and wants the local beers and is looking at expanding into non-alcoholic beers.
Commissioners reappointed Si Trujillo to the RPS Board of Trustees and reappointed Michael Pais and Randy Madison to the ETZ board.
Commissioners approved the Lodger’s Tax request for MHMR Productions for the Raton Supercross for $6000.
Commissioners acted on the certification of corrections to the budget and adjustment supporting schedules. These corrections ensure that the city’s financial records are up to date and accurate.
Code 3 Services had a proposal for communications equipment and other accessories to outfit a Raton Fire Department vehicles and a proposal from Frontline Upfitting LLC for the installation of equipment such as lights, siren, bumper and Troy box for fire department vehicles. Both proposals are in the state purchasing contract. The Code 3 proposal is for $50,576.66 and will come out of the Fire Protection Funds and the Frontline proposal is in the amount of $70,719.85 which will also come from the Fire Protection funds.
The city approved a maintenance agreement with NMDOT for traffic signals, intersection and roadway lighting in the city with a focus on the I-25 Clayton Road area project. The agreement spells out the responsibilities for the maintenance and there is no cost involved in this agreement.
Raton received a bid from Rocky Top Resources Inc for green waste grinding services. The cost of the agreement is $51,422 and is to ensure that the city has a contractor to manage and process green waste.
Commissioners approved an estimate for work on the water heating system at the Kearny School from Mosark LLC. The estimate is for $24,899.41 which will provide a reliable energy efficient hot water heating system for the building. The funding for the work is from the EDA grant.
Approved out of state travel for Mayor Pro-Tem Lori Chatterley to attend the 2025 Ports-to-Plains conference in the amount of $722.82. This is an opportunity to meet other stakeholders and collaborate on a regional basis. The conference will be in Lubbock, Texas.
The city will have Linde Schuster as the primary voting delegate and Mayor Pro-Tem Lori Chatterley as the alternate for the 2025 New Mexico Municipal League 68th Annual Conference. The conference will be held in Ruidoso, NM this year.
Commissioners discussed the inmate confinement agreement with Colfax County. The agreement outlines the terms and conditions for housing inmates at the county detention center. The cost to house a prisoner is $170 per day. Commissioners approved the agreement.
Commissioners then approved the dispatch agreement with Colfax County for $75,000 a year.
Enchanted Technology Solutions LLC quoted $106,151 for Panasonic Toughbooks and mounts for the Raton Police Department. The funds for this will come out of the general fund reserves. The new toughbooks are necessary as the old toughbook’s software and hardware are no longer supported.
Commissioners approved the extension of the City Manager contract for a second year. The term is from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026.
City Manager Rick Mestas noted in his report that 95 city employees, Water and RPS attended Sexual Harassment prevention, workplace bullying and violence training. With the budget done the city staff will now begin prep for the annual audit and public works have been busy cleaning out drainage systems and installed new benches at Veterans Park.
City Clerk will now be approving all information, posters and such on city property including those postings by local organizations. It is two weeks to the filing deadline for city commissioners. The city has a primer for would be candidates who would like to learn more about the commission city manager form of government at city hall.
Mestas also went on to add “Public service is not always easy; in fact, you will be from time to time disliked. You have to have the courage to be disliked. Having the courage to be disliked means being willing to stand by your values, even if it means not everyone will agree with you. In public service that kind of courage is essential. You’re not always going to make popular decisions but sometimes the right choice isn’t the easy one. Whether its enforcing tough policies or challenging the status quo, serving the public often means putting the greater good ahead of personal approval or public opinion. It’s about doing what’s right not what’s popular and trusting that people will come to understand your intentions over time. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s how real change happens.”
The next regular city commission meeting is scheduled for August 26, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the commission chambers
