Receiving a proclamation from Silver City Mayor Michael Morones, recognizing the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps' landing on the island of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Theater of World War II, are members of the local Marine Corps League, from left, Don Spann, Leonard Pritikin, Mayor Mike Morones (not a member), Gene Lewis, Felipe Ortego, Marc MacDonald, Cliff Tavernier, Frank Donohue, and Larry Himes.

Photo and article by Roger Lanse

At Tuesday's Silver City Council meeting, Chief Ed Reynolds presented 2014 statistical information derived from the Department's records management system, a review of Department reports, Municipal Court documentation, and the Children, Youth and Family Department's Juvenile Probation and Parole reports.

The number of calls for service declined from 2013 levels to 13,049, from 14,108, Reynolds said, while the number of officer-initiated activities increased over 2013 levels; from 38,862 to 41,446.

Combining the crimes of murder, forcible rape, robbery, simple and aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and stolen motor vehicle, numbers decreased from 1,081 in 2013, to 929 in 2014. Larceny, Reynolds said, is the most numerous of these eight crimes but a marked decrease in larcenies was reported in 2014 over 2013 levels, 487 to 569. Shoplifting continues to be the number one larceny committed in Silver City, Reynolds pointed out.

More domestic violence cases were reported in 2014 (549) versus 2013 (517).

Arrests and citations issued were up, according to Reynolds, in 2014 over 2013; arrests from 1,698 to 2,085, and citations from 14,097 to 15,807.

Roadway and private property vehicle crashes were up slightly, Reynolds said, in 2014, from 473 in 2013, to 479. Intersections vying for the highest number of crashes reported included Pine/Pinos Altos, 14th/Hudson, 180/Shoe Store and several more, while the Walmart parking lot continued to be #1 in private property crashes, with 31 reported. Second place Albertsons reported 15.

Arrests for drug violations were up in 2014, with 137 persons arrested-123 adults and 15 juveniles. In 2013, 107 were arrested-81 adults and 26 juveniles. Violations included possession, and sales, of methamphetamine, marijuana, hashish, cocaine, heroin, and prescription drugs. The majority of crime in the Town is drug-related, Reynolds stated in his report. "Although last year we charged more people with possession and distribution of illegal drugs, we are in the process of evaluating our current program and how we can make it more effective," Reynolds said.

District 1 Councilor Cynthia Bettison asked Reynolds about drug houses that residents of her district are concerned about. Reynolds said to call him to set up a meeting to attempt to find a solution.

Lucy Whitmarsh of the Silver City MainStreet Project told the council that New Mexico MainStreet Day has been scheduled for Feb. 18, in the Round House in Santa Fe to celebrate the 30th anniversary of both New Mexico MainStreet and Silver City's MainStreet Project.

Resident Jim Baldwin spoke to the council saying that if the Silco Theater project was a worthy project for the Town to undertake "free enterprise would have taken it over." Baldwin considered the town might not be able to make the payments of the loans received for the theater's renovation since the Town recently reported a $600,000 shortfall in the last fiscal year.

Regarding the Silco Theater renovation, Bettison said, "Rest assured, Mr. Baldwin, we're doing everything we can to make sure we don't have that deficit and do not have to increase taxes to do it. The town itself is not the one that is really paying for the Silco renovation, it's actually going through the Silver City MainStreet and through a variety of loans that the Town is backing up. They're paying the loans back on an agreement, and it's through sort of a lease agreement. So, it's really that MainStreet is a separate entity from the Town and part and parcel of the Economic Development Department of the state of New Mexico. So, hopefully, that will clarify it a little bit more for you."

Bettison reminded residents that when they call the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority to report a crime, they can request that neither their name nor phone number be captured. Hopefully, Bettison said, this knowledge will result in additional tips.

District 2 Councilor Lynda Aiman-Smith mentioned the resolution the council passed in November urging the state Legislature to cap interest rates on high-interest small loans. She presented two examples of how these high interest rates can devastate people, and said that in New Mexico a small loan borrower can expect to pay 340 percent interest. Two House bills and a Senate bill regarding small loan interest rates are to be heard in committee at some point, Aiman-Smith said, and when they are scheduled the Town will have a linkup so residents can be notified.

Mike Stone of Stone, McGee & Co., a Silver City accounting firm, came before the council to inform it that the Town's fiscal year 2013-2014 audit report was submitted to the state auditor in a timely fashion, saying the audit had an unqualified rating which was the highest he could give. The council approved the audit.

District 4 Councilor Guadalupe Cano asked about traffic flow once the Highway 90 Bridge is closed for replacement. Town Manager Alex Brown stated that he has been meeting with the SCPD, and also the Silver City Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services, to decide on the best plan. Brown said, the Department of Transportation would be holding public meetings where their plan will be presented for comment. "We're trying to think of every option possible" to keep traffic moving with safety, including a 4-way stop at the intersection of Highway 90, Cooper Street and Ridge Road. Changes are possible, Brown said, depending on how people accept it. "It's going to be a fluid event," Reynolds said.

Town Clerk Ann Mackie said that early voting in the municipal election to decide the District 1 and 3 councilor races begins tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 11, and that absentee voting is underway. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3.

The council considered an ordinance to adopt the restoration of the Silco Theater as an Economic Development Project. Mayor Michael Morones stated, "This has been one of my pet projects. This ordinance is predominantly due to a $100,000 grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department. We basically have $100,000 in hand that is specifically for theaters in New Mexico. NMECD is willing to give us this money as long as we have this very simple ordinance. This is a means to the ultimate end to having a restored theater in town, and I'm very happy that the NMECD Secretary is willing to do that."

District 3 Councilor Jose Ray Jr. stated relative to the ordinance, "I am all for it. We need it. It's going to be a very nice theater," while Bettison said, "Anything that we can do to enhance and drive the economy downtown and to bring in more visitors to our town that will spend money, which is also driving the economy, is something that I support."

Aiman-Smith said, "This is a private-public partnership, and case studies and various research on revitalization of historic theaters showed that there's a clear economic development boom that follows somewhere between two and seven years after. My hope is that we can git 'er done."

Town Attorney Robert Scavron said, "The money is there waiting for us," and explained that the town needs to fulfil one requirement of the NMECD by accepting the Silco Theater as an Economic Development Project, and once this ordinance is approved the funds will be released. That's all approving this ordinance does, Scavron said.

Council approved the ordinance adopting the restoration of the Silco Theater as an Economic Development Project.