Photo Courtesy of Girl Scout Staff

Photo: The mayor proclaimed the week of March 8-14 "Girl Scout Week." Receiving the proclamation are: from left, front row, Alexis McKinney, Anastasia Campbell, Katelynn Clark and Ashlyn Richey; in back row, Brooklyn Allred, Hannah Skinner, Lilith Harsh, Rachel Windsor and Emily Gossett; and in the rear, Mayor Michael Morones and Membership Manager Annette Toney.

County resident Jim Baldwin encouraged the council to allow the people to vote on the proposed one-quarter of one percent increase in the gross receipts tax in a referendum, saying the proposed tax would affect all of Grant County from Mimbres to Cliff, and even citizens from Lordsburg who come to Silver City to shop. He also suggested the town find ways to cut costs rather than raise taxes and perhaps selling some town property to raise money for services.

Baldwin also complemented the town on the improvement completed at the intersection of Alabama and Hester streets.

Town Manager Alex Brown stated, "We only have a certain amount of property so that's a one-time thing for cash. Gross receipts tax is a recurring thing to assure we can provide the services every year."

Mayor Michael Morones said "That is a very viable band-aid if we found ourselves just needing a band-aid for a particular year. Brown and Morones agreed that selling property to raise funds would only be discussed if it was absolutely necessary.

In regard to the referendum, Morones asked, "Does the ordinance we have to use that is drafted by the state, does it even allow for referendum?" Brown answered, "You can require referendum. That would be at your choice. The issue with a referendum we wouldn't be able to impose the tax until January of 2016, with shortages in revenues." With a referendum, Brown said, "there would actually be a one-year delay before we saw any results."

Brown continued by saying that a referendum could only be voted on by town residents. County residents would not be able to vote on a tax increase proposed by the town.

Morones reminded residents that public comments regarding the proposed tax increase must be made before next meeting, March 24.

District 1 Councilor Cynthia Bettison stated, "We have cut everywhere that we can think of cutting. We are no longer subsidizing those folks in the county that we provide water to. We've been doing everything we can - putting up the solar array - to really cut back."

Brown said, "Everybody stepped up to the plate to continue to provide the best quality service that we could. But there's got to be a breaking point, when those people just say. I give up - I'm going to go and find somewhere where I get a break. And we do need to fill those positions. Your service may not be any better, but you're going to continue to get it."

District 3 Councilor Jose Ray said that people are having a hard time with the new plastic bag ordinance. "I don't know whether they forget or what."

Bettison responded, and Brown confirmed, that if the town goes back to single-use bags, town residents will see an increase in solid waste fees. Bettison continued that it takes time - its only been two months since the ordinance was approved, and said that she herself has gone into a store and left her reusable bags in the car. It will take time, Bettison said, people will get used to it.

District 4 Councilor Guadalupe Cano asked when will stores be cited for not complying? Brown answered, "We've already had code enforcement officers out looking, so if we catch 'em they will be cited."

Public Works Director Peter Pena told the council that following discussions with the New Mexico Department of Transportation the Highway 90 bridge project has already started. The closure of the bridge will be sometime in the first two weeks of April and will be shut down for about seven months. Starting early Wednesday, March 11, the intersections of Highway 90 and Broadway, and Bullard and Broadway, will be altered along with the timing of the traffic lights. That work should be done by noon, Pena said.

Assistant Silver City Fire Chief Jeff Fell stated that the department's plan is fluid, no one knows how the traffic rerouting will go until we're in the middle of it. Fell said that after the bridge is closed the morning shift will start at 7 a.m. rather than the present 8 a.m. to allow a Class A pumper to be stationed all day on the south side of the bridge closure. The department is in close contact with the Tyrone Volunteer Fire Department, as most grass fires in the county are in their area, Fell stated. Also, other VFDs north of the bridge closure such as Pinos Altos, Fort Bayard, and others will not be using lights and sirens through town if there is not a serious emergency.

The council approved a zoning change from rural to commercial for the MasterCraft Properties located along the west side of Highway 90 across from Calvary Chapel and Calvary Christian Academy.

Also approved was a resolution to submit an application to the NMDOT for Municipal Arterial Funding to complete sidewalks, curbs and gutters, ADA ramps and striping on College Avenue from Cooper Street to B Street. Cost of the project is estimated at $498,362, with a 25 percent match for the town. Pena stated the plans for the project are 75 percent complete and work will probably start at the end of this year.