By Roger Lanse

Town Manager Alex Brown, at the Town of Silver City’s Mar. 26, 2019 council meeting, stated Interim Police Chief Freddie Portillo has been hired as Silver City Police Chief. Brown said an interview committee was set up and the committee received 51 applications for the position, of which 22 met the minimum requirements. Of the 22, according to Brown, the committee narrowed down the number to five individuals. These five were interviewed and were ranked. The committee recommended two of the five for a final interview. “One of them was Interim Chief Portillo,” Brown said. After some input from the community and some checking up on the other individual’s history, Brown stated he decided to do no further interviews, but asked the committee to resubmit additional names for consideration, but the committee didn’t feel comfortable recommending anybody else. After reviewing all available information, Brown said he agreed with the committee one-hundred percent. “Chief Portillo was far and above the best applicant. He knows the community. He knows the law. He’s actually gone back to school. He’s taken leadership programs. He’s been working extremely hard and he’s proven himself to be very capable and competent.”

Portillo then told council that since the first of the year SCPD has issued 38 citations for uncovered/unsecured loads, including about 9 written warnings. He said, “I just want to remind the community that if they see an uncovered load they can contact Central Dispatch at 388-8840.” Portillo said that signs and handouts are being prepared to inform residents about the uncovered/unsecured load issue.

District 1 Councilor Cynthia Bettison stated she recently was in Washington. D.C. with the New Mexico Municipal League talking with New Mexico’s senators and representatives. She said one of the issues they were discussing was a bill that has been submitted to the House of Representatives that would give municipalities the authority over the placing of small cell service antennas in local rights-of-way. Bettison stated that currently the FCC can pre-empt local authorities allowing cell service providers to place these devices anywhere they want to – in front of businesses or homes and on sidewalks, possibly every 1,500 feet. Bettison said she didn’t know exactly where the bill is, but it doesn’t seem to have moved out of the House.

Mike Stone, of Stone McGee & Co., presented his report on the 2018 town audit stating the town has an unmodified audit report which is the highest rating it could receive. Council approved the resolution accepting and approving the fiscal year 2018 audit.

Council approved Ordinance No. 1277, sponsored by Bettison, which amends Chapter 6, regarding animals. Basically, Bettison said, this ordinance will clear up some ambiguity, allowing the animal control officer to write citations, freeing her from excess paperwork and having to call a police officer, and freeing SCPD from having to respond in those instances where an animal-related citation is necessary.

Town Attorney Robert Scavron stated, we’ve “made it clear that the animal control officer has the authority to issue citations under her authority as animal control officer and also in situations where there’s a public nuisance.”

Kenneth Sexton, a local beekeeper, expressed concerns about how the new ordinance would affect beekeepers in the town. Scavron answered by saying, “This particular ordinance was drafted without a focus on bees or honeybee-keepers. This was a reaction to an interpretation
from a municipal court judge. We’ve reviewed it and saw there was some ambiguities. This does not change the law. It clears up the placement of certain provisions and our focus was on the clearing up of ambiguities. Nuisance has always been available for any act that affects a large number of people. Whether we had done this ordinance or not, if there was a bee swarm, that would be a public nuisance because it would endanger the public. Now, there’s different ways of dealing with nuisances.”

Scavron continued by saying the priority is always on gaining administrative compliance by working with the owner rather than just issuing citations, although if the nuisance isn’t abated within the mandated 10 days then a citation can be expected.

In final actions, council approved seven public celebration permit applications for alcohol service: one for the Continental Divide Trail Days event at downtown’s Power and Light Press on April 26 with alcohol service from 5-9 p.m.; two for the ToadFests Tape Take Over in the alley behind Little Toad Creek Restaurant on April 27 from 2-11 p.m.; two for the Tour of the Gila VIP Beer Garden at the Hub on May 4 from noon - 5 p.m.; and two for the Tour of the Gila Beer Garden at 820 N. Bullard on May 4 from noon-7 p.m.

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.