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.