By Lynn Janes
The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting January 31, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, council members included Nicholas Prince (phone), Guadalupe Cano, Rudy Bencomo, and Stan Snider.
Proclamations
The council proclaimed February 10, 2024, Territorial Charter Day. In 2016 the town made a resolution to recognize the territorial charter each year. Raul Turrieta, Ward Rudick, and several others attended to accept the proclamation. In 1871 Silver City became a designated county seat. At that time, they had 284 dwellings, 2 hotels and many other businesses. In 1872 they had proposed to New Mexico legislature for incorporation, and it didn't pass. A secession movement in 1876 began to become part of Arizona but Congress denied the application. The New Mexico Legislature passed the Silver City territorial charter in 1878.
Turrieta spoke and thanked the committee that all come together to make the event happen. Rudick said they had an amazing cast and crew for the event. Several others involved spoke briefly.
Council comments
Prince hanked several organizations and people for all they have done.
Bencomo said he had received an email from Mario Quintana concerning the Copper Country Senior Olympics. They have about 40 events and it will be for anyone 50 years of age or more. He asked people to contact him at 575-590-2352.
Bencomo referred to an article he had read in the Grant County Beat pointing out all the infrastructure improvements and gave kudos to all the department heads for all they did to apply for grants. He added the article had said since Alex Brown, town manager, came he started with a $18 million budget and now has a $72 million budget.
Bencomo had received an email from a resident complaining about some medians and trash in them. Brown said Main Street takes care of that and he will pass the information on to them. Bencomo welcomed Snider.
Cano thanked all the Prospectors and the approximately 200 people that attended. "It was a great event." She was referring to Grant County Day in Santa Fe.
Cano wanted to correct the Silver City Daily Press that had printed that the ordinance for the baby box had passed. Last meeting had been the intent to pass so the public had time to weigh in on the ordinance before the next meeting. She apologized to the public for the misunderstanding and noted she had not written the article.
Snider said he had received a concern about a safety issue on Cooper Street. He contacted Peter Pena, director of public works and parks, and he took care of it right away. He said the town staff has been helpful and efficient in getting him the information he needed.
Ladner had a special presentation. He wanted to recognize Nick Seibel for serving on planning and zoning from 2014-2024 and presented him with a plaque. Nick said he appreciated it and noted it had been the third time he had been on planning and zoning, and this had been the longest. He encouraged people in the community to get involved.
Ladner wanted to thank Grant County Beat and the Silver City Daily Press. "We are lucky to have two newspapers in Silver City."
Reports
Brown turned the reports over to Officer Vickie Toney with code enforcement. She said the cleanup of 209 Mountain View Road had started.
New Business
Jyrome Cook addressed the council concerning the town's website redesign. They will be trying to make it much easier to use.
Cano asked if they would be using the same designer and Cook said yes. Cano said, "The site is pathetic at best." She asked why they would be using the same company without asking anyone else. She had concern it would just open them up to another ten years of a bad website. She wanted to see an RFP (request for proposal) be put out for the job. "A Kansas-based company does not know anything about us." Cook said he understood her concerns but had contacted five companies and had received very little interest, so they had decided to stay with the same one. He added that part of the problem with the website had to do with the city and people needed training to make the necessary updates and changes. The quote the current company gave had been within 5 percent of the others.
Cano had a local company reach out to her wanting to know when an RFP would be sent out concerning the design. She added this company may not be right for the job, but they need to be provided the opportunity.
Brown said they would issue an RFP for the job. This way all evaluation will be documented, and no legal issues would arise. Currently the software for billing needs to be included on the RFP.
Ladner appreciated Cook's work. He agreed with Cano on the website and that it never gets better. Brown said they would also ask on the RFP for examples of their work.
The council approved the public celebration permit for Little Toad Creek Brewery and Distillery for the Territorial Charter Day Ball. Fire Chief Lambert said he would be in charge of verifying if the event area would be ADA compliant.
The council approved ordinance 1325 that allows persons to safely leave infants, 90 days of age or less at safe haven sites without criminal prosecution for abandonment or abuse of a child. It also allows for the installation of devices for this purpose.
Cano said this had been talked about at the last meeting and the device will keep the infant safe. She and Bencomo had been reached out to by Representative Luis Terrazas and the bill had been carried by him and Representative Gallegos. She pointed out it was a bipartisan bill and Terrazas is a Republican and Gallegos is a Democrat. Bayard had passed the same ordinance so Grant County would have two. Both the Silver City fire department and police department have been willing and ready to provide the service.
Prince prepared a packet for the council supporting his opinion against it. He quoted an article from the New York Times plus some others. He had concerns over the legislation and what it means. "I am not feeling well about this." He wanted to know what Terrazas's motivation had been to do this.
Cano said it had been about giving people a choice. "Everyone knows he is extremely pro-life, and it is not a secret." The concern they had was some people might not want to go through the adoption process and something they don't feel they can do. This allows a choice. "My concern it may never happen, but someone might leave a child in the cold, and they could freeze to death." Cano brought up two adults here that had frozen to death in the winter. "If we have this, and it is never used great. My concern has nothing to do with pro-choice or pro-life. I am just worried about a child's safety."
Bencomo said Terrazas never pushed the issue. "This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It just provides a choice and I support it 100 percent."
Prince came back with more quotes that had been in the packet he provided the council. He brought up laws and problems it would cause CYFD (Children Youth and Families Department). He wanted to table the decision until another meeting in the future and have a work session to review it. Reynolds said tabling it would kill the ordinance. Prince moved that it be postponed. He and Snider voted yes and Cano and Bencomo voted no. Ladner voted to break the tie and voted no. The final vote to pass the ordinance had all voting yes but Prince.
The mayor had two appointments he wanted to make to the planning and zoning commission. They have five members and currently need two. They had received two letters of intent. Currently they have one representing district 2, one representing district 4 and one representing district 1. Both the applicants resided in district 3. The names Ladner wanted approval on were John Balas and Cecilia McNicoll.
Prince said, " McNicoll is a realtor, and it would be a conflict of interest. She is a landlord, and we have had some fights." Cano said she agreed with Prince that would be a conflict of interest. Bencomo voted yes and Cano, Prince and Snider voted no on McNicoll.
The council did approve the appointment of Balas. Ladner asked that an ad be put in the paper for letters of interest to fill the one position left.
The council went into closed session to discuss the town manager's contract.
The council returned from closed session and said no other matters than what was on the agenda were discussed.
Meeting adjourned.