By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting May 12, 2026. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Simon Wheaton-Smith, Nicholas Prince, Stan Snider, Victor Nanez and Angela Salaiz.

The council approved the agenda.

Ceremonies

Jacqui Olea, assistant town manager, presented the employee of the month award to Johnathan Baca. He had stepped up to the role of acting utility supervisor and is a pillar of the team. Often, he will be the first to volunteer to help colleagues struggling with a heavy workload.

Proclamations

The town proclaimed Wild Wild West Rodeo Days June 5 and 6, 2026. This will be the 34th year in Silver City. Kim Clark attended to receive the proclamation.

Council comments

Salaiz thanked the wastewater treatment plant manager, Manny Orosco Jr. and the director of utilities Manny Orosco III for a wonderful tour that included some other town administration members. "We need to do something about the wastewater treatment plant." She hoped to see it fixed up and they did need to make it a priority. She thanked Police Chief Freddie Portillo for inviting her to a demonstration on tasers in Deming and thanked Deming Police Department for their hospitality. They provided donuts, and she said they would not let her try the tasers. Salaiz had recently came back from municipal league training in Santa Fe and had some eye-opening information.

Nanez wanted to acknowledge, and support Toss No Mas. The organization assists the community, and he had brought photos of the work that they had done. The program had started under Governor Gary Johnson, and he promoted it riding his bike all over New Mexico stopping in Silver City. Nanez had received a number of complaints about some areas that had a lot of trash from the homeless. He had approached Olea, and she organized the Toss No Mas volunteers to come out. His photos had been the before-and-after of their collecting 550 pounds of litter. The Rotary Club had eight volunteers come to help along with the former city manager Tom Bates. He encouraged everyone to support them any way they can.

Snider and Prince did not have any comments.

Wheaton-Smith had been going and helping out with Toss No Mas. He had not gone this past time due to side effects from his treatments that make his legs weak. The comprehensive plan has been making progress, and he has been impressed by the amount of public input Community Development has received. He also encouraged people to attend the planning and zoning meetings because it would be a chance to affect the future. They still have some committee vacancies but  he is pleased at how they have been moving forward.

Wheaton-Smith said he would be having coffee with the mayor on the following Monday at the library.

The council approved the minutes for April 28, 2026

Public input.

Bruce Ashburn thanked the mayor and council members that give of themselves to make it a wonderful town. He had come to bring their attention to it being that time of the year again and time to pay attention to what everyone does outside due to fire risks. The following night Representative Luis Terrazas and Senator Gabriel Ramos would be holding a community meeting at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center to talk about fire preparedness and mitigation. People from the Gila National Forest would  be there to speak and thanked Fire Chief Milo Lambert and Grant County Fire Chief Roger Groves for their attendance to speak the next day. "We need to be vigilant and help each other."

William Woodward said this August would be the 81st anniversary of the town of Silver City pumping water from the Franks Wellfield. "The Franks contract is a little unique as well at the Woodward contract." Both will be perpetual and will not end until the town ends it. He had come to point out they have no cost of living adjustment.

The Franks contract pumps an average of 300,000 gallons a day. The first 300,000 the town pays one cent and a half per gallon, and the next 200,000 will be a cent. On the Woodward contract it had to be renegotiated in 1967 due to a mistake, and they receive two cents on the 200,000 daily average and the next 200,000 will be a cent and three quarters. In February they had received $332.89 and the Franks $150. "We just want it adjusted for inflation. The past monies that were, I hate to say stolen, but because you're not breaking the contract, every lawyer we have talked to has said, 'you really have no case.'"

Reports

Managers report

Olea wanted to let them know that they have been solidifying the scope of work for the asset management plan that will be doing a very detailed analysis of the potable water system and a grant coming from Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) in the amount of $906,000. It will create an active portal for them to be able to utilize when looking for information because currently everything has been in the heads of the employees and some paper documents. It will make everything readily accessible. The town received a $250,000 grant for the Water Works building and that construction will begin soon and will replace windows and doors. The Big Ditch has $86,000 for ADA improvements and will be finished by the end of the month.

Olea mentioned the tour at the wastewater treatment plant that Salaiz had spoken to and thanked them for the tour also. It had been incredible to see what they had worked with for the past 50 years and what they still have been able to do. She acknowledged a lot of work needed to be addressed but felt they had an active team that has been forward thinking and motivated. "I am very thankful for their knowledge and service."

Olea added the museum is open and the employees being paid. The director has been put on administrative leave, and she said people could reach out to her at 575-538-6358 and leave a message and she will return their call.

She had been working with the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments, Kim Clark, Realtors Association and Copper Collaborative on a funding opportunity from Workforce Solutions in the amount of $1.8 million to help with some housing initiatives. She said the town has also been working with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the university for an active transportation plan with the funding of $99,000 from the DOT. It will localize efforts around highway 180 and address bicycles, mobility impaired individuals and pedestrians.

Prince wanted to add that Light Art Space had received aa $25,000 grant for some exterior renovations along with another building in the old downtown medical building.

Committee reports

Snider said the Recycle and Reuse Committee had met twice and the main thing to come out had been the items that should not be put in the waste stream and be reused. These items could be taken out and could be profitable.

New business

Olea turned the presentation of the expenditure report for April 2026 to Randy Hernandez, business and operations manager. Hernandez had provided the council with a report on expenditures. They had total expenses of $3,621,966.74 and of that $2,874,316.32 had been accounts payable and $747,650.32 payroll. The payroll consisted of three pay periods. He went on to expand on some of the major expenses in April.

IT threat locker, $18,100
Sunny 505 marketing, $10,000
Bond debt service, $29,400
Stantec professional services, $67,937
Universal Waste Systems, $170,000
Grant County Dispatch, January through March, $30,900
Excavating on project $238,000
J and S Plumbing, $127,000
EMS uniforms and equipment, $19,400
Backhoe repairs and parts, $18,000
Main Street Project, $16,400
Southwest Solid Waste, $43,200
HVAC monthly maintenance, $12,200
Golf course equipment, $30,200

Hernandez said these had been just the ones over $10,000 and the rest they could see in their packet along with payroll history.

Prince had a comment and said this had been fantastic for them to be able to understand the finances and thanked them for their efforts.

Wheaton-Smith had a question about the amount paid to Sunny 505 and if that would be the same paid each month. Olea said no it fluctuates depending on the work they perform that month.

The council approved resolution 2026-16 authorizing the filing of an application to the New Mexico Finance Authority for a water project. Olea said this funding resource had come from the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments for a free technical assistance program that could help provide an engineering report for the wastewater treatment plant. It will identify critical needs and prioritize them.

Prince had a comment and wanted to make sure they had some scheduled maintenance and some scheduling ready to go for the ICIP (infrastructure capital improvement plan). Olea said this would help provide a guiding document on the improvements needed at the wastewater treatment plant. Snider said this would be great funding because the plant had been built in 1980 and they needed a plan moving forward. Prince added they needed to look at solar because the lease with PNM would be up. Olea said they would be looking at the lease and potential solar panels.

The council approved resolution 2026-17 approving the revisions to the Silver City municipal pool schedule and fees. Olea said they wanted to increase the entry to the pool by one dollar. Costs have been rising especially in regards to chemicals for the maintenance and health of the pool. They have also proposed it be closed on Mondays because it has been the slowest day and adjusting the day it opens for the season reducing time in August and saving operational costs. She added that Saturdays would remain free for the public and if a person shows up with their Corre Cominos ticket they will have free admission.

Meeting adjourned