By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting February 24, 2026. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Simon Wheaton-Smith, Nicholas Prince, Stan Snider, Victor Nanez and Angela Salaiz.

The council approved the agenda for the meeting with the delaying of the recognition for employee of the month for February. They could not attend.

Council comments

Nanez, Salaiz and Snider did not have any comments.

Prince commended the community for coming out for Toss No Mas because the community runs mostly on volunteers. He had met with Freddie Portillo, police chief, to review the community's public safety concerns. Price expressed how glad he has been to see the patrols in town. Portillo has also demoed the new public facing information regarding area crimes. The software should be ready next month.

Wheaton-Smith said he had enjoyed attending the Toss No Mas event. When he sees employees working on the side of the road, he often stops to say hi and thank them. He brought up that he has spoken to the manager of Albertsons and encouraged them to contact the people that need to be maintaining the parking lot to do so. He wanted to know who they were so he could give them a friendly suggestion to do regular maintenance. Wheaton-Smith then addressed Roberts Rules of Order and had some changes he would be addressing.

Prince wanted to thank the city staff for being in attendance for the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) public meeting for the changes being made to highway 180, 90 and Juniper Street. He went over the things spoken about in the meeting. He told people to look at the traffic statistics that had not been presented at the meeting. Prince added that NMDOT had a lot of money to pour into the community, and he hoped to see some good compromises and collaboration with NMDOT.

The council approved the minutes from February 10, 2026, meeting.

Public input.

Julian Munoz resides in district one and lives on East 21st Street. With all the changes he suggested the city purchase the vacant lot on 20th Street and Yucca Street and make it a community park. He pointed out all the other areas that had community parks. He ended with wanting to know about the wastewater plant and if it would be upgraded or built brand new.

Daniel Duran Paiz thanked the council for affirming the vote considering the question of ICE at the last meeting. "I think it is great that Silver City took a clear progressive position." He also had been proud of the governor and legislature's vote concerning the contracts about holding prisoners. "It was both moral and humane." He said armed semi-literate masked thugs roaming the streets had happened before and he cited the KKK.

Reports

Manager's report

Jacqui Olea, interim town manager, said the community development director had informed them of a decision concerning AP 26-01 and AP 26-02. Appeals require three criteria, and the appeals presented did not meet the requirements. The community development director has the responsibility and obligation to stop those that don't meet the standards to be presented to the council.

New business

The council approved resolution 2026-06 to form an economic development and research committee. Prince read the full resolution. The committee will have five members appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. Prince asked that they amend the resolution to include one council member for the committee. The council approved the amendment.

The council approved resolution 2026-07 to form a reuse and recycle committee for the town. Snider read through the whole resolution. The committee will have five members appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. The council did approve an amendment to include one council member on that committee.

The council approved resolution 2026-08 supporting a public/private economic development main street project. Olea said this would be the biannual agreement with Silver City Main Street and New Mexico/Main Street. It solidifies the relationship between the two organizations. "It is a requirement before we can execute."

The council approved the appointment of Rebecca Howard to the municipal museum community advisory group.

Wheaton-Smith said in the next meeting he would be recommending the appointment of Prince to the economic development committee and Snider to the reuse and recycle committee.

Meeting adjourned