By Roger Lanse

Silver City Police Chief Freddie Portillo told councilors at the Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2020 town council meeting that 10 code enforcement citations, regarding principally yards, weeds, and structures, were issued in 2019. Calls for service through the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority were 26, while 68 calls were directed to the code enforcement officer. Portillo also mentioned that the code enforcement officer works closely with the animal control officer and the Silver City Fire Department. Uncovered load citations issued in 2019 numbered 28, up from 2018 when 8 were issued, Portillo stated. Approximately 10 businesses were not up to date with licensing and fire inspection and they were helped to come into compliance, according to Portillo.

In answer to a question from District 3 Councilor Jose Ray Jr., Portillo said that a 2-year-old child riding in a side-by-side would need to be in a properly installed and secured car seat to avoid being cited for a child restraint violation.

Ray also commended the work that has been done on the Boston Hill Trail System and commented that the trails are getting good use.

In answer to a question from District 2 Councilor Lynda Aiman-Smith, Town Manager Alex Brown said the town will pick up waste, such as large items, brush, and weeds, twice a year upon request by a resident. Pickup for Christmas trees is announced in the media and this pickup doesn’t count toward the twice-a-year pickup for the other items. This service can be arranged by calling 388-4640.

District 1 Councilor Cynthia Bettison reported on her December 12 meeting in Washington D.C. at the White House Conference with Women Municipal Leaders on the White House grounds in the old Eisenhower Building. She said, 76 women from 29 states met with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and other dignitaries. Bettison stated she asked about the possibility of having opportunity zones redrawn by a state’s governor. She was told that after two years they can be revisited and redrawn. Bettison’s concern was that “rural communities are whole, there are (the opportunity zones) included throughout it, not just a fraction of that community, so that all of our communities that are rurally placed are going to have those same opportunities.” According to Wikipedia, ‘opportunity zone’ is a designation which allows certain investments in lower income areas to have tax advantages.

Mayor Ken Ladner invited the public to attend his get-together at the Jumping Cactus on Monday, Jan. 20, from 8-11 a.m., to discuss ideas to make Silver City an even better place to live.

Council approved three resolutions relating to open meetings and amending the approved budget for fiscal year 2020.

Ladner appointed Rebecca Nelson to the Municipal Museum Community Advisory Group.

Council approved rescheduling the Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020 regular council meeting to Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, at 6 p.m. at the Grant County Administration Building.