By Roger Lanse

District 3 Councilor Jose Ray Jr., at the Tuesday, May 26, 2020, virtual meeting of the Silver City Town Council, proposed making the La Capilla area a city park and asked Town Manager Alex Brown to look into the possibility. Ray said the area at present seems to be a dump site for all kinds of trash including personal garbage, construction debris, broken beer bottles, drug needles, and human and animal waste, and people are camping overnight. He stated that lots of people go there to enjoy the view, fly kites, and just have a good time. "It's a nice place. A lot of people are going there to take pictures of the whole town. I don't think we should have it as a dump. It's too nice of a park." Ray suggested starting a GoFundMe site to raise funds for a city park at the site. "We need to find a solution, I want public opinion," Ray said.

Brown said he and his staff will determine what they can put together in terms of gates, cameras, and otherwise restricting access to La Capilla. He also stated there were funds from last year given by Freeport McMoRan for a recreational master plan for the town that might be used to start a park at La Capilla.

Regarding COVID-19, Ray stated, "We have to trust in God," Ray said, "He's the One who can take it away." Ray also said, "I will not vote for a person who is being supported by Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood money to me is, for lack of a better word, murder money. How can you abort a child? How can you kill a child? Don't be doing that."

District 2 Councilor Lynda Aiman-Smith stated she agreed with councilors Ray and Cano that we should all have patience and be kind to one another and in reference to COVID-19 said, "I want us all to think about the common good rather than just one individual freedom."

Aiman-Smith was excited about the new curbside availability of books from the Silver City Library.

District 1 Councilor Cynthia Bettison stated that the Western New Mexico University and the Silver City Museum will display virtual exhibits that can be seen by going to either website.

Unfortunately, much of District 4 Councilor Guadalupe Cano's comments were inaudible, unclear, and kept cutting in and out. Council needs to do a better job of making sure they can be understood in this time of virtual meetings. Brown assured the Beat that he will try to fix the problem.

 According to Brown, in April 2020, the town had 260 water disconnects with money owed vs. 150 for the same period last year. He told council that a resident's utility won't be shut off for nonpayment until things get back to normal.

Brown gave an update on the upcoming fiscal year 2021 budget stating, "We are still in a holding pattern waiting to see what will happen with gross receipt taxes next month." He said the town has a large cash balance, but the town is still going to have to scale back, particularly with the library and museum. However, instead of scaling back 37 and 52 percent respectively, as mentioned at the May 12 town council meeting, the town may only have to scale back 20 percent for each.

At the beginning of July, according to Brown, to decrease spending, 12 positions will be frozen, operations at the museum and library will be cut by about 20 percent, and all negotiated raises will be cancelled. Brown said because fiscal year 2021 will have 27 pay periods rather than the normal 26, due to leap year and other considerations, each of the 27 checks the employee receives will be reduced by 3.9 percent to effect the same annual salary. The hourly rate for overtime will remain unchanged. Brown assured council that state law requires that no employee will earn a wage below the State of New Mexico minimum wage.

Brown listed three grants that are expected next fiscal year; $1.6 million for Ridge Road improvements, $900,000 for water tank renovation near WNMU, and $443,000 for overtime, personal protective equipment, and communication equipment and electronics for the police department. Some matching funds from the town are required in accepting these grants for which the town will be seeking a $500,000 loan from the New Mexico Finance Authority.

A resolution listing these adjustments to personnel costs for the town for fiscal year 2021 was approved by council.