By Roger Lanse

Town Manager Alex Brown told council that gross receipts tax to the town through August of this fiscal year is only $11,000 short of what the town took in last year in that same period. "This $11,000 difference is very small considering that we've already brought in $1.9 million so far this fiscal year (FY2020-21) in gross receipts taxes."

Brown explained the town reports GRT to the Department of Taxation and Revenue in 15 categories of which the top three are retail sales, food, and healthcare, and those three are keeping the town's gross receipt tax numbers up. Brown anticipates if this September's revenue from GRT compares to July and August of this year, he may recommend the hiring of a 'couple' of new employees in the parks and streets departments.

Brown stated the water and sewer funds are doing better than last year, because of the warmer weather and new hook-ups.

Hardest hit of the categories has been accommodations, according to Brown. "That category has seen a decrease of about 30 percent from last year. That's quite substantial."

Brown continued, "The town has received $486,000 for general services to help us offset some of the extra expenses that we have seen because of COVID. And then we've got the Business Retention Program where we received in the $360,000 range. We're hoping to start getting those out in the next two weeks to start helping our businesses within the community."

Brown concluded by saying, "We're doing pretty well, so far."

Regarding enforcement of the town's mandate on mask-wearing, Brown stated that officers will not be issuing citations unless they are called by dispatch in reference to a citizen's complaint. "The first thing they are going to do is try to get voluntary compliance and try to educate them. The one thing we did not want to do is escalate into something a lot larger than a facemask violation, but they will write citations if, in the performance of their duties, it requires it. Again, we're not going to go out there and stop like for a speeding ticket or something like that."

Council approved a resolution adopting the 2022-2026 Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP). Brown said most of this plan is sort of a wish list. However, he did say that the funding sources for the five top-ranked projects of the ICIP have been identified. Those five are (1) Ridge Road, (2) Gough Park, City Hall, and Rec Center, (3) Little Walnut Road, (4) Vista de Plata, and (5) use of only treated water and no potable water on the golf course.

At District 1 Councilor Cynthia Bettison's recommendation a Phase 3 project on Cactus Street was moved up to position 10 on the ICIP. Brown also spoke to District 4 Councilor Guadalupe Cano saying, "There's a lot of cemetery stuff that has been added." District 2 Councilor Lynda Aiman-Smith expressed happiness at seeing the historic waterworks building so high up on the ICIP list. District 3 Councilor Jose Ray Jr told Brown he thought adding one or two employees to the Parks and Streets departments was a good idea.

Assistant Town Manager James Marshall talked about a notice of intent ordinance sponsored by Mayor Ken Ladner which would exchange property owned by the town for 1.11 acres known as the 'Hearst Millsite' located on Silver Street south of Pine Street. Marshall stated the town
has been seeking the property for a few years and the exchange has been reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the New Mexico Environment Department. The exchange would mesh with the town's Trails and Open Spaces Plan and would be beneficial to the town, according to Marshall, saying the property values are favorable to the town.

Ladner proclaimed the week of Sept. 17-23, 2020, as Constitution Week. Marianne Bray, Jacob Bennett Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, was present, virtually, to accept the proclamation, but when Ladner asked if she wished to comment, Bray could not be found, virtually.

Jody Norman was appointed to the Trails and Open Space Advisory Committee.