By Lynn Janes

Silver City held a regular meeting November 9, 2022. The meeting started with Mayor Ken Ladner calling the meeting to order and leading the Pledge of Allegiance and salute to the New Mexico state flag. Council members attending the meeting included Lucian Farmer, Jose Ray, Nicholas Prince, and Guadalupe Cano.

The council approved the agenda.

Ceremonies none currently.

Proclamations none currently.

Council comments

Farmer thanked Sheriff Frank Gomez for attending the meeting. He extended his thanks to everyone who had voted in this last election. He expressed the same concerns Ray and Cano had in the last meeting about the space for write in candidates had been too small and needed to be addressed for future elections.

Cano congratulated every one of the wins and losses. She wanted to express her sadness over the loss of Alexandria Olsen and Martyn Pearson. She said it has been a tough time for everyone that knew them, and they would be very missed.

Ray said, "He was glad the election was over even though he was not happy about the outcome on some." He commented the amount of money spent on the elections had been amazing.

Ray issued plaques to some people for their help on behalf of the Carnitas Y Mas festival. They included the Town of Silver City, Sheriff Frank Gomez, Silver City Police, Ken Ladner, and Alex Brown. The whole Carnitas Y Mas planning committee attended to present the plaques.

Prince said he had not prepared a written statement but expressed a lot of sorrow over the recent losses to the community. He thanked everyone that had worked to make this a better community.

Ladner had prepared a statement about the recent losses of Olsen and Pearson. He said they had been active in the community and Gila Hike and Bike had been a hub for the community. He mentioned some of the things they had been involved in to help the community. He also commented on how many people had come to the memorial at the Fine Arts Auditorium. He asked that they have a moment of silence for them.

The council approved the minutes from the meeting October 25, 2022.

Public input none currently.

Reports from staff none currently.

Manager

Alex Brown, town manager had not been available so James Marshall, assistant town manager gave a brief update.

A purchase order has been done for improvements on the cemetery.

Colonias funding will be available to use on a project to take care of right away issues on Little Walnut Road.

In the spring the project for 32nd , Street will start.

A review of the 40-year water plan has started. Currently the town is waiting on funds for preliminary engineering plans for the project. Prince asked when it had last been amended and Marshall said in 2000.

Public Hearings

The council approved the zoning change for 1915 Gold Street after the presentation and public input. The town clerk swore in all participants in the hearing. Marshall presented the application for the zoning change requested by Robert Grundstein. Marshall said Planning and Zoning had approved the application to change to a B-2 zone. The property had formerly been a church. The applicant wants to change it to commercial property for a performing arts academy and public events theater. Marshall provided the council with numerous photos of the area and a current zoning map. He also pointed out it would not adversely impact the health, safety, or general welfare of the area. He said two neighbors had spoken out about the issue, but their only concern had been parking. The applicants had already addressed the parking and had alternatives.

Robert Grundstein, the applicant addressed the council and told them what the business has been and would continue to be. Starlight Theater is a pending nonprofit center for the arts. All instruction has been and will be free. He said the neighbors have told him they feel safer with them present in the evenings. He said all parking would be at the neighboring church. He went on to talk about the benefits of the arts and how most schools and universities have discontinued the theater programs. He provided the council with documents about the plays they had done and have planned. He said all the past plays had been successful. One of the kids involved in the productions, Montelius Valenzuela, spoke to the council and said by them being in the area in the evenings it helped dissuade people with not the best intentions of being there and reiterated that First Presbyterian Church would be allowing them to use their parking lot.

The council asked them a few questions. Farmer wanted to know if the space would be available to musicians. Grundstein said yes and they had done extensive soundproofing in thought of that. Prince asked if they would be available to communicate with the neighbors for any problems and Grundstein said yes.

The council asked if anyone had attended to testify against the zoning change. Elizabeth Sircy owner of Western Palms. Western Palms is a mobile home park adjacent to the property. She started with she had not been there to oppose the change but had to come to voice her tenants' concerns. Some tenants (2) needed to make sure their parking would not be incumbered due to the performances. She suggested painting the street with yellow for no parking. She said she just didn't want to hear from her tenants that they had been unable to park on the street. Several ideas and discussions took place with Prince, Cano, and Marshall. Valenzuela assured them that for performances they would make sure people parked in the church parking lot.

Work session agenda topics.

Prince wanted to add discussion of the 25-year-old drug policy the town had. He said it needs to be updated especially with the recent legalization of cannabis. Cano, Farmer, and Prince voted to add it on to the list. They finalized the work session to include a discussion of the updating of the drug policy and improving the communication between the town and public with social media and the website.

Unfinished business

At a past council meeting, they approved an RFP (request for proposal) for the Silver City Recreation Center. This needed to be canceled because a RFQ would be needed instead. The council approved the RFQ (request for quote).

New business none currently.

Meeting adjourned.