By Lynn Janes
Silver City held a regular meeting November 22, 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 (phone), Jose Ray, Nicholas Prince, and Guadalupe Cano.
The council approved the agenda with the exceptation of removing item number nine pertaining to a public hearing on a zoning change.
Ceremonies none currently.
Proclamations none currently.
Council comments
Prince wished everyone a good Thanksgiving and suggested if people felt inclined to donate food or their time to the Gospel Mission.
Farmer wished everyone a good Thanksgiving.
Cano said she wanted to let everyone know that she has now reached a month that she has not had email service and hopes it will be resolved soon. She invited everyone to a free event being held at the Fine Arts Auditorium called Homenaje A La Virgin De Guadalupe (Tribute to the Virgin of Guadalupe). It will be on December 11, 2022. She did want people to know that it would be all in Spanish.
Ray said he hoped Silver High wins their football game. He also brought up that the next meeting he would be gone and unable to attend but maybe could by phone.
The council approved the minutes from the meeting November 9, 2022.
Public input
Georgiana Duarte wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving. She extended her thanks and gratitude to all the people who provided service to the community. She also wanted to know what a great opportunity "having coffee with the mayor" has been. She said many people know she contracts out the UNICEF. They have an initiative called "Child Friendly City." She said the town already does most of what would be required and fit the criteria. The town could apply for funding for projects. She gave them the information and website to check into and mentioned another source of funding with them.
She reminded them of all the times she had come with requests for a dog park. She thanked them for everything they had done and extended her willingness to help with anything concerning the recreation center.
She had a concern she and others had about Little Walnut Road. "It is like a racetrack and can be dangerous." She said she has been glad about the sidewalks they have been doing but is fearful for the workers. She asked for more police presence to slow people down.
Kristina Ortiz addressed the council and provided them with information about a new program that would be available to them to obtain funding. She will be the new liaison for Rural Partners Network (RPN). The program will be part of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) rural development. RPN will help find funding opportunities through federal programs under many of the branches. It is a pilot program being done in five states, New Mexico, Arizona, Mississippi, Georgia, and Kentucky. Ortiz said she would be covering Grant County, Luna County and Hidalgo County. The other areas in New Mexico being covered will be Dona Anna and Mora. She said although this would be a federal program she could also coordinate with the state.
Reports from staff none currently.
Manager
Alex Brown, town manager gave a brief update on current projects.
The recreation center design has been suspended until the construction manager at risk process has been completed. He said that should be the end of January.
The town has been looking for additional funding to do the roof and HVAC system in the annex building. He said he felt that repairs would start at the beginning of the year.
The swimming pool RFP (request for proposal) closes shortly, and he should have something for them at the next meeting.
Recently the golf course held a reception for DOT (department of transportation) and had received several phone calls from people attending that said how much they had enjoyed the event. He added that soon they would have locking gates so problems with stealing and vandalism should be curtailed.
Colonias funding will be available, and the town will apply to do a project to take care of right-a-way issues on Little Walnut Road.
The 32nd Street project will be put out for bid soon.
Brown said he would have more on the regional water project by the end of the year. Cano added she felt the Police Chief Portillo should be involved with the plans for 32nd Street.
Unfinished business none currently.
New business
The council approved the public celebration permit for The Power and Light Press holiday market to be held December 8, 2022, at 601 N Bullard. The liquor license holder will be Little Toad Creek, LLC
The council approved RFP 22/23 general engineering support. The award went to Stantec and Bohannan Houston, both from Las Cruces.
Ladner recommended the appointment of Martha Egnal for the trails and open spaces advisory committee. He said he had gone over her application and thought she would do a good job. The council approved the appointment.
Meeting adjourned.