By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting August 8, 2023. 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 Jose Ray, Nicholas Prince, Guadalupe Cano, and Rudy Bencomo.

The council approved the agenda with one change. On the resolution for the ICIP they removed the wording Silver City Senior Center and replaced it with Town of Silver City

Ceremonies none currently.

Proclamations none currently.

Council comments

Prince wished the best to everyone involved in the schools and said, "I am encouraged by our school leadership." He brought up the ballots for the current mail in election and asked everyone to continue the tax support for 911. It will be due by August 22, 2023. Prince wanted to make some comments about the ICIP resolution coming up on the agenda. He went over how it affects the community, past accomplishments, and the future challenges.

Bencomo thanked the Silver City Police, code enforcement and the sheriff's office for the increased patrols in the southeast area of town. He had received quite a bit of feedback from the residents that they really felt safer than they had in a long time. He spoke to a woman in the same area that is 90 years old and had left town for a few days and when she came back found people in her yard. She had called the police. They told her that she needed to put up no trespassing signs or they couldn't do anything. He asked Chief Freddie Portillo if the information had been correct. Chief Portillo said, "We always recommend people put up no trespassing signs, but it was not necessarily true about not being able to do anything. Tell her to always call us and we will take care of it. We can issue a criminal trespass citation."

Bencomo brought up that school would be starting soon, and all the construction would be going on. He asked everyone to be patient. Chief Portillo said they always increase patrols when school starts, and they would be at the high school

Cano encouraged everyone to fill out the ballots for the dispatch funds vote. "It is important and does not increase your taxes." She thanked Chief Portillo for the increased patrols, she had also received feedback from the residents. They told her they felt much safer. She also thanked Alex Brown, town manager, for his involvement in making it happen.

Ray said he echoed everything Cano and Bencomo said about the mail in ballot. He asked everyone to please vote for it.

Ray recently went on a tour of the Murray Hotel. He gave information on the rooms and how nice they had been.

He thanked the police department for the patrolling of the area Cano and Bencomo had talked about.

Recently the Silver City Press wrote a story about a person that had worked at Albertsons for some time and had retired. Ray said, "It was a good story, thank you."

The council approved the minutes from July 25, 2023

Public input none currently.

Reports

Manager reports.

Brown had nothing to report currently.

Public hearings none currently.

Work session agenda

They had listed three possible topics. Cano wanted to make a statement before she made a motion. The work sessions had not gone exactly as she had expected in the beginning. She wanted to stop having them unless they had a special need to do one. The council all approved not having them anymore unless something came up.

Unfinished business none currently.

New business

The council approved resolution 2023-18. The resolution adopts the 2025-2029 ICIP (infrastructure capital improvement plan) for the town of Silver City. Brown said Jacqui Olea, community development director, had done most of the work. Olea said they have to do an annual update each year and submit it to the state. Some of the new items added had been the regional water project and the Mill Road sewer bypass.

Cano thanked Olea for her work and thought the public meetings had gone well.

The council rejected bid 23/24 2021 Colonias water system improvements for Chloride Flats north water tank. Brown said they had only received one bid. They had funds left over from last year that had not been needed on projects. He said he would like to narrow the scope of the project and put it out for bid again.

The council approved the reappointment recommendation to the cemetery board made by the mayor. They included Paul Baca and Tom Hester.

Meeting adjourned.