By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting February 27, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, council members included Guadalupe Cano, Rudy Bencomo, Nicholas Prince, and Stan Snider.

The council approved the agenda with one change. They will table the mayor's appointment to planning and zoning commission. Snider wanted to know why, and Cano said they had changes coming and wanted to hold off. Snider voted against the change.

Proclamations

The town recognized the Apache people with a proclamation. The proclamation recognized the achievements and culture of the Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache people. They were the original people of southwest New Mexico and inhabited southeast Arizona and northern New Mexico also. The Apache people have contributed to the diversity of the state and community. They have preserved their culture, language, and identity. Ladner encouraged residents to participate in activities that recognize the Apache people.

Joe Saenz and Bill Bradford attended to accept the proclamation. Bradford thanked the town of Silver City for the recognition. He said that historically the relationship has been fraught. "Your desire to work with us to create a better present and future takes a burden off our hearts, and it is a good thing you are doing here today." He hoped this would be a start of a movement across the region and nation. "We can live better together in peace and harmony."

The town had another proclamation recognizing March 8, 2024, as Fight Like a Girl day. Their motto: see something do something. Their mission statement; We support girls and women to see something in themselves so they will be inspired to do something that contributes to the community. They have a goal to support, assist and empower mentally, spiritually, academically, and socially. The March 8, 2024, event will initiate their campaign and it will also be international women's day.

The board attended to receive the proclamation. Lydia Villegas, president, thanked the council for the dedication and support. Mary Ann Sedillo, vice president, said they had done a wonderful thing for them. She also thanked them and Alex Brown, town manager, for providing a small office for the organization in the new recreation center when it opens. Sedillo said they would be working to build the workforce and expand economic development. She added these issues have been a big weakness in the community. Sedillo went over all the events for March 8, 2024, being held at Western New Mexico University. She read some quotes about strong women. "May we know strong women, be them and raise them". The other quote, "They whispered in her ear: you cannot withstand the storm; she whispered back: I am the storm."

Sedillo introduced the rest of the board, Secretary Susan Mittelstadt, Finance Officer Linda Ortiz, and Sergeant-At-Arms Jimmie Terry.

Council comments

Prince read a statement. He went over all the current and upcoming projects. He encouraged everyone to report any potholes to the city to have them repaired. He also encouraged everyone to report any crimes. He wanted everyone to keep up with the coming changes and check in with their representatives. He went over where he had been raised in the Chicago area and watched what happened to the detriment of the community and didn't want to see it happen here.

Bencomo thanked Police Chief Freddie Portillo and the department for attending the funeral of the fallen officer in Las Cruces.

Cano said this will be the second year she has served on the Grant County Extension advisory council which oversees 4H and FFA (Future Farmers of America). She wanted people to know all they do. "As a child I always thought it was about cows and pigs; it is about that but much more." 4H has amazing programs and work with about 200 youths with 40 volunteers. She encouraged people to volunteer with the organization. They also have classes in baking, canning, and even how to be a rodeo clown. In total they provide around 200 projects. The office is located next to the Department of Health on Silver Street.

Next Cano wanted to address Social Media. She knew everyone liked Grant County Goodies and Grant County information but cautioned a good deal of posts have misinformation about the city. She asked people to call them if they have questions.

Snider said the town employees have been doing a good job and thanked them.

Ladner wanted to thank City Clerk Alfred Sedillo for the hard work on the website. "I am excited to know we will be able to live stream the council meetings when they finish.

He wanted to recognize and thank all the volunteers for so many events in the town. "The town runs on these volunteers."

Public input

Michael Sauber spoke to the council and said he had been the former town energy specialist for the sustainability action plan. He asked the council to create a report on the progress of the plan and what the city had done. He asked what steps had been taken to reduce the carbon footprint and effects to the climate change crisis they face. He suggested a graph that starts in 2018 when the plan had been finished and go to the present day. He asked that the report give the amounts of natural gas, electricity, and gas consumption. He suggested they also give the number of bicycles, electric bikes, hybrid cars and electric cars. "Electric cars are far more efficient than gasoline."

Blake Farley addressed the council and said she had come because she loves Silver City and feels it to be a special place. "We are all here because we care." She wanted the council to know she welcomed everyone's own unique opinion. She commented that she respected and commended their service to the community. "We all want it to continue to be a great place to live. We all see each other all the time, and it is important we work out our issues quickly and efficiently." She continued that she had been a business owner and in real estate for twenty years. Having said she respected them, she added "I do not feel respected." She and her husband had purchased a historic home in the downtown area. They renovated it using local contractors and said they had worked hard on it. "We love the historic buildings and want to see our town thrive." They had encouraged a friend to purchase a historic property near them and that had been when the trouble started. She didn't want to rehash what had come out in newspaper articles, letters to the editor, editorials, and letters to the council. She thanked Cano for being the only one on the council to reach out to her and offer support. For those not aware of the situation she said her company, profession and colleagues have all been subject to blatant misinformation and misrepresentation spread throughout the community and downtown in particular. "It started with you Councilor Prince." She gave one example he had said their company had not been local. She said they are the owners and have been growing it for twenty years. "You could have done some simple fact checking or reached out to me." She had many examples but not the time to go through them all. It would take her coming to every council meeting for a year and use up her five minutes each time to set the record straight.

Farley pointed out they are all elected officials for the town of Silver City, and they have a responsibility to the public. "I have a responsibility to the public; I am a licensed professional by the state of New Mexico and have to follow state law." She quoted some of that law. "The government conduct act applies to all officials in the state of New Mexico. The public expects officials to act with integrity, truthful and complete information, and act with transparency."

Scott Plate said he had been a resident since 2018 and he wanted to add on to what Farley had said. His partner works as a realtor for Hacienda Realty, and he came to speak regarding that issue. "I invite the councilors to consider your charge is to duely represent every member of the community. Did everyone in the community get represented fully in these sets of circumstances?" In their zeal to do what they believed would be right they had forgotten the importance to remember how easily it is to develop the habit of power. When personal bias or opinion becomes fact, it becomes easy to disenfranchise, marginalize or paint a group of people into a single category. "I ask again was everyone represented? Everyone here has a piece of the truth and as an elected official it is important for you to gather all of it."

Donna Sebastian said she had lived in Silver City for eighteen years and lived in both districts that Prince and Snider represent. "I am deeply disturbed by the recent behavior of both." She had grown up during WWII and learned at an early age about government officials abusing their power with private citizens, and it had bothered her as a child and bothered her now. She commented that Snider had just begun his term in office and had made a serious error in aligning himself with Prince. Ladner broke in and asked her not to use names. She said, "Am I being censored?" Ladner said he just needed to maintain decorum and not get personal. Sebastian said, "I beg to differ with you. This is personal." She started referring to them as Mr. P and Mr. S. She told them if their recent behavior reflects who they really are she would put her efforts into making sure they are not reelected. "Mr. P I have had a lot of time to observe your behavior and I am not impressed with it. Attacking people at a personal level is counterproductive to the elected position you hold." She added a final note, "Please use your time, energy, and intelligence to work within the system to fight for issues important to your constituents. You were not elected to promote your personal bias."

Brian Stengel wanted to let the council know about an upcoming training for mental health crises primarily targeted towards LGBTQIA+ population. He invited people from Hidalgo Medical Services, first responders , Silver City Police Department and Emergency Medical Services people to attend. He added the training would be free.

Ted Presler came on behalf of an upcoming event, the 10th annual National History Symposium for Southwest New Mexico. It will be a gathering for researchers, land managers, educators, and conservationists. The event will have 40 presenters and can be attended in person or on Zoom, free to the public. Creative voices will be a new section in the event. All the information can be found on Western New Mexico University website under Gila Symposium.

Reports

Dr. Teresa Arizaga, Hidalgo Medical Center (HMS) chief behavioral health officer and system medical director, addressed the council and had a PowerPoint presentation: Behavioral health affects all of us. She said she has been grateful to serve her community. The presentation went over the types of behavioral health care HMS offers. Arizaga went over all the services they currently have and what will be coming in the future. Currently they have psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, prescribing psychologist, psychologists, neuropsychologist, mental health therapist and substance abuse / misuse councilors.

Cano asked if they had a timeline on the mobile crisis unit. Arizaga said she didn't, and it had a lot to do with the community. They would need people to work for the unit.

Ladner asked what they have for veterans. Arizaga went over all the services and support groups geared towards veterans.

Dr. Dan Otero, HMS CEO, thanked the council for their support. "We have been working hard to come out of the pandemic." They had seen better recruitment recently. Otero cited the statistic that they serve 15,000 unique individuals with their services.

Heide Ogas with the High Desert Humane Society had an annual report for the council. She had provided the council with a document that had all the information. She went over how many dogs and cats had come into to shelter and how they had come in, stray, owner turn in and impounded. Impound fees had netted a total of $2,425 and licensing fees had gone down to $5,104. The shelter had adopted out 827 animals and provided coupons for spay and neuter to 1,201 cats and dogs. Ogas said they still have coupons left and anyone could qualify, but if they had proof of limited income, they could double the coupon. This would cover the total cost of the spay or neuter.

The shelter continues to provide dog and cat food to The Commons for distribution. They have been able to do 300 pounds of dog food ad 90 pounds of cat food each month.

In the past they had an issue with a mine shaft that had caved in on the property. Ogas said they had called the Bureau of Abandoned Mines. They came in and did an investigation and secured the area. The bureau asked to bring in Bat Conservation International and they approved them coming in. Recently they finished constructing two entrances into underground caves for the bats and hope to attract more because of a large underground lake that they found. Ogas said, "This is not open to the public and it is gated and locked. It is only for the bats."

They have been on track to build a new adoption center in the next few years. They do have to address the problem with the lack of water pressure to the facility.

The council approved resolution 2024-4 to support an application to the New Mexico
Finance Authority under the Colonias Infrastructure Fund. This will be for the design of curb, sidewalks, gutters, and bike lanes to go from Swan Street to the city limits on 32nd Street. Bencomo asked when they would receive the funding. Brown said the application would go out in March and awards would be made in May. The funding would not be available until October. At that point they will hope to have the design done and can apply for funding to do the project in March of 2025.

The council approved resolution 2024-5 to support an application to the New Mexico Finance Authority under the Colonias Infrastructure Fund. Brown said this would be for the funding to do the project to move the sewer line under highway 90 to make it more accessible for maintenance and alleviate the past problems.

The council went into closed session to discuss attorney-client privilege pertaining to threatened or pending litigation and personnel matters, specifically the amending of the town manager's employment contact.

The council came back into open session and approved resolution 2024-6 that authorizes the mayor to execute the second amendment to the contract for employment between the town of Silver City and Alex Brown.

Meeting adjourned.