By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting December10, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, and Councilors Nicholas Prince, Rudy Bencomo and Stan Snider.

The fir fighters for the Silver City Fire Department presented Fire Chief Milo Lambert with a plaque of appreciation and special firefighter axe. Many of the department attended for the presentation but Ben Schlamb made the presentation. He commented that it had been a very challenging four years for the fire department. Many of the personnel had moved or left to pursue other endeavors. It had left the crew to work a lot of overtime to continue to provide Silver City with a trained emergency response team.

Schlamb said today they all wanted to recognize someone that had worked a lot, often behind the scenes to make sure they had what they needed to be here for the community. This person had worked hard to find new recruits and because of that they had three starting shortly. The crew wanted to recognize Lambert with a small token of appreciation. Schlamb read the plaque with the many kind words and accolades along with a firefighter's axe.

Lambert said this had been an honor coming from the line personnel. "I want you to know it is not just me." He thanked Alex Brown, city manager and went through and named all the staff he felt had helped him. "It is a group effort to keep it running smoothly and has been a very big group effort."

Council comments.

Prince thanked Guadalupe Cano for hosting and directing this year's Chicano Christmas event and congratulated Patricia Cano for the state's commendation. The commendation recognized her for her service. He wished everyone and the city staff a wonderful holiday season. "I appreciate all your work."

Bencomo thanked Guadalupe Cano and Patricia Cano for the fantastic play, Chicano Christmas. He said it had been well attended and enjoyed. He congratulated Lambert, "It is not very often you get praise from your people." He continued that it could be hard to be a department head. Bencomo wished everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holiday. "Be safe out there."

Guadalupe Cano congratulated Lambert and said it had been a well deserved honor. "You are always there when we need you and I appreciate you." She thanked the council and mayor for attending the Chicano Christmas event. It had turned out to be a bigger success than they had thought. Many have expressed wanting to see it again. As soon as they have the recording prepared it will be shown at the Silco Theater. She will let everyone know.

Guadalupe Cano wanted to acknowledge two city employees that had been in the production. Javier Marrufo  of the Silver City Museum and Detective Efren Canas had been actors and Marrufo did the media as well. In 2025 they will be doing another Chicano Christmas. It won't be the same but similar.

For those that had not attended at the end of the performance Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales bestowed an honor on Patricia Cano. New Mexico has a very high honor given to individuals and that is to have the flag flown over the capital in Santa Fe in honor of them. This honor usually has been given to persons deceased that had been law makers, public figure or military. "My mother was given this honor while she was still alive, which is a pretty big deal."

Snider congratulated Lambert. "It says it all when your peers say what a good job you have done." The Lighted Christmas parade had been a success and Snider thanked everyone involved in making it happen. He said it had been a pleasure to attend the Chicano Christmas play. He thanked both Canos and the cast for all the hard work making it such a success. "Happy Holidays to everyone."

Ladner spoke to attending the Chicano Christmas event. "It was a great event and a great way to introduce people to the community and holiday season." He thanked everyone involved.

The council approved the minutes from November 26, 2024, meeting.

Public input

Patricia Cano thanked the mayor and council for attending the play and everyone else that did. Without sponsors there would have been no way to do the project. The play had a bigger impact on the community than they had thought it would. She said they may continue doing it from now on.

She wanted to clarify something; she had received criticism concerning the play. People had complained the jokes had been done in Spanish and not translated. It made her realize something she had not before. To the Chicano community bilingual means something different from what it does to the Anglos. "To those that are not Spanish speakers they think if something is bilingual it will be translated. To the Chicano community it means combining both languages." She continued that people need to be aware if they do not speak Spanish and expect it to be translated it will not be. "It will be bilingual the way we are bilingual, using both languages at the same time. Many things from the Chicano community you have to know the language, local language, to understand it. There is no way to translate it and it still be funny." She ended by saying next year it would be even better.

Shelby Hallmark said he had been a resident for fourteen years and planned on staying. He had read about the proposal for a citizen's advisory board and understood Snider would be prepared to propose an official board. He had come to speak in favor of the idea. He believed it would help the department address public concerns about policing and policies. It will improve communication between the public and department and instill public confidence in the police. He said as a former government administrator he recognized officials have often been weary of unsolicited advice and it could be somewhat threatening. This proposal would not give the committee any oversight power and strictly provide input. Citizens with complaints would have a specified place to go and receive a dispassionate hearing. It would benefit both the public and department.

Delfina Jimenez said people usually come for public comment to criticize and complain and she had done both of those. Today she had come to give a report of praise. "I personally and publicly want to thank Alex Brown." A year ago, she had contacted him about a problem she had an issue with for 44 years. He said he would have it resolved, and he did have it resolved. It took a while, but the city workers came and did an awesome job, and she thanked them. "Thank you for keeping your word and being a man of integrity. I am very grateful."

New business

The council approved the request for proposal quote recommendation by Brown. The project will be awarded to Patrick Peralta at fifty cents a pound to remove the scrap metal at the waterworks building.

The council approved the canceling of the December 24, 2024, meeting due to the Christmas holiday.

Meeting adjourned.