By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting November 26, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, as well as CouncilorsRudy Bencomo, Nicholas Prince and Stan Snider.

Ceremonies

The town of Silver City presented James Marshall, assistant town manager, a certificate of appreciation for his many years of service and leadership to the community. He will be retiring on December 31, 2024

He had made a lasting impact on the community and his legacy will inspire many. Ladner said he would be missed

Marshall thanked them for the certificate and thanked his wife. He wanted everyone to remember it has been the employees of the city that make things happen. He had never painted a stripe or filled in a pothole. The town presented him with a new coat.

Council comments.

Bencomo had attended a cemetery board meeting a few weeks earlier. They had discussed coming up with a pamphlet to give to anybody coming to the cemetery to navigate and find loved ones. The pamphlet would also include notable and famous people buried in the Memorial Lane Cemetery. The historical background will be included in the pamphlet. The second phase improvements on the cemetery will be coming next year.

Bencomo pointed out the sidewalks that had been added on the south side of 32nd Street. He had people requesting better lighting at the tennis courts and that had been done. He thanked the city for making that happen.

Bencomo addressed having first known Marshall when he had been an EMT. Bencomo had worked at the hospital as an EMT to supplement his firefighter income. They had worked together at that time and had some bad calls they responded to. He had learned a lot from Marshall. "He was one heck of a paramedic." He spoke to his demeanor and presence when he handled calls and Bencomo had learned a lot from him in that time. Bencomo recalled when he moved into government and had been mayor of Silver City. "You have always been stable, levelheaded and had common sense." He thanked him for all he had done.

Cano thanked the city for installing the lighting on the tennis courts that have also been used for pickleball. She had received feedback from many that appreciated it.

"I feel like I am beating a dead horse here. Handicap parking is ridiculous in this town." Cano referred to the state statues,  ordinances and a lot of laws saying if a person is not handicapped, they should not be parking in the handicap parking spaces. Unfortunately, Cano said it happens so often and has been allowed so no one follows the law. She hoped to have an operation with the police to enforce that law. She said that would also include the people that park on the ramps and cause inaccessibility. "It is important the mobility impaired residents do not feel like it is their problem when perfectly capable people are parking in the handicap parking spaces."

Cano remined everyone about the upcoming production of "Chicano Christmas". It will be a small community play being held December 8, 2024. It will be at the Fine Arts Auditorium and will be done by 60 local well known people.

Cano addressed Marshall leaving and said she would probably cry. "My experiences as councilor have been interesting but most helpful has been having you (referring to Marshall) here also." Cano had served under two mayors but felt like she had served with three. "You have been willing to mentor me and teach me to be a better person. I appreciate very much the fact that you answered all my phone calls and sometimes I have asked pretty weird questions, and you always had an answer. You always have a diplomatic way of dealing with issues I have to deal with." In doing so it had helped her but also helped the public because they had received a better answer because of Marshall's help. "Don't plan on changing your phone number, I will still call." She told him she hoped he and his wife could enjoy the retirement and do things with the family. She thanked him for his service.

Snider wanted to clarify the proposal for the citizens advisory board for the police. "I appreciate and fully support Chief Portillo and the police department." Recently he said there had been incorrect references made about the police oversight proposal. It has been a group of citizens for safety and the community that has been working on a proposal for four years for a citizen advisory board. It will allow for citizens to come to the board that don't want to take their concerns to the police. He said at no time will the board try to resolve an issue, become involved in personnel matters or day to day operations. If any board member attempts any of these actions, the member will be removed from the board. Snider went on to say the board would be reporting to the town council in closed session. It will increase transparency and trust between the police department and community. "This will only verify the police department's excellent operations and strengthen the department. I want to be clear we have full confidence and appreciate the difficult job the police preform every day."

Snider said he had only worked with Marshall a little while and it had always been positive, and he thanked him for his service to the town.

Prince wanted to wish everyone a pleasant Thanksgiving. He said Marshall had always given the best context and triage and sense of priority. "You have helped me have a steadier hand when it comes to the work in public life." He encouraged him to take all the time he needed and know the door would always be open if he needed help with anything.

Ladner said when he had first become mayor, Marshall had taken him under his wing and been an important mentor to him. They had ridden around the town and looked at the different issues in Silver and Marshall brought him up to date. He recalled a project in which Marshall had showed up with paint and worked with them all day. When they started the rock house project Marshall had started moving dirt with the tractor. "He leads by example." Ladner thanked him for his service and friendship.

The Council approved the minutes from November 8, 2024, and November 12, 2024.

Public input none currently.

Reports

Alex Brown, town manager had not been able to attend due to a family emergency, and Marshall had not been able to get any report from him. He jokingly said, "Other than he wanted to say many great things about me."

New business

The council approved resolution 2024-24. This will allow the town manager to execute all documents necessary to affect the transfer of residential lots in Vista De Plata to qualified applicants. Jacqui Olea, community development director, said this would just help expedite the closing process.

The council approved resolution 2024-25. This will adopt a conservation easement on the Silver City Waterworks property at 1721 Little Walnut Road. Olea said they had received a grant of $500 million for the project and one of the requirements had been the conservation easement on the property for fifteen years and this will fulfill that requirement.

The council approved the intent to adopt ordnance 1334. Cano had sponsored this ordinance. She said this will help the traffic downtown. Lately they had an uptick on the number of people using electric bikes, bikes, scooters and skateboards on the sidewalks. It has been extremely dangerous to pedestrians. "We want a friendly downtown and want to keep it that way." She had recently spoken to a man who said he and his wife had been leaving a business downtown and it had been right when a group of skateboarders were going by on the sidewalk. It almost took them out. Both had been elderly and if they had knocked them down, they could have been badly injured.

The council approved RFQ (request for quotes) 24/25 to remove scrap metal. Bencomo said that many of the town properties have scrap metal. Alfred Sedillo, town clerk, said it had to do with the scrap metal left at the Waterworks property after the remodeling. Marshall said they would see more due to town properties that need scrap metal removal. This has not been awarded but allows for them to start the process.

Meeting adjourned