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[Music]
you're on
good afternoon everyone and a happy New
Year today uh city council meeting is
Monday January 6 I also want to wish the
state of New Mexico a happy birthday I'm
mayor Enriquez and before we start I
want to mention that we have the
American Sign Language over here in the
front available to anyone that needs it
uh we'll start if you please stand with
a moment of silence for the men and
women of our service and police and fire
and all our city
employees if you please join us in the
pledge a pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America and to
the republ which it stands one nation
under God indivisible with liberty and
justice for
all we'll start out with a proclamation
for youth mentoring uh that will be
administered by mayor protim uh
Ben hello everyone good afternoon happy
New Year happy
2025 today's Proclamation for youth M
youth mentoring month is presented to
April Christensen Zed zerna Cassandra
gandera Big Brothers Big Sisters and the
boys and girls club but anyone who is
here please go ahead and come
up yeah we'll have
everybody hi
can stand up if you
want all right I'll get reading it while
you all make your way
down Sylvia get down
here whereas January is National Youth
mentoring month an annual campaign to
raise awareness and celebrate the
powerful impact of mentoring
relationships Recruit new mentors and
encourage institutions to integrate
quality mentoring into their policies
practice
and whereas the city of Las Cruses New
Mexico recognizes the contributions of
volunteer mentors in the following
programs kids can Community Action
Agency of southern New Mexico the Boys
and Girls Club of Las Cruses Big
Brothers Big Sisters mountain region
lava project americore FYI plus greatest
factor LLC and crues creatives who link
youth to economic and social opportunity
while also strengthening our community
and whereas mentoring generally has a
significant positive impact on youth
academic achievement school
connectedness and engagement and
educational success which can lead to
outcomes such as improved attendance
academic achievement and classroom
behavior and whereas mentors can help
young people set career goals and help
connect mentees to IND industry
professionals to train for and find a
job and whereas effective mentoring it
of underserved and vulnerable
populations of young people helps them
confront challenges and enjoy improved
mental health and social emotional
well-being and whereas young people with
a mentor are more likely to enroll in
college to participate in sports or
extracurricular activities to hold a
leadership position in a club or sports
team and to volunteer regular regularly
and less likely to start using drugs and
whereas mentoring is an Innovative
evidence-based practice and uniquely is
both a prevention and intervention
strategy that can support young people
of all demographics and backgrounds in
all aspects of of their lives and
whereas despite the benefits of
mentoring one young person of every of
every three and growing up without a
mentor which means a third of Youth of
the United States are growing up without
someone outside of the home to offer
real life guidance and support and
whereas this mentoring Gap demonstrates
the need for collaboration among the
private public and non-private sectors
to increase resources for relationship
Centric supports for Youth and Community
Schools and workplaces now therefore we
the mayor and City Council of Las Cruses
New Mexico do hereby Proclaim January
2025 as youth mentoring
month congratulations and thank
[Applause]
you good afternoon everybody I'm
Cassandra Ganda former mayor protm and
city council for District 1 I'm so
thrilled to be here today to celebrate
youth mentoring month um the whole month
of January um we're thrilled to have
such a huge representation of all the
youth mentoring groups across the
county um here um to support the
mentoring month I want to say a special
thank you to Sarah hips our bachelor's
level um Social Work intern who was
instrumental in getting this
Proclamation together
um we're we're thrilled to be here I
want to um express my heartful gratitude
to the council for recognizing
the vital role mentoring play in shaping
the future of our community youth
mentorship is more than just guidance
it's a Lifeline for many young people
according to the recent doniana County
Community survey 25% of
respondents and those are parents
Express a need for youth mentoring
services with a significant
portion
indicating difficulties in assessing
these critical
resources this underscores the
importance of ensuring every child has
access to supportive consistent role
model in their lives when young people
have mentors the outcomes are clear
research consistently shows that
mentored youth are more likely to excel
academically build
self-confidence and avoid risky
behaviors they are also
55% more likely to enroll in college and
more likely to pursue meaningful careers
these statistics are more than numbers
they
represent lives uplifted and Futures
transformed mentorship is particularly
crucial in Bridging the gaps faced by
our underserved populations for many
mentors provide not only academ mic and
emotional support but also guidance on
overcoming systemic
challenges the support of a mentor can
be difference between Despair and hope
between struggle and success this month
let us commit to ensuring no young
person in Las crues has to face
aive challenges alone I encourage our
community to invest in mentoring
programs and to consider becoming
mentors themselves together we can
create a brighter future one
relationship at a time thank you once
again for your dedication to our youth
and for supporting initiatives that
Foster resilience and growth in the Next
Generation let us continue to work hand
in hand to ensure every child has a
mentor and every Mentor knows their
values thank you so much much
[Applause]
thank you mayor protim next is uh we
don't have any any jobs of the week
presentation today so next is pet of the
weeks uh
Carol good afternoon and happy New
Year I'm Carol Nelson with the Animal
Services Center of the msia valley uh
this week we're well I should say going
forward we decided to do things a little
bit different starting with the new year
um so we wanted to give everyone just a
reminder that any anytime we promote our
pets of the week they are free for the
week and we actually have good news both
pets have already been adopted this week
um so we're excited for the longer term
pets um if you're interested in adopting
an animal currently in a foster home
please contact the center beforehand to
arrange a meet and greet because
sometimes we do promote animals and
Foster homes and all long-term residents
who have been at the center for three
plus months are available for adoption
for just $25 so we always have that
promotion going on um so baby gray was
our c of the week was super affectionate
so not surprised that baby gray got
adopted um and we also had Riley who was
our dog of the week had been in a foster
home for a while had the Foster was
really great nursing Riley back to
health um Riley was a little quiet in
the cuddle bug so we're happy to see
Riley adopted um we also want to
highlight long-term residents U because
sometimes our pets of the week get
adopted quickly um reminder $25 uh so we
have Dora who has been in the sh for um
going on a year now so we would love to
see her get out cuz as you all know the
longer the animals stay in the shelter
often times you'll start to see a
behavior
regression uh and so we want to help her
get into a home so that she can really
Thrive um Alice has been in our Center
for 215 days uh doy has been in our
Center for 213 days and Mable 2011 so
all of these are really great options
we'd love to see them get out quickly um
because again the longer they stay um
it's not usually the best outcome for
them so and this week we have our
off-site adoption event um it's actually
going to be a Tractor Supply Co this
week um so if you're in need of those
supplies also stop by and see our
adoptable animals uh we'll be there from
10: to 1 on Saturday and as always you
can find us on social media or you can
visit our website for more information
ASC mv.org lots of animals to look at so
head on over there thank
you thank you Carol next is a conflict
of interests uh does any member of the
city council city manager or any member
of the city staff have any known
conflict of interest with any item on
the
agenda none Grant none none m
next is public participation and we have
Katrina up here that will help uh get
you to the podium everyone will have
three minutes on no pending litigation
or discussions of items on the
nonconsent uh today we do have an item
uh
7.1 which is resolution number 25
078 uh to cure and ratify the decision
on the city manager and we're going to
remove that one from the agenda and it
will be scheduled for January 13th on
January 13th anyone that wants to speak
to that item can but if you since we're
going to remove it it's not going to be
an item on the agenda if you'd like to
speak to that today you're welcome to do
that as well
so come
forward I'm Lyn Moore I salute aland
deasa and the Las cruus bulletin for
pursuing openness and full compliance
with New Mexico's open meeting act
regarding the city's process and
selecting a new city manager in 2024 I
also salute New Mexico's Attorney
General's office in pursuing Mr damasa
complaint its thorough investigation its
Clarity in explaining the city's
violations of the open meetings Act and
the Lucidity of its directions to the
city as to how to cure its violations
through my experience as a journalist
and attorney I find the city's open
meetings act violations remarkably
dishonorable given the facts of this
case you have made it appear that the
previous city manager privately greased
the skids for his Protege to slide into
his position using a rolling quorum to
reach a private consensus to accept only
internal applications for the city
manager position a position of
significant responsibility and the only
one appointed by the city council is
particularly unacceptable in light of
the 2003 lawsuit ruling against the
council putting all on notice that
rolling quorums are illegal the New
Mexico meetings Act is not a complex law
virtually anyone elected to a public
body who reads it through can understand
it it's hard to conceive that you didn't
know what you were doing was illegal
especially in the wake of the 2003
lawsuit in any event ignorance of the
law is no excuse what you're attempting
to do whenever you look at it I guess uh
at a f a time in the future is to what
you're attempting to do to cure your
violation still doesn't comply with one
identified by the AG first your
resolution attempts to skate over your
violations it says the city council
appears to have engaged in a presumed
rolling Quorum in reality the AG
definitively found on page four of its
letter that you did indeed initiate a
rolling Quorum which is unlawful the
first step in curing your violations is
to admit your wrongdoing second the AG
explains that if you're not going to
start the process over the Cure requires
summarizing all discussions and comments
made outside of a public meeting about
the actions you took behind closed doors
this resolution doesn't begin to
summarize all the discussions and
comments by counselors it just says the
governing body wanted to consider
internal candidates only because there
are qualified applicants for the
position inhouse an internal hire
represents a cost-saving measure and
will help to prevent institutional
disruption regardless whether these are
plausible reasons this is an inadequate
summary of all discussions and comments
by counselors over a whole series of
private conversations and during at
least two closed meetings I recommend
that the city start the entire process
over for identifying candidates for the
city manager position and conduct all
deliberations and votes in lawful public
meetings this is option number two
identified by the AG this will go a
considerable way in demonstrating
openness and regaining The public's
trust once you admit your wrongdoing and
it will a first step in repairing the
disrepute you have brought to the city
of Las cruus thank
[Applause]
you mayor city council my name is Liz
Rodriguez Johnson and I'm a resident of
Lana
County President Jimmy Carter whose life
we honor this week said during his
presidential farewell address in
1981 and I quote thoughtful criticism
and close scrutiny of all government
officials by the press and the public
are an important part of our Democratic
Society unquote I appreciate the close
scrutiny the lasu's bulletin paid to the
process used to select with no public
discussion a new city manager I also
appreciate the thorough investigation
the Attorney General's office undertook
to faret out the the city's violations
and then to give clear direction as to
how to cure those
violations I'm here today to offer some
thoughtful
criticism it's very TR troubling to see
that theas Cruses city council has
ignored the AG's
options despite the AG's clear findings
regarding the city's violations the city
does not acknowledge that any violations
occurred according to the AG the city of
Las Cruz is clearly engaged in a rolling
Quorum that is a
violation nor is the city following the
AG's instructions as to what is
necessary to cure the violations you
have not summarized all the discussions
and comments made outside of a public
meeting which is in violation of the ACT
you haven't even told us who the the
other candidates for city manager were
or why you decided to select the one you
did the way the city handled this
election process makes the public wonder
and perhaps even unfairly but
nonetheless makes them wonder what's
wrong with the candidate you selected if
you were actually confident that the
choice is outstanding you wouldn't be
working so hard to keep all imaginations
and decision making Under Wraps why did
you select this person and why why
weren't you willing to do it in
public the fact that even today the city
of Las Cruses is unwilling to
acknowledge the series of violations and
is unwilling to come clean about what
actually happened and then fully
disclose the comments and discussions
among all
parties tells us very clearly that the
city is not planning to actually comply
with the open meetings
act unfortunately either now or in the
future
if the AG were to issue a ruling that
impacted any of your constituents I'm
sure that the city council would not
Advocate that they ignore it by the same
token I'm sure your constituents would
want and expect the city to respect and
adhere to an AG
ruling okay thank
you good afternoon my name is Donna
Striker on February 11th 2024 Jonah
Hernandez was murdered while responding
to a trespass call from a repeat
offender Armando Silva had mental
illness and a history of criminal
convictions breaking and entering
assault upon a police officer and other
charges this weekend Marty rues Garcia's
brother was beaten by Shane Jones also
mentally ill and a repeat offender
breaking and entering assault on a
police officer and more Catch and
Release weak competency hearing
requirements lack of support from our
local and state legislators lack of
response from our counselors and other
elected officials and even state
legislators who stood right here and
ranted and raved about my police
department and my chief of police does
someone else have to die is that what
has to happen in my city this weekend
businesses for a sa for L cruus saw
literally literally hundreds of posts on
our Facebook page in response to the
attack on Marty's brother she appealed
to a Facebook page for help that's very
sad very sad that's who she reached out
to in my
city is businesses for a safer lusus
Facebook
page because of the attack on her
brother in broad daylight in front of
her brother's 14-year-old grandson
bleeding on the brain still in the
hospital Shane Jones is homeless he's
mentally ill and he has more rights than
I do and Marty's brother did not
acceptable evidently more rights than
any other law-abiding citizen in this
city it's an outrage it's frustrating
it's a feeling of helplessness and the
feeling that our elected officials don't
care or care more for repeat
offenders and looking to 2025 as
counselors I'm asking you to elevate
that's your word Elevate Los cruus to a
new level of lawfulness try that look to
realize again your
word a city with serious serious issues
that you have the ability to look at you
have the ability you have the power to
look at the opportunity to be problem
solvers but
instead we have Mayhem which exists on
our streets in front of our businesses
in front of our youth and our children
in fact this weekend my grandchildren
were at savors because that's where we
shop because we're not
rich my grandchildren got to see a naked
man smoking meth Coke I don't know what
he was smoking because I don't
understand that stuff but that's what my
grandkids got to see this weekend when
we were trying to get them
shoes my grandchildren seriously needed
to be exposed to that nothing nothing is
happening if you do not Elevate this
city and you do not make some tough
decisions on whom is more important to
you the voters or the criminals you have
never seen me speak like this to you
before in the year that I've been coming
I'm mad I'm upset and I am absolutely a
gas does someone have to die before
these changes are made unless cusis ties
decides to take back its City from
criminals and Elevate us out of this
situation realize this counselors it
won't stop or slow down until you make
decisions on this dis to help our
[Applause]
city good
afternoon counselors mayor
uh Happy New Year happy New Year thank
you for being here I wanted to start the
year off by saying thank you for your
support for Chief story and the police
department for the approved increase in
budget over the past three years and I'm
basing this on articles from Las crus
Sun News and the
bulletin I want to thank thank you
because that
included uh maybe over the 3 years it
wasn't clear in the article 18 new
officers and new
vehicles so when people talk about
defunding the police or not supporting
Chief story I've yet to sit here and I
am here on a regular basis at city
council and not see support for what the
police are asking for including the real
time crime Center
all the votes aren't unanimous but they
come out in support of what Chief story
and the police are wanting to do about
crime in our
city
um there was approval and a marathon 6
and a half hour meeting for the
ordinances on shopping carts and
soliciting and it came out in support
for what Chief story was promoting as a
way to address the issue a possible
means of addressing the issue so I do
thank you for your support and uh I hope
you hang in there thank you
good afternoon my name is leavon Hart
and I'm the director of the spay and
neuter Action Program
snap we want to express our sincere
thank you for the city of to the city of
Los Cruses for entering into a contract
with us to provide free spay neuter
rabies vaccination and microchipping for
the dogs and cats of lowincome City
residents we announced the program on
December 31st and have already seen a
big jump in the number of City residents
contacting our office thank you for
making this available to us the snap
board of directors discussed the animal
ordinance and mandator mandatory spay
and neuter at our board meeting on
December 17 2024 and the following
represents our position we support
mandatory spay and neuter as a step
toward reducing the number of unwanted
dogs and cats we recogn ize that the
cost of spay neuter surgeries can be a
burden for people with pets therefore we
call for ongoing support for programs
that assist lowincome residents with low
and no cost spay neuter
Services we recognize that there is a
shortage of veterinarians within Donna
an County and that mandatory spay neuter
may increase the burden for existing
veterinarians that provide these
surgeries we recognize ize that
increasing the number of companion dogs
and cats that are spayed and neutered
will not fully address the issue of
overpopulation of dogs and cats in
addition to mandatory spay neuter for
companion animals funding and programs
to provide spay neuter surgeries for
Community animals are
needed we support efforts to educate the
community on the need to have their dogs
and cats spayed or neutered and the
programs and resources available to
assist them in having their animals
fixed we support gradual implementation
of the ordinance so that the community
can be made aware and the impacts of the
ordinance can be measured and monitored
and the program can be adjusted as
needed to meet the needs of the
community thank you again for your
support um for the animals in our
community we sincerely appreciate it um
if anyone's interested I have copies of
our last newsletter and of the flyer
that goes out all the time uh through
our Animal Control Officers and other
places informing the public of the
services that snap provides thank
you hello city council I am Susan
Greenwall the executive director of
downtown Las Cruz's partnership I would
like to thank you all for your continued
support of dlcp and our events such as
chili drop that happened on the 31st um
our mayor was there with us to ring in
the New Year we had a great crowd we had
a great evening um it was such a
wonderful Community experience um
through your support we're able to do
that event for the community for free um
it's one of the few places that you can
take your family um on New Year's and
have a really great celebration so again
thank you for that thank you for
supporting our program in general our
events Zombie Walk chili drop um
everything that we do to revitalize and
promote downtown you guys have been a
big part of that so again I'd like to
thank you thank you mayor um hope to see
you again next year
mayor council ju Garcia a bad day and
trusting government on 23 November a
business on Tel Shore was vandalized
from the police report provided by the
owner and I quote as I police officer
approached Mr clima he stated he usually
breaks Windows when he's upset he stated
officers usually give him a ticket and
let him go I read Mr clima his Miranda
warning which he acknowledged after
which he admitted to Breaking the front
door glass as well in addition he
admitted to breaking a window at 900
tailore and now let this sink in a
vagrant destroys thousands of of dollars
of local businesses property because he
had a bad day okay that's it that's the
entire justification for vandalizing
small businesses his mood a family saved
for years to build their dream business
they pour their their savings their
hopes their future into those walls then
one morning they arrived to find it all
shattered Windows broken inventory
destroyed their dreams lying in pieces
on the floor when they seek help from
their elected officials their voice
shakes with hurt not hostility who
wouldn't tremble when speaking about
watching their lives work crumbled yet
somehow among our officials the victim's
pain gets labeled as anger their
desperation as aggression they should be
glad they don't live in Albuquerque we
hear from one of our senior Senators
state senators it's a story that Echoes
through our community told in the voices
of countless business
owners who have learned the deepest
wounds come not from the initial loss
but from the having their their
suffering dismissed this criminal Vandal
like hundreds wrecks havoc on our
community and still walks free we will
support our Council our state leg
legislature and we will join the
governor in addressing this and other
issues on the subject of Trust for
Public officials ktsm and I quote the
New Mexico justice department said the
city of Las Cruz has violated the
state's open meetings laws during his
hiring this situation should not should
not reflect poorly on Mr who in my
opinion genuinely seems to prioritize
the community's
well-being the real concern lies with
the elected
officials if they knowingly broke the
law they should be held accountable
every single one of
them two important questions arise was
the process fair to the other candidates
for city manager and what other actions
might the council be taking behind
closed doors that could be in violation
of New Mexico laws so do we trust our
elected
officials thank you
good afternoon Council mayor um I'm not
quite prepared my name is Patty Hartman
and I'm a resident of Los Cruses um I
thoroughly agree with Lynn Moore's
comments and so I won't even go in
beyond that um Beyond saying the lack of
admission of wrongdoing has bothered me
for the whole time I've lived in Los
cruus my concerns overall is the failure
of Los cruus to understand things deeply
enough to see beyond themselves in their
own interests the failure to recognize
the big picture and the relationships to
others in that big picture which in this
case is our
community like others the AG spells out
the spirit and intent of the open
meetings law meaning public process
which is the essence of the de the
Democratic process that speaks to our
country's
values I want to use a quote that often
comes to mind a little bit of knowledge
is
dangerous drink deep or not at
all this speaks to the dangers of
ignorance of knowing just enough to be
dangerous by believing you know more
than you do and that you have nothing to
learn I beg the community including City
and Council to have some humility about
what you do not understand deeply and
your need to be interested in learning
which I don't see much of here while I
respect Chief story's sincerity in
responding to the community's
concerns there is a lack of
understanding that is truly important
and missing from the overwhelming
support from both Council and Community
for his opinions there is no data
presented and in the recent initiative
there is a misuse of terms like impact
on
safety what you do what you do period
and in this case in arresting people is
not an indication of impact on safety
that's a loose Association and an
assumption that is not
credible um I'm going to end this by
congratulating my city counselor for her
bravery um on the issue of the city
manager she was brand new at that time
and was the only one to vote no on the
confirmation of our city manager hiring
and especially his salary which is
completely out of line with the rest of
New Mexico thank you and thank you
counselor my counselor is Cassie mccl
how you my name's Lonnie Montgomery and
I'm a follower of Jesus Christ I'm mayor
uh Council persons I'm here to speak uh
on the real life lost Cruis that I got
the information from J AER and the first
thing he said was the nuclear family
does not
exist I wonder what a bito too Etc would
think about that they don't only exist
and that's one of the reasons he says we
should not have single family
neighborhoods they promote car traffic
crime uh they're boring they're over
mcgomery could you speak directly into
the microphone a little bit louder can
you start me over no I'm just kidding
okay so so it's boring the house I've
been in for many years he says we got to
have artistic well the house I worked at
for 47 years as an educator it's
beautiful it's single housing and for
many generations the Montgomery family
has lived in single houses from the
ranches of West Texas and the farms and
and ranches in West Texas but they I
don't know what all this concerns I may
think you may go back to 15 minute uh
think where you bring in uh uh
businesses and things like that but
we're not Europe we live in wide open
spaces and they they do take up some uh
room but as we're going through here
we're also getting affordable housing
and affordable housing he says that the
seagull things are are cut cookie cutter
affordable housing
isn't and you're going to have to drive
he says we Meander around the
neighborhood no I don't Meander I know
where I'm going I'm going to Sams I'm
going someplace else I know how to get
there and I don't think cutting down on
the traffic is going to cut down on the
on the accidents here I think we can cut
down on the dispensaries and cut down on
the Speeders who hit and run that we can
cut down on that so I think we should
continue and he says the friendliest
people is know we're from lost cruus but
if you move into a neighborhood you lose
that
friendliness we're not friends anymore
know yeah we are friends I have room to
speak I have a walking trail and I talk
to people walking that all the time and
we do speak to other it's a very
friendly neighborhood as status AR Renos
off a Stern but I want to say that we
need continue with sen family housing it
won't take care of the CO2 and what's
wrong with
CO2 trees breathe that it increases the
vegetation in the in there and gives us
more oxygen so I say just uh build build
the affordable housing but don't tell me
it's not cookie cutter thank you very
much
thank
you good afternoon my name is steuart
David uh I'm here in part to apologize
for not doing my homework
as I mentioned before I'm a new Resident
when I attended the work session about
the proposed animal Orin ordinance and I
heard all the controversy and discussion
regarding the Spain neuter requirements
I thought they were all
new as I now read it the proposed
ordinance changes very little they're
very little when it comes to spaying and
neutering section 7- 44 of the current
ordinance require that a person
reclaiming a dog or cat 6 months of age
or older either provided proof of
sterilization or a letter from a
veterinarian saying that sterilization
would be an unnecessary risk for the
animal if not they're required to leave
a sterilization deposit and agree to
have the animal sterilized within 30
days or purchase an intact permit animal
permit that is not mandatory spay neuter
and the exceptions remain in the
proposed new
ordinance uh also it's my understanding
again I'm new here that the spaying and
neutering provisions of the current
ordinance are not being enforced
which seems to mean that Las cruus is
now in VI not in compliance with both
city and state
law now as far as the proposed ordinance
also there are a lot of misconceptions
about it and the biggest one besides
Spain being mandatory which it is not
there are exceptions uh it's also that
somehow Animal Control Ordinance uh
Animal Control Officers will be
enforcing the Spain neuter requirements
in the field and that's simply not the
case so that's just a
misconception now at the work session
you asked Mr Douglas if there was a
public education plan and he hilariously
responded that there was a concept of a
plan that was a one of the funniest
lines I've heard at a meeting and and we
needed the levity uh I have no doubt
though that if it is passed the new
changes will quickly spread via nexo
Facebook other social media platforms as
well as local media stories but along
with that I'd like to point out that it
would be great if the city would take a
very active role some Avenues I would
suggest would be perhaps adding inserts
to utility bills uh providing the new
provisions and maybe send email
announcements to everyone who receives a
an electronic utility bill or a signed
up for various City alerts it would seem
like it would be pretty easy for us to
get the word out pretty quickly and
maybe we wouldn't need a real long
period of time uh to implement it again
really what I wanted to do is apologize
because I thought this was uh something
new and it's on the books already it's
really pretty much the same thing with
just a little more clarity and actually
with with a little more room for people
and it's great to hear that uh there's
money available for people that need it
that's an important piece of the puzzle
I'm glad to hear that's in place uh so I
ask that you put these uh proposed
ordinance uh on the agenda for a first
read at the next meeting thank you very
much my my name is Fred
Huff first of all I'd like i' like to
really thank the city council for what
they did last year in passing the
grocery card ordinance as was previously
mentioned this morning this
afternoon is it a cure all no but has it
made a big difference it sure has in my
opinion I don't see that litter all over
the city anymore and I've seen a real
big change thank you so much for
stepping up and passing that ordinance
and also thank you uh for removing uh
item 7.1 from the agenda today I was
real concerned about how what I read in
the agenda was going to meet the state
law and I'm not the sharpest tool in the
shed and I didn't see how it was going
to do it so maybe on the 13th you can um
what a great opportunity this is for you
you you've had uh almost a year three
qus of a year to uh see how Mr icon does
as city
manager um as a private citizen I've
I've seen uh spending like a drunken
sailor and just raing the tail Shore
fund and doing all these other things
and it might give you a chance to take a
second thought and say is this the type
of city manager we really want I don't
know it's your choice you know that's
one of the prerogatives that you all
have but thank you for pushing it off
till the 13th and uh hopefully you will
do it in such a way that it meets the
AG's uh desires and requirements and
again thank
you good afternoon city council my my
name is Lucas hearnen I'm a resident in
District
2 um I just wanted
to just report back I just had
a a wonderful vacation over the holidays
as many of us are privileged to get to
do um and I went to the great forboding
terrifying city of San Francisco
California um I've heard a lot in this
room and on uh social media in this town
of people comparing
what's happening in Los cruus to what's
happening in San Francisco um I grew up
uh getting to visit family in the Bay
Area um been going to San
Francisco uh almost once a year or so
for most of my
life um and I'm not really sure what
people are scared of uh I had a really
wonderful time walking around city parks
using public facilities eating at really
nice Bakery and restaurants um
interacting with folks of all different
cultural backgrounds and ethnic
backgrounds um participating in their
local economy
um it was easy to get around they have
really nice sidewalks public
transportation
um were there folks that looked like
they might have been unhoused yep for
sure
were um but just like here they're just
people people they're just human beings
they're just looking for a place to stay
warm at night place to lay their head
down a little help dealing with whatever
they're dealing with in
life
um and so I just I just wanted to make
sure everybody knew that things are fine
in San Francisco
California um and things are fine here I
mean we have problems I understand that
I'm not saying we don't have problems um
I had a bicycle stolen off my front
porch in the last couple of
months I didn't lock it up
um I could have I could have locked it
up I hope that whoever took that bike
needs it more than I do um I'm in a
position that if I really need to or
want to I can I can get another bike
um all of this to be
said I'm not sure what Vision some folks
have for Los cruus
but what I hear espoused is often
exclusionary rather than inclusionary
and and I the GL cruus that I grew up in
much like the San Francisco that I loved
going to visit and still do is the same
thing it's a place that people share
space and we have good food and you have
good conversations and people are just
nice to each other and that hasn't
changed and I'm not sure what people
think is so dire here that they have to
come and complain about it every week
[Applause]
thanks happy New Year Council and staff
uh my name is George Pearson and I'm
vice president of valoc cruus the local
bicycle pedestrian advocacy group on
today's consent agenda is acceptance of
the Safe Streets for all Grant I want to
thank City staff for the successful
Grant application and Council for
accepting the Grant and providing
matching funds the grant is to update
the active Transportation plan and to
implement demonstration projects to
improve safety for active Transportation
the update to the active Transportation
plan is sure to focus on the Safe
Systems approach and look at engineering
solutions to safety problems we need to
leverage this Safe Streets for all Grant
with other Vision zero ideas that have
been discussed a vision zero work
session for city council has been
promised let's look at all modes of
transportation as the update to the
active Transportation plan is being
worked on for example speed is known as
a threat to Traffic Safety what about
reducing the default local Road speed
limit from 30 m an hour to 25 M hour
speed safety cameras have been talked
about what about requiring intelligent
speed assistance in government vehicles
doesn't it make sense to have government
employees driving government vehicles
not exceed the government set speed
limit
I'm looking forward to the next step in
implementing the Safe Streets for all
Grant to help reduce the approximately
40,000 vehicle deaths nationally and to
help New Mexico get out of the number
one spot for per capita pedestrian
fatalities Traffic Safety is everyone's
responsibility but we can but what can I
do you might ask yourself how about
simply driving no faster than the speed
limit and make an effort to go no faster
than 20 M an hour when you are in your
own neighborhood
thank
you my name's Jim Hurst good afternoon
Mr Mayor city
council
um have a a couple things I want to say
today uh one it's come to my attention
that there was a National Day of Prayer
Proclamation last year it was voted on
by email and did not pass I would like
to know what the proclamation said and
who voted for and against it and I hope
I can get this information without
filing a freedom of information request
so if any of you can help me I would
appreciate
that I'm not surprised to hear that this
commission has been de cited by the
da this this Council has been decid
cited by the DA for breaching the open
meetings
act witnessing how you've handled the
issue of separation of church and
state does I'm not
surprised you guys don't care about what
the Constitution says so why should you
care about what state law
says if you can get away with it you do
it
take the Constitution seriously take
separation of church and state seriously
don't call public religious Services
private meetings that's
dishonest thank you very much
good afternoon my name is Dolores
Lucero Mr Mayor City
counselors all but one of you at this
Das have been through plenty of closed
meetings and the open meetings Act is
basic politics 101 you learn that the
day you walk into office even if you're
the attorney or city manager I haven't
been here in months because when 20 24
began I thought 2024 would have been a
more productive Council a council that
had not only has their own projects and
concerns but a council that listens and
interacts even with those citizens who
don't hold the same
viewpoints I see I myself see a
counselor weekly at an event that we
participate in who chooses to not even
make eye contact much less offer a
simple good morning of which I do each
time there is absolutely no concern to
the citizens as a whole group of many
ideas and thoughts that maybe are
different from yours but an attorney
general review of how you acted to fill
the manager position shows your lack of
your connection to the staff that should
be guiding
you in a written response to the Press
City attorney Brad Douglas did not
indicate which option the city would
choose quote we will take immediate
action to remedy the deficiencies the
Attorney General identified we will take
this as a learning opportunity and make
impr improvements in the
future learning opportunity are you
kidding me the open meetings act needs a
learning opportunity you took office to
not hide behind closed doors and make
decisions remind yourself to listen to
staff as staff can lead counselors
through activities such as this I used
to have a great city manager that said
that's not the way we're going to do
that we need to rethink
this as staff can lead counselors
through activity such as this listen to
what they have to say especially wait we
need to do this in a different way to
keep to keep everyone on track with the
public well that didn't happen and I'm
going to guess there's probably more
than one violation in this
Council well my understanding it was a
prior manager that led you down this
violation please hire attorneys that
guide and protect you and the public
from any
misconceptions with a dismissal of all
other applicants
that did not get their time to an
interview or to the public to ask
questions and the opportunity for
everyone to be upfront Mr Mayor I'm
almost done will there be a lawsuit
because they were mistreated and denied
a fair application what is it going to
cost the citizens to to go through that
process as counselors you are not to be
hang out buddies you are to be
independent thinkers looking out for all
persons not only those those of your
beliefs but those of or those of your
District but a city as a whole stop your
text your emails among each other quit
hanging out do your roll and stop the
rolling poles but I'm thinking you won't
do that
[Applause]
okay next on the agenda is the
acceptance of agenda and I'll need a
motion in a second to remove item
7.1 which will give staff an opportunity
to work with the uh New Mexico
Department of Justice uh Team so that
they can uh work out the issues and we
can bring it back on January 13th and
then uh to also discuss 7.4 first since
we have outside Council
here move to approve with changes second
Graham this is on the motion to accept
the agenda as presented with removal of
item 7.1 in its entirety and to listen
to item 7.4 first councelor mlar yes
councelor matis yes councelor Graham
yes councelor cran yes councelor flutes
is absent councelor bomo yes and mayor
yes so we'll start with item 7.4 Council
bill number
25-18 ordinance number 389
an ordinance authorizing the issuance
and sale of the city of Los Cruses
taxable Municipal grocery seat tax uh a
revenue Bond and
Erica move to approve Graham second
Corin okay now
Eric good afternoon mayor council
members Erica hakz treasure the
ordinance before you is to authorize the
issuance and the sale of up to 21
million taxable Municipal gross receipts
tax
bonds the bonds are expected to be
issued at a negotiable negotiated public
sale with an underwriter The Pledge
revenue for these bonds is the second
and third one qu% of the municipal gross
receipts
taxes the ordinance authorizes a city
manager and the financial service
director to approve within the following
parameters the value cannot exceed $21
million the interest rate cannot be
above 10% and the maturity date no later
than June 1st
2046 the bond proceeds will be used to
pay the settlement agreement between the
city of Las Cruses and the estate of
Teresa
Gomez before you are the standard
Council options and I stand for any
question
questions any coun uh Council
questions see none any members of the
public wishing to speak uh you have two
minutes mayor I'm sorry I do have some
statements I'd like to make but I can
wait if you'd like it's up to
you now go ahead thank you sorry I was a
little slow on clicking my
button um I just wrote down some things
because I felt like it was an important
uh
piece of resolution that I could not not
say anything
on um so I do have a couple things to
say first of all to the family of Thea
Gomez I want to offer my sincerest
condolences and genuine
apology I will never forget her name and
I will continue to say her
name according to the mapping police
violence site a data collection site
about the lives lost to police violence
New Mexico has one of the highest rates
of police killings in the country
relative to our population and in recent
years a few of those killings have
occurred in Los cruus at the July town
hall with the governor there were some
statements made that felt particularly
concerning like police shootings are
statistically uncommon and that the goal
is not to eliminate rather reduce police
killings this is not the spirit in which
we should be having these conversations
perhaps the spirit should be like how we
talk about crime in general we talk
about the devastation crime is is having
on our community Through policy lens by
trying to address the things like Bell
reform criminal competency juvenile
wellness and even shopping carts we
should cultivate that same Spirit when
we talk about police violence because
not doing so is costing us more than
dollars is costing us lives in more than
one way the ripples of this case are
wide the life of Teresa Gomez tragically
ended her children and loved ones are
forever impacted ex officer ad nandez
made a choice that will impact his life
and the life of his children and loved
ones also forever the ripples are wide I
will continue to to be at the table with
possible solutions that work and that
aren't just political fodder I don't
believe a citizen oversight will serve
to yield better outcomes we desire just
like I don't believe a costly training
facility will either what I know will
work are these at least these two
strategies at least reducing police
interactions especially with vulnerable
populations while investing in more
infrastructure to support those
vulnerable populations and better
support our our police officers
experiencing PTSD depression burnout
Andor compassion
fatigue and it's not until we cultivate
the spirit and fight it's not until we
cultivate this spirit and fight off any
narrative that immediately says I'm
anti- police for speaking about the
realities of police violence that will
continue to get us to to a more just way
of policing if a $20 million settlement
doesn't shake us out of this place I'm
not sure what will I will keep this
conversation alive with their city
manager our chief Advocates and directly
impacted folks I hope you all join me in
good faith thanks
mayor thank you members of the public
thanks uh again Lucas hearen uh resident
District
2 um I spoke a few weeks ago about
police violence in this city and in this
state um
and I think
that there's such a conflict here
between the uh tragedy and loss of life
um as a result of State sanctioned
violence and and now this
extremely uh policy
wonk response of how we we collectively
as a city all of us who are citizens um
represented by you all there are having
to face those consequences
um and
the
um the the burden of
taxing further taxing
um citizens and issuing these bonds uh
is so ironic uh given the general um
sense of people who come here and
support the
cops uh and and um say a lot of negative
things online about the city uh which is
to say the quote unquote small business
Community uh who complain about the GRT
and all the time um and um and I I just
am just blown away at the the continued
ask on behalf of the some of the public
a very loud vocal minority uh uh for
more funding for the police when here we
are having to raise GRT taxes and issue
bonds um to pay for a fatal mistake
of the police um I just I just want
people to think about that I just I just
want them all to think about
that thank you mayor and Council for
allowing me to speak on this this is has
been like my main concern for the whole
eight years that I have lived here and
first brought it to the city the record
could you state your name again I'm
sorry I'm Patty Hartman a resident um
yeah I've been bringing this to city
council since what 2017 I think
um this is a huge concern and even when
I read in the details of calling it
project
2025 which I'm not sure I understand is
this borrowing money
um to pay off the settlement for a Los
cruus police officer who killed this
woman um and it seems obvious to me that
the solution is accountability which
none of you or no one in the community
seems to find
important I think
accountability measures that are
meaningful and that are enforced and
that no one is above the law would
totally satisfy me but I've never seen
Justice here I've seen people speak
about citizen oversight who have nothing
to do with the issue who have never been
affected by it while I've not been able
to speak about it I've got data on our
local situation here that no one wants
to look at and I think it's important
that I said before we need to get
educated about this and really pinpoint
the problems and hold people accountable
the Democratic process doesn't give
people unlimited power and I I'm just
appalled at like we're borrowing money
to rather than holding people
accountable so that we can improve I
don't feel safe in this city with police
I've had mental health issues and had
them used wrongly against me so consider
the people who are impacted thank you
uh my name is Andrew Beno so first let
me say being a police officer is a tough
job I would not want to do that job
having working in public safety somewhat
myself um I hear what Chief story is
saying and I like what he's saying
whether that carries forward and changes
things I hope it does uh but one of the
things I would like to say is is you can
have a training facility you can have
training programs you can do all kinds
of things like that but unless you
change the culture of an organization it
doesn't matter you can train all day
long and if the culture stays the same
it makes no difference at all so I hope
the culture changes two things that can
help with that is a city manager that is
engaged with the police chief to make
sure that they are held accountable my
personal opinion I don't believe the
last police chief was held accountable
to make things change
um they continued as they were I believe
Chief story is trying to make those
changes and what he's saying but we'll
have to see what happens uh but I think
that cultural shift is really the big
piece that really needs to happen with
that because nothing will change if you
don't change the culture of an
organization again super tough job I
would never want to do it uh you got to
deal with somebody angry at you all the
time somebody happy to see you all the
time but culture is the big deal so
thank you very much
Dolores Lucero I'm going to the other
side of
this a life is valuable to all of us
right we never want to lose a loved one
in any
circumstance but the business side of
this all of you I believe sat in some
closed meeting to discuss the
negotiations of this settlement and in
that closed meeting I'm going to guess
because I've been there and done that
this started out a lot
higher and I'm going to tell you again
you're probably hiring the wrong you had
probably hired outside attorneys to
handle this settlement I think you're
hiring the wrong
people my life your life they're all
valuable can I put a price on it
absolutely not but I'm going to tell you
whatever you're negotiating in that
closed room is not working in your we
sat in in negotiations we never went to
the highest dollar and if you did in
this condition you have put the citizens
paying for it on top of the tax that
this um interest payment that comes with
borrowing $21
million I'm embarrassed for you
[Applause]
anything else from
Council
see this is on the motion to approve
ordinance
3089 councelor McClair yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran yes councelor fles is absent
councelor bomo
yes and mayor
yes next is item 7.2 public hearing
required read
this the public hearing is now
open at 2:12 p.m. is there anyone for or
against the issuance of this liquor
license
yeah public hearing is now closed at
2:12 p.m. need a motion in a second to
hear move to approve Graham second
Corin go ahead Adam thank you sir Adam
with TR Community Development for the
record uh what we have before you is a
liquor license for the uh what is called
C uh Cruis Total golf located at 170
West Picacho Avenue uh this application
is actually a transfer of location of
dispenser liquor license number dis
01021 with on premise consumption
allowances uh the alcohol uh Alcoholic
Beverage Control uh did send preliminary
approval to the city for this
application uh staff have to reach out
to ABC and request for an extension due
to the meeting happening few days ahead
of when when the 45 days were were up so
we did get that extension approved uh
this went out for review for all
reviewing parties and and no no
reviewing part had any issues with the
application shown here where the actual
location is at you you might seem
familiar it's just Northwest of us there
in the shopping center uh 170 West
Picacho uh on right on the corner of
Main Street in Picacho Avenue so your
options t uh today is want to vote Yes
and approve the uh proposed liquor
license or two to deny the the liquor
license the ABC is notified will be
notified of the vote and it will
continue the application process
afterwards uh that is the conclusion of
my presentation i s have for
questions thank you Adam any questions
by
Council okay Christine
this is on the motion to approve
resolution 25- 079 councelor McClair yes
councelor matis yes councelor Graham yes
councelor cran yes councelor flutes is
absent councelor bomo yes and mayor
yes next is item 7.3 resolution
25080 resolution amending the
2025 through 30 Capital Improvements
program
move to
approve second
Graham all right s
you good
afternoon I can't see anything
okay good afternoon uh mayor and
counselors Cynthia Campo CIP analyst and
today I bring a resolution for the um
CIP
amendments um Within These amendments we
have uh three types of CIP amendments U
we have budget to actuals addition of a
new project and a name and Department
change
this is actually um a new slide and I
wanted to show the um a summary of the
change within the categories in the CIP
so you can see that there's the previous
balance the change and then the New
Balance by
category using the same um format you
can see that you can see the change for
each of the projects with um with these
amendments and the next five slides are
going to be um budget to actual
amendments following a midyear uh CIP
reconciliation so please let me know if
you have any questions on any of
these and then lastly um um we have the
addition of a the um quality of life
bookmobile um to the CIP and then Vim
MOA Dam Park was named via Mora Dam Park
study and now we've taken the study off
because the project is going to begin so
that's the name change and then it's
also gone from Public Works to parks and
rck that's the department
change and I stand for
questions any questions from
council members of the public if you
have a question or wish to
speak yeah come on up state your name
and you have two minutes hey uh Steve
Markham I I noticed on the changes that
there was uh a decision to slash a
significant amount of money from public
transit why was that decision made and
how was that money reallocated
that's
all
um that uh amendment is actually a
budget to actual Amendment so it is not
slashing any uh funds it is just
bringing the budget to what it currently
is does that answer the question
you need to come forward so we can get
your question on the
record sorry I just noticed it briefly
when it was there yeah so Municipal
Service Center Transit uh $ 1.6 million
negative
change it is just a budget to actual um
Amendment so it is not removing budget
it is
just um
adjusting the initial budget to match
what is in the current
budget and not the CIP project
budget and George you had a
question uh George Pearson if I could
hear an explanation of the changes for
the active transportation and the Las
cruus lateral RTP project
I will defer the RTP lateral L cruus
lateral project to
Katherine good afternoon uh city council
mayor this is Katherine Harrison Rogers
for the record um the RTP lateral
project we've asked for reallocation of
those funds uh we have yet to hear from
the uh New Mexico Department of
Transportation whether or not those are
finally approved and so until we
actually get that final approval we're
removing it but once we do get final
approval you'll see it back on the
CIP Dolores Lucero I hit the trifecta
today um I'm I'm waiting to hear the
assistant city manager and I have spoken
I've spoken with seven staff people out
of of Public Works took a year and a
half to get a traffic study at telshore
and lman I'm waiting to see when that
project is going to get onto the CIP I
told Mr Borgo but when we met that once
it makes it on the CIP I will help you
go find the $2 million that it takes to
build it and trust me I can do that but
I want you to consider that it's time to
complete that road it needs to be on the
CIP before any funding can be allocated
towards it and I've been waiting now 10
years I'm waiting 10 more years I
probably did but in that case I'm asking
you to look at this now and when you
start to do your budgeting and please
look at telshore am uh lman to Road
Runner Lane to complete the road finish
the additional lanes and complete the
Landscaping that was promised 20 years
ago thank you
I'm Lyn moer just following on the theme
of compliance with the open meetings act
this the this
U
PowerPoint presentation as she could say
it looks like there's at least six pages
to it this you said it was brand new
okay um this
was a part of the agenda that was posted
online this should have been there too
you see You' sprung it on the public we
do not have an opportunity to ask
questions that are based upon really any
analysis at all because you have failed
to provide this so that goes along
should go along with all the other
meeting materials and that is part of
your compliance with adequately not
singing a meeting and providing the
agenda and I would say you have failed
with respect to suddenly springing all
the CIP amendments which are obvious
obviously important upon us so that's a
non-compliance with the open meetings
Act
any
questions you you know with that said
and I agree uh there might uh be a
motion to entertain for this to be
tabled to a later date specific date
this I I um think that it's I think that
it does behoove us to can have a
conversation about how we communicate
about how to read the CIP and what it
what's included in it but um I do read
the entire agenda packet which included
each of these in detail outlined in
within the C CIP so for me for us
admittedly it's something that we read
all the time and we're accustomed to
seeing what it looks like a change in
from budget to actuals in terms of what
the CIP offers but and I don't disagree
that it that we could communicate more
clearly about that in a summary form but
um these weren't surises to to me at
having read the the packet so I I think
um I would just speak to the the idea of
either having a future time where we
talk about how to understand the CIP
process Andor documents but this is
something that we've done many times so
so um I am not supporting a motion to
table I'm sorry so do we have a motion
to
table you motion to
table yeah I thought I was clear about
that yes okay so I and uh do we have a
second if you table you have to put a
date specific to
it uh two weeks
is there a
second it fails
um go ahead
Christine this is on the motion to
approve resolution
25-80 councelor McClair yes councelor
matis no councelor Graham yes councelor
cran yes councelor FLOTUS is absent
councelor benl yes and mayor yes motion
passes can we stop for a
minute no sir uh we already had the the
moment for public particip understand
that but we I understand that but we the
people that everybody asked the problem
is this stuff came out on Friday night
it's 15 pages it came out sir this is
not the time okay but we we the city
council asked you guys to do something
and we are asking you guys and you guys
are refusing so that's the problem we
keep having here at city council is we
are not being hurt I'm sorry you feel
that way no it's not how I feel it's the
truth of what's Happening Eric
next is the board appointments we have a
motion in a second is needed uh Joe
daring new appointment to the capital
Improvement advisory committee move to
approve
Graham second
Corin this is on the motion to appoint
Joe daring to the capital Improvement
advisory committee councelor mlar yes
councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran yes councelor flus is absent
councelor bomo yes and mayor
yes NEX is city council member board
reports and comments uh Council mcer no
thank
you Council
MTI a a few things some positive some
negative um I think I U just want to
share with the city clerk I I think
that's why I kept asking when I took
this job again in
January uh maybe I'm not the fastest
reader in town but I was asking for the
presentations and even
earlier I know you forgot um that's okay
uh it's very important that I get those
so that I have
information to be able to vote so I I
would appreciate that if you could
continue that in the future um on a
positive note
um uh I don't know if everybody got a
copy of this access but I just want to
comment on the quality of life and pray
what what this affid this document
booklet it's fantastic there's so many
things that youth can do adults uh in
the city of Lo cruus uh you you probably
work a lot of hours your staff putting
this together and putting all the
programs together so I like to see if
you can get some great attendance so
that's the reason I bring it up uh
excellent job well done thank you thank
you
mayor thank you councelor
grm thank you um just going to take a
personal moment again not to remind
people of our Humanity but I want to
extend my really sincere gratitude to
everyone on the city staff folks from
the public um for condolences on the
death of my dad last month um it's
really hard to know what to say in
moments like that and I understand that
as someone who has often found myself
without words but no matter what you say
or how awkward it may feel it is very
appreciated
and I also have been thinking a lot
about Connections in the community um in
the time since my dad passed uh a fully
cooked ham showed up on my parents'
doorstep um with a card from a neighbor
who we didn't even know that he was
friends with because um he had a complex
web of his own world and these are
little bright points that I'm getting to
find out now now
unfortunately that he's gone but I
suppose that again I'm all in my
feelings um these connections are vital
I remain committed to being one of those
connections in our community um and just
again my sincere thanks to everyone up
here um because you have all been
tremendously helpful thank
you councilor K nothing nothing May
nothing mayor thank
you okay well again I just want to say
to the downtown uh partnership in the
city of Los Cruses thank you for the
chili drop it was a great event there
was a lot of community that came
together there was over 5,000 people it
was a it was a great event thank you
thank you uh police and everyone else
that uh partook in that and just want to
say that we'll continue to move forward
on January 13th we'll have the meeting
to R ify the issues that have been
addressed and I will tell you personally
I own it and I will move forward with it
for the greater good of this
community now turn it over to JC Boro as
a city manager
comments good afternoon Council mayor
mayor protm uh members of the public my
name is JC Borgo I'm one of the
assistant city
managers um we I do have a couple
announcements parks and wreck
departments keep Los Cruz's beautiful
program will host a neighborhood
dumpster day from 8:00 a.m. to noon on
Saturday January
11th um the open container locations are
at the East Mesa Rec Center at 5589 pter
Drive Young Park at 850 South Walnut
Street and the intersection of Motel
Boulevard in Westway Avenue 674 North uh
Motel Boulevard um I want want to give a
shout out to our utilities department um
on job well done over the weekend there
are a couple water line breaks that were
remedied quickly so thanks to um Adrian
and her team uh for taking care of those
quickly uh Public Works uh we've got
some Road improvements happening uh
beginning here in
January uh the first one is part of the
East MAA roads and drainage um the
Cortez Drive
improvements that'll be began January
6th and go till November 7th
2025 um the pavement replacement program
is kicking off January 6th as well there
are 10 streets that will be
impacted um and then we have the Madrid
Avenue Extension um between uh EVN
Street uh to Travis drive that will
begin on January 21st
2025 the uh Las Cruses Police Department
is Curr currently accepting applications
for their upcoming Citizens Academy that
begins February
18th applications can be found online
and are due by January 17th uh more
information can be found on the LCPD
Facebook
page um from our quality of life team uh
this year's Mitten trees uh was very
successful with the community generously
donating items to share with local
organizations
this year the community donated 10 tote
bag size bags of adult knitwear
including gloves hats and
scarves um four additional bags of
adults coats and um one medium bag of of
scarves and then
also um there was a four bags
size bags of kids outwear as well sorry
um there's lot lot here um January 1st
2025 kicks off the 90th anniversary of
the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library we
are celebrating all year with a variety
of events to commemorate the this
anniversary we are Distributing special
library cards all year
long um and then as far as museums is
concerned the Moonlight at the Museum's
event held on December 20th Drew almost
200 visitors um it was a great
event and uh finally um we we do have a
bit of sad news um one of our senior
programs Cooks uh passed away on
December 26 so we just want to give our
sincere
condolences to Jennifer Regal
reg
Regal and her family and her young
children so um our condolences out to
her her family members and and her
co-workers and that's all I have
mayor all right thank you JC uh motion
to
adjourn move to adjourn second
gra this is on the motion to adjourn the
meeting councelor McClair yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran yes councelor flotes is absent
councelor benl yes mayor
yes e