e
e e
[Music]
to uh good afternoon welcome to city
council meeting today is Monday May 20th
uh 2024 it's approximately 1: p.m. I'm
mayor Enriquez before we start I want to
mention that we do have an ASL American
signed language interpreter available
for every regular council meeting and
she will be at the front uh for anyone
who requires
interpretation we will start with a
moment of silence for the brave men and
women of the United States armed forces
and also for the rageous men and women
of the Los crises police and Los Cruses
fire department as they keep our city
safe
24/7 councelor Graham if you'll lead us
in the
pledge I pledge aliance to the flag of
the United States of America and to the
Republic for which it stands one nation
under God indivisible withy and justice
for
all we'll go ahead and start with the
presentations of certificate of
appreciation and proclamations councelor
gray thank you so much and good
afternoon our first Proclamation is for
National Police week uh detective
Kenneth
Davis or anyone else who would care to
join
in whereas the Congress and President of
the United States have designated May
15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and
the week in which May 15th Falls as
National Police Week
whereas 137 law enfor enforcement
officers in the United States lost their
lives in the line of duty last year and
preliminary reports as of May 7th 2024
indicate that an additional 56 Law
Enforcement Officers throughout the
United States have already lost their
lives in the line of duty this year and
whereas Los crus police officers play an
essential role in safeguarding the
rights and freedoms of the citizens of
the city of Los cruus Los Cruz's police
officers unwaveringly serve all people
safeguarding lives and property
protecting our community against
violence and disorder the innocent
against deception and the weak against
oppression and intimidation and whereas
since the first recorded death of a law
enforcement officer in 1786 more than
23,9 77 law enforcement officers in the
United States have made the ultimate
sacrifice now therefore we the mayor and
city of Council of Las cruus New Mexico
do hereby proclaim the week of May 12th
through 18th 2024 as National Police
Week and May 15th 2024 as Peace Officers
Memorial Day in Los cruus in memory and
honor of those law enforcement officers
who through their courageous Deeds have
made the ultimate sacrifice or become
permanently disabled during the
performance of their Duty signed by our
mayor Eric Enriquez and our city clerk
Christine Rivera
[Applause]
um just on behalf of the uh Las cras
Police Department all the Officers
Association um just like to thank for
the support that we've received this
year and also in the past and hopefully
to continue moving forward with tons of
support from our community and we enjoy
serving you and we do our best we can
every day
[Applause]
okay next up National Public Works week
so the names I have here just a fraction
David Sido Adrien Whitmer and Vanessa
King and anyone else who wants to come
on up Tony trino getting the Call's
yes I want a
swa okay let me make sure
okay if you're not involved with Public
Works just raise your hand just kidding
okay whereas Public Works professionals
focus on infrastructure facilities and
services that are a vital importance to
sustainable and resilient communities
and to the public health high quality of
life and well-being of the people of Las
cruus and whereas these infrastructure
facilities and services could not be
provided without the dedicated efforts
of Public Works professionals who are
Engineers managers and employees at all
level of government and the private
sector and who are responsible for
rebuilding improving and protecting our
nation's Transportation water supply
water treatment and Solid Waste Systems
public buildings and other structures
and Facilities essential for our
citizens and whereas it is in the public
interest for the citizens Civic leaders
and children in the city of Los cruus to
gain knowledge of and maintain an
ongoing interest an understanding of the
importance of Public Works and Public
Works programs in the respective
communities and whereas the year 2024
marks the 64th annual Public Works week
sponsored by the American public works
Association and Canadian Public Works
Association now therefore we the mayor
and city of Las cruus mayor and City
Council of Las crusis New Mexico do
hereby proclaim the week of May 19th
through 25th 2024 as National Public
Works week and urge all citizens to join
with representatives of the American
public works Association and government
agencies in activities events and
ceremonies designed to pay tribute to
our Public Works professionals Engineers
managers and employees and to recognize
the substantial contributions they make
to protecting our national health safety
and advancing quality of life for all
signed by our mayor Eric Enriquez and
our city clerk Christine Rivera
[Applause]
I only have three plaques so I don't
know if this is cage match or
you
[Applause]
mayor council Adrien Whitmer utilities
director and thank you very much for
recognizing uh the utilities department
takes great pride in trying to provide
you all with water waste water natural
gas and Solid Waste Services and we try
to do that in an efficient and coste
effective Manner and we hope to continue
to provide you service going through the
future and we hope that you are pleased
with the service that we provide thank
you very
much mayor and Council thank you for the
proclamation and also to the residents
of Los
crusis I also want to recognize the many
talented women and men that do this work
every day in Facilities Management Los
crusis utilities department and public
works I want to thank them for their
dedication and service to providing
these things day in and day
out these Services May from time go
unnoticed
but they are done with kinho every
single day so please help me again with
a round of
applause for our staff that provide
these Services because we are also part
of the community as well thank
[Applause]
you and I think Adrian you
can you can stay yeah you're you're yet
another running out of hands our next is
Proclamation for building safety month
um so Adrien Whitmer joining me again uh
Larry Nichols
uh I don't see Chief Smith but do oh oh
cool you're not Chief Smith but that's
okay uh Chief
story and Vanessa King
councelor gr go ahead and say uh
facilities uh Anthony Tony you guys
vessa you all want to come down as well
yeah please
do thank you
whereas the city of Los cruus is
continuing efforts to address the
critical issues of safety Energy
Efficiency water conservation and
resilience in the building environment
which affect our citizens in everyday
life and in times of natural disaster
assure us that our structures are safe
and sound and whereas our confidence in
the structural Integrity of these
buildings is possible through the
vigilance of building safety specialists
fire prevention officials Architects
Engineers Builders trades people design
professionals laborers and others in the
construction industry who work year
round to ensure the safe construction of
buildings and whereas dedicated members
of the International Code Council bring
together local state and federal experts
in built environments to create and
implement the highest quality codes
which protect the public in the
buildings where we live learn work
worship and play and whereas in keeping
with the theme for building safety month
2024 Mission possible New Mexicans are
asked to raise awareness of the
importance of safe and resilient
construction fire prevention and new
technology in the construction industry
and to acknowledge the essential
Services provided to all of us by local
and State Building departments fire
prevention bureaus and federal agencies
in protecting lives and property now
therefore we the mayor and City Council
of Las crusis New Mexico do here
proclaim the month of May 2024 as
Building Safety month signed by mayor
Eric Enriquez and city clerk Christine
Rivera
[Applause]
again mayor city council thank you very
much for this honor uh we work really
hard at um trying to tell everybody
about water conservation and I want to
thank all of you for actually
participating in that we have already
surpassed our 2023 goal when it comes to
gallons per capita per day and that's
all because of you you all have provided
us that wonderful number and we're
continuing to strive and we just really
appreciate you all doing your part to
help us to conserve water along with
energy thank
[Applause]
you good afternoon everyone Larry
Nicholas community development director
city building official as well I want to
thank councelor Graham for reading the
proclamation and thank you mayor and
Council for the proclamation to
recognize the building safety month the
uh Building Safety month is uh something
that happens once a year but the
building inspections to assure that we
have safe and sustainable structures
happens every single day and I want to
thank all my staff the building
inspectors the fire prevention
inspectors the M philicity maintenance
staff for making our buildings safe and
usable and efficient um and the citizens
you can rest assured that when you walk
into one of the buildings that's been
inspected that that building is safe for
you to to be in thank you very much
[Applause]
and finally we have a proclamation for
Emergency Medical Services week uh DC
Daniels and Kenny Luhan from
AMR or anyone else who would like to
join whereas Emergency Medical Services
vital public service and whereas the
members of Emergency Medical Services
teams are ready to provide life-saving
care to those in need 24 hours a day 7
days a week and whereas access to
Quality Emergency Care dramatically
improves the survival and recovery rate
of those who experience sudden illness
or injury and whereas Emergency Medical
Services has grown to fill a gap by
providing important out of hospital care
including preventative medicine
follow-up care and access to Tele
medicine
and whereas the Emergency Medical
Services System consists of First
Responders emergency medical technicians
paramedics emergency medical dispatchers
firefighters police officers Educators
administrators prehospital nurses
emergency nurses emergency physicians
trained members of the public and others
out of Hospital other out of Hospital
medical care providers and whereas the
members of Emergency Medical Services
teams whether career volunteer engage in
thousands of hours of specialized
training and continuing education to
enhance their life-saving skills and
whereas it is appropriate to recognize
the value and the accomplishments of
Emergency Medical Services providers by
designating the Emergency Medical
Services week now therefore we the mayor
and City Council of Las cruus New Mexico
do hereby proclaim the week of May 19th
through 25th 2024 as Emergency Medical
Services week signed by our mayor Eric
Enriquez and our city clerk Christine
[Applause]
Rivera May Enrique city council thank
you so much uh AMR has been part of our
community since 2007 and I've joined AMR
in 2008 and it's been a pleasure serving
Los crusis and doniana County since then
we continue to do our best to provide
pre Hospital Emergency Services to you
all and we thank you for the opportunity
to do that alongside the Lis Fire
Department dep and all of our other
responders such as doniana County fire
all the volunteer firefighters that
serve in our County uh the police
department and the citizens who have
gone through first aid in CPR training
we appreciate you very much thank
you you good
thank you councelor Graham uh next we
have the jobs of the week Sarah
Rainey good afternoon everyone thank you
mayor and Council
my name is Sarah Rainey I am the onstop
coordinator for the workforce
Connections Office for the southwest
region and for jobs of the week for this
week we have a collection specialist for
the city of Las cruus that position pays
2110 an hour or starts at 2110 an hour
um the posting closes on the 27th we
have a 911 call taker that one's going
to be listed um because there's a dire
need for 911 call takers there's several
positions open if you guys are
interested in that one please reach out
to us um that posting starts at 19 1928
an hour and the posting closes on the
30th we also have for the wi s Missile
Range we have a data collector at trium
Corporation um that one that posting
closes in
August we have a retail sales associate
for Verizon on Maine um that posting
closes on the 9th of June we also have
for Action Towing they have an office
administrator the the PO the position
starts at $115 an hour posting closes on
the 7th of June we have a food service
worker from Trinity Service Group for
$13 an hour and then I also wanted to
include that this is the season that we
have a ton of Farm Workers laborers crop
Nursery green houses and multiple um
openings across our region not just in
Los cruas but throughout our County um
for those type of positions we encourage
everyone to come in and speak with a
career consultant so that they can refer
you to those farms and ranches and
individuals that are looking for um
workers also upcoming events we have a
career Essentials event this one is May
28th no cost Employment Services events
um they actually occur all over our
region for Los cruus we have them
usually twice a month the other one
already occurred earlier this month so
if you need more information go on to
employe nm.com events for that
another reminder that we're open until 6
everyone just so in case you're you have
a job you work till 5 you can still come
in after that 5 to six
hour also my last I just wanted to say
for anyone looking for employment anyone
looking to further employment or looking
to change your employment we're there
for all of that we have a variety of
programs that can help with all of it um
and tons of employers that have
partnered up with us throughout the area
so thank you very
much oh thank you
Sarah next we have pets of the week Amy
def
Felix hello everyone of course my name
is Amy def Felix one of the rescue
coordinators with the Animal Services
Center of the missia valley and now
always pick and present our pets of the
week and we always start out with our
cat of the week this week his name is
chestnut his number
69367 and he says I can be a Wallflower
preferring my high perches in Corners to
watch everything from a comfy distance
I'm shy and reserved at first but my
weakness is next scites if my future
family is willing to give me the time
and space to get comfortable on my own
and if they're willing to give me as
many next scites as I want my love will
be theirs
forever and then of course we also have
a dog of the week and this week he is
Buck his number is 6856 2 and he says
I'm a very sweet boy but I can get a
little timid and shy in new situations
however I am a playful and sociable pup
when I'm in my element I love treats and
will take them very gently I'd love a
forever family to take me in and help me
continue to build confidence so I can
face new situations with
ease and then adoption events events
going on we have offside adoptions at
Petco this Saturday the 25th we will be
there from 11:00 a.m. to 2: p.m. so we
definitely encourage you all um if
you're looking for a new pet to stop by
we'll have some lovely adoptable dogs
and then I'd also like to mention we are
having our next drive-through
vaccination clinic coming up pretty soon
actually um it'll be Saturday June 1st
um we we will be having it from 9:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Field of Dreams
parking lot um all of the distemper
harvo for dogs and Feline damper for
cats those vaccines are free for
everyone they are sponsored by Petco
love um the first 50 microchips are
going to be sponsored by McCoy Building
Supply so that's also free to the pet
owners um after that it's only $10 for
rabies Vines kenel kenel cof vaccines
excuse me and every other microchips
after the first 50 um so we definitely
encourage you all to come by it is
extremely affordable we want to make it
as affordable as possible so that more
owners can get their pets vaccinated and
microchipped um of course as a reminder
all dogs must be on a leash and then
cats must be in carriers individual
carriers so each cat has their own
carrier we don't want them all cooped up
in the same same little carer but that
is all I have oh sorry that is not all I
have we have our website links um our
general website as cv. org and of course
we're all over social media Facebook
Instagram and Tik Tok we'll post a lot
about our adoptable pets and stuff going
on and then YouTube and Spotify and
apple podcasts is where we upload
episodes of our Tales from the pide
podcast as well and that is all I have
so thank
you all right thank you
Amy next our conflict of interest does
any member of city council city manager
or any member of the city staff have any
know own conflict of interest with any
item on the agenda
none
none seeing none we'll go to public
participation allow up to 3 minutes of
public participation and no pending
litigation or items that are on
non-consent so I'll start on my left
side uh the second row anybody on the
second row
this right can you hear
me mayor counselors city manager I'm
sorry sir if you could state your name
oh I'm sorry I'll get there I'm greeting
you first mayor counselor city manager
good afternoon my name is Michael Hayes
I live in Las cruus I have some
questions about a secret Public Safety
select committee I do not know if it
still exists or has been renamed
repurposed or terminated I asked all of
you many months ago but have not
received an answer in refusing to reply
to a citizen is refusing to reply to a
citizen courtesy or to answer his
question's
transparency what is the status of this
committee if it was terminated when and
why if not why not the charter of this
secret committee states that its purpose
is quote to provide information and
advice on City OB Charter objectives
unquote to city council my review of
many IA records discloses none
indicating that the committee has done
so if it has not been doing what it is
chartered to do what has it been doing
instead has it been securing council's
approval for policies programs of
funding with a rolling
Quorum the charter also States the term
of the select commit shall not exceed
one year or the amount of time necessary
to complete the specific established
goals and objectives of the committee
this secret committee has existed from
late 2020 to at least early
2024 its meetings have addressed among
other topics cannabis crime domestic
violence homelessness and excessive
police force topics suitable for public
discussion without specific established
goals and objectives it cannot solve
even a part of one of these problems in
a year or in a reasonable period of time
implied by the charter this committee
has thus violated its Charter has it
occurred to any of you to comply with
this Charter that is obey the law or has
city council outsourced its
responsibilities to an unaccountable
illegitimate director to run the City by
deciding important matters behind closed
doors and then hiding those decisions
from the public good
afternoon thank you anyone else on the
second
row third
row fourth
row good morning uh name's Jim
Hurst uh I want to talk about separation
of church and state
based on the comments from last meeting
many of my fellow citizens have little
knowledge or appreciation for the
concept of CH separation of church and
state some of my fellow citizens
commented to this Council that the
United States should support Israel
because of promises and blessings the
god of the Bible made to Abraham they
believe the stories in Genesis are
historical facts no matter how unlikely
they may be they have no problem was
Sarah giving birth to Isaac at the age
of 100 years they accept his historical
facts the burning bush the plagues of
Egypt the pillars of fire the
revelations to Moses the conquests of
Joshua the strength of Samson the
sacrifice of Jep to's daughter Jonah and
the great fish and similar stories their
faith tells them such stories are true
it is their faith they have a right to
their faith no matter how unlikely it
may
seem we call that religious freedom
but you council members do not have the
right to base public policy and law on
your faith we call that separation of
church and state you must base law on
reason and facts not your
religion not the teachings of your books
of faith not on religious Traditions not
on the edicts of holy men that is what
is required ired by the principle of
separation and of church and state the
population of Los cruus is
overwhelmingly cath or
Christian at least nominally but many
who live in Las cruus subscribe to Islam
they believe different stories they
believe Muhammad flew on the back of a
winged horse that that story is not any
more unlikely than many of the stories
in the Old Testament they have the same
claim and right to believe the stories
and Promises of the Quran that
Christians have the have to believe the
stories of the in the Bible again we
call that religious freedom equality
under law requires freedoms given to one
to be given to all I realize that the
question of support for Israel in its
conflict with pal with the Palestinians
is no longer under consideration by this
body what also should not be under
consideration is any compromise on the
principle of separation of church and
state however you choose to act act on
any policy or or ordinance must be
grounded in Reason Not
religion Fidelity to the federal and
state constitutions demand no less thank
you thank you that was the fourth row
anyone in the fifth
row sixth row
mayor council ju Garcia today I want to
speak about political hypocrisy some
members of our Council recently
highlighted an article in the bulletin
where they had been the subject of
verbal patriotic attacks and threats of
violence this Behavior shouldn't be
tolerated and punished when appropriate
and serves no purpose other than to
incite possible violence attack attacks
against those individuals that a has
also been subject of received threats
but what happens when our elected
officials are the ones through their
words promote aggression against
innocent individuals or add to the
National divide or those same
officials call for the dissolution of
organizations who are sworn to Serve and
Protect what happens when public
officials to their distorted and biased
comments incite violence against law
enforcement officers and their families
in 2021 Haitians crossing the border
illegally were allegedly quote whipped
by CBP our president stated and I quote
I promise you those those people will
pay those being border patrol agents but
he could not utter those words and he
continues there will be an investigation
underway now and there will be
consequences there will be consequences
this before all the facts were available
and as we all know the allegations were
false no one was whipped so let's
continue Memory Lane to last crues where
one of our counselors stated and I quote
good morning woke up with a niche to
abolish ice abolish Lam Migra abolish
eyes abolish am
Migra I am absolutely lived and I
continue with my quote at the pictures
of Border Patrol agents chasing down
Haitian families on Horseback border
patrol is a cruel
racist and rooted in white
supremacy abolish ice lra Spanish for
reference to border patrol what is the
purpose of wanting to abolish ice so
folks that are here illegally can can't
be deported or abolish the Migra is that
so the Border can be unprotected why do
we have a desire to normalize illegal
activity so we have a counselor using
insightful comments once again
attempting to further racial division
there was wide condemnation by the
council when citizens came to present
their legitimate grievances against
criminal activity yet when the pro
Palestine militants screamed and
disrupted this Chambers and verbally
assaulted Council
McLure not one word was said political
hypocrisy thank you
[Applause]
anyone else on the sixth
[Music]
row good afternoon Council
mayor distinguished
Chiefs my name is Eddie Thomas and uh
first of all uh mayor let me command you
on removing the agenda item that uh was
proclaiming a ceasefire in the Middle
East in the last meeting it was prudent
and wise given the divisive and possibly
destructive and violent nature of the
situation the City Council meetings are
to discuss City matters that affect the
citizens of Las Cruses not Wars on the
other side of the world you have enough
to deal with here in our city like crime
the homeless drug addiction and the
Mental Health crisis that we're
experiencing
currently with that
said let me Begin by saying that the
current business model to house the
homeless is not sustainable in its
current
trajectory You're Building hotels for
them and their numbers continue to
increase what are your plans going
forward as they fill up are we going to
see taxing increases as you build more
hotels to house them at what point does
this stop are there any plans to stop
are there any plans to rehabilitate them
with drug abuse programs counseling
part-time work opportunities
Etc let's save the ones that we can the
mono imano program is a good start but
we need to build on
that now let me switch to
Crime I understand that we have have a
building delegation to go to Santa Fe
and Lobby on our behalf Los kesa seems
to be the redheaded child that the uh
governor and the legislature want to
ignore so my my pitch to you is this the
Senators don't listen to us we email
them and all we get is crickets so the
delegation that you're planning to form
and send to Santa Fe is a good idea so
we can maybe affect something in The
Roundhouse the last time that the
Senators paid any attention to us was
when Matt was a conservative voice spoke
at
NMSU there was a a letter written in in
condemnation scolding the president of
NMSU at that time and some of you here
on this Council signed off on that
letter so that tells me a lot about
where your minds are about the coming
programs that will affect Los
cruus I'd be real interested to know
that when this delegation goes up north
what you're going to advocate for are
you guys truly going to advocate for us
or are you going to side with the
governor what I would like to know who's
going and what the agenda items
are will you advocate for laws sir your
time is up thank you I appreciate P
you anyone else on the
sixth seventh
row
eighth ninth
[Music]
row okay moving to the
right yeah second row
good afternoon Mr city manager mayor and
City councilors my name is Dolores
lucietto I would normally not come to
you with this notice today but because
of all the conversation over
um crime and disruption in our city my
street was hit on April 23rd at 3:04
a.m.
there are 24 houses on my dead end
street I'm at the top of the
street and at 3:04 a.m. I'm sure I was
not the last street that was being
affected that night I live a half a mile
from the public safety building that
doesn't deter those that want to be
Thieves on the cameras of which I do not
have there was uh two very young men
dressed in black
checking cars on the street mine are
safely in the garage broke a few Windows
stole a few things did a little damage
to
property with a black truck brand
spanking you driving along keeping eye
on them so they can throw the
merchandise into the back of the truck
and then take
off I don't normally want to complain
about things that happen but I want you
to know it's not in one location in this
city it's not part of just District
whatever it is across this city and I
live in district 6 I'm very pleased with
your choice as our chief of police
having served under two chiefs of police
during my term on Council I can tell you
that Chief story is is a thinker he's a
a planner and he's organized and I feel
comfortable and safe that he is leading
this police force in this city I ask you
to please open your eyes it's not just
the poor person driving that truck I
guarantee you either gave those two kids
something whatever it could be money
drugs anything on a Tuesday morning at
3:00 in the morning and I guarantee you
I was maybe the last street that night
CU they were probably tired by that time
but I was not the only street so please
give our chief and his uniformed
officers all the Care that they need not
just in talk but in action and I thank
you for your time
today thank you anyone else on the
second row my
right hello
sorry okay hello um my name is Monique
Romero um I want to look at each and one
of you every single one of you
specifically and ask how could
you obviously I'm here with Los crues
for
Palestine and I'm here to represent the
people of
Palestine how could you why while you
get to go home to your family to your
children to your
car anything that you
own how can you
peacefully go about your
day knowing that there are innocent
lives
being murdered as we
speak over 6 million people in the Gaza
Strip has been
displaced over 30,000 have been killed
or badly
wounded how can
you knowing what's going on and
understanding how can you continue your
day-to-day
lives without being
frustrated without feeling empathy for
these
people
people let me say that again
people how can you not see Palestinians
as human
beings do we need to go back and educate
ourselves about
equality is 2024 and why are we still
like why are we traveling to the Past
I want to say that we do not agree with
the actions of Hamas you can say we're
pro-israel or Pro Palestine but we're
not pro
Palestine we're simply
anti-war and we are
not complicit in this current genocide
going
on so what I'm asking
is for the city of Los
cruus the
council to demand a immediate
impermanent ceasefire in
Gaza specifically Las Cruses has sent
over $3,000 300 sorry
$30,000 to fund this
genocide so there's no
denying that Los cruus isn't just as
complicit
I want you to take a second though for
these next 10
seconds
and
realize how are you going to continue
your DayDay
lives thank
you anyone else on the second row
May and city council my name is V celo
resident of District 1 and member of L
crues for Palestine a lot of folks chose
not to come today out of disgust for
this council's conduct two weeks ago
that denied even a conversation about
genocide but you gave genocide
supporters a lot of time so I thought
you should maybe listen to some
humanitarians too Craig mckyer human
rights lawyer and former un official has
said there are 193 countries in the
world us politicians and media
corporations say you can criticize 192
of them and you all proved that two
weeks ago there have been more
humanitarian Aid workers killed in Gaza
than in all the wars in the world over
the last 30 years combined in just the
first four months of this genocide more
children were killed in Gaza than in the
past four years in all the world wars in
all the world combined as of March 18th
Gaza starvation rates were the worst
ever recorded according to Oxfam in just
the first 3 months of the genocide more
journalists work killed in Gaza then in
the entirety of World War II and the
Vietnam War as of May 3rd this became
the deadliest war for journalists in all
of
history in case anyone still cares about
international law let's talk a little
bit about international law Israel's
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza
means that according to human rights law
its actions are regulated by the four
Geneva conventions and additional
protocol one the occupying power faces
specific obligation in territories it
occupies articles of the Fourth Geneva
Convention provide for civilian
Protections in all occupied
bans Collective punishment and bans
Force displacement protocol one bans
Warfare that causes widespread long-term
and severe damage and weapons that cause
unnecessary suffering like the white
phosphorus that the US provides it bans
indiscriminate attacks on civilian
populations and destruction of food and
water bans weapons whose scope of
Destruction cannot be limited like the
on ton bombs that the US
provides it also defines Warfare that
does not distinguish between civilian
and Military targets as war
crimes protocol one protects um provides
protections for women children medical
personnel and journalists and bans
attacks on places of worship do not care
about international law we can talk
about us law that we're breaking the Ley
law the foreign assistance act the arms
control export act conventional arms
transfer policy National Security
memorandum 20 and as signatories to the
genocide convention we are violating the
United States legal obligation
apparently we have no moral obligation
but we do have a legal obligation to
prevent genocide there have been three
court rulings both National and
international that have found credible
evidence that us backed Israel is
committing genocide so please please
tell me why 2 weeks ago five members of
this body caved into the lies that have
been used for 76 years to dehumanize
Palestinian people five votes for
Starving Children five votes for
genocide Us weapons are being used to
attack refugee camps to murder families
intense right now anyone supporting what
the US and Israel are doing and anyone
pretending neutrality is an option have
check the morality at the door thank you
[Applause]
hello my name is Elizabeth Bennett I
want to start by thanking councilors
kordan and bomo for their courage for
the rest of you I have come to bring you
some
news the US funded Palestinian genocide
didn't go away because you decided not
to talk about it
on the contrary we are in The Darkest
Hour the bodies are piling up in
hospitals with no supplies the living
are cut off from water and food and Aid
trucks are lit on fire outside of closed
border
crossings journalists and Aid workers
cannot enter and desperate civilians
cannot flee the Relentless dropping of
bombs and white phosphorus meanwhile
half of the world struggles to figure
out how to convince the powerful few
that the the genocide must end all while
our government sends another billion
dollars of taxpayer money to keep the
whole thing
going some of us who choose not to look
away have been witnessing absolute hell
on Earth unfiltered for seven months for
seven months we have been trying to do
everything we can follow the proper
protocol and procedure to beg the people
in power to stop the unchecked US
sponsored Slaughter of Palestinian men
women and
children and time and time again we are
met with hostile aggression or cowardice
silence you our elected officials the
leaders in our
community the people granted the power
and authority to amplify our voices the
absolute very least you could do is to
call for the Carnage to stop but many of
you most of you chose
silence I I am an alumni of enemis you
and a proud public servant but you and
many other leaders who watch and say
nothing you all make me question who and
what I am
serving I am so fed up with this facade
of institutional
decency it means absolutely nothing when
we systematically decide that we are
okay with children being crushed in
their sleep and peace Advocates being
beaten in the streets
S as long as we don't disturb the
Comfort peace and land grabbing plans of
the
powerful the children and young people
of the world are begging us all to wake
them up from this gruesome nightmare but
instead our leaders choose to sleep in
comfort for anyone still listening
please do not give up the fight for the
soul of humanity versus the insatiable
appetite of global
imperialism please continue to call for
the boy divestment and sanctioning of
the Israeli government please continue
to call your elected officials demanding
an immediate imp permanent ceasefire
Viva
[Applause]
Palestina anyone on the third row on my
right fourth row
name is John Ley and I represent the
pickable
community thank you for having us um we
would like to know why we can't share 14
courts um the Lions Club Mr Ley could
you speak
directly a little bit louder sorry um we
would like to know why we cannot share
14 courts that are being so rarely used
used and we're losing pick ofall people
they can't play we've taught hundreds of
players and they're beginners and be and
intermediates they cannot play we have
eight courts and we will never have
enough if you line those courts we will
come and I guess it's the Parks and
Recreation will not listen to us I've
had meetings with them two
meetings and lions is off the table
young is be young Park is being
vandalized because we can't play there
there marks places all over there I
can't teach children parents
handicap uh families this is a family
the only active family sport that they
can play and there's no gender we need
your help we need you to finally speak
up to get us these courts Lions
dedicated these for all recreational
purposes not just tennis and no one
knows about this contract because none
of you guys were B before 71 except for
that was old manire but this was 1971
when um it was dedicated for All Purpose
uses I tried to show parks and recs all
the names dates and times I use a young
Park was not
accepted we can't prove anything to you
if you don't accept anything or you
don't line the courts we have a handicap
here we have another handicap and we
have a father who's going to speak why
can't we get these courts we have never
got a great answer not legal good
question why we can't have those courts
every man woman and child who can walk
can play this
sport please please help us so all we're
asking you is to please I have to tell
you it's Mr Franco in my opinion working
with him he has denied us this these
courts no reason whatever I mentioned
Lions Park he looked me right in the eye
and said off the table you didn't know I
have this contract this contract says
all purposes on lions and we need young
okay we need Young Park so it doesn't
get vandalized please help us out um
we're hurting a lot of people and some
of you people I talk to up there know
how important pball is the fastest
growing sport in seven years in America
the USA and pick ball is getting
together now to share pick ball the
tennis Association United States the
French Open and the United States open
but this tennis Association will not
work with us thank you so much
appreciate
it thank you anyone else on that row
I must be short good afternoon mayor
council members um my name is Diane
gavver and I'm here today representing
the local Parkinson's
Community um 10 years ago I was told by
neurologist that I had Parkinson's
disease I frantically began re searching
the disease in the hope of finding
something to show slow the progression
what I found was that while medication
helps with symptoms exercis was the only
thing that can slow the progression and
keep the many symptoms at Bay One Day in
2018 while eating at McDonald's I saw
Lara smart wearing an ask me about
pickle ball shirt so I tapped her on the
shoulder and said tell me about pickle
ball and I've been playing regularly
ever since as a former tennis player I
found that transition to pickle ball
fairly easy currently I serve on the
board of the Parkinson support group of
southern New Mexico and have been very
involved with our Parkinson's community
and support group I wanted to share my
love of this sport so badly with others
in the group so with the help of Coach
Al John alevy who just spoke I was able
to fulfill my dream we are so grateful
for parks and wreck to allow us to use
the multi-purpose room at meite for our
weekly sessions at a nominal course
cost we began this journey in December
of 2022 with a few brave people who come
came out to see what all the hype was
about since then it has grown to
approximately 10 regular players who
have improved exponentially over time in
fact we are almost outgrowing the room
while playing with others who aren't
burdened by the many challenges of
Parkinsons is imposs finding somewhere
to play outside our little room is
virtually impossible
we wish there were more opportunities to
play as we enjoy our once a week session
so much and it has helped me and others
with our progressing symptoms to keep
them at Bay the best part of pickle ball
is that when I am playing I forget that
I even have Parkinson's I would play
every day if I could thank you for
listening to my story I hope that soon
we will have more courts available for
all to play people with disabilities
young children families and seniors this
sport has literally changed my life for
the better and I'm sure that many others
feel the same I'd like to thank Becky
kin I see she's not here today for her
support and assistance to implement
improvements to the rinken Hills Park
pickle ball
court I have David here today do you
want to
speak hi I'm David pric I'm a stroke
survivor and um Diane's Parkinson's
group has been kind enough to let me
play with them because we have a
comparable limitations and um I just
want to say that having access to more
pick ball cart would be ideal thank
you my name is Kathy short hello
everyone I wasn't prepared to speak I
just would like to say that with the
overabundance of pickle ball players and
the lack of Courts we're running into
frustrations and I'm afraid it's going
to become a safety issue now because
people are getting frustrated with lack
of places to play thank you very much
for your
time hello everyone Preston gamberdella
so I'm the dad of the bunch so I like
most good ideas it began with my wife
who decided that she wanted to find
something for all four of us to be able
to do together so she said she wanted a
pickle ball set for Christmas stocking
stuffer so I said you got it 20 bucks
later uh we were out at Young or Aida
Park uh playing together as a family so
the four of us kind of hanging out doing
our thing we had no idea watched YouTube
video of even what the rules were uh
fast forward just a little bit uh some
of the pickle ball Community actually
connected with my kids school and began
to teach uh the kids that they go to
msia Valley Leadership Academy and so
began to teach some of the kids the
basics of the game how to play you know
that kind of fun stuff which spurred
them on to drive my wife and I out uh
more and more so just last week I was
able to play three times during the week
with my kids uh so the first night was
5:00 we got to the courts my son and I
were able to play uh no big deal uh by
the time we left about 7 started to get
pretty busy so uh Tuesday night my
daughter had her last game at meite uh
basketball so we decided we would go by
after that and play a few rounds and
unsuccessfully though uh the courts were
packed and we just didn't we didn't want
to wait you know an hour to play so uh
limited space so we went back again
Thursday night um same situation so you
know when we do that we started kind of
driving past the tennis courts on um
Picacho and at most uh three courts were
being used of whatever 12 or 14 courts
that are there so yeah just trying to
understand how we have you know kind of
a disparity between overflow and empty
so that's essentially what we're asking
for is you know paint the stripes you
don't have to take the Nets down they
just flip and um good family activity so
it's been great for my family and I to
spend time together and we've enjoyed it
so appreciate your time
thank
[Applause]
you that was row four anyone in row
five hello I'm Susan Greenwall Cabo
executive director of downtown Los cruus
partnership and the Los cruus Arts and
Cultural District um this weekend we
celebrated our third annual litfest um
and fourth annual Generations Community
reading project reading or sorry writing
project reading it was a great success
we had it um at Dona an um sorry the
donana Arts Council uh film Lost
cruus uh and then finally at the Rio
Grand theater um Chris lier and his crew
especially Scott did such a great job
for us uh we rolled in uh the PowerPoint
was going the chairs were set up
correctly um our event is people in the
community that are paed together that
read so we are all amateurs all the time
and they had a really professional way
of dealing with us and answering all of
our questions and anticipating in our
needs so we really appreciate that um
councelor McClure did our closing
comment
uh for the reading and we appreciate
that as well she is a Generations Alum
um from our first cycle so thank you for
making this possible and making it
happen every year it's such a great
Community event um we are Switching
gears kind of here at the end of our
fiscal year we're working on a new
project for us which is a business Fair
we're calling it a speed dating business
Fair as of today um our copy is due
tomorrow so it might change uh it's
going to be asking small businesses to
come um who are new or emerging and then
we are going to pair them in groups and
let them sit down at tables with
Community Resources such the city as Las
cruus is going to talk to them about
your data services we're going to have
West score um New Mexico Main Street is
going to table um so it's just a whole
bunch of different organizations and our
Economic Development ecosystem um so
it's not lectures it's not speeches it
is one-on-one assistance all day long
we're going to provide coffee and lunch
it is a $10 ticket I have sponsorships
or scholarships available I just am
trying to prevent the a whole bunch of
people sign up and then no one shows up
scenario so um hope that you can help us
get the message out about that as well
um I gave Christine um some prints from
our art show that that is still up at
the Rio Grand Theater it is called west
of Eden it is um themes from Steinbeck
reimagined through the Contemporary
Southwest they are paintings there are
six of them still the Rio Grand Theater
they will be that there to the end of
the month they are really great in print
but they are fantastic in person they're
very large um it takes just a few
minutes to stop by and see them and I
hope that you do before they leave town
they are on their way to celus
California to the National Stein Center
thank
you thank
you that two three four anyone else on
row five row
six city council and mayor I'm Sarah SM
thank you for focusing on the many local
issues that you were elected to work on
as you know our community is continuing
to suffer under high crime and repeat
offenders are responsible for a large
portion of this crime if you look at
public records you can see that there
are men committing dozens and dozens of
crimes only to be released onto the
streets because they are labeled as
incompetent to stand trial for instance
one of the top repeat offenders was
charged 63 times over a year and a half
period with offenses including Criminal
Trespass possession of legal drugs
assault property damage indecent
exposure shoplifting and unlawful
carrying of a deadly weapon another top
repeat offender had 56 charges including
trespassing shoplifting assault and
battery meaning he physically harmed
someone these and many other top repeat
offenders have 999 West Amador listed as
their address which means they are
homeless since that is the address for
the msia valley community of hope you've
had numerous business owners and
residents come before you to ask you to
help their businesses and homes are
being vandalized windows are being
broken property is being taken people
are being threatened and harmed but we
are told there is no way out until the
legislature changes the state law the
governor's upcoming special session in
July is a prime opportunity to push for
the changes we need several of you have
expressed support for legislation aimed
at making sure that criminals who are
labeled as incompetent are not just
released back onto the streets of Los
cruus will you as a public body please
sign a resolution in support of
Competency reg legislation and urge the
governor and legislators to take action
on this during the July special session
our Dona Ana County legislators have
been largely silent on this issue and we
need your help will you please speak up
for us and send a powerful resolution to
Santa Fe that we need competency
legislation now thank you for your
[Applause]
service anyone anyone else on the sixth
row
seventh
eighth ninth anyone else on the right
side you're waving or you want to come
up okay come
on uh good afternoon Council um I'm here
with my daughter and my uh trusty and
talented assistant here uh giving me my
hands
free uh I also wanted to comment on the
uh shopping cart ordinance that has been
proposed um I don't quite remember what
I was going to say but uh it see okay so
it seems to me that this ordinance is
treating the shopping carts as like a
proxy for more serious crimes we're
saying homeless people are often pushing
around shopping carts a lot of homeless
people with mental illness addiction and
whatever are the ones committing a lot
of these burglaries and vandalisms as
that individual just said uh and so
doing something about the shopping carts
will nip that in the bud and I just
don't think that that's the case and uh
this seems to be based on the like
Broken Window Theory of criminal
deterrence which is named that because
somebody articulated as you know a
property is abandoned then a window gets
broken and nothing gets done about it
and then people see that as a signal
that they can continue to escalate their
behavior uh and this theory was kind of
widespread in the 80s and was result or
uh kind of promoted the stop and frisk
program where if you if you if you
nitpick on the little things the Big
Things become less of a problem uh and
that has pretty much been debunked it
turns out that crime goes up and down
for a lot of reasons uh a lot of
national Trends and when you control for
those it doesn't really make much of a
difference but what it does do is create
a lot of liabilities for police
departments and cities uh they can be
sued for uh inconsistent enforcement for
civil rights violations and stuff like
that so I feel like while not increasing
the public safety it will increase the
liabilities and lawsuits and be very
expensive for the city um
so I think so growing up in the 90s you
watched a law of Law and Order on
television because it was on all the
time and they always say the criminal
justice system is composed of two
distinct and separate parts the police
who investigate crimes and the District
Attorney's Office who prosecutes them
and there is a third piece which is the
sentencing and each of those pieces has
its flaws there doesn't seem to be much
investigation or much emphasis on
Investigation people have said how
number of crimes reported no longer
reflects the reality because people have
lost confidence that there will be any
sort of followup I think the department
in my opinion needs to put more
resources into investigation so people
can have that confidence and if people
knew that hey even if there's video or
photos uh that will be followed up on
and be tracked and there'll be more
likely to be apprehensions and Etc
second piece as she said prosecution we
need to find some way to uh prosecute
those people who are deemed incompetent
but also hold them if they are clearly a
threat to the community which requires a
judge signing something which can be
done digitally we can just send them a
message and say this person's at risk
for this reason please hold them third
piece is sentencing like I said there's
no place for these people to go look up
Conor blue it's a special education
instit tion for people with severe
psychiatric disorders we can adapt it
for adults what's your legislative
priority let's
go thank
[Applause]
you Council uh City councilors good
afternoon my name is hir I'm a longtime
resident um and I'm here just to uh
perhaps tell you something you already
know remind you that a lot of the uh
criminal problems that we have are
caused by poverty
and a lot of the things you're dealing
with are things that you cost you know
like climate change and immigrate Gres
and War abroad but we do have to deal
with the consequences right which is
increased poverty and increased uh um
inequality and some of those uh Pro
poverty process are are caused by
historic um legislation that the city
enacted many decades ago right like
zoning that requires minimum City
parking minimum uh parking
uh and um offset for buildings right and
so I would like to request that those
are removed there's also a huge emphasis
on building car Centric infrastructure
which forces people to spend a large
portion of their income on a vehicle
because it's the only way to get their
way around the city and so I would like
us to consider making sure that it's a
standard part of our city that we build
alternative modes of transportation so
that people who can bike and use a
wheelchair and take a stroller don't
have to risk their lives just across the
sea city cross across every every street
just because drivers are
impatient um so anyway uh the largest
cost of people's poverty is housing and
transportation and one large portion of
uh um housing cost is the lack of of
offer so if you can modify our city uh
regulations so that we can facilitate
the building and uh construction of more
uh high density housing maybe high rise
apartment complex
um and also you know public
transportation of course but
but uh pedestrian and citizen Centric
infrastructure instead of car Centric
infrastructure so we don't have to have
a large bu incomes go to the um Auto
industry thank
[Applause]
you all right thank you I think that's
everyone for public
participation next I'll look for
acceptance of agenda move to approve
second by
fles this is on the motion to accept the
agenda as presented councelor
McClure yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran is absent councelor flus yes
councelor bomo yes
mayor yes
okay we'll open with resolutions and or
ordinance for discussion 7.1 resolution
number
24-19 resolution authorizing a contract
for Online Marketplace purchases with
amazon.com Services LLC of Seattle
Washington via omony Partners Prince
William County Public Schools
contract move to approve Graham
second and we'll have Miss Molina
presenting good afternoon mayor
councelors and City staff my name is
Siri Molina buyer in the purchasing
program I am re representing a
resolution to authorize a contract
purchase agreement for Amazon
Marketplace purchases the city of Las
crues procures General goods for its
staff across all departments to support
the city's daily operations each
department allocates a budget for its
General good requirements as part of the
annual budgeting process the total
amounts are combined to determine the
contract amount needed for the fiscal
year thank
you L Cruz's Municipal Co code allows a
to utilize contracts from other entities
to effectively procure goods and
services at a lower cost Omnia Partners
has a contract to allow the city to to
purchase General goods from Amazon
Marketplace at a discounted price
Amazon.com Services of Seattle
Washington offers reduced pricing to the
city based on Prince William County
Public Schools contract for a term
through January 18th 2028 the purchasing
section is requesting authorization to
into a contract with Amazon for an
amount not to exceed 500,000 annually
subject to approved budget
Appropriations here are your options and
I stand for
questions any
questions no thank you go
ahead this is on the motion to approve
resolution
24-19 councelor McClure yes councelor
matis
yes councelor Graham yes councelor cran
is absent councelor flutes yes councelor
bomo yes mayor
yes next we'll have 7.2 resolution
number 24-120 a resolution to award
professional service contracts for
utilities engineering service on an
as-needed
basis move to approve second
Miss Virginia
Vela good afternoon mayor council City
staff my name is Virginia Barilla I'm
the buyer to with financial services
department and before you today is a
resolution authorizing the award of
Professional Service agreements for
utilities Engineering
Services the city of Los crusis requires
proposals for utilities Engineering
Services for network analysis for water
Wastewater and gas systems design of
electrical water Wastewater and gas
Utility Systems landfill systems and
well houses uh supervisory controlled
and data acquisition Master planning
feasibility and solid waste studies land
use permitting subsurface utility
exploration and Boundary and easement
surveying on February 2nd the city
advertised request for proposals for
procurement number 23
24052 for the purpose of pre-qualifying
firms that can provide these specialized
Engineering Services and enter into
agreements with recommended firms the
solicitation was closed on February 22nd
2024 uh 14 responses were received and
submitted to the selection advisory
committee for review and recommendation
on April TW 10th 2024
sack recommendation was to award to all
vendors that did respond to the RFP um
before you are the local vendors that
are from the Los crus albu and El Paso
area um that's a total of 10 vendors and
then in addition to that we did have
four vendors um that are non-local
vendors it is advantageous for the city
to utilize a pre I'm sorry must to
switch over it is advantageous for the
city of Los Cruses to have a
pre-qualified list of Engineers from
which to select all City departments are
going to be able to utilize these
contracts with the awarded engineering
firms on an as needed basis for budgeted
projects there are numerous projects
that are budgeted throughout the
upcoming fiscal years these projects do
vary in quantity complexity and
cost additionally there are times when
special funding is made available to the
city for specific projects the funding
sources often give strict time frames
within which improvements must be
designed and constructed to secure the
funding by having a pre-qualified list
of Engineers it will not be necessary to
go through individual requests for
proposal uh for contract to the
necessary to contract for the necessary
work for each individual project and
ensure that these projects which are
essential for the health and the safety
of the community are completed within a
um within the set time frames of the
allotted
budgeting the contract terms are going
to be for four years for each individual
contract with each individual vendor uh
they will be for a not to exceed amount
of $2 million annually per vendor
subject to budget
Appropriations and before you are your
options and I stand for questions
questions Council Flores thank you mayor
and thank you for your presentation um
our script says that it's for a
five-year period not a 4-year
period I will need to check and verify
if that was an error on my
end I apologize give me one moment but
she said four
I think your cohort is going to help you
out or maybe your boss I don't
know um it does say in the title for a
fiveyear term so it's five and not four
yes okay my other question is it's an
allocation of $2 million for each um
contract uh person uh entity mayor
counselors yes that is correct it will
be $2 million per vendor per
year so that's well I didn't how many
vendors four two so that's 8 million I
don't know my multiplication there are
14 vendors total 14 so 14 times whatever
so that's going to be
allocated what happens if um say uh
Corbin mult
Corbin um you know makes more of a
request more than $2 million and but
it's the Best Buy you know it's the best
purchasing price what happens if if the
you've already exceeded the $2
million counselor um mayor the $2
million is going to be set by you today
if there were an event that were to
happen that we would potentially exceed
$2 million with any vendor we would
bring that again before Council for you
to review it and for you to approve it
um should you approve it then we would
move forward if you did not then we
would be capped at that limit and we
would have to entertain other options
okay so this is over a 5-year period and
um so we're we're allocating money uh
henceforth five five million well
whatever for um what is it 2 million per
entity five years in advance
so what happens if rates go up or what
happens if the the money isn't expended
on that particular uh provider mayor
counselors um so this is just allowing
us to spend up to $2 million with each
vendor on an annual basis for any
projects that are brought to council and
approved by Council through each
budgeted fiscal year um as part of the
proposals that each of the individual
vendors did submit to us
they did give us hourly rates and rates
for the services that they would provide
um should they want to amend those rates
their hourly rates that they charge us
per this contract again that would be
something that we would have to bring
forward to council to make that
amendment to that contract okay so then
the allocation of 2 million for each uh
vendor is set aside just for the use of
those vendors yes and it's done for to
do it expeditiously yes okay thank you
very much thank you Mr
Mayor thank you any other questions
saying none
Christine this is on the motion to
approve resolution
24-120 councelor McClair yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran is absent councelor flutes yes
councelor bomo yes and mayor
yes next is 7.3 resolution number 24-1
121 a
resolution adopting the municipal
adopted budget for fiscal year 2425 for
the city of Los
cus move to approve
Graham
second good afternoon mayor council City
management staff and public my name is
jacn rubal Gava budgetting Grant
administrator I am bringing forth a
resolution today to adopt the city
managers fy2 2425 proposed
budget this has been months of
collaboration between All City
departments budget HR City management
and Council
input we have held a budget Retreat
multiple internal meetings and two work
sessions one of those being a public
hearing for this budget book we will um
the theme is adante karino so this is
lifting the community Adelante Karo by
working together for more prosperous
safe and Equitable loss cruises this is
a continuation of the gingo theme of
last
year the cover photo was
selected by there was a contest held by
vielas crues called phix southern New
Mexico
2024 one of the local winners Leslie
vetta submitted this photo and we're
using it for the cover throughout the
budget book we'll also be using
different submissions as a way to
Encompass and um bring forth the
community's efforts and how they view
the city of Las Cruses so today we do
have Leslie Baka here with us and she
did want to say a couple of words so
Leslie hi everyone I'm lesie paketa I a
freelance graphic designer and
photographer and I'm just very grateful
to be here I was not expecting um I won
a grand prize from visit Los crues and
they reached out to me saying that they
wanted to use my photo on the cover
which is really such a like wow
experience for me so I'm just really
grateful to be here and grateful to meet
everyone everyone's been really nice so
yes thank
you oh thank you and
[Applause]
congratulations we'll start off with the
Citywide expenses this table is in
millions we do show the fy2 24 revised
and the fy2 proposed so looking through
here we see that the general fund did
increase approximately 13.3 million
throughout the presentation I'll be
explaining that increase some of the
larger changes have been in capital
project funds and Enterprise funds we
see a decrease in capital project funds
of approximately 18.5 million this is
due to part of it is due to the way that
grants are budgeted we did change the
way that some of these grants are
budgeted specifically reauthorizations
we do um later in the year we'll receive
anything that was reauthorized will
receive a new Grant agreement at that
time we we'll budget
it there are also in Enterprise you'll
see that there was a decrease of
approximately 34.8
million some of this is again due to
Grants for example Transit is budgeted
differently when we get the FY 25
Transit Grant it's budgeted that time
there are also closing of some bonds
some for utilities and decreasing of
Capital Loans that are ending or
decreasing throughout the year so that
gives us the FY 24 revised city-wide
expenses of the proposed was
632 the FY 24 revised was 632 million
and the FY 25 proposed of 596.69313010
% of the proposed expenditures followed
closely by the general fund at
approximately
28% Enterprise funds is those funds such
as utilities airport and Transit and the
general fund is the operating funds for
the general
city here is the expenditures for just
the general fund for the FY 23 and 24
revised it was approximately 1518 Mill
million for this proposed budget it's
165.1 this is an increase of
approximately
8.8
perc breaking down the general funds
this is all not just the the main
general fund but this breaks down all
the general funds for the city this
includes like facilities or the vaf that
are housed in a separate fund but are
included as part of the general funds
the beginning balance for fy2 proposed
is 68.2 million with revenues of
162.5 expenditures of approximately
169 net transfers of
29.1 and ending balance of
32.7 and as with the general funds there
is a required 2 12ths that is
27.5% giving us an available balance in
all General funds of 5.2 million
this is a breakdown of just the general
fund so fund 1,000 again in millions
showing the same data the FY 24 revised
and the FY 25
proposed for fy2 proposed there is an
available balance at the bottom about
approximately 3.9 million compared to
the FY 24 revised of 6.8 million this is
a decrease of approximately 2.8 million
we wanted to break down the general fund
expenditure changes this goes back to
the 13.3 million that we showed in the
prior
slides the changes are largely due to
personnal approximately 10.2 million
operating at 6.5 million and capital
decreased approximately 3.4 million and
this is still from the fy2 24 revised to
the fy2 proposed
some of the fy2 budget considerations
that were taken that are Incorporated in
this budget are these salary and benefit
projections there are is a 3 to 4%
General wage increase Incorporated in
the budget represented in bargain
contracts were incorporated as as well
as longevity and a 05% PA
increase and an insurance premium
increase of 12%
the vacant positions were budgeted at
50% and the health insurance for those
positions was budgeted at employe only
rate this
year here's a breakdown of where your
money comes from so these are for
general fund fy2 proposed revenues so
total general fund revenues is
approximately 145. n million largely
made up of GRT at about
76% where your money goes these are
general fund fy2 proposed expenditures
total general fund expenditures are
165,166 per followed by operating at
32 we broke down the fy2 budget by
departments we see the largest being at
the top is police at 38.2 million and
then it goes it flows down we also broke
this table down by Personnel operating
capital and you'll see that through the
different colors so Personnel is in the
pink operating is blue and capital is
the yellow you'll see that this follows
the consistency of showing that
Personnel is the largest um
category and this makes up the general
fund expenditures of 65.1
million this is again the FY 25
Department budgets but this one ALS show
also shows you the FY 24 revised
compared to the fy2 proposed you do see
that throughout the Departments there
was an increase in budget in all the
Departments there is a slight decrease
in legal but that was just due to
restructuring um internal audit left
legal and again this comes up to the
65.1
million general fund transfers this is a
breakdown of the transfers coming out of
the general fund at the top we'll see
that this includes the GRT stre Street
Maintenance of 4.5 million as well as um
73,000 to airport so it does list all
the transfers that are coming out of the
general fund for the fy2 proposed and at
the bottom we see hold harmless
contingent transfer in we did transfer
from hold harmless into the general fund
and they net it to about 7 million
giving us total net transfers to the
general fund at approximately 5.6
million for fy2 these are the following
new positions proposed we did break them
down by Department the position request
and the FTE
equivalency please note that these
positions are budgeted at
50% here's a continuation of those fy2
new positions to give us a total new FTE
count of 21 in the new in new
positions we wanted to provide some city
manager approval highlights these are
some of the highlights that you've see
within the budget so starting off we
have Community
Development with $200,000 for the Nuance
abatement team and this is a team to
investigate and inspect the safety and
sanitation conditions of vacant and
unkempt structures and properties
throughout the city this is to make sure
that
security that the the the buildings are
boarded and secured is needed and that
there aren't um and when necessary and
in demolition of unsaved structures in
is completed for fire
150,000 this is for the Police Athletic
League boxing also referred to as PAL
boxing at the Sammy Burke youth Boxing
center and pal does offer boxing and
nonbox activities for Community
youth another highlight is for police 2
137,50 this is for three park ranger
positions and the corresponding three
vehicles this is a initiative between
police and parks to make our all our
city parks safer these will be uniformed
swarm personnel and their sole purpose
is to increase safety in our parks along
with that police also we'd like to
highlight
110,000 for the wellness program this is
an expansion on the law enforcement PTSD
support and family counseling and this
is to advance our officer wellness
program and help address the mental
emotional financial and physical needs
of our officers and their
families another highlight is for the
missia Valley Community of Hope campus
this is an increase of
$310,000 for security this is to provide
24-hour security for a safer
campus this following bullet you'll seiz
$300,000 for Mano mano community
outreach and a
vehicle this does say pending as it's
not currently budgeted in the city
budget there are options to include this
via amended budget during this motion or
to budget in July we do bring
adjustments uh in July to clean up the
budget or any additional requests so
this can be added at this time so we did
put a um pending with an as
risk another highlight is for quality of
life
183,000 for senior citizen meals this is
to provide and deliver hot meals to
homebound senior citizens along with a
$66,000 pet food program to provide the
senior citizens um food to feed their
for your
companions there is an also a proposed
$60,000 increase for security for the
mson center and this is to Inc increase
the security during operating hours to
address issues as they rise and to keep
the center
safe for a municipal court and legal
there is a collaboration with various
departments including munic Court legal
City manager's office and police for
this program under the SOS which is
safety opportunity
support currently budgeted is
213,000 this is for a full-time public
defender that will be on site at the Los
Cruses Municipal Court
some funds were also used for ankle
monitoring services this will assist in
reducing recidivism protecting the
community at large and identifying when
clients require a higher level of care
with Services there will also be a case
manager care
manager again here we show at the bottom
the second bullet is a continuation of
the safety opportunity support/
community community Court a proposed
$200,000 this is not Incorporated in the
budget so it also has the aster with
pending you have the same options as
with the
previous and this is a to provide
nonprofit provided services and case
kcare
management this will be used for
counseling treatment for substance use
and mental health disorders different
appointments and home
visits and for Public Works program
another highlight is the
545 this is for the sidewalk Gap
funding and this will benefit the
community at large repairing damaged
portions of sidewalk and filling in
gaps with created continuous paths
increasing the walkability and safety
for
pedestrians here we listed additional
city manager approvals that were
approved within the budget but we didn't
highlight these so we listed them out
again by Department description and the
amount any of the items that have an
asterisk are a
reclass and here's a continuation of
those for fy2 the vehicle acquisition
fund the US city manager did propose $1
million for the vehicle acquisition fund
fund broken down into 16 units and
spread across the these the following
departments and then for fy2 we're also
showing the tore fund first we're
starting off with a list of all of the
telshore fund requests proposed for this
budget as well as on on this side
they're they're not included but on the
previous in the next slide you'll see
that there's asteris for any
carryovers so these are all the proposed
coming out of the toore for
fy2 and here they
continue and at the last slide we'll see
the f42 FY 24 carryovers such as the
bedor apartments and three sisters
giving us a total proposed out of tore
for fy2 being at approximately 28
million to provide additional
information on tore fund the current
market value is sitting at about 42.4
million with the fy2 proposed budget
expenditures of expenses of 28.3 million
the remaining market value is
approximately 14.1
million as with the other approvals we
did highlight some of the tore
fund proposed approvals we start off
with a aordable housing there is
a um two proposed complexes Peach Street
Canyon apartments and Amador Crossing to
be funded partially out of the telshore
fund and for the Legacy Parks
approximately 2.5 million and this is
going to be for the Legacy parks and for
renovations for the parks the top
priority is right now Young Park
pictured below as well as
aaka and for young Park the first
priority is to renovate the front
entrance and Colorado Avenue entry and
then continue with a gathering area food
truck court and different Renovations
throughout including an ink ground
slide some highlights for the playground
replacement approximately 1.5 million
was set aside for for this playground
replacement and it is just um throughout
the city across the city essential
playground Replacements that are needed
uh to continue to meet national
standards for municipal Parks the ones
pictured were kleene and Frank O'Brien
Center and lastly we're highlighting the
realtime crime Center this is an fy2 24
carryover it recently came to council
and was approved at approximately at 1.1
million we broke down the allocation
here and it's to provide support to
officers actively responding to calls
this will be a initiative um to have a
real-time crime
center with this in the new positions we
also listed that there are three
real-time crime Center techs budgeted as
well as two re classes in FY
24 and lastly we'll close up with the
fiscal
contribution these are the different
this is just for the city of U's portion
and these are the proposed increases to
the city of Las cr's contributions that
we provide to these agencies so for
Animal Services there's a proposed
increase of approximately 100 or
171,50 for merda 423,000
60 bringing the city of Las Cruz's
portion of these contributions to
5,376
637 including the Metro status
quo here are your Council options and I
stand for any
questions thank you any
questions councilor Flores thank you
mayor and thank you for your for your
presentation um
so the tore funds the tore funds money
um that go to the different
entities how um well no never mind
forget that the
NAT um I thought that the NAT also uh
provided money for homes that could be
restored do you know
if the city is still doing that I'd have
to defer to Community Development for
that I don't have the specifics on it I
think Larry's coming
up good afternoon mayor and councel
Larry Nicholas Community Development I
believe your question was that the
Nuance abatement team funding was to
also also add to
housing to help restore the property yes
the uh Community um
development uh is the leader for this
program and basically we have discovered
over the last couple of years there are
a number of properties that have become
vacant
unoccupied and they on occasion
deteriorate to a point of being unsafe
for
occupancy our first effort is to get
voluntary compliance from the property
owner uh if it cannot achieve that uh
then we take a program to um to um Abate
the property primarily to just be to
secure and board it but not to do
remodeling or
renovation uh if we can't get the
abatement through board insecure then we
go to a procedure of uh demolition but
that is our last effort
so um money isn't given to the owner or
the city doesn't provide services or
money for for the owner to restore the
property is that is that mayor and
Council for us the only time that the
city would be uh um funding or um
providing funds for a abatement to a
property if uh the owner was not able to
do that or declined to do that then we
would do the um the abatement or the
Demolition and then we would file lean
on the property for Recovery of the cost
that the city may have
provided You' put a lean on the property
and then you the city would expect to be
reimbursed at what point the uh mayor
and Council death or saale or yes ma'am
that would be that would be the the Leen
is placed and it resides there in until
the property um changes ownership or is
otherwise refunded refunded okay thank
you Mr Nichols
yes thank you Council La anyone else
yeah I have another question oh you have
another one I'm sorry
um in the
um oh gosh in the oh the police officers
the allocations for the police officers
I think that's page 18
yeah so
um no I know that was a different page
but there was money allocated for police
officers does that um does that include
raises that does that in uh I don't
think this is the
page um but the the allocations for
police officers is Does it include wages
or uh raises or
positions yes so we do have the these
are some increases for police and then
we also have let me go to the slide we
have new positions for
police so we have the park rangers and
the real-time crime Center techs three
Park Rangers and three real-time crime
Center techs okay and when when your
department um works on um
allocating Monies to increase uh
services in departments or
salaries um how do you establish that
need for example my opinion my humble
opinion is that our police officers are
underpaid I mean they put their Li their
lives on the line dayt day minute to
minute and my understanding of their pay
is hate to use the word but it's
criminal because it's just and so I'm
just putting that out there um for you
know for the city to hear it for Leanne
to hear it for Barbara to hear it um I
you know I just uh I've already spoken
to uh Mr
tamap about that
so do you so are do are any allocations
made to increase our our and I you know
cuz our our fire I don't know how much
firemen or firefighters um are paid but
I do know how much um police officers
are paid and it's dismal I mean I you
know I wouldn't be a police officer for
that pay I wouldn't put my life on the
line so I want to thank all the officers
who do that for us but so does do you do
that kind of um budgeting in terms of
say when uh the contract comes up with a
union and these discussions are
allocations made beforehand to see if
there's some negotiation that goes
on mayor councel flotes as far as far as
new positions we the department
determines priorities on how to budget
and then it goes through City management
as far as how much they're paid I'm
going to actually defer to HR we don't
in budget determine how much um
employees are paid okay so then then how
do you budget for new
positions it's determined uh there is
job descriptions created and at that
time those are the set rates and the
Departments do provide that information
along with HR and then we put them into
the
budget okay thank you thank you
mayor did you would you like
clarification from HR or well I you know
I don't want to yeah I want
clarification from HR where's HR there
she
is and then maybe clarification
ification by
Leanne excuse me councilor Flores mayor
mayor and Council Flores also um Chief
wanted to add um some words as
well mayor council flus Jeremy story
police chief I'll probably say what
Joe's already going to say but all of
our non-represented positions the
members that are not part of the Union
which is all of our sergeants
lieutenants our civilian employees um
have the same 3 to 4% wage increase
budgeted for this year the majority of
our officers fall under a Union contract
and that comes open for full negotiation
next year so any increase has to be
negotiated as a part of the contract and
next year they'll do a full
negotiation does that exceed the 4% or
it's unknown is it an unknown it's
unknown right now but any salary or wage
increase would come during that contract
negotiation next year so how is that
allocated you know uh prospectively
Miss
Richards typically it's not uh a
specific set amount for the unions we um
I'm sorry Joe Richards HR director for
the record um we determine uh an amount
that is projected in the budget overall
if it's not already set in the contract
so we try to prepare for that um and
allocate the monies as as we can with
the amounts that are
negotiated
so I know how to keep my own checkbook
but what you all do is like magic to me
so if I ask a question um that sounds
stupid it's because I'm ignorant and you
know there's nothing wrong with being
ignorant but um but what happens then if
the union say say say our police
officers were to say you know what if
you're not going to give us a 6%
increase on the you know the Mickey
Mouse pay I'm already getting now um
forget it you know I'd rather you know
whatever do something else with my life
um but say say for example the city does
negotiate and does um approve the 6%
would the money be there to give the 6%
or whatever 10%
increase yes ma'am we we try to prepare
for that okay great that's what I wanted
to know thank you thank you very much M
Richards thank you Mr
thank you councel vus anyone else uh
mccl Council
mccl just a process question more than
anything else so if we have those
asteres next to the
300,000 and we amend how does that come
about sorry my voice is a little horse
um is that is that going to be a burden
to the situation if we say we amend it
and how is that funded then that's my
question
[Music]
I don't no this
[Music]
St um for the record land DEH Finance
director um mayor council mcer could you
repeat your question one more time I
want to make sure that I answer it sure
we had a couple of slides where we had
asteris is I think one of them the Miss
Valley Hope Outreach don't quote me on
that one yeah Mano Mano go back go back
is it one more one back there it is okay
there's actually two I think this one
and then there
is this one right here as well for SOS
so if if if we seek to amend it with um
these increases and I think these
increases hinge some other things that
might we want to support in the future
how would this get budgeted then how
does this get added into this so so what
to to add this to the budget so there is
funding in the fund balance that we have
you know think of this as a checkbook so
you have an available balance and so
what we would do is is you would have to
bring forward to this an amendment um
and I think when I'm talking to
Christine it would probably be two
amendments and so um she didn't give me
thumbs up but I think that is true yes
so you would if if Council wants to do
this they would bring two amendments
forward we would just take those funds
from the fund balance and go into um as
councelor Flor says our magic and add it
to our uh Erp system munice and then we
it would be there for the departments in
this case Mia Valley Community of Hope
to spend it just because it is Magic
tell me why this was not just included
why why does why is there an asteris um
so the reason that there is an aster is
as you know in all things there has to
be a point in time where we have to
advertise this to the public we have to
get information out to the public and so
this was sort of something excuse me
this was something that was brought
forward to the budget after we had
already presented or had put this out
for the public and so we apologize for
that but it was just something that we
had not anticipated that was not brought
forward to to our attention but then it
was um and so that's why we put it on
the slides as
pending thank you that helps a lot
sure May pro thank you um I have a
couple of comments on that as well but I
first wanted to start with positives um
I really wanted to thank staff for um
you know I was looking at my notes from
our budget Retreat back in February and
um I for me it was really important that
we funded the nuisance abatement team um
with hopes that in the future we um
include funding for rehousing of folks
while um locations are being rehabed um
which by the way there is a home rehab
program under our housing um our housing
and Neighborhood Services just as aside
but I did want to thank uh staff for
taking that seriously and and moving
forward to fund that I know it's a
collaboration between Community
Development fire um police and several
other departments and I think that's
really important and then I also just
wanted to thank for including the two
um Legacy Parks as priorities young and
apaka park I know we had a long
conversation um about that and and
figuring out which parks and so I I
really do want to um thank staff for
listening to to feedback um I will be
making two amendments today which feels
really odd is my fifth budget re session
that I've done since I've been on the
council and by this time in may we get
here and there is no need for amendments
because we've talked it to death almost
we've had a budget Retreat we've had
nwork sessions um but I do want to say
while I understand that on the this
particular one that came just my
proposal came very late I do want to
note that I felt slightly disappointed
that the 200,000 for safe for the SOS
core was not included as we have been
talking about that for quite some time
we I've been talking about that since
last September we talked about it as a
priority at the budget Retreat um and
really feel like it's such a
critical piece in the how we've prior
prioritized community community safety
um and for us to not have that included
feels um just doesn't feels right to me
so I will be making both of those
amendments instead of um asking staff to
come back for an amendment in the near
near future I will be doing that today
but may or I will wait until um we hear
from
everybody thank you mayor
protim council mati yes uh lean if I may
or both I just have a a what if question
okay um could you bring up the screen
with all the telshore
funding that's being
spent am I going on the wrong
way okay and if if I'm correct this
amounts about 28 million yes sir it does
um for the record land to M Finance
director um mayor councelor matis you
are correct
28.3 okay um can I ask you what if you
didn't have the tel Shaw fund where
would you find the 28
million that's a re um tough question
yes councelor that is a tough questions
um it would be that we would probably
have to go back it would be either we go
after uh grants there's a possibility of
trying to go after the grants which our
grant team is very uh robust we've
actually increased our grants
tremendously in the last couple of years
um but uh we would probably need to look
at either the possibility of loans bonds
as well sir um and just looking within
um I like to say sometimes the cushions
of our couch but uh just looking at um
how uh our general fund is well so and
I'll ask see if the city manager would
like to even you know try to answer that
question as
[Music]
well thank you lean uh counselor um
matis it's if it's if it's not in the
telshore fund as lean expressed
eloquently we we'll have to find find
room created through uh some type of
referendum tax measure U or look in the
cushion of the couch yeah the reason I
bring that up is because you know we
have a 25 26 budget that will be coming
up in a year then we have the
2627 so so basically we're going to zero
out the telshore fund
eventually yes sir if if that is what
the mayor and the council agree upon for
26 27 moving forward
yes okay thank
you
mayor
question yes councelor for is thank you
Miss Leanne de I'm not going to let you
off the hook no um well the question
that Mr matis councelor matis asked was
a good one because um the telshore fund
um the Corpus doesn't get touched is
that correct I mean the Corpus is
constantly rejuvenating its funds its
own funds correct as you um mayor for
the record land deos Finance director
mayor councelor Flores as you see our
current market value is
42.4 the Corpus would be around 30 I
want to say 30 million uh there was a 26
million and then later on we received
another 4 million so that would be what
we actually received for the telshore so
we have been as you know every year we
do tap into the telshore for um for the
the definition you know sick the
Indigent we've been you know find
financing um a program that uh housing
and Neighborhood Housing uh put together
the 600k so they're using the interest
that we've received on uh on an annual
basis uh but as you can see our market
value since the market is doing so well
right now uh we've been able to take the
Corpus and invest it and now our fair
market value is about
42.4 million um hopefully with this um
the proposed budget is 28.3 so we are
down with the remaining market value of
14.1 which is below the Corpus correct
and that's my concern because um that'll
evaporate in a heartbeat I mean it just
our budget
is you know it's
demanding um so would we be in a
position in the future to continue with
that kind of funding and I don't think
so
and since I don't think so what do we do
I I mean next year at this time I mean
that 14,000 or whatever that remains as
a corpus won't generate uh 40,000 or
even enough you know to sustain a budget
as we're proposing right now so um mayor
council Flor is working with our new
city manager we probably would need to
um work with maybe a financial adviser
to try to build that you know whatever
the council the mayor and the council
want to lead us towards but we can build
build that back up if that is something
after this year that they want to do um
there's whatever the council guides us
that's yeah well I don't know how the
rest of the counselors think or feel or
whatever word you want to use but I'm
I'm I'm an aandry because I would love
to have that money
um to assure that we provide those
services without a doubt and
um but then what we're going to you know
we're going to be poville next year
instead of the city of Las crusis I mean
what how do we remedy that how do we
live with that literally how do we live
with that can I just add something
councelor do you mind uh yes I do I I'd
like lean to answer maybe Mr City well
you're asking how we live with that and
so I would want to tell you how I live
with it no it's okay I don't want well I
will I will add something after lean add
something so um mayor uh councelor
Flores um we take direction from the
council and from the city manager so um
I'm not really quite sure that I can
answer your question I this is what
we've been directed to bring forward to
you in the budget and um there is a big
need for all of these that has been
shown to us and that is why it's in the
budget I don't know if the city manager
wants to add to that looks like barara
wants to add to that barber wants did
you have your light on yeah I think
Barbara go with the city manager first
go thank you Leanne uh councelor
Flores we I serve at the behest of of
you and and mayor mayor proem and city
council as Leanne mentioned uh we
everything we've presented is uh with
some some with with some exceptions that
came later in the work session of budget
we presented in budget Retreat uh so
those are things that uh we felt it was
the desire of council to come bring and
so we're bringing everything which we
felt at the time of budget Retreat uh
was presented uh to come forth in the
work session prior if there are any
changes at all uh again we I serve at
the beest of of of you and the rest of
the council and mayor mayor PM um we're
we're here to to receive direction from
you all just wanted to just wanted to
share that and reiterate what lean said
Thank you thank you Mr um
T did you have something to add Mar yeah
yes I did thank you very much Mr Mayor
and councilor Flores with respect to the
uh initiatives that we need to fund in
the future really you know part of what
we would do based on your guidance for
what you want to support is to lay out a
funding or financial strategy for the
various revenue streams that might be
out there lean mentioned grants of
course we have Bond cycling we have
loans we have uh Appropriations from our
uh state legislators and federal
legislators as well but mostly we're
we're looking for steady streams of
Revenue in order to fund ongoing
programs which is one of the reasons why
a lot of what you see in the proposal
today from the telshore funds not for
operations it's generally for capital
projects because it's not a recurring
funding source it's not an ongoing
funding source really from a financial
standpoint that's what we're looking for
uh to fund ongoing um City initiatives
and programs and that's what we would
need to do in order to um meet any uh
spending requests that that the council
lays out for
us and mayor if I can Council Flores um
um Miss bomo is correct if if you could
look at most of what the list is made up
for of the telshore this is mostly all
capital
expenditures thank you so much bar thank
you so much uh Miss
Momo Miss Barbara bomo and Miss Leanne
and Mr Mayor yeah go ahead mayor protim
thanks I just wanted to add that
sometimes I look at the telshore fund
much unlike the New Mexico Permanent
Fund um ours a lot
smaller but the New Mexico Permanent
Fund grew to $43
billion 50 it's at 50 billion dollars
and I believe that it is shameful that
the state of how our community is in New
Mexico um poverty crime mental illness
it is shameful that we don't tap into
those funds right and I don't want us to
do the same thing with a fund that we
have that is able to invest in housing
to invest in our parks to invest in um
many of these uh proposals that will
help our community directly and um I I
just I think it's an important cons it's
a hard consideration there there is no
making this decision lightly um and we
are faced with some tough challenges
and with the bank account that is right
there for us to use and um I would hate
to follow the the lead of New Mexico
having $43 billion available to use
invest in their in our communities and
they
don't mayor councilor ma yeah
lean I was just bringing up because I'm
thinking of the long-term investment of
that $42 million fund it could bring
anywhere from four to five and if
interest rates go up 6 7 million every
year let's say for the next 10 years
that's $60
million that's $60 million that we could
have recurring over 10 years that we
could put into things that we need in
the city of Los cruus so that was my
concern that if there was another
strategy if there was another way for
the capital needs either through loans
through
bonds um that might have been wiser
because then we have our cake and need
it too we would still have the $60
million over 10 years I'm only here for
another three and A2 but you're right in
the last eight
years uh things need to be fixed you
know the parks are a mess uh crime is up
uh unhoused is up mental illness is up
uh everything is needs an immediate
band-aid and so that's what we've done
here we've uh taken a fund now would
have given us 60 million over the next
10 years and now will give us maybe $900
to a million dollar a year if it's down
to 14 million and interest rates are
what they are now so if you take a
million a year for 10 years we've lost
we just threw out $50 million that the
city could have
uh amate actually used utilized so that
that's my only concern and I'll just
vote the way I feel thank you
thank you any other
comments okay I'll see at this time if
there's any comments uh from the
public I'm
short Dolores lucietto again I didn't
plan to stay today but I guess I glad I
did two things that uh concern me and um
I'm disappointed that you would allocate
500,00 ,000 to go to
amazon.com instead of buying from our
local residents and businesses here in
Los Cruses how dare
you comment number one number two the
nuisance abatement um I know that last
year there was a hotel uh REM Mo an old
Motel removed from Main Street uh by the
city through the abatement program when
are you going to Abate the old bowling
alley there's no one going to move in
that building with the history that it
has of murder there the building is
nothing but for vagrant and for illegal
activity and sexual things that are
happening to the business that I work at
next door that building needs to be
abated if you want to put a tax Le on it
go for it but I think you need to do
something like that on that building
which is on a main street of our city
that is what our new res see every
single day and thirdly I'm going to say
about the telshore fund I was here when
it was first initiated and the money was
given from lifeo to the city of Los
Cruses
and it's sad that you haven't thought
over the last 4 and a half years to have
started looking for Grants and other
funding for the projects that you're
looking to to
fund the last 4 and 1/2 years you
haven't looked at how to do this
differently so now you're going to the
easy fund to take the money out of there
and and uh councelor matis is very right
you're never going to make that money
back up and once you invest in building
buildings you will always and never have
enough money to maintain them about 10
years later when they're dilapitated
just like the veteran building in my old
District in in District 2 that the city
in Ed in and now is boarded up and the
veterans cannot go there tell me how
that
happened there's too much of this in
this budget that is not right and
$110,000 for wellness for police that
might have PTSD or having some kind of
$110,000 is one person in one year
that's not enough to help someone who is
dealing with domestic violence is
dealing with murder rape and every other
serious condition here in Los crues
$110,000 are you kidding me I can't
believe
[Applause]
this thank you is there anyone
else so Shauna feifer um I downloaded
the proposed budget and I did not see
anything on the vote today with regard
to the telshore fund in any capacity
whatsoever I watched the budget um work
session on the 22nd of April and this
was all explained I get it but I don't
see anything in the agenda nor do I see
anything written in the budget as
published that we were voting on the
telshore fund why do we have to roll all
of this up into one
vote why shouldn't we pull from the T
telshore fund item by item vote by vote
resolution by resolution we're lumping
everything together like Congress 500
and some odd pages of it right nobody
has time to read this is
that this is ridiculous you cannot
deplete your only source of emergency
funding what if we have another pandemic
that you guys have to fund to to build L
cruises back up
again you cannot vote Yes for this I
don't have a speech prepared maybe
that's a good thing maybe that's bad
today cuz we I don't believe this was
publish that you all were voting on the
telshore fund today I thought you were
voting on the budget as written the next
resolution on the book is CP I was ready
to speak on that not the telshore fund
where did it come from and why and why
does it have to be all at one time for
our Legacy one vote for our Legacy
you continue to amaze me in all the
wrong
[Applause]
ways uh George Pearson um thank you for
highlighting the efforts you're going to
go towards the sidewalk gaps um that's
an important aspect of active
Transportation I think maybe in the
capital program you've said separated
out active Transportation projects to
highlight them better but that's uh
anything that we do to emphasize active
Transportation helps safety for all
vehicle mode users um and even today NPR
had a
radio
program report that um bicyclists have
less knee pain are healthier and live
longer so anything that we do to support
active Transportation would be help help
ful I know we have a safe streets for
all grants in the works so I'm hoping
that the budget will reflect things that
will work with that at the budget
Retreat there was a presentation on
painting a bike lanes and I I didn't go
through the budget so I hope that that
allocation is still in there
someplace and thank you
thank you anyone else yeah come on
up uh my name is quin Cooper and
um I was actually I was thinking that
that $500,000 for Amazon could probably
cover some things for
pickleball um no actually uh that is
just the one thing I wanted to talk
about uh I was a little disappointed
that you rush through and didn't get
public comment on the Amazon budget the
$500,000 going to I'm assuming it's
going into the full budget um I just
kind of was hoping that there'd be a
little bit transparency uh in those
processes what needs to be purchased by
the city from Amazon and exactly why uh
a third party provides a better deal it
it's just I think with extra steps
should come extra transparency
so um that's kind of all if there's a
measure or something that you can do to
amend that that's all I'm really asking
for thank
you all right thank
you yes sir com
up Wayne all good question why weren't
the grants for the tail share fund and
other ways of earning money or retaining
money from from other sources not taking
uh
in consideration before I just spend my
money at home you would not spend your
money
unwisely you would go over your accounts
you find is it cheaper to get money this
way or this way or use my own money if
I'm earning a lot of money with interest
why should I not stay with my money
councelor matiz is correct if we spend
our money now we're not going to get it
back it's going to hurt and all of you
at home you manage your checkbooks you
managing well because you do not want to
be someone who going to die so why is
has the city took that in advance the
time and said hey let's find other ways
first the money's for free sometimes but
to spend our money you wouldn't do it
yourself but you'll do it for the city
think about that okay it's not your
money it's our money you're spending our
money that we pay you with our
taxes find other ways to use that money
to get that money and not like you're
doing it today thank
[Applause]
you mayor if I
may yes uh wait just is there anybody
else from the
public okay see none go ahead councilor
ma yeah question for Barbara
Bena uh barara on the telshore
fund um I know how it's packaged all at
one rather than resolution by resolution
um does it still need a majority vote to
spend the tore
fund so mayor and councelor matis um
always a majority vote is required
whether it's um with respect to
packaging it all together here as part
of the budget proposal or bringing at
one resolution at a time either could be
accomplished mayor BR thank you uh mayor
I'd like to make some amendments to the
budget um but first I do just want to
just a little education on how we start
this process um the individual
departments ask us for uh certain
programs uh budget allocations for
example the officer Wellness
uh budget that was that came from chief
chief story presented his entire budget
um and that's what he presented to us so
those are that's kind of how that H
happens um uh May mayor I'd like to make
uh two motions today um first I motion
to amend resolution 24121 to include
200,000 from tore fund for the safety
opportunity support SOS and Community
Court program out of Municipal
Court second Graham
go Christin okay this is on the motion
to amend resolution
24-21 to include 200,000 from the tore
fund for the safety opportunity support
and Community Court
program councelor McClair yes councelor
matis
no councelor Graham yes councelor cran
is absent councelor flutes no councelor
Ben yes mayor yes motion
passes mayor I'd like to make a second
motion go ahead Mar I motion to amend
resolution 24121 to include $300,000
from telshore fund for msia Valley
Community of Hope for expansion of
services for Workforce and community
outreach second
Graham this is on the motion to amend
resolution 24-21 to include 300,00 from
the telshore fund for msia Valley
Community of Hope for expansion of
services for Workforce and community
outreach councelor mlar yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran is absent councelor flutes no
councel Beno yes and mayor yes motion
passes yeah do we need a motion or
you're okay
go so so this is on the motion to
approve resolution 24-12 one as amended
councelor McClure yes councelor matis
yes councelor Graham yes councelor Karan
is absent councelor
flutes no councelor bomo yes mayor yes
motion
passes all right thank you we'll move
to 7.4 resolution number
24122 a resolution approving the capital
Improvement program for fiscal year
2025 through year
2030 move to
approve second gram
good afternoon mayor and counselors
Cynthia Campo CIP analyst um and this is
a resolution for to adopt the
fy2 through fy3 um Capital Improvement
program the CIP budget consists of three
project types newly funded car carryover
and annual projects newly funded
projects are projects that have not had
funding in the past and will be newly
funded as it indicates carryover
projects are projects that um we are
carrying over from the previous fiscal
year into the new fiscal year and annual
projects are the programs that we um
have on an annual
basis for curring um expenses the fy2
carryover um budget is slightly lower um
this fiscal year as some uh projects
have been completed completed such as
the 2018 Bond projects the annual amount
um has increased with uh the
introduction of the annual projects such
as active transportation and
resiliency um and then please note that
um there is $14 million in newly funded
and that is just an estimate ated amount
based on um the agenda that was brought
forward earlier for with budget and um
and other projects that are
pending um design
approval in that 14 million
um well let me start over so we have a
few projects that um will be receiving
new will be be receiving funds from the
different
[Music]
um Pro program buckets resiliency
complete streets and active
Transportation most of these are
carryover projects the East Mesa roads
project for Cortez Road is a total of
3.3 million um upon design approval it
will receive 960,000 for resiliency and
1.1 million from complete
streets Madrid Avenue is also a
carryover project it is um at a cost of
3.8 million and it will receive about a
million dollar from act active
Transportation melindras Avenue will be
a newly funded project um we're
receiving 1.9 million from complete
streets and South Main Street is also a
carryover project that would receive $1
million from active Transportation all
of these are based upon design approval
now the majority of these projects are
car um are carryover projects and we
will bring back the CIP for approval in
the new fiscal year around July to
reflect the change to funding amounts
per um design approval or the city
council approval of the earlier
agenda these are um projects that were
were brought forward through either for
funding through either telshore fund or
um gas
tax this slide represents projects that
were proposed through City manager's
office to be funded through those two
funding
sources and um today the CIP
um the the CIP for your P from your
packets is what you are voting on today
not the numbers that were shown as those
are
estimates any questions thank you any
questions from the
council no look at that okay we'll open
it up to public
comment and we'll start on this side oh
actually yeah you know what come on down
it doesn't matter
good afternoon Mr Mayor members of the
council I'm Ashley Curry I um am the
safe root school cordinator for the
school district I just wanted to say
first and foremost thank you so much for
all the hard work that everybody has
done um in particular in the active
Transportation uh Department I know we
have some really excellent background
long range plans the Elevate loss Cruis
the active Transportation plan and I
just am here to say um please follow the
design process I know that sometimes
things get rushed along as we even heard
from public comment today things that
people weren't anticipating so just um I
know we have some really great plans in
place and I just want to see that they
are implemented the way that the
planners designed them um so that we can
have Safe Streets for everybody you may
be aware we are number one in the nation
for pedestrian deaths that's I think
maybe six or more years running it's a
serious serious issue and it also
speaking of unhoused people this is how
people get along I think there was a
public comment much earlier about um
prioritizing active Transportation
because it is the means by which our
unhoused community gets around we don't
want more pedestrian deaths we don't
want more bicycle deaths and fatalities
so we can design streets I'm sure many
of you have traveled to other
communities that they have very robust
and beautiful biking and safe
infrastructure I think New York City may
be you know one of the Prime examples a
place that people would have said we'll
never be able to do it in New York City
and yet they've done it and made it one
of the most bikable communities in the
nation I think we can do that too for
Los crues so I'm just asking please just
follow the plans that we have within the
CIP I know we've prioritized certain
projects um let's just follow that
prioritization so that we can uh so that
we can have a beautiful and Safe
Community for all of our residents thank
you so much thank you thank you
Ashley anyone else
let's try this again Shauna feifer
um I'm going to mostly do this for the
people watching at home that don't have
time to watch three and a half hours of
a budget work session um in as part of
the cips the city is asking for $68
million total over the next 5 years for
airport for the airport Amador Crossing
is rece already receiving $7.3 million
including 6 million from the state
a master plan implementation at
Community of Hope is receiving $2
million per year for the next 5 years
pasos veres is receiving $2 million per
year for the next five years I challenge
anybody to find that on a Google search
uh spoiler alert it's an apartment
complex on compost compost Street um
City Hall this city hall that's
relatively new is being expanded in fy2
for 7.5 million Hardin deos n which is
for the children in our community is
only getting 600,000 total in the next 3
years laasa which is a do domestic
violence shelter is only getting 580,000
but that's coming from the state no City
funds are allocated for
laasa uh Community of Hope has a new
project called the kitchens it's uh $1
million in2 25 and $2 million this
year uh solar projects at Community of
Hope to total 1.4 million apaka Park is
getting an aquatic playground and
multi-use path for $1.6 million per year
for the next 5 years a multi-use Rec
Center is planned in 26 for 60 million
60 million the Amador hotel is receiving
16 million over the next 5 years for
renovations uh security upgrades at City
Hall will get an average of
250,000 per year for the next 5 years
the bran Library will get 16
million6 million in 26 for an expansion
the Municipal Court will be
rehabilitated to the tune of 6.6 million
per year for the next 5
years uh Public Safety go bonds uh total
is in FY 24 is 10.6 million 9.3 was for
the new Fire
Station um in 25 they'll get 12.8
million ion in 26 they only get 1.3
million in 27 they'll get 15 million but
that is predominantly for a training
facility and a fire station build
critical requirements in FY 28 57
million in full will go to a new
downtown public safety complex uh 8.5
million for public transit as it
specifically pertains to battery storage
and inductive charging Road Runner
transit in 24 got 16.4 million for a
municipal service center and the
wastewater treatment plant will be
upgraded to the tune of 46 million also
uh 80k for City Hall Furnishings in the
next 6 years I hope you guys like your
sofas and your chairs right thank
you is there anyone else from the
public okay CIO Shan did you have
anything in response
thank you Mr Mayor city council this is
Shanna baset City Innovation strategy
administrator um just wanted to make one
point of clarification so the future
years are
unfunded um for the future five years in
the
CIP uh as departments request projects
they are placed on the CIP um and while
we are in the process of improving our
current annual process of funding uh
with you know uh priority ization
matching up to planning alignments and
operational impacts Etc
um that amount of review and
evaluation um has not been done for
future requests and projects um and that
that would be the next step to tackle um
for CIP
reform mayor okay thank you uh Council
M um
yeah I I'm just only hoping and wishing
that this CIP program five years 10
years actually reaches the vision that
the mayor put forth during his campaign
that Los cruus will become the safest
city in America I I just hope all of
this planning and all of these
improvements actually do that for our
city and that the
priorities
continues to make it the safest city and
that uh the police department and the
fire department get the priorities and
not everything else thank
you thank you counselor anyone
else
Christine this is on the motion to
approve resolution
24-22 councelor McClair yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes coun cran
is absent councelor flutes yes councelor
Momo yes mayor
yes next we have 7.5 Council bill number
24-26 ordinance number 368 an ordinance
approving a zone change from Urban Ranch
to single family residential estate
mobile for two
properties move to approve Pro
Graham
second and to present is Adam
Ooa thank you Mr Mayor Adam oo Community
Development for the
record in this following cases it
proposed zone change for two properties
located at 6820 and 6860 Shannon
Drive they are located on the south side
of what is Shannon Drive approximately
about 140 ft west of the inter ction of
Shannon Drive and dun Drive each
property encompasses roughly 1.15 acres
and it is they are both currently Zone
Ur which stands for urban Ranch uh
reason why I'm not he about the Zone
designation anymore because it doesn't
exist anymore it's an our previous 1981
zoning code uh this zoning uh is defunct
and it does require conversion uh to be
brought into compliance with our current
code showing the subject properties here
as you can see
uh it's calling out a different road but
it is Shannon Drive uh and dun drive
this is out in the East Mesa of of City
L crues you see they're currently vacant
or or undeveloped before any type of
development can occur on these
properties the zoning does need to be
brought into compliance uh per per code
with that the applicant is proposing a
zone change to what is Reem which stands
for single family residential estate
mobile uh this zone change will bring
the properties into compliance with our
current 20 01 zoning code not only that
but this the RM zoning is almost
identical to what the old Ur zoning was
minus a couple of a indiscretions when
it comes to lot sizes and so forth like
that but this will allow for the
development of the properties in the
future for for single family
homes when staff did their analysis we
saw that there was no U uh real issues
with the proposed zone change uh the new
zone is compatible with the surrounding
area there are number of lots Zone ra uh
R and E which are rural large Lots in
other words it is located in the
Suburban Place type this type of zoning
is uh encouraged in that in the Suburban
Place type of the luses comprehensive
plan rail uh Elevate L cruises uh and
the area of lot of large Lots in this
area majority are Zone RM so definitely
the zoning designation is not out of a
not out of character for the area
public notice was sent out to
surrounding Property Owners uh no public
input was received by
staff and at the March 26 planning
zoning commission the planning pnz did
go in and vote to recommend approval for
the proposed zoning change by a vote of
four to zero uh one commissioner vacancy
and two Commissioners absent uh vote was
based on findings there was no public
input there and this actually was
recommended for approval on the consent
agenda so here the findings again proper
to be brought into compliance with the
2001 zoning code the RM zoning district
is proposed zoning designation is
consistent with the area and of course
the purpose uh the proposed zone change
request is supported by Elevate Las
Cruz's uh comprehensive plan and meets
the purpose at intent of the 2001 zoning
code these are options one to vote Yes
and approve the proposed zone change
zoning will designation will change to R
uh vote no to deny the existing defunct
zoning will remain on the property three
to vote to amend for table and postpone
and direct staff in the applicant
accordingly applicant is here if he have
any questions for him but I stand for
questions councilor Flores thank you Mr
Mayor and thank you Mr oo um so when did
the notices to the surrounding residents
uh when were those sent to get their
opinion or whatever on this Mr Mayor
councelor Flores uh there are actually
two separate mail outs for uh for this
zone change it it it happens 15 days
before the public meeting itself so they
got it 15 days before the Planning and
Zoning commission meeting and 15 days
before this meeting as
well and
um where the entire was the entire area
because I know that I believe it's east
of this particular lot um there's a
community there of um people who want to
keep that area very rustic and they have
their horses and maybe cows and pigs I
don't know if they but um so that's the
part that I think that they're uh east
of Shannon and this is west of Shannon
right excuse me um
dun so that's East so the do you Mr Ooa
do you know which area I'm talking about
Mr Mayor uh councelor FLOTUS yes I know
exactly that is called our East M area
they actually have a blueprint in place
uh uh kind of like a neighborhood master
plan if you will as to how they want to
be developed or not developed in this
case um this proposed zone change is
still in keeping with what that policy
says it is zoned for large lot um single
family lots only which allow for the
keeping of animals as well on the
properties so it definitely fits within
that master plan and just to let you
know per the 2001 zoning code we are
required to provide letters to within
500 ft of the subject property at
minimum uh and as well as certified
letters as well so we we did send out
those letters and and it went out to
everybody in the area and nobody there
wasn't one response to all of that of
that mayor council Flores no no
responses at all but you only gave 15
days notice I mean people get really
busy anyway but you say it's consistent
with the rest of that area um but um
but didn't you say that the owner wants
to have a um what kind of what kind of
housing is it going to
be or what did I understand May CER Flor
is it's just for the development of the
two lots in the future all they could do
is single family homes on the property
um and whatever ancillary uses accessory
structures keep like I said the keeping
of large and small animals is permitted
as well uh so that's essentially what's
going to happen and but the housing
would be houses houses that are actually
built on the property or would it be U
um uh what do you call it mobile homes
mayor councel of florid is the RM zoning
District does allow for a multitude of
homes uh including uh site built uh free
standing homes manufactured homes are
allowed they actually see the exact same
by the state of New Mexico manufactured
home as a siteb built home mobile homes
are allowed as well but just one per
property as well so when you send out
the notice do you include all that
information for the um for the to the
people for the people to read the the
notices that are sent to the residents
in the area is all that information
included as to the type of housing that
would be permitted mayor counselor flaus
uh not the not all of that information
is put out there but we do put the the
Highlight the bullet points what the
zoning is being requested and we also
have our contact information this case
was actually m so they have my direct
contact information States here have any
additional questions please don't
hesitate to give us a call or email so
they have various uh ways to contact us
but if we vote Yes today it's moot I
mean it's a done deal right no pun
intended on done drive there mayor C
Floy is uh if somebody is affected they
could always appeal this to court oh
they can appeal it okay thank you so
much Mr o thank you Mr
Mayor no thank you anyone else
any members of the public wishing to
speak on this
issue seeing none go ahead
Christine this is on the motion to
approve ordinance
3068 councelor McClure yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran is absent councelor FLOTUS yes
councelor bomo yes and mayor
yes next we go to 7.6 Council bill
number 24-27
ordinance 3069 an ordinance approving a
zone change from C2 commercial medium
intensity to C3 commercial high
intensity move to approve
Graham
second and Adam Mao again Adam Mao for
the record uh Community Development for
the record again this is another
proposed zone change again bringing a
property into compliance with our
current code subject property located at
1900 Buton memor morial East located
right on that South uh south of what is
Baton Memorial east west of Del
Boulevard north of what is telshore
northrise where start converting between
those two yall might know it as the old
Kmart site uh up there off of Del re
such a property encompasses 9.37 acres
and is currently Zone C2 commercial
medium tensity uh currently there is a
vacant commercial building there it's
been vacant for roughly about since 2017
so it's been a while since it's been
utilized
showing the property here as you there
you see the C2 zoning just south of
batan M East Del re uh the dam over here
get a little bit more reference of where
we this at movie movie theater to the to
the Southwest as
well there again is that vacant piece of
property with the larger uh what was the
former Kmart and the smaller what was I
believe the previous 999 cent store
which also went out of business several
several years
ago the are requested a zone change to
C3 commercial high intensity this will
um essentially bring the property into
compliance with the 2001 zoning code
with its current C2 zoning there is a
maximum uh lot size of one acre in size
so they require a zoning to C3 in order
to to make it legal not uh to remove the
non-conformity and additionally this
proposed on will allow for the continued
Redevelopment of the property for
multi-tenant
project and after at their analysis we
did see no health safety or welfare
issues associated with the proposed zone
change zone change will allow the
Redevelopment of a vacant long vacant
commercial building and property uh
Additionally the property is accessed
and fronts uh not only only a minor taer
roadway but two principal artill
roadways where C3 zoning is encouraged
and and and wanted
really notice was sent out again to to
the surrounding property owner staff did
receive one public comment concerning
the increase in traffic in the area was
what the comment
was this one before the plan is zoning
commission at the February 27th 2024 pnz
commission meeting planning zoning
commission did go ahead and vote to
recommend approval uh for the proposed
only change by a vote of 6 to zero with
one commissioner vacancy that vote was
based on those findings again the
proposed only change will bring the
property in into compliance it is
located adjacent to minor material into
principal or C3 is uh encouraged and the
proposed zone change meets the intent of
elevate lost crues and is compatible
with adjacent uses meets the purpose and
intent of section 38-2 of the 2001
zoning code as
well and here are your options
again thank you Adam any discussion uh
councelor
Grant thank you mayor um this is in one
of my recently redistricted areas so
just a light to see that what I think of
as the other old Kmart is hopefully
going to get new life um I also wanted
to point out um you know since these
details are always included in our
packets which are put together a great
effort by staff and City Clerks so shout
out thank you I did want to point out
also that the same individual who had
expressed the concerns about traffic I
believe at the uh pnz the minutes that I
read was also very happy he's a local
business owner if I'm thinking of the
right individual and he said he was
really happy to see
that the vacant building is going to be
reoccupied and I believe also that those
minutes clarified that a traffic study
would be conducted before you know right
now we are just approving the zoning to
allow potential development but a
traffic study would be conducted before
actual development went on is that
correct mayor councelor gram I believe
that's already on the on underway
because there is a project currently
already the first phase of a project
currently being done for the buildings
on the property but that is something
that our traffic engineering department
did state that they needed some type of
study done uh to assure that what
existing entrances and exits that are
existing on the property suffice for
what the proposed uses will be great
thank you so much thank you
mayor thank you Council Grant anyone
else anyone from the
public thank you
inter this is on the motion to approve
ordinance
3069 councelor McClure yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran is absent councelor FLOTUS yes
councelor bomo yes mayor
yes thank
you good thank you Adam uh moving to
board appointments
uh the first one I will read is
councelor Graham appoints Carol
Gul to the senior programs Advisory
Board uh the next list I'll need a
motion in a second the first one is
Cecilia Vargas the City Art board new
appointment move to approve second by
Flores this is a motion to appoint
Cecilia Vargas to the City Art board
councelor McClair yes councelor mati yes
councelor Graham yes councelor cran is
absent councelor fles yes councelor Beno
yes mayor yes the next one is John
mroy to approve Graham oh sorry I guess
you have to say utility boards new
appointment thank you I'm still in yeah
still move to
approve
second this is on the motion to appoint
John McElroy to the utilities board
board councelor McClair yes councel
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran is absent councel flutes yes
councelor bomo yes mayor
yes the next one is Harry T Johnson
Utility Board new appointment move to
approve
second I'm sorry it's a
reappointment move to approve okay
second mlar okay this is on the motion
to reappoint Harry Johnson to the
utilities board councelor McClure yes
councel matis yes councelor Graham yes
councelor cran is absent councel flutes
yes councel bomo yes and mayor
yes the next one is Ken thiren Planning
and Zoning new
appointment move to approve Graham seven
second by
Flores this is on the motion to appoint
Kent first to the Planning and Zoning
commission councelor McClure yes
councelor matis yes councelor Graham yes
councel cran is absent councelor flutes
yes councelor Beno yes and mayor yes the
next one is Brandon Robinson veterans
Advisory Board new
appointment move to
approve
second this is on the motion to appoint
Brandon Robinson to the veterans
Advisory Board councelor McClure yes
councelor matis yes councelor Graham yes
councelor Karan is absent councelor
flutes councelor Beno yes mayor
yes next the proposed ordinances there
are none city council member board
reports and comments I'll start with
councelor
McClure I just want to briefly say to
Who Remain so thank you for being here
uh I'm not gonna speak very much because
I'm a little under the weather and my
voice is a little croaky but I really
want to thank staff for their ability to
strategize and I think that's what we
lose a lot of times is that there is
strategy behind how we are trying to do
the budget and I think everybody who is
intimately aware of that is aware of it
and if people want more information I
think everybody on this Das is happy to
engage in those conversations and I like
mayor protm feel a responsibility when I
get emails to he do something this is
something so thank
you thank you counselor councelor
mati um no I agree I'm glad that it was
done and I like to see shovel ready and
projects completed as quick as possible
I like to see the water fountain get
fixed in buenita park
councelor Grant oh just two items I'm
going to speak for councelor McClure
because of her voice being uh I'm sure
you enjoyed the lift up Las cruus block
party as much as I did mayor um aani if
I'm missing anyone else on the DI who
attended and just incredible City team
uh City
staff sometimes I think we get lost in
the negative the challenges that Los
cruus is facing and that is completely
valid but I also want to be here to
point out the amazing things that we're
doing every day and the liftup loock
party was just a amazing
multi-generational event people who had
lived on the city on the street on
esparanza since the mid1 1940s right up
to people who were getting to know new
neighbors um so just absolutely great
event uh really appreciate it and then
um I like to speak a little bit about
you know we're doing these budgets and
we're looking at dollar amounts um and
I'm so grateful for the continued
support of the PAL boxing program um
shout out again to Mayor and ion um yeah
we teach boxing we teach fighting um but
this weekend we gathered at the gym to
to celebrate a whole different kind of
win as we had five of our Fighters
graduating four from high school one
from
NMSU and to see them they were in their
caps and gowns and gloves for photos um
and I think these are the Investments
when I look at $150,000 to Pal that is
so important we're buying heavy bags we
are investing in our facility um but we
are also investing in empowering our
young people to succeed in the ring and
out of the ring so Eli T Alvaro Rees and
Anthony I'm so proud of you thank
you thank you councelor gram councelor
FLOTUS
pass mayor pro thank you mayor um I just
want to give a couple shout outs I know
that I got to thank the light team last
week when they were here for a work
session but just wanted to thank them
I'm horar too what is happening with our
voices wow sounds like I have a frog in
my throat um I got to thank them last
week but I wanted to reiterate um just
my gratitude for um the fire department
to allowing me to hang out with um
Allison and Mike um and DC Hiles and
Paul Ford um for a whole afternoon I
learned so much and just feel so deeply
grateful for their work I wanted to
congrat congratulate officially judge
daset who was um sworn in this morning
um I'm sorry that you scheduled it for
730 that was never going to be something
that I came to unfortunately if you know
me I am not a morning person um but I
was here in spirit certainly because I'm
very excited about I could feel your
spirit thank you I could I'm really
excited about this new judge and this
new really Fierce team that we have at
Municipal Court um so I'm really excited
about that I did want to just make a
request officially for cooling stations
um I think this weekend was pretty
pretty warm outside and um just you know
start for us to start thinking about
that um and then I wanted to thank um so
I was I happened to be the MC this
weekend uh um the friends of the Oregon
mountains hosted um public lands prom
celebrating 10 years of protected public
lands in our national monument and I
think that's just such a huge
accomplishment for our community I don't
know if you all remember M but it was
really surreal getting to hear President
Obama talk about Los crues when they
designated the monument and um that was
really a special moment for me as
someone who was sort of new to politics
and and here we are 10 years later
celebrating um protected public lands in
our national monument and everything
that has done for our beautiful city
um which it's so funny uh Chief story
sent a um an unfortunate article about
Forbes naming New Mexico
um a dangerous state but Forbes also
named Las Cruz as a top 10 city to
retire so um you know balance I guess um
but it is I think in large part because
of the National monument and um the
friends of the Oregon mountains got to
think um the fire department tactical
rescue team and the other three uh
rescue teams in donana county for their
service um in the last 10 years because
of the na as Chief Smith said during the
budget Retreat because of the National
Monument design ation um we have a lot
of tourists who come and who um
underestimate the desert and have often
gotten stuck up in you can pay me to go
to the needles quite frankly um but lots
of people do and um of sometimes they
get they need rescues and so they um we
awarded the friends of the orgs awarded
um the rescue teams um their public
lands Champion designation and I was
very happy to be there and of course to
have Ian and Sonia receive that and by
the way Sonia has got some moves I saw
her dancing and um I was very happy
about that so um I just wanted to say
that and I think just lastly um I'm I'm
grateful for the support today for the
SOS Corp and for the expansion of Mano
Mano I think this is really for our
community but for our staff I think
often we think about safety in terms of
very narrow terms in terms of just fire
and just police but it's deeply unfair
to put that burden on the fire
department or the or the police
department alone safety is um
all-encompassing and um I think it's
sometimes really easy for us to just go
towards the carceral system and invest
there um but it's important to also
invest in evidence-based models that put
people at the center um because safety
truly does take all departments at the
city I mean I think I I look at our
neighbors down south in Santa Tesa and
Sunland Park and they having this
massive tragedy with their water unsafe
water unsafe drinking
water it like how unsafe is that and it
it it takes money and it takes
investment to ensure that we have a good
team um to make sure that we have good
safe drinking water that we have safe
roads that we have safe buildings that
we have um good clean Parks it just
safety is all encompassing when we think
about our community and and um even
though I I was a little um taking it
back by one item not being included I do
I do just want to express my sincerest
gratitude to staff um for the months and
months of work that you all put into
passing a budget which I have always
said um you know budgets are are moral
documents and they should reflect our
values as a city um and I think this
year we passed a bold budget um that is
reflective of our challenges and and the
people we love most so thank
you thank you mayor proam I just want to
add uh the first thing was the public
comments uh one of the questions was
asked about the public safety uh select
committee uh I know I had a hard time
hearing the individual it sounded like
he said a secret committee but it's a
select committee and uh definitely have
to have the City attorney uh answer uh
to that individual and answer to the
rest of the select committees that we
have publicly so it's it's uh well
informed um the other thing was I did
attend the lift up block party it was
great and kudos to the staff and to
everyone uh for for putting that
together it was a great event uh the
only uh comment I got from locals in the
area that we should have called it the
chiva Town party you know that was that
was old Chiva town in that area but uh
overall it was a great event and just
like uh the the the work I also want to
recognize and say thank you to all the
staff for the work they put in not only
to the lift up but to the budget as well
and everything they do I think uh um
Public Works director David sadio said
it best when he spoke and he said
everybody works with that carinho and
that's that's the M it's Adelante
karinho and uh we see it whether it's in
budget or whether it's at a lift up or
day-to-day operations so thank you to
staff and also as mayor protm mentioned
the tourism and everything else that
goes on I was also asked to welcome the
Lions Club statement conference this
weekend so we are having individuals
come to attend uh State conferences and
get togethers from Engineers to pecon
Growers to uh the Lions Club the rotary
they're all hosting these events here in
Los crues because it is a nice place to
visit and to to come and that's what
we're working at that's the public
safety that we want to invest in and
that's a lot of what we're trying to do
is to invest in our parks and and um the
m with elel and and Solano these are all
the things that we're doing so that we
can make lost Cruis better looking and
and to thrive and so that's that's a big
part of what we're doing so again thank
you for all the work that everybody's
doing and I'll turn that over to the
city manager
now yes councelor Florida say says you
know I'm sitting here looking at all
these wonderful people who work so hard
and I just want to thank you all the our
staff um I'm looking at Barbara
especially and uh Leanne who always uh
always confuse me even more by knowing
so much but I just want to thank
everybody on staff and and my colleagues
on the council thank you
mayor yes Council that's an Eng golf
that's a mulligan you got to pay for
those so we got to put that in the kitty
once you
pass oh I'm kidding City Manager go
ahead sor
thank you mayor Enriquez mayor P ban
city council Eon Tomo city manager this
this may take a few minutes uh but
there's a lot of kudos to to share which
is a great thing so hopefully you have
uh some patience uh with me uh first
Economic Development our economic
development director you may have heard
Elizabeth terer was highlighted in the
Albuquerque business first for being uh
a New Mex a Mexican to know so she has
highlighted with
um and you should read it uh before it
goes uh it's selling quick so there's a
that article if you Google her she's big
news so feel free
to uh regarding housing I know um
everyone's been giving great updates uh
this is one from Natalie uh and I have
to read it or she'll pop my tires this
past Saturday the liftup block party for
the Valley View Park neighborhood was
held Saturday
uh we would like to thank all the
Departments and nonprofits who
participated special thanks to Isaac
holin with housing for leading the lift
up efforts Casa de Perros and Roadrunner
Food Bank teamed up to distribute
15,964 lbs of fresh fruits and
vegetables including watermel melon
honeydews apples potatoes tomatoes and
squash 36 families were served at the
liftup event Amadore Health conducted
over a 100 glucose and health checks and
distributed
988 information packets the staff cooked
240 uh hot dogs and Kona Ice distributed
440 cups of Kona Ice in addition the
liftup Las Cruses has been selected as a
finalist for the neighborhood USA best
neighborhood program of the Year award
Isaac hulin Katrina ginz and Grace tez
will be representing the city in Tech
Texas Isaac Holan Housing Development
coordinator will present the lift up
initiatives to the judges this Friday
morning so more to
come quality of life quality of life
Museum team is being interviewed this
week by an Albuquerque radio station
KOB and um want to give uh kudos to our
fire department
this past Saturday friends of Oregon
Mountain Desert Peaks
presented uh our our Las crues fire
technical Rescue Team I receiv received
the public lands Champion award again by
the friends of Oregon Mountain Desert
Peaks they also
presented the uh an award to visas
crusis um called the public lands
Champion award for their tiess work and
advocacy on behalf of our public lands
and community
from Parks and wreck outdoor polls just
FYI outdoor polls and splash pads open
this Saturday May 25th outdoor pools are
open from noon to 6:30 and splash pads
are open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. Additionally the 2024 mayor and
JazzFest concert is scheduled for Sunday
May 26 6 pm at Plaza deas Cruses uh
headliner will be Wayne Bergeron trumpet
player is a headline artist
and
apparently this individual has a list of
recording credits that
includes uh music played with Ray
Charles to Green Day Katy Perry Beyonce
Barbara stron Michael bé and Indina
Manzel so we have uh we have someone
coming to town should check
out I heard Beyonce there Council Flores
Beyonce I heard it
all right this this Thursday just
wrapping up I apologize uh B Las Cruses
is hosted by visit Las Cruses that'll
happen this
Thursday um just FY for those who don't
know these are free dance lessons uh
they'll they'll teach uh so about so um
we'll have a teacher who will come and
share different genres of dancing and
they it's all free so 7 to 8:30 uh come
and share your time with the community
uh with your family and friends
um and last but not least I'd be
remissed if I didn't share Kudos along
with counselor Flores echoing uh with
along uh all all of you who've expressed
appreciation to our staff um I would be
remissed if I did if I did not thinkk
our budget staff uh Jacqueline Leanne
Josie and all budget team Human
Resources uh especially Joe
JC and the HR team working through P
Personnel related cost and projection
all department heads and their staff
that went through several exercises to
help balance the budget by reducing
their critical budget requests thank you
to Barbara bomo and Sonia Delgado for
your guidance and support through this
budget process as you know it's not easy
we started this budget process with a
different city manager and to go through
transition uh I appreciate the budget
team and staff having their patience
with me uh uh we appreciate you Council
as uh going internal and so we we hope
that it was a seamless transition
internally but again I think the
patience of of Staff doing a great job
so echoing uh everything that you shared
from the dice that is it thank
you thank you city manager
T and look for a motion to
adjourn move to adjourn second by
floes this is on a motion to adjourn the
meeting councelor McClair yes councelor
matis yes councelor Graham yes councelor
cran is absent councelor flotes yes
councelor bomo yes and mayor
yes e