foreign
song
foreign
[Music]
good afternoon everybody Welcome to our
third regular council meeting of April
17 2023 I'm Cassandra Gandara mayor Pro
temlp's presiding over this meeting
mayor is in a meeting at New Mexico
State University and hopefully we'll be
back in time but until then you got me
and so if you would just please draw
your attention to the ground rules I
would very much appreciate it and I'd
like us to stand and just give a moment
of silence for the mass shootings that
have occurred over the weekend
in Alabama and Chicago and also to send
my deep gratitude to our fire and PD for
the service
counselor pin Como with the pledge
thank you next up we will have Amy De
Felix pets of the week Amy how are you
you've been doing such an excellent job
and so appreciate all the education that
you've been sharing with us
Amy is that you
okay
no let me go ahead and share my screen
I'm Cassandra Gandara mayor Pro tem Amy
and we can't hear you very well so can
someone work on the
um his name is Crash his number is 60672
and he says I'm a sweet talking boy who
just loves asking for pets and attention
I have a couple of injuries still
healing which makes me look a little
girl but I'm truly the biggest baby you
would ever meet I have the sweetest meow
but I used to convince you to spend all
your time went with me looking for a cat
to spoil and treat like a king look no
further I'm the one for you
and then we also have our dog a week her
name is Rapunzel her number is 52972 and
she says I'm a lively and energetic girl
who loves being active I'm someone that
needs consistent and physical and mental
exercise to keep you from being restless
and bored I can also be a little bit
picky about my dog friend but I'm always
up for a meet and greet with other dogs
to see how I may feel my ideal family
gives me healthy outlets for my energy
and all of the belly rubs I could want
and we do have an adoption event sorry
I'm not sure if you can hear her puppies
um they'll be crying periodically
um but we do have an adoption event at
PetSmart this Saturday the 22nd from 10
a.m to 1 p.m
um we'll have definitely some dogs maybe
some cats but guaranteed some dogs so we
encourage people to stop by and say hi
and maybe find their next forever family
member
and now to keep up with the theme of
this month for TNR um I'd like to offer
some suggestions for deterrents because
I know that is one thing that a lot of
people in the community would like they
don't want the cats kind of in their
property getting in their Garden using
it as a litter box but there are some
deterrents that a lot of piano
organizations and animal shelters have
already started suggesting
um and part of that would be scent-based
deterrence so a lot of people like to
suggest using citrus peels like orange
peels lemon peels lime peels or a zest
around the area you don't want cats to
be because cats don't like kind of the
Citrus scent or the Citrus oils cayenne
pepper and coffee grounds do the same
thing put them in the soil and it deters
the cats for wanting to dig around and
just kind of exist in that space and
same with just essential oils like
citronella lavender lemongrass
peppermint eucalyptus and mustard oils
I've also been suggested from TNR
Advocates as a usable deterrence some
useful natural deterrence
there are also physical deterrence
people suggest using like a lattice like
a fence lattice but instead
horizontal on the ground covered in soil
so it prevents the cats from digging
everything up and kind of ruining the
roots of the plants plastic carpet
Runners the ones that you use that have
the spiky bits that stick to the carpet
and said bring it upside down so the
spikes are up and lightly covering that
in soil makes it uncomfortable for the
cats to walk around and kind of exist in
that space
there are
especially catered items called cat scat
mats which are effectively the same
thing as Carter Runners but invented for
the simple purpose of keeping feral cats
and other Wildlife out and that's if I
can get over the lace pointer here
that's what this is it looks um
effectively the same name as like maybe
a carpet Runner the spikes are a little
bit longer because it's made to just to
make it uncomfortable for an animal to
walk on
there are also light and sound
deterrents like motion sensored strobing
lights that also emit an ultrasonic
sound that we can't hear but cats and
other animals can hear that makes them
feel uncomfortable and makes them want
to leave essentially and that would be
kind of what this is and the ascmv we do
as part of our community to cat program
I have people in the community come to
us and tell us that they really they
will keep calling to have cats
attractively brought in because they
don't want them on their property and
because of that we do have some maps and
some motion sensored inference that are
available to dispense for for these
types of cases so we do perhaps other
local TNR organizations will also have
kind of
assistance in administering these
deterrents but you can also find them
online for pretty cheap as well you can
also Google just kind of community cat
girl cut deterrence to see the other
suggestions that other people do because
there's a whole lot of lists of like
Alley Cat allies as a national TNR
Association they have a large list that
could not fit in this little
presentation for kind of an overall more
comprehensive TNR deterrence but this is
definitely a start and something that
basically anyone would be able to do and
kind of get their hands on
this and this thank you
Amy thank you so much it's very helpful
I'm going to use some of those
deterrents
next up is we have Irene Barra
for jobs of the week Irene I see you got
the memo I'm wearing orange you're
wearing orange very good
I sure did thank you
okay good afternoon mayor Pro tem got on
the city council Irene bond with
economic development we begin with the
city of Las Cruces who is hiring for a
9-1-1 call taker this position pays 18
an hour and closes on April 21st White
Sands the Missile Range is hiring a
supervisory helicopter pilot this
position pays 82 000 a year and closes
on April 28th Advanced Air is hiring a
part-time customer service agent this
position pays 15 an hour and is open
until filled South Central Solid Waste
Authority is hiring a scale house
attendant and cashier this position pays
13.23 an hour and closes on May 4th Casa
de peregrinos is hiring a Development
Associate this position pays between
thirty four thousand and thirty seven
thousand a year depending on experience
and is open until filled and finally
oxygen Therapy Associates it's hiring a
respiratory therapist and nurse this
position pays between forty three
thousand and fifty seven thousand a year
depending on experience and closes on
July 4th
and as always for additional information
you can contact our local Workforce
Connection office at
575-524-6250 or visit them at their
location at 226 South Alameda or online
at employ nm.com thank you
thank you so much Irene I appreciate
that
next up is our presentations of
certificates and proclamations and
counselor bencom will be reading it
looks like four you're busy councilor
bengomo
I know it's like I haven't done this in
months I feel like until like before
okay the first one up is for our
libraries I think we have
for National Library week presented by
Aaron wall and the Brannigan Friends of
the library
yay hi everyone
yes clap for them come on up come on up
wonderful also while I have the
microphone I would just like to tell
staff that it is freezing in here thank
you
okay here we go
whereas today's libraries and their
service extend far beyond the four walls
of a building and where everyone is
welcome to use their resources and
whereas today's libraries are more about
what they can do with and for their
communities and not just about what they
can have on the shelves and whereas
libraries have long served a trusted as
trusted institutions often the heart of
their cities towns schools and academic
campuses and whereas libraries offer
opportunities for everyone to connect
with new ideas and become their best
selves through access to content
programs and classes including but not
limited to books and the Cornerstone of
democracy promoting the free exchange of
information and ideas for all
whereas libraries serve for people of
all ages interests and backgrounds
providing the resources and space to
engage in lifelong learning and
libraries are expanding their resources
to adapt to our changing world and
continue to meet the needs of their
patrons and whereas libraries offer
equipment and professional staff support
to utilize technology programs and
services often free or with a nominal
charge to users and whereas libraries
and staff encourage literacy of Base in
basic information Civic and social
health and financial competencies which
contribute to Greater personal and
Community success and whereas we
recognize libraries as information
professionals who provide expertise
services and guidance for patrons to
access credible sources and materials
assisting patrons making their own
informed decisions about the world today
and whereas libraries thoughtfully
develop Collections and programs that
are wide arranging and explore the
diversity of our changing Society
society and whereas libraries Librarians
and Library workers are joining Library
supporters and Advocates Across the
Nation to celebrate National Library
week and whereas America is celebrating
National Library week April 23rd through
April 29th including April 25th as
National Library workers day and the
immeasurable contributions made by
Library workers April 26th as National
Library Outreach day showing Library
services are not limited to their
physical location and April 27th as task
action for Library libraries day
encouraging Advocates and Community to
Rally support for libraries now
therefore we the mayor and City Council
of Las Cruces New Mexico do hereby
proclaim the week of April 23rd through
the 29th 2023 as National Library week
and encourage all residents to visit our
libraries and explore all that they have
to offer to help move New Mexico forward
thank you
[Applause]
no okay
I suppose I should say something I'm the
my name is Marianne Hendrickson I'm the
president of the library Advisory Board
and I am very very proud of our library
and our community and all of you all
understand how important the library is
to us and to everyone here and so I
thank all of you for being here today to
acknowledge and
appreciate our own Public Library thank
you all very much
[Applause]
thank you thank you thank you very much
[Applause]
next up we have child abuse awareness
month presented to Alana Bradley
hi
oh my apologies
okay
whereas child abuse and neglect is a
serious problem affecting every segment
of our community and finding Solutions
require input and action from everyone
and whereas our children are our most
valuable resources and will shape the
future of Las Cruces and whereas
child abuse can have a long-term
physiological emotional and physical
effects that have lasting consequences
for victims of abuse and whereas
protective factors are conditions that
reduce or eliminate risk and promote the
social emotional and developmental
well-being of children and whereas
effective Child Abuse Prevention
activities succeed because of the
partnership created between child
welfare professionals Education Health
Community and faith-based organizations
businesses law enforcement agencies and
families and whereas communities must
make every effort to promote programs
and activities that create strong and
thriving children and families and
whereas we acknowledge that we must work
together as a community to increase
awareness about child abuse and
contribute to promote the social and
emotional well-being of Children and
Families and save stable and nurturing
environment and whereas prevention
Remains the best defense for our
children and families now therefore we
the mayor and City Council of Las Cruces
New Mexico do here by proclaim the month
of April 2023 as child abuse awareness
month in our community and encourage all
residents to recognize this month by
dedicating ourselves to the task of
improving the quality of life for
Children and Families
[Applause]
I just wanted to invite you all to go
see our pinwheel awareness campaign that
we have going right outside of Branigan
library at Johnson Park we have over 600
pinwheels up for Child Abuse Prevention
Awareness Month there so go check them
out before we take them down at the end
of April
it wasn't so bad
thank you
next up we have Parkinson's Awareness
Month presented Diana Diana Giver
I'm sorry if I said that wrong okay
did I say that right
Diane my apologies Diane come on over
here of course
in solidarity with people who get our
names wrong so okay
whereas Parkinson's disease is a chronic
progressive neurological disease and is
the second most common neurodiver neuro
degenerative disease in the United
States
there's inadequate data on the incidence
and prevalence of Parkinson's disease
but it is estimated that as many as one
million Americans live with Parkinson's
disease with approximately 60 000
Americans diagnosed every day and
whereas it is estimated that the
economic burden of Parkinson's disease
to be nearly 25 billion per year in the
United States medication alone cost
costs an average of 2 500 a year in
therapeutic surgery can cost up to one
hundred thousand dollars per person and
whereas research suggests that the
causes of Parkinson's disease is a
combination of genetic and environmental
factors but the exact cause and
progression of the disease is still
unknown there is no objective test or
biomarker for Parkinson's Disease and
the rate of misdiagnosis can be high and
whereas the symptoms of Parkinson's
disease vary from person to person and
can include Tremor slowness of movement
and rigidity difficult with balance
swallowing chewing and speaking
cognitive impairment and dementia mood
disorders such as depression and anxiety
constipation skin problems and sleep
difficulties there is no cure therapy or
drug to Halt the progression of
Parkinson's disease however daily
exercise has proven to slow the
progression and whereas local Regional
and state volunteers researchers and
medical professionals are working to
improve the quality of life of persons
living with Parkinson's disease and
their families and whereas increased
Education and Research is needed to find
more effective treatments with fewer
side effects and ultimately a cure for
Parkinson's Disease now therefore we the
mayor and City Council of Las Cruces New
Mexico do hereby proclaim the month of
April 2023 as Parkinson's Awareness
Month
[Applause]
I have my notes on my phone
um
I am joined today by Sarah Stegall who
is the leader of our local support group
for Parkinson's and Donnelly and Mike
Bartholomew right
they are also members of the group and
I'm the treasurer
I moved here in 2017 and I I'm from
Pennsylvania so I started a support
group there
and I was thrilled to know that they had
one here so I called Sarah and what do
you know she put me to work
and we became best friends and so every
day I don't think we'd go a day without
checking in with each other
so the greatest thing about what we have
to offer here in our small community is
and this is just amazing and kudos to
Sarah who
single-handedly does most of the work
we have regular support group meetings
every third Tuesday of the month
we started a new newly diagnosed support
group every fourth Tuesday
we started pickleball for Parkinson's
I've been playing pickleball since about
2019 and I in I started it with the
Parkinson's members and they love it so
it's great exercise for us
we always have a fall Symposium this
year we'll have one it's called renew
retreat
uh it's for people with Parkinson's and
their caregivers
we have a exercise program every Monday
and Wednesday at 10 o'clock
it's called new Pathways for Parkinson's
and it's designed by Carol Witham who
has
20 plus years of experience exercising
with Parkinson's people we also have
Rock Steady boxing at the Donna Anna
Boxing Club and that's gone on for
several years now so
um
we have a newly updated website
and has a calendar of events and this is
a lot for little town and I I'm very
fortunate to be a part of the group and
if you know of anyone that can use our
services please look on the website and
we will be able to help them in many
ways
thank you
we go
thank you I'm Diane I just wanted to
acknowledge
um Sarah Mike and Donna I'm really
missing Mr Hamilton
he usually is really active in at his
advocacy around Parkinson's and he died
last year and I just wanted to give him
a shout out for all the work that he did
also to bring to light your group and
everything that you do so thank you so
much
[Applause]
okay last one
for water Awareness Month
please come up Debbie McAllen and yeah
your whole crew
and Debbie I believe that right after
you'll be giving a presentation on the
conservation poster winner is that
correct yes
oh cool hello
how are you
good
yes come on up everyone
my goodness okay here we go
whereas water is one of New Mexico's
most vital and precious resources and
whereas New Mexico is an arid state
where water is scarce and population
continues to increase our demand for
water and whereas all citizens of New
Mexico and visitors should use water
more efficiently as practicing a lower
water use lifestyle is a way that each
individual and business can help ensure
a long-term sufficient water supply and
whereas creating a culture of
conservation will greatly reduce the
impact of drought on our natural
resources economy and quality of life
and whereas water education is a
Cornerstone to any comprehensive water
conservation program and great awareness
of water issues can be gained through
Community Education action and
celebration now therefore we the mayor
and City Council of Las Cruces New
Mexico do hereby Proclaim May 2023 as
water Awareness Month in all our
community and encourage all res students
to pledge to continue to use Water
Wisely this month and every month of the
year
thank you
is Adrian Whitmer here maybe she should
come down to our utilities director and
take a picture with you
please yeah
as everyone knows here in Las Cruces
water is one of the New Mexico's most
vital and precious resource so to bring
awareness to the young children in the
community we had a we asked for
elementary third graders
classrooms from
Highland Fair Acres Hermosa and Columbia
Elementary
Schools to draw posters symbolizing
water awareness and the importance of
conserving water in the community so
before me we we don't have I don't
believe our third place winner but I
would like to announce and give a
certificate of appreciation and a
monetary gift to Mia Clark who came in
first place so MIA
right
our second place winner is Alexander
Cordero
[Applause]
and our third place winner was sunny
I'm not sure if that's how you say it
but um she's not here but we would like
to congratulate her as well
thank you
keep going
counselor pin Como can I have the the
winners come up this way we didn't get a
chance to see the beautiful artwork so
they would come up this way and just
sort of showcase their art we'd love to
see it up close and personal thank you
oh my goodness we already have artists
you guys did phenomenal
[Applause]
and there will be a presentation yes
that was the presentation oh okay all
right all right very good onto our
conflict of interest is there any
um conflict with any member of city
council city manager Our member of City
staff any non-conflict mcmen
thank you
next up public none thank you counselor
Flores
next up public participation I will
start on my left and I'll give you three
minutes and we'll start on our first row
will you please
take the time
thank you hello Mr Nissan Dr Neeson
mayor Pro tem and counselors
I am Earl Nissan and I live in Las
Cruces
I am today representing the citizens
police oversight committee
it's been some time since we mentioned
that we had put together a proposed
ordinance for the formation of a
Citizens police oversight board
today I have distributed to you a copy
of our proposal which certainly would be
subject to change after discussing it
with you
this draft is a result of reviewing many
of the ordinances of oversight boards on
the Nicole listing
there is no standard format and each
ordinance has been designed to fit that
particular City
as I've been researching oversight
boards that are affiliated with oir I
find there are no two boards organized
in the same way
for example the other day I virtually
attended the two and a half hour meeting
of the Boulder Colorado Police oversight
panel
they actually got the complaints about
the police and each member of the panel
is assigned complaints for them to
investigate and report back and work
with police on recommendations
in regards to the complaint
many of the boards have subcommittees
such as one on excessive force and
another one on policing policies on
traffic stops
so again there is no standard form of
oversight committees
our request for a work session Still
Remains if granted we would appreciate
at least a three-week heads up thank you
thank you Dr Neeson
next up please come to the podium and
state your name
hello council members I'm Brooke
Milligan and later on the agenda today
you have an item on Council Bill
23024 to bring forward a sir may I ask
I'm going to interrupt you and I don't
mean to be disrespectful but can you
wait till that agenda item to be able to
oh it's not it's on the bottom yes yes
I'm sorry so sorry yeah I was about to
say to bring forwards for first read
um
I would like to reflect that the current
public record on that item is incomplete
and the one of the purposes of this
period of time between the first read
and the final action is to make sure the
public is actually aware of all of the
information that is being considered by
the council that is currently not the
case because the staff was unable to
include all of the information prior to
to now and so I would like to request
that this action be tabled until the
future when you have the public record
fully corrected and complete
thank you
please
hi my name is Barbara McGuffey and
council members we I really hadn't
planned on speaking today we came to
hear the first reading of the ordinance
30 30 I believe it is and realized that
all of our community input had not been
put in including a petition that was uh
that was circulated to all of our
neighbors an objection to this and the
City Secretary explained city clerk
explained to us that it had been
distributed to all the council members
but it's referenced in in the agenda
item by staff that it is included that
while we did not appeal this this packet
is to be included and it wasn't included
and you know the solution was the city
clerk said that what it could be put in
um next in two weeks but that doesn't
that allows for you all to perhaps see
it but you might be over overlooking it
as a separate email
and we would like to request that it be
tabled so that the public has ample time
to review that and for the public
participation in two weeks
thank you thank you Miss McDuffie please
make your win
your counselor um a beta pardon me mayor
Pro tem um I believe uh Christine had a
comment and reference
yes Miss Christine mayor Pro tem the um
document that they're referencing was an
attachment which I distributed to all of
you and it can be attached at the
adoption of the ordinance itself in two
weeks so it wasn't an exhibit or
anything that you would be approving it
was just an attachment as reference
concert
pardon me it was not a required
documentation
okay thank you yes ma'am good afternoon
mayor Pro tem and Council question I'm
sorry that's okay done yes counselor
Flores thank you excuse me
um Miss Rivera does that mean that it's
not is it Incorporated by reference or
is it just there for edification correct
um counselor flood as it would just be a
reference document because it was an
attachment and not an exhibit and not
part of
okay thank you thank you for the
clarification thank you I'm counselor
Flores yes ma'am good afternoon mayor
Pro tem and Council my name is Marcie
McGuinn I live in Las Cruces and I'm
also here to talk about ordinance item
3030.
um
ordinance night item number 3030 the PDF
document that is currently posted on the
city of Las Cruces website does make
reference to the 12-page document that
my neighbor Brooke Milligan submitted
directly to Vincent benegas it's absence
in that PDF document
it does make that document incomplete
for this meeting for the public and for
public record for the city of Las Cruces
I would like to respectfully ask that
this matter be tabled until further
point where that record could be added
sufficiently and that will allow all of
the council to review that record along
with all of the other record that has
been submitted for consideration it will
also allow the public to view everything
appropriately we do understand that the
additional attachment has been sent out
to all council members but it is not
accurately represented as part of the
ordinance number 3030 as referenced in
this agenda and is referenced online
um again so we consider that to be an
incomplete package and we would like to
respectfully ask for this to be tabled
at this time thank you Mr Speaker and I
appreciate that thank you
that's our second row what about anybody
else third second row
please make your way down
good afternoon counselors first of all
I'd like to say thank you for what you
do for our community
but there are still some problems can
you state your name please for the
record Lori English I live up on the
East Mesa so I'm counselor quran's
problem
so to speak we have a definite problem
out on the East Mesa that may involve
City County and State
it is a major traffic hazard
at 4 30 to fix five o'clock in the
afternoon almost every weekday afternoon
the traffic exiting
Highway 70
Eastbound at Mesa Grande is often
and I'm talking like 25 times
during those hours
stopped on the highway it's literally
backed up stopped parking lot on the
highway people cannot get exited on that
ramp because it's a single lane exit
that widens out to four lanes one lane
going to the school one lane going
straight through one lane turning left
only under the freeway and one lane
making a U-turn
so consequently traffic stopped on a
state highway
and this cross traffic for Mesa Grande
from the school so these kids can get
out of school
and we've already had one fatality at
that intersection because of this
problem
um
that traffic you know just continually
going on these kids are just driving
through they're not paying attention to
blocking the intersection they're not
paying attention to anything that
involves highway safety and driver
safety so maybe this is something that
the the city council might make a step
forward
you guys may be the ones to save a life
by saying you know what this isn't
working we need to reset a simple reset
reset the timing on those stop lights so
that stop light isn't allowing two to
three minutes of cross traffic from the
school down to Mesa Grande to McDonald's
or wherever they're going or to the
highway
shorten that time and lengthen the
highway time and the turn straight
through or going to the school time
because it is I sat there the other day
and I was literally with my back pressed
up against my headrest hoping
that the people behind me knew that
there was traffic stopped and it was
literally stopped six cars deep onto
Highway 70. it wasn't just a minor stop
and go it was a parking lot dead stop
somebody has to take the initiative the
city might be the ones to do it and say
hey wait a minute thank you Miss English
thank you very much bye-bye bye-bye
anybody else in the third row fourth row
yes please make your way down
good afternoon my name is Linda Huff on
April 3rd two weeks ago my husband and I
stood before the council discussing the
nightmare we were living since burn Lake
City Park had been invaded by illegal
encampments
I would really like to express a big
thank you to the mayor for his attention
and responses the Las Cruces police
officers that removed the illegal
encampments and were
out at the burn Lake area and also the
Parks and Recreation Personnel that
authorized and removed the unsightly
abandoned shelters
I would like to remind everyone that Las
Cruces Municipal Code chapter 20
sections 20-28 clearly states city parks
shall be open from 5 a.m until 11 pm
except for emergencies permitted special
events and parks where hours are posted
differently from those operating under
normal operating time
individuals shall not be allowed in the
park at any in the city park during
close times unless permitted by
authorized by permit
this clearly indicates that camping is
prohibited in the city parks
within hours of the homeless moving to
the burn Lake area and setting up their
illegal encampments the small Cinder
Rock building nearby was graffitied
trash started blowing into our in our
neighbor's yards and we had to do the
constant smell of campfire smoke
on April 4th the next day after we spoke
before this Council the Las Cruces PD
Officers started showing up and
informing the people people that they
were they were trespassing and needed to
relocate
we claim
on ape on Saturday April 8th we both
went to El Paso and for a previous
commitment we came straight back from
our meeting because we were fearful of
our house might have been broken into or
burned while we were away that very
night the illegal encampment trash pile
caught fire and almost set several tents
on fire if the wind would have been
blowing toward our house it could have
threatened us
on April 10th seven days after we spoke
before this Council there were only four
illegal encampments left on April 12
nine days after we spoke the Las Cruces
PD Officers cleared the last four
illegal countenance out that same day
Parks and Rec Personnel removed the
abandoned shelters and had been a magnet
that Drew the people to the area
now we are able to breathe smoke-free
air and feel comfortable leaving our
home when we need to
again we would like to thank the mayor
the Las Cruces PD parks and recs for
your pro a prompt attention to enforcing
city ordinance thank you for your time
thank you Miss Huff
[Applause]
my name is Fred Huff
I would also like to express my deepest
gratitude to the mayor Las Cruces police
officers and Parks and Recreation
Personnel for enforcing city ordinances
and ending the illegal encampment
nightmare outside our bedroom window
what I would like to now discuss is why
this invasion of illegal encampments
occurred at burn Lake in the first place
yes the abandoned shelters were the
magnet that attracted these people but
they also needed easy access
that access was provided by the
unmaintained and open fences that had
been put in place to control access to
the park
the cable fence at the West End of Brown
Road was cut last November
and could have been repaired in less
than an hour anytime since then
the posts of the chain link fence at the
end of Hickory Loop have actually eroded
clear out of the ground
and in some places a fence has fallen
over and is currently laying on the guy
wire holding up the electric pole at the
edge of Golden Corral parking lot
several holes have been cut in the chain
link fence where it is still standing
and one hole is big enough for vehicles
to drive through and this is where the
guy in the Chevy Trailblazer that I
talked about two weeks ago was coming in
until he discovered the opening at the
West End of round Road I called him the
Chevy guy on the day that the Parks and
Recreation cre crew were removing the
abandoned shelters the Chevy guy came in
and terrorized This Crew for about an
hour he entered their work area and
poured something on the ground and led
it on fire he drove within a few feet of
the crew as they saw shelter near their
vehicles and then he spun out creating a
massive dust cloud and then exited
between two City vehicles on his last
pass by the work Crew He aimed his
vehicle directly at one of the workers
as a worker scrambled to get out of the
way I have video and photo of all of
this
and they are posted on the internet and
the link has been sent to the mayor city
manager LCB
LCPD officers and Park and Recreation
staff if the fences had been maintained
this would have never happened
there are also easy and temporary
solutions to the destroyed fences while
better fences are designed and belt
thank you for your time thank you Mr
anybody else on the fourth row fifth row
foreign
sixth row
well come on down sir
my name is Rod guyeski I'm the adjutant
for Purple Heart Las Cruces and what I
have here I've discussed it with the
chief from Eddie and I'd like to give to
the city manager for dissemination
please um to our our clerk there sir
Christine raise your hand Christine
thank you
I didn't give enough copies for all of
the counselors because if you all were
to come to this event which is the
candlelight ceremony on May 29th
Memorial Day at Veterans Memorial Park
it would be classified as as an illegal
meeting because you'd all be together so
so those of you that would be interested
uh my my phone number is on the bottom
and the mayor is already consented as he
always has a mayor sponsor is this part
of this part of his budget is to sponsor
the event which is the the candle
lighting ceremony which honors the 204.
foreign
poor New Mexicans who have fallen in
combat
during during from the world war one
until until the current uh conflicts
that have existed I would invite any of
you that would be interested in coming
I've asked the chief the chief I've
already discussed it with him because as
you know until we receive the the
parking lot Extension Road Runner
becomes a very during those large events
becomes a very dangerous street because
it's like a freeway but hopefully next
year we'll have a real parking lot where
we can we can put the cars off the
street but I would invite you all to any
of you that would like to attend uh and
and if if you would not only attend but
but I have 20 spots remaining for for
Candlelight sponsors and the candlelight
sponsor doesn't cost anything it's
simply you're placing a candle on the
wall when the name is read we don't we
don't we don't read dignitaries names we
have dignitaries come from White Sands
and all over the state but but we but
but this is to honor the 204 Fallen
any questions
it doesn't look like thank you so much
for doing this I very much appreciate it
and I hope many of us will be in contact
with you to be a candlelight candle
sponsor thank you very much thank you so
much thank you
now anybody else on the fifth row
fifth row sixth row Mr Garcia
mayor Pro tem Council name is Juan
Garcia I was not planning to speak today
until I went for coffee this morning I
would Rob through the spirit winds
coffee shop on Locust I noticed it
completely boarded up front door and to
pull it riddled windows I spoke to the
manager and she indicated that this is a
third hit in about six months the last
happened this weekend about six or ten
thousand dollars worth of damage maybe
the criminal act was due to systemic
racism racism or maybe the criminalist
family was a victim of some social
injustice that happened 200 years ago
I'm joking when I say that because maybe
this is more likely because they can get
away with it it's the same old story
just a different day a different victim
same thing nothing changes
another report and they too become a
member of the Forgotten victims the
glass replacement business must be
booming in Las Cruces due to the number
of Windows and Doors being replaced in
small businesses victims of attacks
the council blames the courts and the
court explained the legislature
the legislature could have acted this
last season a session but instead and
the blame starts all over again and in
the meantime the victims pile up
I'd like to thank councilor pincomo
Graham Florida for always engaging on
issues I appreciate that and a special
thanks to councilman Cuomo for assisting
the eradication of the crime element on
burnt Lake
I would also like to clarify the
allegation that we as an organization
demanded the council resignation that's
not true it is up to the voters to
determine if they're happy with those
running for election or re-election if
the citizens are happy not knowing if
their businesses will survive from one
terror attack to the other their vehicle
is disappearing they can vote
accordingly
if it is evident based on this year's
legislative session toughening laws to
deter crime and holding criminals
accountable is not a priority
okay
the street name changed was not the
primary cause of anger by citizens in my
opinion it is comments like those by one
of our counselors where she indicated
that the idea of inconveniences
is pretty appalling what we are hearing
is quote the past will be cleansed and
history Rewritten
we have a monolithic Progressive council
with a tremendous amount of power that
is going to act in order to force social
justice
in January I was a victim of a hit and
run vehicle totaled and myself my lower
back was injured I did some Public
public information request and there was
an indication that there had been
936 hit and runs leaving the scene from
June 1st 2022 to first first of April
2023 that's 10 months 93 per month or
three a day
three hit and runs daily in Las Cruces
thank you Mr Garcia thank you
anybody else in the sixth row
seventh row
[Applause]
eighth row
good afternoon everybody my name is
James Urias and it's my first time
coming speaking in front of a council
can you please move the mic closer to
you yes thank you yes ma'am no problem
what I came up here to talk about today
is what a lot of people are not talking
about and that is orthopography and that
is
a higher Advanced way of seeing
education the education system that we
have being the lowest education the
lowest educated state in the United
States
proves that we as a nation are not
United there should not be different
levels of Education
in a United Nation
when I look at the debt clock for the
United States and I see what a lot of
people are not seeing or even addressing
and that is that the dollar has taken a
complete dive
U.S oil a barrel is
zero dollars per barrel
gold is at zero dollars per ounce silver
the same
if we are going to rely on a currency we
need to know what currency to rely on
and we are given no information
there are a lot of things going on
in the world today
that people are only getting partial
truths of
because of opinions and not actual laws
if you open a Black's Law Dictionary it
states the supreme law of the land is
God's law
and the Constitution for We the People
and we the people
need more guidance in what we are being
given
because if everybody is busy fighting
amongst themselves over what they think
is right
then everybody is going to lose
and it is not just me
that is our nation my kids y'all's kids
because nobody can come together and
focus on the correct things
feelings are going to get hurt
but the truth will always prevail
and it will always come through in black
and white on a screen
because I see PC I see the power of
letters and numbers and sequences and
patterns
I've been shown
things that I
still question to this day because I
never trust anything
until I see it for myself
nine seconds left thank you all so much
for getting us here but where are we
going to go to the Future
good day thank you
anybody else on the seventh row my love
please make your way down if you're
gonna speak
will you also be speaking if you are
make your way down here please thank you
good afternoon
um first of all I like to please state
your name for the record of course my
name is Nelly Soriano
and uh
I'm standing here just before you today
to acknowledge the incredible work that
the woman on this Council
are doing for the city of Las Cruces as
my former former woman in office myself
for my city of Anthony New Mexico
I felt your pain I have seen I have seen
it happen
unfortunately way too many times your
dedication hard work and commitment to
this community have not done unnoticed
I'm sorry I'm just a little nervous
you have brought in unique perspective
in in
valuable experience to the table and
your contribution have unnoted
help I'm sorry your contribution have
helped make this city a better place for
all of us
I have heard nothing but wonderful
wonders from my neighbor
and now a good friend of mine which is
Giselle
um
about you ladies and I have nothing but
respect and appreciation for your
service thank you ladies however it is
disheartening to see how even in this
Century men are still allowing
disrespect and division to proceed while
freedom of speech is important we must
remember that we are adults and must use
better language and higher level of
respect
it is time to stop using phrases like we
the people we are bosses and we own you
instead let's all get together and find
solution to the real issues that our
community faces
complaining without taking action is
pathetic
we must respect each other and work
together to create a better Community
for ourselves
we need to put in into this behavior of
division and come together again come
together
to volunteer and make differences in our
community there are many organizations
in the group that need our help and we
should take advantage of this
opportunities to create a better New
Mexico in general General
in closing
I want to reiterate my gratitude to the
woman on this Council
for the great job you're all doing for
the city of Las Cruces and our neighbor
city of Anthony and let us all work
together to make Las Cruces in our
surrounding areas better place to live
work and raise our families thank you
ladies thank you councilman I appreciate
that
[Applause]
good afternoon members of city council
my name is Giselle nans and I'm back
last time I kind of wasn't unprepared to
speak but this time I am because I got a
little bit of a mouthful from someone
but again my name is Giselle Nance and
I'm here to express my unwavering
support for all you ladies and everyone
in city council
especially of course the women that
would suggest subjected less time and
with derogatory comments and remarks
when I was sitting back there I heard a
lot of the threats of certain members in
the audience and it was very
unacceptable for anyone to use foul
language in some derogatory mannerisms
and anyone
towards anyone actually let alone those
who have been elected to represent our
community once again I would like to
address some individuals in the audience
who I notice specifically using tactics
to intimidate the council members your
beef your brief so I'm sorry your
behavior reflects your character as a
mother of strong young man and has
someone who has family members who have
served in the military for over eight
Generations I was deeply sent by the
disgusting Behavior here in many other
pla online platforms it is important to
remember that our future leaders are
watching us
possibly some could be our daughters or
granddaughters who in our future could
be in office whether we like it or not
oh or not as our democracy dictates and
we will have to respect it
as our constitution dictates it it is
imperative that we show them the respect
they deserve
or we or as we've forgotten how we can
into this you know who how we came into
this world we came from a woman some of
the individuals in the audience were
retired soldiers
with empty gun holsters I saw that
personally and that was very insulting
and while they they may argue that this
is the freedom of speech and acted in
such a manner in use terms as we the
people own you and we pay you to do your
job etc etc they forgot if they are real
soldiers their own oath to the country
should I remind you it because I do
remember that every single graduation I
went to for All My Sons that served this
country
and I remember part of it and it's to
defend the Constitution of the United
States in our democracy this is why I
stand here today and ask everyone to use
the same negative energy and turn that
into a positive towards volunteering and
making a positive impact on our
community instead of spreading hate and
division we have many issues facing on
committees such as homelessness maybe
ranking lately 50 in education we have a
lot of immigration issues near the
border lacking parenting thank you amen
thank you so much okay anybody else on
this side
see nothing okay I'll move to my right
first row second third anybody in third
row is that step forwards please make
your way down if you're sir that's you
in the great yes thank you
mayor Pro tem and council members Conrad
ottenhoff I want to thank the city for
recognizing the the hazards of Elks Road
Motor Speedway
last week I witnessed two of the city
employees one uniformed installing a a
speed indicator
and display
on the Northbound Lane of Elks Road
I applaud that action and I would ask
that you consider
installing a similar unit for the
southbound lane which is equally or more
uh
more hazardous
secondly
recognizing the deteriorating traffic
situations in Las Cruces and the fact
that certain
intersections have been redesignated
or modified I would ask that you
maintain and improve the signage
for those intersections that include
single Lane turning versus double lane
turning and enforce those enforce that
protocol
I thank you very much and
thank you sir appreciate you
okay
it's fourth fifth row
bithro sixth row
seventh row
eighth row
nobody on this side
going once twice okay all right that
concludes our public comment thank you
so much
okay we need a motion to accept the
agenda
so much
motion made by counselor Flores second
by conserving Como
Christine
you're on
oh is your light not working yeah it is
now thank you this is on the motion to
accept the agenda as presented counselor
beta yes councilor Graham yes councilor
Ben Comal yes
councilor cran yes
counselor Flores yes councilor Gandara
yes and the mayor is absent thank you
okay next up is 7.1 resolution number
23-114 move to approve second gram is
that motion made by conserva Beta second
by councilor Graham
Jacklin
yes
how are you yes
budgeting Grant administrator
thank you
I'm presenting a resolution proposing an
amendment to the FY 23 budget for the
state shared gross receipts tax
Improvement revenue bonds series 2023
known as ssgrt bonds series 2023
on February 12 23 city council approved
an ordinance 30-24 Which authorized City
staff to issue and sell ssgrt bonds
series 2023 in the principal amount not
to exceed 12 million a hundred and fifty
thousand these bonds will be payable
from 1.225 percent of distributions from
the state's shared gross receipts tax
so this budget adjustment is to issue a
budget for Bond proceeds debt issuance
costs expenditure and expenditures
related to the construction purchase
acquisition and Improvement of roadways
and public facility projects
the proposed amendment is as follows for
fund 4028 which is a 2023 ssgrt
12 916
777 to both revenue and expenditures
and the breakdown is as follows for both
revenues and expenditures
for fund 3028 which is a 2023 ssgrt Debt
Service fund two thousand seven hundred
and five dollars in revenues
and that's where Debt Service fund
premium
the council options are presented above
thank you Chuck I appreciate that any
questions
see none any public comment
okay seeing that Christine whoa that was
fast it was all right let's do this
this is the motion to approve resolution
23-114 councilor beta yes cancergram yes
councilor Ben komal yes councilor crayon
yes counselor Flores yes mayor Pearl 10
yes and the mayor's absent
okay motion passes next up thank you
thank you so much
next stop 7.2 resolution number
23-115 need emotion and move to approve
Graham second Move Motion made by
councilor Graham second by councilor
beta hello Miss Campo how are you I'm
good how are you good I'm doing well
thank you hello mayor per timer council
members Rocio Gamboa senior budget
analyst
here to present a third quarter budget
adjustments
these budget adjustments are no there
are no new programs for policy
initiatives the adjustments are focused
on compliance and alignment
these are routine budget budgetary
business best practices
the data presented is summarized so
please refer to your packet for detailed
information
our first budget adjustment in the
general fund is for the fire department
an increase in expenses to finish up the
radio upgrades for public safety system
next one is uh the fight an increase for
the finance department of 941 000 and
this is an adjustment to
projected State GRT administrative
charges to actuals
Parks and Rec Department is
um get in an increase in expenses of 353
000 for the replacement of the safe
haven playground
quality of life
received um a Insurance claim payment
for the Earth and Cosmos Mosaic repairs
of 54 000 so it's an increase in revenue
and expenses
we're doing a transfer from the general
fund to the workers comp
of 255 000 and this is to reflect uh
workers comp Actuarial report
and also
transfer from the general fund to the
liability claims fund and if 1.7 million
and also for to reflect the Actuarial
report for the liability claims
fund we are doing we have an increase in
expensive of a hundred thousand and this
is to for to adjust a hundred thousand
for projected State GRT administrative
fees to actuals
we also have a decrease in the finance
department and the whole harmless
account
which is also reflect goals with us the
next adjustment of a hundred and fifty
thousand dollars for two-break patrol
vehicles
and finance we're decreasing 150 and
we're giving 150 to the police
department
the special reimbursement Grant
a fund is receiving an increase that is
uh needs a increase of 375 000 for
contract contract Administration managed
by Finance
Public public park Development Fund
needs a Parks and Recs Department needs
an increase of 419 000 in expenses to
increase the expenses for provencio Van
Damme improvements
the airport fund
has a revenue and expense adjustment in
the expenses we we're going to increase
nine thousand ninety three hundred
dollars for
a carryover for FY 22 mower
and an increase in the revenue of 31 000
for to adjust airport rescue Grant
projection to actuals
the Fleet Services fund
um is uh adjusting their budget in
revenues they're decreasing 775 000 and
decreasing 1.2 million in expenses and
this is to reduce the projected revenue
and expenses for solid waste that was
supposed to move over to Fleet but now
is being managed by utilities
and now turn it over to Cynthia Campo
CIP analyst
thank you Rocio hello thank you hello
good afternoon Council and I'm here I'm
Cynthia Campo CIP analyst this quarter
we have three different types of CIP
amendments we have transfers of
appropriation between projects addition
of projects and adjustments for
additional expenses
the first category is transfers and as
you can see we have transfers from the
facility parking lot and program program
of 45
000 that is being moved to the fleet
electric vehicle Chargers project
and then the safety Health environment
and emergency project we are decreasing
that one by eight thousand three hundred
seventy three
to add
to the general facilities Improvement
project and the IGA project that had a
bit of a rounding issue so we added a
dollar there and the last one is the Del
Rey Boulevard signal Improvement project
we're transferring the 50 000 for the
match
next we have new projects
in those we have a 163 500 for the
Communications office suite improvements
and we're also adding the lru runway 826
and 1230 blast pads project we still
haven't received the funds it's pending
on FAA funding but it's being added as a
future project
um and then there's
um the 419 000 for the provincial Van
Damme restrooms
and
um
during the ssjrt bond acceptance staff
introduced the three categories of
of projects they were broad categories
and in those there was the quality of
life
projects active Transportation projects
and maintenance projects and with those
in mind these four projects were the
ones that were selected for funding
using the ssjrt bond
within those is the roof replacement
programs
program projects near scheide Recreation
Center remodel expansion East Mesa
Recreation Complex and complete streets
and the last one is adjustments where
there was additional expenses
so we're increasing the budget for those
projects including a field or Memorial
Safe Haven the RTP Trail project Parks
security and lighting Parks smart
controller and pumps and neighborhood
parks
and those are the amendments thank you I
think yes counselor Flores thank you
madam chair and thank you for your
respective uh presentations I do have
questions for your presentation
um page eight if you could go back to
page eight
can you please explain the one dollar
can't even buy a maybe not even maybe
one stick of gum
um I believe it was surrounding uh yes
so we just need to adjust it to the by
the one dollar so that we can expense
everything correctly
one dollar major difference yeah and it
just balances everything I believe it
was sixth sense if I'm correct but but
we round up so it's and I would like to
say to Mr Moosh and and you wonder why I
don't understand these lines sometimes
yeah yeah okay perfect perfect I
understand clearly now yeah
um page nine please
on the
um
uh lru runways 8 26 and 12 30.
the blast uh there's zero allocation so
why is it there yes I'm adding it as a
future project
um
there the
grant has been submitted and FAA will be
funding it so yes you you did say that
FAA and yeah they will be funding it but
you have no idea the amount and so if
you don't have the amount yet
why would this be presented to us
um
so typically I would have brought it in
with um with the grant acceptance but I
ended up adding it to as a new project
we I do know the amount is somewhere
around
100 and
30 000 somewhere around there
okay but that's that's uh Andy is here
Andy hi so maybe Andy can explain it to
me as if I were a four-year-old he's
very good at explaining things to me
good afternoon Madam chair and Council
Flores good to see you
in this particular case FAA funds grants
a little backward from a lot of other
agencies typically other agencies give
you the money first and you have to fit
a project into it
in this case we we have identified a
project need and we go through the
project and and
build the scope and and go through the
bidding process and then when we're done
we let the FAA know how much the project
costs and then they issue the the grant
award so in this case we're making sure
that the project is in the CIP
and ready to accept the money once we
get that Grant so we're going through
the process right now of doing the scope
and the design and we're hopefully going
out to bid here very soon
this is just the placeholder when we get
the grant issued from FAA
and somehow that just makes things flow
better when the money does come in
yes Madam chair and councilor Flores
when the grant comes in there'll be a
budget adjustment and we'll present that
to you all for acceptance and we'll go
build the project okay so we can accept
the zero now because we've got nothing
to gain and nothing to lose absolutely
it's a placeholder that's correct yes
great thank you so much Mr Hume no
problem good to see you Andy
oh I'm sorry I have one more
um on page 10.
um
oh what was my question
so these amounts here for all those
um this all the all these improvements
projects
um
those are the amounts that have been
allocated and will be spent on the
project specified
yes yes ma'am yeah okay I just wanted to
make sure I'm on the same track uh how
soon do you think these projects will be
completed or at least do you have any
idea when they'd be started
um well I believe they need to be
started as soon as possible but I is
there one in particular that you have
well all of them they they look
absolutely fantastic and then sometimes
I think I wonder if we have enough money
but you know it's just wonderful roof
replacement program but I don't know
which roofs we're talking about
meershite recreation center and the
remodeling that that's something we've
been kicking around for some time now
and then the East Mesa Recreation
Complex
well they're all Bond projects I see and
then complete streets
but we don't have any details as to uh
well for example the roof replacement
program and the complete streets which
part of the city uh where where are
these going to be implemented where is
it going to take place and when the roof
Replacements are from unicort meershite
and the Railroad Museum
and for complete streets it is a bucket
project that we've created
and if shijana would like to answer that
question further
good afternoon mayor Pro tem city
councilors council Flores the complete
streets bucket if you will includes
University Avenue Idaho El Paseo some of
the major corridors that are
priorities per city council policy and
our adopted plans if you recall during
the CIP Retreat we talked about
transformative projects we talked about
incremental changes and so this would be
the bucket to fund those major
transformative projects if you will as
far as start time completion we would be
dictated by the ssjrt bond cycle
believe it's three years
and Leanne can clarify that but the
start for specific projects under say
their roof replacement program or either
of those
Recreation projects would be up to the
the project management department and
um the project schedule if you will we
don't actually have that right now
my question then becomes why don't we
have start dates and you say you have to
wait for the department heads or the
powers that be who are those powers and
why don't we have start dates because
you say that there's a completion dates
it has to be done within the three years
but um
it doesn't say anything about when it
has to be started from the time the
allocation becomes available and and
just you know being on this is my six
year I'm not counting okay but this is
my six year on city council and we've
had all these wonderful things and then
and then we're wondering when is it
going to happen how is it going to
happen and
um and and my fear is that if we don't
start these projects on these
allocations I've been made when we make
future requests for CIP they'll say well
you didn't even use up not that well I
don't know if they well anyway but
that's that's a concern I have
so but you're saying that it's actually
up to the Departments that would be
doing this work
so I should ask Mr peely
well you don't have to answer now we can
but yes
mayor and counselor you might have to
get back to you about specific pipelines
because they are all different projects
but
um
if you'd like me to
like that answer now or you know before
the end of the meeting before well I I
didn't want I don't want to put anybody
on the spot that is not my intent
especially you Mr peely but
um and and you shrishana and you it's
just questions that I have and I think
that some of the questions I I have
might also be the questions our
constituents our residents have in terms
of
completion you know and and this is a
lot of money I mean seven eight ten I
mean 9 11 13 million over 13 million
almost 14 million dollars
and uh
and I just don't you know I just don't
want things to just sit there and so I
just hope that I'll meet with Mr peely
and then he can explain it to me
thank you so much Regina thank you
ladies thank you madam chair
people you want to say something yeah if
I may mayor thank you mayor and Council
Flores
one thing to just to
just clarify with the way we
we're presenting this is what you know
this is a we're bringing forth budget
amendments as well as CIP and and a lot
of times
those are done separate just with the
city we've done it together because
they're connected
and so we have specific budget
amendments that we bring forward that
that are real
real projects that need adjustments
within this within this fiscal year
when we have the CIP attached some of
these are actually bringing new projects
to to your attention and so for example
you have complete streets so we have new
pots that we're forming in our CIP
that haven't been there before and so to
be honest some of them don't have
timelines right now some of them don't
even have
projects but we do have a pot now that
where
where now that it's on there we can plan
for it we can go out for Grants we can
create timelines and so that when we do
our budgeting we can have
we can have these you know friend of
mine but
like I would have to go through
specifically on on all of these because
some are some do fit that category where
they're just pots it's a brand new pot
that we're putting into our capital
projects fund I mean they're identified
projects there but they are new and
that's what's being presented but then
there are some that where we actually do
have projects with the timeline and so I
can go through from from each one of the
Departments that have responsibility
over them and get you some dates and
times but
uh
my name Mr peely um when you say dates
and times that will come from the
respective department heads
yeah I'd have to go through each one of
these because even within the pots
that's not just one project but right
for example complete streets
um
we're in the process of planning for
that right we're in the process of
identifying projects that'll fit fit the
criteria that were
we're putting in place for our CIP
and so there's a list as opposed to for
example the East Mesa Recreation Complex
where we know that's a project that's
active that has some definitive
you know end dates or completion dates
to them
and so
not much of an answer here but just kind
of explaining why it may be it's a good
question this may be why it may be a
little confusing as we're presented as
we present it this way
we have a because we're combining it
with a budget amendment
maybe we'll reconsider how we
how we propose that in the future okay I
think that well you're welcome I I think
it would be very helpful in terms of
seeing um how we're progressing that's
so thank you Mr pillion thank you thank
you again ladies thank you thank you
Leanne
Council thank you
um I just had a question on page six
probably for Dominique actually just in
terms of the fleet service and the
change
Solid Waste um
can you remind me if that is something
we have discussed before that could be
you as well actually I guess it doesn't
have to be done anymore
I'm not sure if it's been just oh sorry
mayor pretend councilman Como I'm not
sure if it's been discussed here in
Council but it was something that
happened in the budgetary process in FY
23 that we were going to bring in um the
fleet Solid Waste over two Fleet the
Fleet Services of solid waste but then
things changed and they ended up staying
and and utilities so we have to amend
the budget okay and for utilities is
this this was
um like what happened with the change
good afternoon mayor uh councilor
binkomo my name is Dominic Rodriguez
deputy director for business services
with utilities
um this we did take out of the budget we
actually brought it back at first period
to move it back into our budget this is
going really well staff is utilizing the
Fleet Services
um
I think the turnaround time for vehicles
is a couple of days unless it's a larger
that we contract out but we have
utilized the new funding and they're
getting everything
um
situated for it and it is it is
successful okay so it wasn't disruptive
to service okay okay thank you Dominique
that's my only question
thank you I do have a question several
questions Slide Five on the
yeah replacement turret Patrol Vehicles
like what what um year are they how many
miles what does that look like do they
get
um sold on you know I'm not sure do we
fix them and then sell them but I'm kind
of interested in that and also
um
how were they wrecked kind of thing
mayor pretem
um I'm not sure I don't know the details
of
what happened to the vehicles I just
know that it was two vehicles that were
not our fault so there is going to be an
insurance claim reimbursement check in
the future but for now to replace them
we have
we are giving them 150 to buy two new
ones
and what would be the reimbursement from
the insurance do you think
do we have that
I don't I'm not sure okay I wonder if um
Chief has some more information on that
mayor mayor Pro tem for the vehicles
were crashed one was Alameda Picacho the
officer was rear-ended uh they made the
vehicle totaled another officer was
pulling out of the Chick-fil-A off of
Loman it was T-boned and that vehicle
was totaled as well they're both 2016
Vehicles as far as the they will
eventually be auctioned I'm not sure how
how much we should we'll be getting from
at the replacement cost for each is 75
000.
75 000 for each of those okay thank you
for that that's very helpful and then
gosh I don't know where is provencio Van
Damme where have I been I help me
like
that's a park next to oh it's a soccer I
kind of suspected okay very good thank
you and then slide eight
Del Rey Boulevard
and the Tropic
signal Improvement
I'm looking for
would that
help with the congestion that the lady
Miss English spoke earlier about related
to the congestion and the backing up of
vehicles no no she was not Mesa Grande
my further up
well everything helps huh Tony correct
uh good afternoon mayor Mary Pro Tim
23-0 for the record no this is a
different interest intersection this was
part of the map Grant that we got from
Adam dot yeah to improve that
intersection however I'm currently
talking with Sue our traffic management
to kind of research our latest Tia for
that interchange of Mesa Grande what the
lady referred to so we'll look into that
right okay so thank you Tony I
appreciate that so much and
the the roof replacement on slide 10 you
made mention of those but I was
wondering we've been waiting for the WIA
building drove to be replaced and I I
knew we had some money aside but that
hasn't quite happened and so obviously
it's not on the list so I'm just putting
it out there that we need to
um jockey into I guess I have to jog
into position to make sure that that
replacement happens because we promised
a lot of people it's gonna happen okay
if
mayor mayor mayor Pro tem David Sevilla
Public Works director just to answer
your question a purchase order has been
issued for that work oopsie ask and you
shall receive very good thank you I know
we've been working on it for some time
so thank you very much appreciate that
for the roof replacement on WIA
um and then I would like to counselor
Flores thank you for asking that
question I thought it very helpful
related to the complete streets portion
and which streets I know we're talking
about buckets one level one two I think
and three is that trying to remember our
budget retreat but it would be helpful
in the future to have what those are in
the streets and sort of why we pick them
um just a little more detail would be
helpful to me and with that I'll turn it
back over to you mayor thank you
any other questions or comments
about members of the public
okay I've seen none Christine
this is on the motion to approve
resolution 23-115 cancer abeda yes
councilor Graham yes councilor Ben Comal
yes councilor Korean yes counselor
Flores yes councilor Gandara yes mayor
yes
okay so next we go to board appointments
looks like to the Planning and Zoning
commission Connor Murray District Six
appointment
and to the senior programs Advisory
Board Mona chavita padeo District 2
reappointment
and let's see here next we're gonna go
to notice the proposed ordinances
there'll be no public discussion the
counselor may ask staff for a
clarification on the proposed ordinance
9.1 Council bill number 23-024
Bring It Forward no
no that we
bite of the comments that we heard today
if we could wait until May 1st to bring
It Forward please
further
tell me first
can I request something
what's that well they I think part of it
was procedural process about
being able to list the petition and
everything by record and I I was still a
little confused they'll have time to add
that into the record by May 1st so that
it can get posted properly well I want
to make sure that that's what's going to
happen because I feel it's not something
that is done
um
something that's done by our Clerk
Christine you were going to say
something
mayor I was just going to say that
counselor beta doesn't want to bring it
forward so that right now as it is but
to bring it back for first read again on
May 1st we'll have it the title slightly
tweaked because it will be a new
ordinance all the necessary
attachments will be in there because I
do have them so the packet will be
correct for May first for first read
satisfactory it does it is thank you
Council Graham second oh
um
oh I don't need a second I retract my
second
okay so that's good and I think I think
that's pretty much it
now we'll go to member board reports I'm
sorry I'm late I was at the University
for the AAA csb accreditation so New
Mexico state is one of only five or six
percent of the business colleges that
are accredited at that high level and so
we were there to meet with some of the
purchase the evaluators and
just kind of share with them the
relationship with the university and the
city as well as some other things that
they asked so again I appreciate mayor
Pro tem run in the meeting and looks
like City Hall still up and running and
IPO still has his job so I guess we're
we're good we're good
um
I'm going to start with board reports
and we canceled our Public Safety select
committee meeting
given the
visit I think it was for secretary
budajug and that was I thought a great
um
a great visit
he's phenomenal and had some great
things to say about infrastructure and
transportation and I was appreciative of
of his commentary the health policy
Review Committee we're rocking and
rolling in there and I appreciate cancer
Flores and Council current we had a
presentation by Joe provencio for the
Occupational Health survey that we've
been working on for some time I'm
appreciative that the work that has been
done to bring it forward thank you Mr
peely for really embracing this I think
it's important I want to say that if it
hasn't been distributed to staff it's
going to be
um and I'm very excited about hearing
what the next steps are going to be
there's some incentives to fill out the
survey and and then Mr pili I wanted to
in hopes that we would be able to work
on as you know we brought Erica sarova
in to have conversation from New Mexico
State University
and I wanted to see if that could
continue she helped sort of put together
the survey but I was interested in the
analysis component and not it being left
on the shoulders of staff to do as an
extra burden and so my hope is a request
recommendation is to ask for Erica
sarova to continue with that project
um next I wanted to just get an update
on the arpa funding and where we're at
um I think that's been important I've
been being asked for
um some of some of that and I'm not sure
quite what to say to folks so you could
help us Mr petely with that that would
be great
um the earlier in the month I made
mention of my deep concern about the
Detention Facility and the removal of
books and the lack of quality care or
expeditious care for our detainees and I
wanted to get a report on that as well
um and then I'll wait on that that
report I guess
and then I want to share
um
I got a very concerning phone call last
night from my father
um my mother I think I've said this at
least to council that my mom has been
diagnosed with dementia and no sibling
one or daughter or child wants to hear
that her mother has left at midnight
and and concern about trying to get her
back home and so
um it was a really scary time to be two
hours away and trying to help facilitate
the location of my mom and
um
trying to persuade her to be back home
was really difficult for all of us and
and so I know I'm not the only one that
has
um these sorts of issues
um in in homes in fact I think because
of our aging population we're going to
experience more of those silver alerts
and I I've asked over time and I'm sorry
that I don't see Carol here
um
to
have a presentation from Senior Services
specific to what we're doing to prepare
for our aging population how we're
interfacing and intervening when we have
situations like this because I know I'm
not the only person or family that's
experiencing this and quite frankly I'm
not sure that we're ready for these
sorts of things to happen and so I
wanted to put a little bit I just wanted
to be a little vulnerable with the
public and with all of you on the is no
one should have to deal with this it's
been really really difficult for our
family and I know we're going to have to
make some very tough decisions in the
months to come but I as much as we can I
want to be prepared for
um our public right for our seniors and
our families to be as as
prepared as we can I know that the folks
are working really hard there have been
some presentations about Alzheimer's and
Dementia and I so appreciated that but I
really want to have a more systematic
way that we look at that and
understanding what Senior Services is
looking at forecasting and and what they
might need to make sure that we're
taking care of our our seniors um so
they age in place
and I think oh the mural and a lighter
note the mural we I was happy to do the
ribbon cutting of the mural visitor our
Visitor Center I want to encourage
everybody to go and visit
um
it's beautiful and it really depicts Las
Cruces
and the name of it is and I think it's
all that and then some so but that mayor
I'll turn it back over to you
thank you mayor Pro tem I'm sorry to
hear about your mom I I was going to
share with you something in private or
how we would handle it with my dad and
then now Mom I'm more than happy to do
in private but then I can also do
publicly for those who might be
listening and see if that might be
helpful happy for you to say it sure
yeah no I know exactly my father years
ago he
he thought he had some place to go it
was really late at night and um yeah he
fell really bad and fortunately there
was a LCPD officer in the neighborhood
and my mom went out and she just went
out looking for help and there was
happened to be an officer there and
thank goodness for him but so we have
since learned a couple things we use
this Nest that's those Nest right now to
keep there's certain cameras to watch my
mom there's also these alarms that when
they're asleep but once they're down and
once they get up that alarm goes off
right and so that's you know nothing and
then putting double deadbolt locks now
sometimes that's hard because if there's
a fire but we have 24-hour person in
there but that way there they can't just
take off so those three things really
helped I just wanted to share that with
you yeah
counselor Flores
thank you Mr Mayor and thank you mayor
Pro tem Gandara for sharing
the first-hand experience of having a
parent
become almost a child
so
anyway the I2 was at the um
I too was at the unveiling on Friday of
the mural and the artist is actually
from Las Cruces she's from New Mexico of
course she's from Las Cruces the beauty
of it is that I believe there was a
national
hunt for that there was an excuse me
it's called a call a national call there
were 65
respondents and and I get her Name
Escapes me I'm so sorry but
it was absolutely wonderful and she was
just the the mural you you really have
to see it and you really get the feeling
this is New Mexico this is Las Cruces
and there's a little farmer on there I
think there's a little donkey and a
little farmer and and I was thinking
that it reminded me of my grandfather
and then I said I love that the farmer
and the donkey and she said oh that's my
grandfather Yeah and it was just there
was that connection and uh but it's
truly truly beautiful and don't miss you
can't miss it if you're just going down
Main Street
um you'll you'll see it
um so
um and so
apropos of that there's the
um City art sport so the mural most
artwork that is public comes through our
City Art board and uh but that did not
that was specifically funded by another
source but the City Art board is in the
process of retaining a an artist
and I don't want to jinx it but you have
to know the name it's Diego Medina
and his family is native to the Klein
Park area where the tiwa and the other
people of indigenous origin I live for I
think forever
and there was a robust discussion
about the funding we had people from the
Arts Council district there who
I think they they believed and I have to
clarify it
um that it was coming out of that the
money that was being paid and uh to the
to the artist for his work and and uh
and uh materials was coming from the ACD
but it's not it's coming from Parks and
Rec I believe
uh Kathy Matthews was there I don't know
if that's correct but it's not coming
from
it's not coming from the ACD I know that
much
and I know
um we we have I'll be talking to Mr
peely about the ACD money that did come
through
some years ago CIP money I think it was
in 2018 maybe mayor Pro tem knows about
that money but apparently the members
from the
Arts Council District
we're at a loss as to what had happened
to that money and I don't understand but
I just wanted to share that in terms of
the
the input our our community has and it's
it's it's actually quite wonderful
I know that or presume that councilor
Ben Como will elaborate on
Senate U.S senator heinrich's visit to
Las Cruces and specifically to
City Hall and she'll give you all the
details
as far as the Animal Service Center of
Messiah Valley is uh goes we had a
budget that had to be Revisited and we
actually met on Good Friday
and that's how important it was and
all the board members showed up and um
and it had to there had to be some
adjustments right away and there's still
some questions that's the way budgets go
um
so
as far as the
Economic Development PRC we meet
regularly things are always presented
they're absolutely wonderful we have a
new member not a member to the PRC it's
just the two counselors Tessa counselor
Tessa abeta and mayor Pro tem Gandara
and I
but we have a lot of people from the
community and
and it's absolutely wonderful the newest
Community member is Julia Brown who's
actually with the state economic
development office which is wonderful
um
and lastly but certainly the
what's really on on the Forefront of my
mind is to call for a special meeting I
looked at the section that um
that counselor of beta referred to when
she and Ben Como uh councilor bencome
became counselors
I met with them and told them that the
city Charter was going to be our Bible
so to speak it's going to be the
reference for anything and everything
that we do and so far as the legality of
meetings uh this that and the other and
I'd like to say that Miss councilor beta
has been very good about
reading that Charter so according to
that Charter four of us can call for a
special meeting and I hereby at this
time would like to know and
um if there are three other members on
this city council who would call for it
according to our public comments what I
am saying right now is permissible I
have not spoken
to any other counselor about this except
mayor Pro tem
Gandara so I have not violated the Oma
and this is the only place I can say it
so at this point
um I would like to ask this the city
clerk as to how to proceed from here I
have also spoken to Mr peely about this
and
I
the city clerk said it would be
appropriate to bring it up but now how
do I how do we determine whether we have
four counselors that would want to have
the police oversight
um
uh
work session thank you
that's my question to you I know I'm
stuttering and stalling and
I'm just I just don't want to overstep
boundaries or us you know get in
anybody's parents be inappropriate mayor
counselor Flores you could all comment
during your public comments today so we
could get consensus or or you can um
discuss it with the city manager and he
will get with me to schedule that
meeting
Council Flores if I may I had mentioned
to to Dr Nissan that
you know and see that they got me this
information uh this I think is going to
be good to give to the City attorney so
they can I think there's some some
questions in here that need to be
addressed before but as I mentioned to
Dr Neeson just get me that information
because they were talking about a quasi
hybrid model I still haven't received
that I wanted to at least take a look at
that and then present present it to our
Public Safety Board and then move
forward I mean we're just looking for
procedure I don't think it's fair to to
um
jump around and go directly you know yes
there's residents that that want to go
directly to a work session does that
mean that anytime residents come here
and just says hey you know what bypass
the PRC bypass the other committees we
want this like right now well I know
that that's not the case counselor you
know but you know Dr Neeson comes here
every council meeting and and you know
and that's fine I understand that but
you know I guess what I'm trying to say
is there's procedures uh we'll we'll you
know give me this information I want to
be able to get to the city attorney
because what happens if during a work
session
the City attorney says you know what I
don't think we can do that I need to
research this I need to find out is this
something that we can do you know and so
that's all we're that's all I'm asking
Mr Mayor I I'm sorry but I think you
misunderstood me I'm asking for a
special meeting and it's it is within
the province of our Charter to call for
a special meeting
I I don't disagree with you that
um
uh the questions that you posed to Mr
Neeson a couple of weeks ago about how
much it would cost and you know there's
a budget for it and those questions are
definitely important and germane to
setting up such a an organization that
for purposes of bringing it to the
public I I believe it's utterly
important to
um
not go to um
you know the the Bureau of the Bureau of
the bureau and it just becomes
um you know just like a dog chasing its
tail so I just in the in terms of
respect for the many many uh residents
in our city who are
um part of this uh we have the NAACP uh
we have
um as one organization
um I believe I I don't know if they've
taken a position but the League of Women
Voters I know is very interested in this
there are veritable uh respectable
organizations that feel that there has
to be need for a dialogue I'm not
proposing anything other than a special
meeting not necessarily a work session
and yes I agree with you it'd be good to
know how much this would actually cost
you know what would it take and the
their information Mr Dr Neeson that
would be very very helpful would be you
mentioned Boulder today and then there's
Anaheim but I look at Boulder I look at
Anaheim I'm familiar with Anaheim
California
they're so different than Las Cruces
and maybe they're not you know but just
to compare
um other oversight boards that other
cities have find out how you know
they're set up how they're financed uh
how they work with city government
because the Anaheim the information I
got online is that the the board is
extensive it has men women different
races it's it's wonderful but there's
nothing there about what how it
interacts with city government either
through the city managed office or
through city council or with the police
department directly and it's just a
question of
just having that feeling Mr Mayor that
we are open to hearing from concerned
residents and to shed light on certain
behaviors
that I think we can all learn from and
that's all I I don't I think having a
special meeting
I don't know when it would be called I
don't know if it would be in lieu of a
scheduled work session that I don't know
I do know that if four people agree to a
special meeting that special meeting
will be held and then for those who do
not agree to it
um they have to be given a certain
amount of hours I think 72 hours notice
of the meeting it's totally or less I
think
but anyway I don't have the the statute
the ordinance right in front of me or
the the charter section
huh
oh Tessa has four copies so but anyway
um if we could have four counselors
somehow agree right now that would be
great
um and then we can move forward and I
think also uh we'd be showing an Earnest
and heartfelt uh respect for those who
have worked so hard on this and
um
and that's my piece thank you Mr Mayor
hey welcome the council what I'll do is
obviously you are supportive of it so
that's good and then maybe counselor
Koran as she does her comments if she
wishes to talk about her comments and if
she wants to move forward with the
special meeting I would suggest it'd be
a special work session but and that that
would be a good way to do it informally
so counselor Quran you're you're next
for comments and your wishes
councilor Vita did you want to say
something
oh sorry no I just thought you had your
thing on before no
um I was ready to reference if need be
for hours notice it's a 12-hour notice
that all members have to have for a
special meeting
yeah sorry I wasn't sure I didn't mean
to call you out I thought you wanted to
say something thank you I would also ask
for a work session
um as as I did last week as well I would
ask that that work session include both
the option of a police oversight and
other local organizations that are
working
and requesting police reform related
activities I believe that we can muster
a group
of folks who would be able to prevent
present professionally and take our
local situation into context including
the folks who have been working on it as
counselor Flores mentioned so I also
would ask for that work session to occur
on to Other Board related notes
um
really quickly the TSI PRC I want to
give a special thanks to El Paso
Electric and Jenny Gonzalez and the
sustainability office who presented on a
whole bunch of
really cool potential ways for us to get
rebates from
El Paso Electric the federal government
the state government although that seems
more complicated and I know that the
sustainability office is working on a
really cool thing to help show everyone
where they fit into that scheme and
which rebates they're eligible for in
addition the they're also working on a
policy that will make sure that when we
do things when we purchase things
through the city and and it's really
interesting when I took a tour of the
Animal Services Center the director
showed me a refrigerator that he had
just purchased because they needed one
for their break room and I thought oh
and then we saw this really interesting
incentive conversation and I thought how
how cool that our sustainability office
is going to connect the city to make
sure that when we purchase things I
think they'll we can maximize the
benefits from all of the Federal Energy
Efficiency
sort of pots of money as well as the
state and and El Paso Electric they also
let us know that there is a recycling
program for refrigerators in particular
that gives money back and so that's on
the El Paso Electric webpage which I
think is interesting and probably a lot
of people could find that useful so
[Music]
um
the we also met with the mpo I just
wanted to mention this I have I don't
know if we've ever mentioned the MPL
that we the three of us are represented
on before
um but we met last week to do an initial
not final ranking of projects to go to
the New Mexico Department of
Transportation the city of Las Cruces
submitted one project to that which is
planning
um for the area that srijana mentioned a
little bit earlier sort of in the Idaho
El Paseo
main kind of area planning for
pedestrian friendly facilities in that
area we ranked we as aboard the mpo
which includes County and and other
electives from our region
ranked first the Messiah lateral very
tiny project related to a trail a bike
trail there first and then our city
project second so I believe that it will
that it's high on the priority and I
really have I'm hopeful that we can keep
that rank tie and and requests to the
Department of Transportation that we
planned that out and find some
opportunities to make it more pedestrian
friendly so it was an exciting mpo
meeting so
first time ever talking about that
[Music]
um
or at least it was something interesting
to report they thought we were going to
get into fights but we did we didn't
Christine was there to referee
um other other things that are happening
the health PRC I also want to Echo that
it's exciting to hear about the
occupational employee health survey I
know that you all have invested in in
City management has invested a lot in in
the employee the employees of the city
of Las Cruces in particular increasing
wages
hopefully creating better benefit
situations I'm met and I'm hopeful that
this in particular our this survey can
sort of open up a new path of of
building a healthier workplace making
sure that people are achie able to
achieve sort of work-life balance and
all of the things that go into it so I
look forward to the results of that and
I hope that we can see some investments
in city of Las Cruces staff Health in
the in the upcoming year
as a result of that the last thing
Transit Advisory Board we will meet on
Thursday afternoon but there is one
really important
thing happening right now it's the
connect NM study which is looking at
local Transit opportunities it's done by
the state department of Transit and it
looks at ways to prioritize different
funding and planning processes within
the transit structure of New Mexico and
then that does trickle down to our local
Roadrunner Transit so that anyone can
access this at the connectnmstudy.com
and give inputs to how they use local
Transit and what they would like to see
in their local Transit and I think it
would be really helpful if folks would
would contribute to that so that's all I
have
thanks mayor as I said two weeks ago I
would also like to see a work session on
police accountability and oversight and
use of force policies make it a little
bit broader than just this one
particular ordinance
um you know something I often teach
people about our form of government is
that we have a council manager form of
government meaning that our mayor is
another vote on the council there is
certain things uh privileges that the
mayor gets to have one of them is at the
agenda and I always say he gets to set
the agenda unless four of us on the
council desire to have something on the
agenda and then it must go on the agenda
and so I appreciate your commitment to
procedure I just have to say that there
is procedure in our Charter that
states that that if four members of this
Council want something on the agenda
that then you have to put it in the
agenda and two weeks ago for people of
this on this on this diet said that they
wanted that
um I think
um mayor I
think it's somewhat disingenuous to say
oh well they should go to the Public
Safety Committee when I fear that you
wanted to go to the Public Safety
Committee when
um because they're your position would
be in the minor in the majority and
right now it's in the minority and so
um I think it's important that you
listen to the four people on this
Council that are saying we want to see a
work session on this and not try to
fight us on whether it should go to a
PRC or not when that is not in fact
written in stone
um and so that is my piece on that
um I did want to thank several people
because I had a very successful district
meeting
um last week to
a couple weeks ago and I think Sydney
counted about 45 people came and we had
great presentations and I just want to
thank Parks I want to thank
um executive director it says Edie I
want to thank Economic Development Chris
and Elizabeth Barbara assessee fire
chief Smith Public Works director David
officers roach and climek for coming and
supporting
um
District 4 meeting and answering
questions for the constituents I
especially want to think of course
Katrina and Sydney for helping me
organize get turnout and all the
presentations there so thank you very
much and of course a huge shout out to
MacArthur Elementary School that was the
I had been wanting to have a meeting a
community meeting there since I got
elected but which I had one planned in
April of 2020 and we all know how that
went so I just really wanted to give
thanks to everyone who came and to all
the staff who participated and really
really grateful I know those are long
days for you
um I also want to address the burn Lake
situation and want to just be very
transparent transparent and honest and
say that I had nothing to do with that
decision
um I you do not need to thank me because
in fact you you're not going to like
this but I would have handled that
completely different and I'm going to
say this knowing that the conservatives
in action are going to take what I say
out of context and hear what they want
to hear
but I really believe that
um you know folks like Mr huff and Miss
huff and all the folks who live along
burn Lake people have a right to be
frustrated people have a right to be
upset and to be fearful like that's okay
people fear things all the time
especially on certain things things you
don't know
um particularly people who are unhoused
that is the right that they have when
someone comes here and you know says all
those things to us the city our job is
not to be reactive our job is not to
choose between housed
it's not to take sides between housed
residents and unhoused residents
all of us are deserving of safety
including people who are unhoused
believe it or not
and I believe it is a false choice
to say that
the safety of one group might must come
at the expense of another group
that is not our job as the city our job
as a city is to find short-term
Solutions long-term solutions that work
for everybody I hear what people are
saying I don't ever want to be
dismissive of people's concerns I hear
them I think they're incredibly valid
but forcefully evacuating people out of
a public park that's not a solution
I think we could have done three things
we could have worked with Community of
Hope to continue to do Outreach to that
encampment
we could have worked with fire and PD to
bring fire safety to those that group of
people and say look
there is danger to what you're doing we
want to provide you resources and the
things that you need through Community
of Hope we could have consistently
brought in manoimano to make sure that
the area was clean
and we could have talked with City
management and Community of Hope about
the the fencing and security concerns
you don't want to see homeless people
okay you don't have to see them I
understand there is a clear safety
concern let's address it
but we just kicked
the solution down to another
neighborhood
because this group of group of folks was
at eBid eBid said kick them out so they
got kicked out they were at another Park
they got moved from that Park
I just very clearly want to say that I
was not part of that decision and that's
not how I would have handled it if I
would have been consulted I think it's
important that Community of Hope was
consulted
and I just want to reject that because I
think it's a false choice
and I think we can do better as a city
um
and lastly I'll just say that the
meeting with Senator Heinrich last week
with our housing
committee went really well I think mayor
pretem was there councilor Flores was
there Natalie Green of course and her
staff helped organize it Senator Henrik
and his staff was there we had members
of the housing builders association
which I thought was great that we engage
in conversations about Solutions and I'm
excited to work with Senator Heinrich
staff to bring more congressionally
directed spending for you know to fill
in gaps regarding this housing
clearly housing crisis that we are
experiencing and we just have to work
together to find Solutions because there
is no magic sauce
I know we want there to be this like
magic solution there isn't because we're
dealing with people with human beings
and you know complex issues not to be
cheesy but complex issues require
complex Solutions and that's sort of
where we're at
thanks mayor
thank you and councilor Graham
yes thank you mayor um so yes
yes wasn't settled from a couple of
weeks ago I'm willing to call out for
the work session that's being proposed
based on uh based on the ordinance and
all the discussion
um what I want to leave that session
understanding very clearly is how the
proposed oversight board
is functioning with the current Public
Safety oversight and with the city's
contract with oir and the oversight and
responsibilities that that group has
um so that
that is the primary question that I have
what gaps
does this oversight board feel it would
be filling in the larger constellation
of
oversight
and accountability that we are already
considering
um
I don't have any further comments thanks
counselor beta
thank you mayor a few updates with our
utilities board we met last week we
talked about the CIP approval within the
department there have been a few changes
with some Personnel that they are
working on and we will be having two
board vacancies in July there have been
some requests for individuals that wish
to continue but just to let the public
know that if they wish to sit on the
utilities board that they'll be those
two vacancies coming up
this upcoming week we'll we will have an
oversight committee meeting we'll be
looking at litigation hotline complaints
an audit Plan update and a final draft
of complaint 192.
we will also have a meeting on Wednesday
for the Juvenile Justice Continuum and
with mevita
I want to say thank you as well I had a
district 2 meeting two weeks ago as well
so thank you Katina we had quite a lot
of Staff Personnel so I know I am
missing every single Lane but I'm so
sorry thank you to uh
to Katarina David's Theo Barbara Robert
Nunez Lieutenant joy wiedela and our new
community resource officer to Leanne
Dumas who talked about budget which was
actually really helpful for our
community and to get them to start
engaging as well
and we talked about numerous codes so it
was wonderful one of the items that came
up from a community meeting that I had
two meetings back is a new neighborhood
watch group
within our Tony Gomez Farney area right
next to the high school they are very
strong and they had a meeting on
Saturday which I attended as well it was
the lightest meeting that I've ever been
to and they had about 32 people so they
are quite active so I gave a little bit
of a similar update that I did during
the district meeting to this group one
item that they have looked and requested
they were very interested in Project
light and how that might help within
their community
and then I have two quick asks as well
to consider one of them would to be on a
work session of just getting a
legislative recap from Larry just to see
how everything panned out obviously we
had a few really big wins I think this
year and to talk about the funding and
strategies moving forward
and the second I've met with a couple
business owners now that have
experienced issues with crime and
break-ins and from the different
conversations one item has seemed to pop
up that would be a resource that they
feel would be helpful and I agree
because it's something that we can also
give proactively as well but it's been
an idea of to have just like a one
Patron if we already have it then that's
great but a one pager that we can give
to businesses with a list of service
numbers to call and kind of a process
like if something happens these are your
steps these are what you can do and
these are your resources and that's
something that we can give out to
agencies so like I said after a few of
my meetings this seems like an item that
we could give and just make sure that
businesses know what their resources are
what the process is because some of
these entities aren't really familiar
with the system
thank you Mary thank you councilor beta
you reminded me of something I need to
give to Christine I received over the
weekend uh
resignation from Mr Mike Murphy on the
Housing Authority so I'm going to need
to we're going to need that price for
that I don't even know if they have a
quorum now but I think they're they're
down at least one yeah so this makes two
oh no
uh so with that and I weigh in on I too
would like to have a work session okay
thank you
on the police oversight yes
okay
now we go to the city managers for it
thank you mayor and Council before I
forget I just want to respond to
councilor beta Barbara just texted me
and let me know that May 8th is the is
when we schedule that legislative recap
with Larry
and then uh this is from
visit Las Cruces
Mira Las Cruces is going to be Saturday
April 29th I visit Las Cruces is
debuting a new Spring Festival Meetup
called media Las Cruces
the free family friendly Festival will
highlight the art and culture Cuisine
music and outdoor recreation that makes
the Las Cruces and it's southern New
Mexico Partners a premier destination
for travel and tourism
the name invites everyone to look at Las
Cruces
to look at Las Cruces
it looks at parentheses
the event is from 2 to 10 p.m on
Saturday April 29th at the plaza plaza
de Las Cruces travel writers and
influences influencers will be attending
the event and visiting Las Cruces the
main stage entertainment will start with
Local High School cheer drum and dance
performers performances and continue
with the Las Cruces yukes mariachi
ense
is that how you say
okay you need the friendships
let's see
candy
calories
is
and and
Ballet Folklorico diamentes
NMSU cover band that's lessons by Soul
Ballroom Rodeo Norteno and handliner
Frank Ray
throughout the day there will be several
other activities including a live mural
Marvel car show
Marvel card show chalk art competition
as well as many booths with Community
Partners sharing information about
tourism attraction and activities
the date is April 29th this uh Saturday
April 29th from 2 to 10 p.m at the plaza
and then just
update on arpa
it's gone through illegal all ready for
signatures and so as they execute as
their sign they'll be executed
as a reminder doesn't need to come back
to council and so right after they're
signed we're we're moving forward so
apparently some have already signed and
moving forward so there's
it's really
just that the signatures from the
Community Partners it's already been
routed through stuff
mayor if I could when's the update like
when can we hear from where they're at
at that point because they'll do
quarterly reports and such correct you
know I think we'll get with stuff to
plan that when we come back we just
wanted to get the contracts through so
that we can start having them move
forward but I don't know if we've
actually spent we've actually scheduled
looking over here we didn't schedule an
arpa update yet did we
please
thank you ifo and mayor putum and and
Council just wanted to remind everybody
we do have an uh arpa open gov report on
the website that updates daily with the
budget and expenditure so when those
contracts are completed zeppo said
they're going to be going to staff they
once they're in our system they'll be
live on the website so that they can be
tracked for each uh individual
organization that has funds allocated to
it we'll have a little summary of what
the funds are to be spent on and then as
you said as I said we'll see a numerical
tally for what they're spending but we
can also schedule the quarterly updates
as well once those contracts are
executed thanks
thank you Barbara
all right so if there's nothing further
entertain a motion to adjourn move to
adjourn so move by floating motion made
by counselor abeta I need a second
second by Philadelphia okay second by
councilor Florida said we adjourn
Christine
this is on the motion to adjourn the
meeting counselor beta yes councilor
Graham yes councilor Ben Comal yes
counselor kran yes cancer Flores
yes yes cancer gandala yes mayor yes
Okay it's 3 21 PM we are adjourned thank
you