City of Tucumcari

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CITY OF TUCUMCARI

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES

July 30, 2009

The Tucumcari City Commission met for a special meeting on Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers. Members present constituting a quorum were Antonio Apodaca, Robert Lumpkin, Jimmy Sandoval and Jim Witcher.

City staff members present were Bobbye Rose, City Manager; Mike Cherry, Assistant Manager; Christine Dougherty, City Clerk; Doug Powers Planning and Zoning Director; Marty Garcia, Finance Director; Vicki Strand, Deputy Finance Director; Clara Rey, Human Resources Director; and Roger Hatcher, Police Chief.

Mayor Pro Tem Witcher led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Consideration of Changes or Deletions to Agenda

Mayor Apodaca asked if there were any changes or deletions to the agenda. Mayor Pro Tem Witcher asked that the word “action” be added after item A under New Business.

Items From Commissioners

Mayor Apodaca asked each Commissioner if they had any items to discuss. None of the members had any comments.

Items from Citizens

Mayor Apodaca asked if there were any citizens in the audience wishing to address the Commission. There were no audience members that wanted to address the Commission.

Ordinances and Resolutions

Mayor Apodaca called on Doug Powers to present Resolution 2009-24, a resolution regarding submission of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Application. Mr. Powers explained that because this grant application is for stimulus funding, it had to be written and submitted quickly. Applications are due August 8th and the projects have to be shovel ready. Mr. Powers explained that the grant awards are expected to be made August 28.

Mr. Powers explained that passage of the resolution shows Commission support of the project and is advantageous to include in the application packet. Mr. Powers met with Wilson and Company engineers and it was mutually agreed upon that the well and storage tanks would be good projects for this grant application.

Mayor Pro Tem Witcher asked if the water tank and one well would be refurbished in the project. Mr. Powers responded that the tank, transmission line, and well number eight would be refurbished with this grant money. Mr. Witcher asked if the well was going to be re-drilled. Mr. Powers explained that the well can be re-drilled as long as the drilling occurs within 100 feet of the existing well.

Mayor Apodaca commented that he has seen Mr. Powers put a grant application and the project together in less time than this and is confident that he can complete the package.

Commissioner Lumpkin commented that he feels these are good projects and then made a motion to approve Resolution 2009-24 regarding submission of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Application. Mayor Pro Tem Witcher seconded the motion. Roll Call:

Lafferty     Apodaca     Lumpkin     Witcher     Sandoval

Yes             Yes             Yes             Yes             Yes

Mayor Apodaca then called on Marty Garcia, Finance Director to present Resolution 2009-25 regarding adoption of the budget for the City of Tucumcari for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

Mr. Garcia highlighted the things that had changed since the Commission had seen the interim budget. Those changes are:

Reduce the Small Cities Assistance Grant to $102,000

Increase the Water fund administrative fees by $10,000

Decrease Workmen’s Compensation by $38,091

Decrease Internal Service Charges

Increase Certification Raise funds

Decrease salary line item for Certified Police Officers

Decrease gas and oil projected expenditures

Increase the cash balance

Mr. Garcia stated that a request to spend Capital Outlay funds on a new phone system and repair and renovation of street lights will be made.

Mr. Garcia also explained that in the previous fiscal year, approval from the Commission was required for expenditures from two line items in the Joint Utility fund. Mr. Garcia further explained that the expenses out of these two line items were always emergencies so; permission was requested after the expenses had been made.

Commissioner Lafferty asked if the savings in Workmen’s Compensation was due to the hiring of the Risk Manager. Mr. Garcia responded in the positive.

Commissioner Lafferty asked if there would be a starting deficit in the budget of $102,000. Mr. Garcia responded that there has been an increase in income by about $10,000 from the water department. This increase in income has been transferred to the General Fund.

Mr. Garcia then explained that the next new item in the budget is his attempt to fund the Chamber as per their request. Mr. Garcia stated that the City generates approximately $12,500 in Business License Fees which is not enough to satisfy the Chamber’s request of $35,000. Mr. Garcia suggested that in the future, Economic Development Tax might be utilized to fund the Chamber. Mr. Garcia stated that the Lodgers’ Tax carried over $50,000 in unexpended funds and he felt this is the logical place to fund the Chamber from. Funds carried over in the Lodgers’ Tax must be expended within three years.

Commissioner Lafferty apologized the Catherine Bugg of the local radio station because she requested Lodgers’ Tax funds and was told that as per Mr. Garcia’s figures, there was no money to allocate.

Mr. Garcia then explained that he noticed an error he had made in the Joint Utility fund. He stated that a reduction of $13,222 was made for gas and oil expenses but, he over looked adding it to the budget elsewhere.

Mr. Garcia then addressed some issues in the Emergency Management Services budget. He stated that $450,000 in revenue is budgeted however, in 2008 only $240,000 was collected. In the years before that, approximately $500,000 was collected. Mr. Garcia stated that the collections issues are being looked in to. Mr. Garcia stated that the department is trying to increase their revenues to what they have been in the past. Ms. Rose stated that the Emergency Management Service will be looking at their billing each month to see how they are doing on their collections so that it can be managed throughout the year. Commissioner Lafferty stated that the actual amount received in the previous year should be used in the budget, not a projection. Mr. Cherry stated that the ambulance has been making fewer runs thus decreasing the amount billed and the amount collected. Mr. Cherry explained that the ambulance service is essential and he would like the Commission to consider subsidizing the service in order to keep it functioning.

Mr. Garcia then went on to explain budget issues in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Mr. Garcia stated that the CDBG program requires a cash match. The cash has been allocated each year and not always expended. Therefore, Mr. Garcia explained that a cash balance has been carried over for several years.

Regarding the Sanitation fund, Mr. Garcia explained that the City of Santa Rosa has informed the City of Tucumcari that they will no longer bring their trash to our landfill. Ms. Rose is working with the City of Santa Rosa in regards to this matter and thinks she may be able to keep their business. Mr. Garcia cautioned that if we do not retain the Santa Rosa dumping business, we will have to replace that revenue.

Mr. Garcia stated that Clara Rey re-worked the Senior Programs budget and anticipates that no subsidy from the city will be required to run the programs in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

Ms. Rose explained that she also had Mr. Garcia make accommodations for employees that pass certification exams to receive salary increases. Mayor Pro Tem Witcher stated that he agreed with this measure in the budget for employees passing certification exams.

Commissioner Lafferty asked Mr. Garcia if he was comfortable with the decrease by one third that he made in the gas and oil line item for the Sanitation department. Mr. Garcia responded that he is comfortable with his decrease as he used the last several months to calculate the costs. Mr. Garcia further explained that Mr. Madrid, Sanitation Superintendent, cut expenses for gas and oil considerably when the prices increased and has maintained the cost saving procedures despite the fact that prices have decreased.

Commissioner Lafferty asked Ms. Rose if she agreed with the salary changes in the Police Department. Ms. Rose stated that should the department become fully staffed with certified officers, there will be a budget shortfall. She stated that Chief Hatcher is not pleased with the change. Chief Hatcher further explained that because four officers are currently in the academy and will not complete their certification training for several months, the budget should be adequate for this fiscal year.

Commissioner Lafferty stated that his personal goal was to increase funding to the Police Department. He said that budgeting less for the department does not feel right.

Chief Hatcher stated that by August 10, his department will be fully staffed.

Mr. Garcia explained that the purchase of a new phone system will save $2000 a month in phone charges which will be a considerable savings. Ms. Rose also stated that work to the street lights on Route 66 Boulevard will save considerable funds on the Xcel energy bill. Ms. Rose stated that she thinks the City will have to increase the Police Department budget in order to keep officers here.

Mayor Pro Tem Witcher made a motion to approve Resolution 2009-25 regarding adoption of the budget for the City of Tucumcari for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Commissioner Lumpkin seconded the motion. Roll Call:

Apodaca     Lumpkin     Witcher     Sandoval     Lafferty

Yes             Yes             Yes             Yes             No

City Manager’s Report

City Manager, Bobbye Rose stated that she has been working with the City Administrator from Santa Rosa to try to negotiate a contract to keep their business at our landfill.

Ms. Rose informed the Commission that a tentative meeting is set for August 12 and 13 to kick off the Mainstreet Program.

Commissioner Lumpkin asked if the City were to charge Santa Rosa $35 a ton for trash at our landfill, would we make a profit. Ms. Rose stated that Mr. Crepeau from the engineering firm that is handling the closure of the old landfill and opening of the new landfill is doing an analysis for the City and will recommend a price per ton. Mayor Pro Tem Witcher stated that he did not feel a ten year agreement with Santa Rosa was advisable but rather a one, two or three year contract with increases in price built in would be a good idea.

New Business

Ms. Rose referred the Commission to a handout in their packets which detailed the funding requests the Lodgers’ Tax Board recommended for Commission approval. Ms. Rose explained that the Commission can make the final decision on funding with Lodgers’ Tax monies as the Lodgers’ Tax Board serves only in an advisory role to the Commission.

Mayor Apodaca stated that the Lodgers’ Tax Board took no action regarding the Chamber’s request for funding. The Mayor went on to say that a few weeks ago the community met with Representative Ben Ray Lujan and his staff at the Chamber office. Mr. Lujan felt the Chamber staff worked well with his staff. Mayor Apodaca felt the Chamber should be recognized for their accomplishment of acquiring a regional office for a United States Representative in Tucumcari which hasn’t happened since Tom Morris was in office which was over 40 years ago.

The Mayor then asked Mr. Garcia if there is enough money in the budget to fund the Chamber. Mr. Garcia responded that there is funding available in the Lodgers’ Tax fund to honor the Chambers request.

Mayor Pro Tem Witcher made a motion to approve the Lodgers’ Tax Board allocation recommendations plus $35,000 for the Chamber of Commerce and $5175 for the Tucumcari Historic Museum. Commissioner Sandoval seconded the motion. Roll Call:

Lumpkin     Witcher     Sandoval     Lafferty     Apodaca

Yes             Yes             Yes             Yes             Yes

Items from Commissioners

Mayor Apodaca asked Commissioner Sandoval for his comments. Commissioner Sandoval stated that he would like to have documentation once per month detailing what each Department Head is doing so that he can answer to his constituents that want to know what is happening in City Government. Ms. Rose stated that the Commission is supplied with minutes of each Department Head meeting. Mr. Sandoval stated that he would like more detail than what is provided in the Department Head Meeting minutes.

The Mayor then called on Commissioner Lafferty for his comments. Mr. Lafferty stated that he was hoping for an ongoing commitment to the Chamber for funding in the future. Commissioner Lafferty stated that he would like to see the occupational license fees be explored in more depth for the possibility of funding the Chamber. Mr. Lafferty stated that he was disappointed that funding the Chamber through the Lodgers’ Tax was the only way to fund the Chamber because it was written into the budget that way and an approval of the budget was required this evening.

Mayor Apodaca called on Mayor Pro Tem Witcher for his comments. Mr. Witcher welcomed Chief Hatcher back.

Mayor Apodaca called on Commissioner Lumpkin for his comments. Commissioner Lumpkin thanked the staff for their work in securing Recovery and Reinvestment funds, their work on the budget, and for making the modifications in the Senior Programs budget. Mr. Lumpkin also welcomed Chief Hatcher back.

Mayor Apodaca stated that he would like to echo Commissioner Lumpkin’s comments.

Adjournment

There being no further business, a motion to adjourn was made by Mayor Pro Tem Witcher and seconded by Commissioner Lumpkin. Time noted 6:40 p.m. Roll Call:

Witcher     Sandoval     Lafferty     Apodaca     Lumpkin

Yes             Yes             Yes             Yes             Yes

                                                                                    ______________________________

                                                                                    Antonio Apodaca, Mayor

ATTEST:

____________________________

Christine Dougherty, City Clerk