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Minutes City Commission Meeting December 15, 2005 The Tucumcari City Commission met for their regular scheduled meeting on Thursday, December 15, 2005, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers. Members present constituting a quorum were Jim Witcher, Christopher Maestas, Bettie Ditto, Antonio Apodaca, and Mary Mayfield. City staff members present at the meeting were Richard Primrose, Jeannette Maddaford, Clara Rey, and Doug Powers. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Mary Mayfield. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and Deacon Bob Welch gave the Invocation. Approval of Minutes A motion for the approval of the December 8, 2005 Commission minutes was made by Commissioner Witcher and seconded by Commissioner Ditto. Roll Call. Ditto Apodaca Mayfield Witcher Maestas Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Approval of Vouchers A motion for approval of the vouchers presented for payment was made by Commissioner Witcher and seconded by Commissioner Apodaca. Roll Call. Apodaca Mayfield Witcher Maestas Ditto Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Ordinances and Resolutions A motion was made by Commissioner Apodaca and seconded by Commissioner Witcher to approve Ordinance 1012 adding chapter 13.06 to the Tucumcari Municipal Code establishing guidelines for water conservation during drought conditions. City Manager Primrose stated that this Plan was an update of a plan already in place and that the Finance Authority and State requires that the City have a Conservation Plan in place by 2006 since the State of New Mexico has been in a drought. If a problem in water production develops, the City Manager and Water Superintendent are authorized to reduce the amount of water use/delivery. Commissioner Ditto acknowledged the need for the ordinance, but noted that a beautification program was in progress and the citizens might misconstrue the intent of the Ordinance, so an educational plan might be necessary. Primrose noted that the Ordinance requires that the citizens be notified and a justification given if the use of water has to be reduced. Roll Call. Mayfield Witcher Maestas Ditto Apodaca Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes City Manager’s Report Three employees from the Street/Sanitation Department will retire the end of December. A retirement party will be held on Tuesday, December 27, 2005, for Bob Welch, Don Sieglen, and Chris Quintana. They were wished well and thanked for their years of service to the City. The United States Department of Agriculture presented a $940,200 ceremonial check at a special meeting on Wednesday, December 14. Also Chris Murhead of Modrall Law Firm arrived before the Commission meeting to finalize the paperwork for the $940,200 and also the $400,000 emergency money for the pump station. Doug Powers reported that proposals were received on the pump station today and the one selected will be up and running before too long. Primrose thanked Doug, Lisa Andrada, and Yvette Fazekas for getting the grant/loan, paperwork, etc. done as well as thanked Water Superintendent Charlie Sandoval for his help. Primrose attended the County Commission meeting earlier in the day where the second plat for Ute Lake Ranch was finalized containing 733 home sites and a golf course. Ute Lake Ranch is asking to start the diversion of some of the 715 acre feet of surface water that the City had leased them. They have a permit from the State Engineer to start pumping the water at their diversion point. This a real good economic develop for Quay. A meeting was held with Bill Zimmerman of HDR who will be building the wastewater treatment plant in the near future. Primrose met with Spatial Data Research who has a contract with the Department of Finance and Administration for the mapping and data collection for the E-911 consolidated dispatch. Through their assistance, calls coming in from land lines or wireless will be displayed on the LCD screen in the dispatch center so the correct emergency service personnel can respond quickly. Scot Jaynes will be working on this with the County. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be executed by Quay, Harding, San Miguel, and Tucumcari. Primrose wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Bids and Contracts Primrose recommended that the lease for 105 acres of grazing land be awarded to Fred Lopez. Commissioner Ditto noted that she did not see any requirement for insurance in the Agreement which she felt was needed in case his cattle gets on the Airport runway. Primrose reported that he had talked to the City’s attorney who did not have a problem with the City not requiring the Lessee to carry insurance. A motion was made by Commissioner Apodaca and seconded by Commissioner Witcher to approve the lease for 105 acres of grazing land with Fred Lopez for a period of three years beginning January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2008 for a price of $472.50 per year payable by January 15 of each year. Roll Call. Witcher Maestas Ditto Apodaca Mayfield Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes The second Lease Agreement, also near the airport with 184.2 acres of irrigated land and 5.8 acres of non-irrigated property, was presented. It was recommended to award the bid to Fred Lopez with the due date of January 15 as well. A motion was made by Commissioner Witcher and seconded by Commissioner Maestas to award the bid for the lease of 190 acres to Fred Lopez for the sum of $4,721.75 for a three year period beginning January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2008 payable by January 15 of each year. Roll Call: Maestas Ditto Apodaca Mayfield Witcher Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Primrose reported that the golf shed land leases were coming due and recommended approval of the $150 per year charge for the sheds being on city property. The shed owners also pay the insurance on the sheds each year. A motion was made by Commissioner Apodaca and seconded by Commissioner Ditto to approve the annual Golf Cart Shed Land Lease Agreement with the 72 individuals listed in the packet. Mayor Mayfield commended the City Manager for getting the leases completed. Roll Call: Ditto Apodaca Mayfield Witcher Maestas Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Primrose reported that the City has had a contract with Ascent Aviation Group, Inc. for the purchase of fuel and credit card machines. Also as part of the contract, they will allow the purchase of equipment, i.e. a refueler. The refueler will facilitate refueling jets that are too large to get near the fuel pumps and this will bring additional revenue to the City. The Aviation Refueler Agreement is for the lease purchase of a 1989 Ford 2000 Gallon Jet-A Refueling Truck at a cost of $725 per month, interest free. The processing fee on the credit cards will be substantially less by going with this lease purchase of the truck, so the savings will be more than enough to pay the monthly fee on the refurbished truck. A motion was made by Commissioner Ditto and seconded by Commissioner Maestas to enter into a Lease Agreement with Ascent Aviation Group, Inc. for the purchase of a 1989 Ford 2000 Gallon Jet-A Refueler. Roll Call: Apodaca Mayfield Witcher Maestas Ditto Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Doug Ewing of the Lodger’s Tax Board presented the annual Bulletin Contract with The Lamar Companies in the amount of $1,941 per month. As an update, Mr. Ewing reported that by December, four of the billboards will be redone with new vinyl; by January, another three will be redone; and by the end of December; the tri-state billboards will be redone with the new logo and the Tucumcari Tonight message. Commissioner Ditto asked if the Lodger’s Tax Board had considered more coop advertising so the City could have more signage. He reported that the Lodger’s Tax Board had considered it but were not sure how the mechanics of it would work. In talking with the City Finance Director and Lamar, they will only contract with one person per contract. Therefore, it would be incumbent upon the City to do the billing and tracking of payments from the coop partners. Ewing will check with other entities to see how they handle the coop arrangements. Mayor Mayfield asked about the type of vinyl that would be installed. Ewing reported that the sign would be the attachable vinyl that “in theory” should not come loose, but when it is noticed to be loose, the company will come out and reattach. Lamar does not do the paint signs anymore. Commissioner Ditto related that she would like to see more of the Lodger’s Tax money go toward advertising rather than other purposes. In order to have more economic development and growth, the City of Tucumcari needs more advertising. Commissioner Apodaca reported that the area on West Route 66 Boulevard seemed a little depressed and wondered if there were enough signs located near there. Ewing noted that there is a Welcome to Tucumcari sign that says to exit now and maybe once off the interstate there, maybe signage could be developed that says two more minutes you will be in town. Commissioner Ditto asked about Welcome signs at every exit. Ewing said they would look into the budget. A motion was made by Commissioner Witcher and seconded by Commissioner Maestas to approve the Bulletin Contract with The Lamar Companies. Roll Call: Mayfield Witcher Maestas Ditto Apodaca Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Community Development Director Doug Powers presented the CDBG Engineer Additional Services Proposal Amendment No. 2 with ASCG Incorporated of New Mexico for engineering design services, surveying, and construction phase support for Phase III of the East Central Improvements which will include 9000 feet of sewer line with all appurtenances, paving, and reconstruction of Choctaw and Park Streets from Hancock to Main Street. The contract sum will be increased by $52,428.00. A motion was made by Commissioner Maestas and seconded by Commissioner Witcher to approve the Engineer Additional Services Proposal Amendment No. 2 with ASCG Incorporated of New Mexico contingent upon funding approval and review by the funding agency. Commissioner Apodaca asked that Powers go with Primrose to the radio station to explain the project. Roll Call: Witcher Maestas Ditto Apodaca Mayfield Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Old Business
Mayor Mayfield had requested that a date be set for the dedication of the North Side Park in memory of Grace Madrid. Since the weather this time of year is so unpredictable and many people may be out of town during the Christmas holidays, it was a consensus of the Commissioners to have the dedication in the spring of 2006. Items from Commissioners Commissioner Witcher wished everyone a Merry Christmas. Also he thanked the four City retirees who have worked long and hard and since Robert Welch was present, he offered him a personal thank you. He noted that Robert Pacheco had brought an excellent Renovation Plan for Tucumcari Metropolitan Park. Since action must be taken before December 31, 2005, a special meeting was requested for Tuesday, December 20, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. to consider approval of the plan. Since the subject had just come up at 5:00 p.m. in the Housing Authority meeting, it was a consensus of the Commissioners to meet on Tuesday, December 20, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. Commissioner Apodaca wished everyone a Merry Christmas. Also he offered his congratulations to Bobby Welch on his retirement. Commissioner Maestas wished everyone well. He also noted that Mrs. Estrada, the Enforcement Officer, needs another car as her assigned car is having mechanical difficulties and the passenger’s door cannot be opened from the outside and the passenger’s seatbelt does not work. Also concerning the Five Mile Park Restoration, he noted that $650,000 is needed to fix the old swimming pool and felt that this money could be spent building an enclosed swimming pool. He noted that smaller places have built indoor pools and the City should be able to do the same. In conclusion Commissioner Maestas wished, “Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo a todos. God Bless”. Commissioner Ditto reported that Ray Love told her that the streetlight had been out for three months at Second and Center Street. City Manager Primrose reported that the wires were burnt from the alley to the pole, so all the wiring will have to be dug up. Mike Riddle of Great Plains Electric and Charlie Sandoval are working on this as it involves a water line as well. Also she encouraged a good delegation to meet the Rose Bowl delegation at Glenrio on Wednesday, December 28. The Spirit Committee asked that Tucumcari and the other cities move forward in asking the Governor for an appropriation of funds. They also asked for an estimate of what can be collected on behalf of Tucumcari. She asked that a letter of follow through be directed to Pete Kampfer and Virginia Wright. City Manager Primrose reported that this had been brought up at the last Economic Development meeting and they wanted more information before they agreed to make the donation. She wished all of Tucumcari a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. She thanked everyone for their support and hard work and felt Tucumcari is moving forward as it takes the whole community to be behind the Commissioners in order to accomplish anything. Mayor Mayfield thanked the City retirees for their hard work and congratulated them for having the grit to stay and do a great job through all the changes, i.e. the different city commissioners, different city managers, different philosophies, etc. In addition, she commended the city staff who had worked so hard to get the grants and the crews who had worked with the state contractors with the First Street Project. She was pleased that Tucumcari is not only receiving state grants, but federal grants as well which other communities are not getting which shows that the staff and the community is behind the Commissioners. Tucumcari is moving forward and looking up and doing better. In the spirit of the season, she noted that she read the minutes and takes her chastisement very well in public, but when reading the minutes at home, she did not take the chastisement very well. But in a spirit of peace and joy, she would say to the citizens of Tucumcari, to her fellow Commissioners, and to the employees of the City, if one has problems with the way meetings are conducted, the way information is given to the news media, or the way that business is done in general, please come to her in private to discuss the problem. She would appreciate things of this nature being handled in a gentleman or lady-like manner. She asked everyone to remember the reason for the season and wished everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. There being no further business, a motion was made by Commissioner Witcher and seconded by Commissioner Apodaca to adjourn the meeting. Time noted 7:10 p.m. Apodaca Mayfield Witcher Maestas Ditto Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
____________________________________ Mary Mayfield, Mayor ATEST: _______________________________ Jeannette Maddaford, City Clerk |