The September 27th City Council meeting commenced with determination of quorum, an invocation, and the pledge of allegiance. 

 

The first piece of business was the approval of the consent agenda, which included approval of the following: award for a grizzly compactor for the Solid Waste Department to Crane Equipment Mfg. Corporation; lease agreement between City of Artesia and Sourcewell state and local FMV lease for postage machine and utility billing equipment; agreement of A-22-187; agreement modifying certain terms and conditions of JPA A-11-02 City of Artesia – Eddy County Joint Powers Agreement governing the Regional Emergency Dispatch Authority (REDA).

 

Via the consent agenda the Council granted hiring a police officer at $4,324 per month, a community service officer 1 at $2,386 per month, a water technician at $2,507 per month, and an equipment operator in the streets department for $2,507 per month. Employee resignations include a fire fighter/paramedic effective September 29, 2022.

 

The consent agent also included approval to set a public hearing on October 25, 2022, for Case No. 22-08: Collins North Park Lot 133 Subdivision. A final plat subdividing Lot 133 of the Collins North Park Vacation #2 Subdivision into 9 lots; Location: R-276-133 N. 13th Street; Legal: Lot 133, Collins North Park Vacation #2, in Section 32, Township 16 South, Range 26 East, N.M.P.M., New Mexico; Owner: Collins Properties.

 

Also in the consent agenda was the approval of travel and training: Finance department – NMEdge online training through NMSU Edge, and Master Clerk Training in Albuquerque, NM; Police department – Shooting Incident Reconstruction 1 in Roswell, NM, IACA-Criminal Investigative Analysis in Artesia, NM, and the Police Chief Association executive board meeting in Rio Rancho, NM; Infrastructure department – GWQB Surface Disposal Class in Las Cruces, NM.

 

The Council also approved the following routine requests for City facilities in the consent agenda: Artesia General Hospital to use Guadalupe Park gazebo on Saturday, October 8, 2022 from 12 pm – 5 pm for their employee appreciation event; Artesia High School Cross Country to use Jaycee Park on October 1, 2022 from 7:30 am – 1:00 pm for a memorial run; Artesia Chamber of Commerce to use of Eagle Draw from Saturday, November 5, 2022, thru November 6, 2022 for the Annual Balloons & Tunes Festival; Artesia High School Rodeo/Artesia Horse Council to use a standby ambulance for the junior high and high school rodeo to be held September 30th, October 1st and 2nd, 2022.

 

Consent agenda included approval of routine resolutions of the list of annual records destruction, Resolution 1804, a resolution correcting the police chief’s pay on the salary schedule; annual CDBG Resolution 1805 and federal requirements plan.

 

After completing the consent agenda the floor was open to hear visitors. LifeHouse Executive Director Philip Huston shared the news of a new substance abuse facility for men at 808 West Grand in Artesia. He invited everyone to the open house on October 6th from 4:00-6:00 pm. LifeHouse currently has three similar facilities in Carlsbad. 

 

Next on the agenda was the committee reports. The Budget and Finance committee met with First American Bank and are looking at possible investments in treasury notes and treasury bills and are putting together a low-risk portfolio to boost interest income for the City. They will present the portfolio later.

 

The Personnel committee met recently and discussed pay scale and made some decisions based on those scales. Police and Fire committee met recently and discussed recruitment efforts, upcoming retirements, maintenance fleet costs, setting criteria for take home vehicles, updates on the Emergency Operations Center, emergency plan for all the schools, and funding emergency equipment from private sources.

 

Next, Police Chief Kirk Roberts of the Artesia Police Department reported that they have ordered two ballistic blankets for each Artesia school and ballistic shields are coming soon. They have recruitment on hold until the completion of a compensation study.  Roberts stood for questions on training and response to school safety scenarios. 

 

Fire Chief Kevin Hope answered questions on upcoming anticipated retirement in leadership positions. Director of Community Development, Jim McGuire, had no report and stood for questions. 

 

Next, John Anguiano from the Infrastructure Department gave an update that the 20th Street project is almost complete and should open this Friday; tree trimming continues at Eagle Draw; a section of path on Eagle Draw is getting fixed; construction at the new dog park is on hold waiting for materials; and a new street sweeper is coming next year. Anguiano fielded questions on water breaks and pipe deterioration, as well as vandalism at the pickle ball courts. 

 

Next, City Clerk Summer Valverde lead discussion and the Council approved to engage Red Rocket for marketing services and set a $20,000 budget for the contract which will include live streaming of City council meetings with a goal of better communication throughout the city. The council then approved Resolution 1806 for a budget adjustment of $48,000; Resolution 1801 to implement the streamlining of the event approval process including language that if there are any concerns at all it will come before the council; a revised airport ground lease and hangar lease with the discussed modifications.

 

The meeting ended with positive comments from the Mayor and councilors on the work being done by City staff and a council member noted that he had recently been approached by two people wanting to start a business in Artesia.