City Council Meeting October 21, 2024

MINUTES

City Council

Monday, October 21, 2024 @ 1:00 PM

City Council Chambers, City Hall

PRESENT: Mayor Eric Enriquez, Councilor Cassie McClure, Councilor William Mattiace, Councilor

Becki Graham, Councilor Johana Bencomo, Councilor Becky Corran, and Councilor Yvonne

Flores

ABSENT:

1. OPENING CEREMONIES 1.1 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - COUNCILOR MCCLURE. 1.2 PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF

APPRECIATION/PROCLAMATIONS - COUNCILOR MCCLURE. Mayor Enriquez recognized the Veteran’s Parade Grand Marshals.

Councilor McClure presented Richard Weaver with a proclamation for The Friends of the Community Candy Drop Day.

Councilor McClure presented Aaron Butler with a proclamation for Pride of New

Mexico Day.

Councilor McClure presented Nicole Perez and Angie Frias with a proclamation for

Careers in Construction Month.

Councilor McClure presented Enrique Garcia with a proclamation for Lights on

Afterschool Day.

Councilor McClure presented Martha Rodriguez with a proclamation for the 25th

Anniversary of Las Esperanzas. Councilor Becki Graham moved, seconded by Councilor Becky Corran, to allow

Councilor Bencomo to participate via Zoom.

RESULT: Carried

MOVER: Councilor Becki Graham

SECONDER: Councilor Becky Corran

AYES: Mayor Eric Enriquez, Councilor Cassie McClure, Councilor Becki Graham,

Councilor Johana Bencomo, Councilor Becky Corran, and Councilor Yvonne

ABSENT: Councilor William Mattiace 1.3 JOBS OF THE WEEK. Sarah Raney, New Mexico Workforce Connections presented Jobs of the Week. 1.4 PETS OF THE WEEK. Carol Nielson, Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley presented Pets of the

Week. 1.5 CONFLICT OF INTEREST - HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. Natalie Green, Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Administrator said this is a public disclosure for a potential conflict of interest regarding former Mayor Pro Tem

Kasandra Gandara and La Casa, Inc. I am going to provide a little context on to why we do this.

The city is recipient of both Community Development Block Grant funds and Home

Investment Partnerships and the regulations that apply are 24 CFR 570, 92, and 200.

In those regulations a covered person is any person who is an employee, agent, consultant, officer, or elected official, or appointed official of the recipient. In this case it is the city and any public agency or sub recipient. In this case it is La Casa who receives CDBG or HOME Funds and this includes individuals with decision making authority in the administration of CDBG or HOME Funds.

Prohibited actions, it is just a general rule that anyone who exercises or has exercised any functions or responsibilities with respect to CDBG or HOME activities have to disclose any potential conflict of interest, and that conflict extends one year after the tenure of in this case their termination of services to the city as a city councilor.

The disclosure today is again La Casa Inc. is a recipient of both CDBG and HOME

Funds. They are also a potential recipient of future Federal Funds. Former Mayor Pro

Tem Kasandra Gandara served on the city council until December 31, 2023, so the one-year term extends to December 2024. She was recently contracted with La Casa

Inc. and again Mayor Pro Tem has an excellent record of social service and community outreach in advocacy in our community. She is not involved in the day-to- day management of CDBG or HOME, but this does represent a potential conflict of interest as described in the regulations. HUD will consider exceptions on a case-by- case basis. In order to request those exceptions, which the city is requesting first we have to be made aware of the conflict through the conflict of interest. We solicit a legal opinion from our City Attorney and then we have to do a public disclosure which is today’s action and then we will submit all of this documentation through a written request to the local HUD field office who will make a determination and then they will notify us of their determination.

2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST INQUIRY BY MAYOR AS REQUIRED BY LCMC

SECTION 2-27 (E)(2) 2.1 None.

3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 3.1 Dana de Herrera-Smith, Member of the Public said I work with Porch Light Health with

Nora Candelaria and Andew Thomas, and I am our Director of Community

Engagement and Development, and we provide comprehensive substance use disorder treatment to folks suffering with all types of substance use disorder. Like alcohol, opioid, stimulant, and sedative use disorder. We are a new clinic here in Las

Cruces. So, we have been providing substance use disorder treatment in Colorado for the last decade and have over 60 points of care across Colorado and started our expansion into New Mexico in 2019. However, Covid did the Covid thing and kind of delayed us a bit and so we have restarted expanding into New Mexico to provide substance use disorder treatment. We use a low barrier high access model so really, we are just trying to support people with whatever the substance of choice is and whatever their recovery goal is. We use what is called patient defined recovery, meaning that we will support people in whatever they want to do. If they want to just reduce and find a more manageable relationship with their substance of choice, we will work with them on that. If they want full abstinence, we will work with them on that.

So, we provide medications for addiction treatment for both opioid and alcohol use disorder. We have also worked with stimulant and sedative use disorder in this fashion as well. We provide behavioral health services to folks with substance use disorder as well as psychiatric services to people. Our psychiatric program is very specific to those with substance use disorder, so it is a benzo free, specifically as well as a stimulant free program which really does take the focus of substance use. So, this is for folks who have maybe found recovery but are wanting to manage their psychiatric conditions and being able to do so through the lens of the recovery.

Overall, just really trying to take a harm reduction approach to people’s care and supporting them with services. We do accept all types of insurance, Medicaid,

Medicare, most commercial insurance. We also have sliding fee scales available. Our sliding fee scales do not require rejection from insurance, meaning that folks who are undocumented or who have somebody who is in their household that is undocumented they can certainly access that to support them with their care.

Generally, if finances are the only barrier for receiving treatment for substance use and addiction, please let us try and support them. We can see folks’ same day, next day. We know that the window of readiness for folks can sometimes be very, very small and if somebody expresses an interest and is ready to pursue treatment or to learn more about what treatment options are available for them, we can support them with that the same day. We have one phone number that can schedule anywhere in the state, that is anywhere in New Mexico and anywhere in Colorado. It is 866-Mat- stat, 866-628-7828. Because we have a large network of care we can follow people as well. So, if there are people here in Las Cruces who need care and are relocating to Albuquerque or to Farmington, or somewhere in Colorado we can continue that care without any interruption. Additionally, we work pretty significantly with folks who are justice involved. We work with individuals up to 38 weeks of pregnancy. We will start them in treatment. We will follow them through birth as well as after birth as well.

We will also work with adolescents as young as 13. Currently in New Mexico we have locations in Farmington, Albuquerque, Taos, Las Cruces, and Espanola, and we will have about three more locations by the end of the year. So, we are just really eager to support people and to help them with their substance use disorders and provide them with compassionate and judgement free care.

Nora Candelaria, Member of the Public said we are located at 3850 Foothills Suite 1.

We are right across Caliches up by Mountain View Hospital. Also just to let you know that onboard and in house we also have peer support specialist which is next to us, and he assists them with outside resources while they are in there if they are in crisis so at the same time they get that extra services as well.

Andrew Thomas, Member of the Public said I provide peer support. I am an Aggie, I grew up here. My parents are both professors at New Mexico State. I have seen this community and what it has become and what it can be, and we are happy to be a small part of this growing recovery part of our town and its’ growing fast and there is a bunch of us. Reach out to any of us, please.

Paul Borunda, Member of the Public said I come here today to bring up an issue that I am facing at home at 1472 North Mesquite. What I am talking about, that is the address of where I was born and raised 80 years ago. I have come here to discuss the issues that I am presently facing right now besides having had a heart operation no more than 3 months ago. In the process of going back a few years I have been here before city council many times in the past even before your tenure as Mayor, when Miyagishima was Mayor, when someone going further back that sits on the council was Mayor and we brought up issues involving the Las Cruces Police

Department or lack of enforcement of rule of law, and nothing is done. I have reported homes and people from my neighborhood who are selling drugs, who do not get investigated and continue and are allowed to sell their drugs to the citizens and the youth of this community. It pains me to have to come here and say this, I have a son who is a drug addict, and he has been in prison several times. We have done as much as we can as a family hopefully to recover from his addiction, but it does no good. He has stolen approximately $40,000 plus from me, money, property over the past 10/15 years. We have been dealing with his addiction for 25 to 30 years. Well, I have made contact with my District 1 representative presently and informed her of what is happening and asked for her help which has not materialized yet in District 1.

We in District 1 face this situation of the addiction of drugs because of lack of law enforcement and investigations into by name and address of the locations of where these drugs are being sold. On the 16th of August I was attacked at local grocery store here in town while doing shopping and I called the police, and the police came and did nothing to arrest the perpetrator even though he was still on the property when the police went there.

Rick Reynaud, Member of the Public said I am going to read off a very interesting email I sent to NMSU. Fire football coach for ten year old tweets yet shield NMSU professors’ racial attacks of Las Cruces parents. Good morning, Mr. Flores and Ms.

Haggard. Can you distribute this email to the NMSU Regents, Presidents, Dr. Torres and Dr. Ferme and provost, thank you. Rick Reynaud, PE, BS Mechanical

Engineering, December 1982, NMSU. Dear Regents and all, I read with earnest the following articles regarding Tyler Wright, and there is two articles detailing how they found ten year old tweets and they fired him. The question for President Ferme and

NMSU, NMSU fires Mr. Wright and yet NMSU allows their own professors to racially attack Las Cruces parents documented by NMSU’s own emails with no consequences. Note that NMSU’s internal emails reveal at least 15 NMSU Equity

Professors participated included in these shameful emails as well as a Las Cruces

City Councilor. All of which apparently agreed that Las Cruces parents were ignorant racist whites and Hispanics included. Here is a letter obtained by IPRA. I could read every name off this, I can read every email address because this was provided by

NMSU, but I won’t. Hola, Las Ceveras. Who are Las Ceveras? Pro Ethics Committee will gather at the LCPS building School board meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 18th. If you can come and share a few words about brown people about how education reflects our realities as Chicanas, Chicanos, Latinos, brown people. I am Hispanic, I hate the term brown people. It’s disgusting. The angry racist ignorant Las Crucens are organizing. We need to arrive in numbers and show support. The crime of Las Cruces parents, in 2021 we exposed our K12 children’s racial abuse. Mainly white children and Hispanic children. We assert that you must judge people by the content of their character only. This is non-negotiable in our culture.

Jim Hurst, Member of the Public said I come to you as one of the nones. That is n-o- n-e-s. Not to be confused with nuns, n-u-n-s. According to Pew Research we are the second largest and fastest religious category in the United States of America. If Dona

Ana County is similar to the rest of the country, we make up 30% of your constituents.

We have no creed, no organization, no structure, no officers, no spokesman, no publication, meetings, or anything you might associate with a religious group. I confess that I am being presumptive by even using the pronouns we and us and I must acknowledge that I speak only for myself though I consider my views fairly typical of the group. Nones have no religious allegiance. We aren’t Christian, Jews,

Muslims, Buddhist, Hindu, Zeeks, Zoroastrians, or Pagans. Generally, we consider religion to be an unnecessary burden on ourselves, our society and humanity. While believers and clergy may come to make request based on religious agendas our agenda is less religion and less influence from religious groups on our government.

As our forefathers and our nation intended, we want strict separation between church and state. Please evaluate all traditions of this city that violate the US Constitution and the Constitution of New Mexico, especially the tradition of the National Day of Prayer services held at the City Hall. I acknowledge that good governance may appear to be a miracle, but reason convinces me that it is an application of reason, compassion, and hope based on the human potential that produces good government, unity, and progress. For that no deity, Christian or otherwise is required and none should be invoked.

Diane Starbuck, Member of the Public said I am from Animal Advocates for Change. I am checking in on the status of the new animal ordinance. The City Attorney has graciously been collaborating with us and has met with Kathe Stark, Geri Wheelis, and Animal Control. However, we are now once again unsure of the ordinance’s status. It has been mentioned to us a number of times by Mayor Enriquez who would like to have a new ordinance by the end of the year. Are you going to set a Work

Session or just proceed with a first read? It was left with Mr. Douglas that he, Animal

Control, Kathe, and Geri would have a final meeting, but we are still waiting for the city to contact us. Therefore, kindly advise us as to the current status.

Steve Chavira, Member of the Public said I first stand here as a citizen of Las Cruces.

I want to thank you for recognizing the Pride Band of New Mexico today. I was a member of the Pride Band, I started there 41 years ago in 1983. I served as a drum major, president. I met my wife at NMSU in the Pride Band. After my service in the

Pride Band, I became President of the Alumni Association over that time, and I just want to say thanks to my involvement in the Pride Band many of the leadership opportunities that I have been afforded in my life have come from the leadership I learned as a member of the Pride Band and other marching band organizations. But I stand here today to introduce myself to you as the new Executive Director at El

Caldito Soup Kitchen and I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity again, but

I want to say and thank many of you who participated and came out to the Empty

Bowl Celebration on Friday. We had a really great turnout, and it was nice to speak to a lot of people and to be reconnected with many of my friends here in the community, but I am here today to inform you and invite you to an event that we are having, El

Calidito Soup Kitchen is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024 and as you know the sun is setting on 2024 quickly. We will be having a celebration November 13th, and it will be in your inboxes very soon, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the soup kitchen where we will have one our executive chefs, a volunteer chef who prepares meals for our clients every single day along with our volunteer staff and our volunteers who cook, and we will be providing a meal to our guests who come in. We will have a ribbon cutting with all three chambers involved but I want to bring everybody up to speed with all that is going on at El Caldito Soup Kitchen. Bring you into the great food that we serve, and I know you Mr. Mayor you have spent time there volunteering and serving and helping us and we appreciate that, but I want to encourage anyone else that wants to do that to come out. November 13th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. More than 3 million meals have been served in that time since we began.

The way I look at it is this is just the beginning, we look forward to the next 40 years, but I appreciate you giving me an opportunity today to stand here, introduce this to you and I look forward to more involvement as we move forward.

Susan Cabello, Member of the Public said I am the Executive Director of the Las

Cruces Downtown Partnership. I haven’t seen you guys in a while, and I have a lot of news, so I am going to try to make it quick. Zombie Walk is this Saturday, October

26th from 5 to 10 p.m. on the plaza and on Main Street. The parade starts at 7. It is free to the public. Anyone can enter it and participate. The band starts at 8 and will go till 10. It is going to be a great time which leads me to my next point which is a fantastic time of year to walk downtown. Also, what is coming up is Small Business

Saturday. That is November 30th. We are going to have a welcome station on the plaza. We are going to do something a little bit different this year. We are still workshopping the title so this might not be what we land on, but we are going to do a red-carpet paparazzi photo shoot for shoppers because they are really the stars of the show. So, we are going to have a red carpet, some paparazzi and anyone who is shopping downtown that day can have a free photo shoot with a lot of clammer and attention which I know is something that everybody wants. We are also going to be doing a merchant meeting on November the 14th, Thursday from 5 to 6 with the library. I want everyone in town not just downtown to realize how many free business

resources are available in our library. From one-on-one help with excel, which everyone knows I need. There is a maker space. There is a library of things that can be used for business. It I such a hidden gem and we do not communicate the value of it enough I don’t think. So, from 5 to 6 we are going to meet in the lobby of the library.

Our librarians are going to take us on a tour and there is going to be an opportunity for anyone who does not have a library card to get a library card at that time. In the past our merchant meetings have really been focused on kind of just a meeting and getting attention out. I really just want to change that up and meet people at different levels of entrepreneurship and this might be the first level of entrepreneurship, or this might be somebody who needs a little bit of help with some technology or some sort of access to materials. So, if you could help me spread the word about that I would really appreciate it.

William Gilman, Member of the Public said I don’t have my daughter with me here today. Shout out to the New Mexico Child Care Subsidies, speaking of which while driving back there was some people working on the roads down at the end of

Roadrunner and there was like a truck and four workers and let me tell you that is not cheap. What I can talk about today is Realize Las Cruces, right? So far in our nation’s history we prioritize car centric development which requires building lots of roads.

Roads are very expensive, and they make our communities especially communities like ours that are blessed with an abundance of sunshine a lot hotter especially when they are really, really big and wide and black. We over build our roads. So why should we not do that and what does it have to do with Realize Las Cruces? Well right now, everyone who lives over in the Parkhill Neighborhood has to get in their car to get anywhere I talked to folks last week, it’s a drag. So, if we expand opportunities for businesses to open up and stuff like that in that neighborhood elsewhere right. People don’t need to drive as much to go to the grocery store, coffee shop, whatever. People are justly concerned about issues of homelessness and stuff, and we need more programing. Camp Hope is great, I would love to see more data from Camp Hope, but

I think Camp Hope is doing a lot of great work. There was a person that mentioned a few times a while ago a program in Boulder called the Work First Program and I think she has the name wrong. It’s called the Work Works Program. It is very different from the Work First Program like TANF. And we need something like that. I provide subsidized employment in addition to housing, in addition to medical care, behavioral healthcare, psychological care, all the things to support recovery all under one roof.

Great program, right? Where is the money going to come from that? Well right now our money is going into repairing all these roads that we built, and it is very expensive and there aint no GRT coming from that neighborhood let me tell you. There are a few at home daycares, I can vouch for one, but I think they are full though. Realize Las

Cruces I think is going to do a lot for us to open up that playing field. A lot more businesses will move away from car centric development, have more multifamily homes, have a different approach to things so that we are not living in a heat desert.

Jorge Aguirre, Member of the Public said I am just here to request that you consider climate change when you make decisions about city codes and the infrastructure and chose sustainable infrastructure over car centric development. I had the chance to be out and about this weekend. Yes, it is pleasant, but it is also very, very hot. This summer was hot, this weekend wast quite hot for October and every summer is expected to be hotter than the last one forever in our lives. In cities like Phoenix the

ground gets so hot that during a heat wave who fall regularly get sent to the hospital with third degree skin burns. Under that kind of heat the city becomes unusable and people exist indoors. Walking from only air-conditioned building to air-conditioned car and vice versa. The risk is that Las Cruces may eventually reach those conditions and will perhaps keep getting hotter and hotter. It is clear now that this sprawl model in these desert communities increases temperatures and asphalt maintenance cost significantly which is the opposite of what we need. Communities that have thrived in the desert have often adapted their infrastructure to consider the movement of the sun, conserve water and take advantage of the wind for ventilation. We don’t do none of that currently and we need to allow changes in the city code to allow for the city to be built differently. Higher sturdy buildings with narrow paths in between them can provide shade and cooler temperatures for ground users. Perhaps drivers like me can extend our commutes a few minutes to make space for trees on our streets and greenery on our spaces and not just for decorations and protection of pedestrians but also to produce the overall temperature of the city to act as a buffer to catch water during flash floods that are expected as part of climate change in our region. Adding shade to our streets would incentivize more people to walk instead of drive which will reduce traffic for the people who drive. Reducing driving only puts money in the pockets of our citizens because driving is expensive, but it also has health benefits and increases retail sales for our business owners while reducing crime, noise, traffic, and pollution. Please I implore that you focus on car and pedestrian centered infrastructure, green spaces, taller buildings and that you prioritize the most vulnerable among us. We you do that you help all of us.

Lonnie Montgomery, Member of the Public said I am a follower of Jesus Christ. The first thing I want to do is pray. Dear Lord God, we thank you for our republic and for being able to choose the people that make decisions for us and with us and Lord God guide this council, our Mayor that they can look at each thing that they have with a lot of care so that they make wiser decisions. I also want to tell you how are we going to save this country? It doesn’t matter to me who gets in. There is one way to say it, we have to get back to God and the Judea Christian values that our country is founded on. So, the way to do it, God says in his book, you repent up to heaven and he comes down and he forgives your sins, and you become his people and what everyone thinks about God, and everybody thinks God is perfect, right? God doesn’t lie. What is in the book is true and one of the things he writes in the book is that when he created man, he created people, male and female. He didn’t do male and female plus or minus or whatever and therefore he thinks, and I think there is no transgenders and there is also a man by the name of Walt Heyer who wrote Paper Genders, and he agrees with my way here that the way to change things is on paper and Walter should know. He went and he became a “woman” and then he decided well I want to be a man. He wrote about this, what was going on and according to some it is called gender identity disorder and that was in one of the psychological books and they take and people sort of rush through and the people who are making the money on this thing putting the hormones on and go through a quick taking off or putting on genitalia and give me the money, my time is up and we will continue. God Bless Las Cruces.

God bless the US and be sure to practice your Mandurin.

4. ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA

Councilor Yvonne Flores moved, seconded by Councilor Becky Corran, to accept the agenda as presented.

MOVER: Councilor Yvonne Flores

AYES: Mayor Eric Enriquez, Councilor Cassie McClure, Councilor William Mattiace,

Councilor Becki Graham, Councilor Johana Bencomo, Councilor Becky

Corran, and Councilor Yvonne Flores

5. RESOLUTION(S) AND/OR ORDINANCE(S) FOR CONSENT AGENDA

6. RESOLUTION(S) AND/OR ORDINANCE(S) FOR DISCUSSION 6.1 RESOLUTION NO. 25-045: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF

LAS CRUCES (CITY) TO ACCEPT GRANT AWARDS FOR VARIOUS CITY

DEPARTMENTS THROUGH AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY’S ADOPTED

FY2025 BUDGET AND THE FY2025 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM (CIP). Vanessa Perez, Budget Analyst gave the overhead presentation.

Councilor Flores asked can you go to page 6 please on the screen? All of this money is going to improve East Lohman Avenue and South Walnut Street intersection and then this money and then the match came through?

Vanessa Perez said for these specifically the match portions are already available in our budget, so we are not requesting for additional funding for these two specific grants. The only thing coming in from the DOT, would be the $600,000 of the award.

Councilor Flores asked can you go to page 7? Where does the $574,200 come from?

Vanessa Perez said from NMDFA, the New Mexico Department of Finance

Administration.

Councilor Flores asked the $1 million comes from?

Vanessa Perez said also from NMDFA.

Councilor Flores asked can you go to page 11? The septic tank replacement, I am very happy to hear that this money has come into the city from the Environmental

Department. So, to reauthorize an agreement to plan, design, and construct septic tank replacement in Dona Ana County. Its Dona Ana County but it’s the land within the city in Dona Ana County?

Carl Clark, Assistant Utilities Director said yes all of those are within the city limits.

Councilor Flores said there is also a slide that provides money or report to address odorization and does that come within, it’s Utilities? So, would septic tanks somehow be addressed in that regard?

Carl Clark said no. This one is actually for the natural gas system. So, it is the odorant that is put into the gas system, so you can smell it if you have a leak.

Councilor Flores asked and then on the money that is going for more work would it be in the city, the East Mesa?

Carl Clark said there is a variety of projects tied to these dollars. There is a lot of old gas line replacement that is going on with it, old avs pipe that is being replaced out in the field.

Councilor Flores asked is there any money then for the septic tank removal and the money to connect from the curb to the house because that has been an impediment.

Carl Clark said no. None of these grants have that money in it. It was all part of the

ARPA funds that were from the service line to the house that has all been expended already.

Councilor Flores asked we don’t have any more money coming in until we go beg the state legislature?

Carl Clark said at this time we are asking for it but we have not heard anything but that is still coming up on the legislative funding request. To date we have not seen anything from the state in regards to that kind of money.

Councilor Flores asked utilities is submitting a request for that money?

Carl Clark said yes, we will be asking for the residents if we are allowed to do that. If it is not part of anti-donation, we will be asking for that money. I think $500,000 something like that.

Councilor Flores asked how can it be an anti-donation thing? Really, it’s a health and safety issue but we can argue from here to kingdom come on that.

Carl Clark said it is on private property so that would be the whole issue.

Councilor Flores said but it is a city facility, a city function.

Carl Clark said there is a dividing line where we stop all of our utilities, and it becomes private property, so water meters are stopped at the property line so is the service line. The only thing that isn’t is gas because it’s a safety issue, so we run it all the way to the meter itself and we maintain that meter next to the house to protect it in certain instances, I guess.

Councilor Flores asked has there ever been any variances on that?

Carl Clark said to my recollection no, there has not been any variances to that that I

am aware of. I know that there are instances when we are doing a gas line and we have to do a pressure or shut in test the gas utility pays for that and any repairs that may come about there is usually some money there to help fix those gas lines that are leaking because it is a safety issue.

Councilor Flores said to me the septic tank issue is a safety issue. We have gone back and forth on this.

Carl Clark said it is an environmental issue. Councilor Becky Corran moved, seconded by Councilor Becki Graham, to amend Resolution No. 25-045 to remove exhibit B in its entirety.

MOVER: Councilor Becky Corran

SECONDER: Councilor Becki Graham

Councilor Becki Graham, Councilor Johana Bencomo, and Councilor Becky

Corran

NAYS: Councilor Yvonne Flores Councilor Becki Graham moved, seconded by Councilor Becky Corran, to

Approve Resolution No. 25-045 as amended.

Corran, and Councilor Yvonne Flores 6.2 RESOLUTION NO. 25-046: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF

LAS CRUCES (CITY) TO ACCEPT FIRST QUARTER BUDGET

ADJUSTMENTS FOR VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS THROUGH AN

AMENDMENT TO THE CITY’S ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2024-25

BUDGET, THE FY2025 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM (CIP), AND

THE FY2025 VEHICLE ACQUISITION FUND (VAF). Joe Padilla, Budget Analyst gave the overhead presentation.

Luis Vela, Fleet Administrator continued the overhead presentation.

Councilor Mattiace asked can we just clarify on page 5? On item 1, can you give us a hint on a building? Is it a specific building or just any building?

Chris Faivre, Interim Deputy Director Community Development said we don’t have a specific building in mind right now. There was money put there in case the city is looking for additional space downtown for staff.

Councilor Mattiace asked that is $1.8 million?

Chris Faivre said correct.

Councilor Mattiace asked when do you project this money to be spent, or you have no idea of the building or any plan?

Chris Faivre said when we were preparing for this fiscal year’s budget, we were looking at options to purchase some buildings downtown if we needed additional office space. There were a few things that we were exploring in the springtime. Some of those buildings are no longer available but this money is still in the budget in case something does come up that the city is interested in as sort of a satellite site for additional city staff.

Councilor Mattiace asked when you say downtown, that is the area specific it will be a downtown building?

Chris Faivre said yes because those are TIDD funds, so they have to be specific to being located within the TIDD.

Councilor Mattiace asked do any of those TIDD funds expand or will you be expanding those TIDD funds to the El Paseo area?

Chris Faivre said no because the TIDD boundary does not extend to the El Paseo area. There is a very specific geographic boundary, and it doesn’t extend that far. I will say that Alameda which obviously you have El Paseo one direction Alameda the other way, that portion is within the TIDD and the funds on here are specific for

Alameda renovations are but not as it goes into El Paseo heading south.

Councilor Mattiace asked do you have any plans when we do the MRA will there be a

TIDD suggested for that El Paseo area so that we can continue developing?

Chris Faivre said with some of the changes that the state made to the MRA legislation you don’t have to put in the TIDD to get the tax increment, that ability will now be part of the setting up of the MRA. So, you will have the same ability to set up tax increment without having to set up an actual TIDD. That tax increment will be part of the metropolitan redevelopment designation.

Councilor Becky Corran moved, seconded by Councilor Becki Graham, to amend Resolution No. 25-046 to remove exhibit B in its entirety.

Corran, and Councilor Yvonne Flores Councilor Becki Graham moved, seconded by Councilor Becky Corran, to

Approve Resolution No. 25-046 as amended.

Corran, and Councilor Yvonne Flores 6.3 RESOLUTION NO. 25-047: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF

LAS CRUCES (CITY) TO ACCEPT A GRANT AWARD FROM THE SOUTH

CENTRAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (SCCOG) FOR STATE

APPROPRIATED FUNDING FROM THE GOVERMENT RESULTS AND

OPPORTUNITY FUNDING (GRO) THROUGH AN AMENDMENT TO THE

CITY’S ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2025 BUDGET. Gabriela Prats, Grant Manager gave the overhead presentation.

Councilor Mattiace asked the Domestic Violence Victims Assistant Act, do you get any type of input form the council to where this money could be spent?

Gabriela Prats said the legislators that provided the funds for each one of these have already identified organizations that will be funded to provide these.

Councilor Mattiace asked do you have a list of those organizations?

Gabriela Prats said I do. It would be Mesilla Valley Community of Hope who would be doing the permanent supportive housing, La Casa Inc. doing the domestic violence victim assistance, Community Action Agency is doing the work with the young entrepreneurs and La Pinon Sexual Assault and Recovery Services of Southern New

Mexico will be doing the sexual assault support services.

Councilor Mattiace said I am really happy. I know Cassie attended that La Casa meeting and we found out from the CEO, many of the women, it could be men also who may suffer from domestic violence actually is one of the big causes for homelessness and I didn’t realize that. So, I am very happy to see that, and I would like to see the council in the future actually support the La Casa as much as they can.

I did not realize that was such a big cause.

Councilor Becky Corran moved, seconded by Councilor Becki Graham, to

Approve Resolution No. 25-047.

Corran, and Councilor Yvonne Flores 6.4 RESOLUTION NO. 25-048: A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE FY2025-2030

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM. Srijana Basnyat, Innovation and Strategy Administrator gave the overhead presentation.

Cynthia Campo, CIP Analyst continued the overhead presentation.

Srijana Basnyat continued the overhead presentation.

Cynthia Alamillo, CIP Manager continued the overhead presentation.

Councilor Flores said I would like to know is whether we have the money, we have the concepts, you have weaved everything, all the requirements with Realize and complete streets and everything else like that. Do you see when we will see the fruits of your labor?

Srijana Basnyat said I will leave the project timeline question to the department who will execute the project.

Tony Trevino, Assistant Director Public Works said as you can see based the presentation that Ms. Basnyat just gave Cortez has already been bid out and construction will start here in the next couple of months so we will actually start seeing some on the ground improvements here by the winter of this year. The other two I believe is Madrid will be out to bid in January 2025. The other one is South Main, and we are hoping to get out to bid by March of 2025. As long as BSF gives us all our permits We have been applying for and moving forward.

Councilor Flores asked Cortez would be the entire street from Dunn to?

Tony Trevino said from Dunn to Porter I believe.

Absent: Becky Corran

Motion carried.

Councilor Becki Graham moved, seconded by Councilor Becky Corran, to approve Resolution No. 25-048 to remove the funding for the Las Cruces Lateral

Trail and approve the amended exhibit.

Approve Resolution No. 25-048 as amended.

Eric Enriquez, Cassie McClure, William Mattiace, Becki Graham, Johana

Bencomo, Yvonne Flores voted yes. Becky Corran was absent.

SECONDER: Councilor Becky Corran 6.5 RESOLUTION NO. 25-049: A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE LAS CRUCES

PUBLIC LIBRARIES MASTER PLAN. Carol Brey, Quality of Life Director introduced the topic.

Sarah Booth, Library Deputy Director gave the overhead presentation.

Brad Waters, Godfrey’s Associates, Inc. continued the overhead presentation.

Carol Brey continued the overhead presentation.

Councilor Flores asked I thought we had a foundation? The Friends is not a foundation?

Carol Brey said that is correct. We do not have a library foundation at this time. The

Friends of the Library are a 501c3 organization and they are an enormous support for us. We are so grateful for their presence always and the work that they do. They are dedicated to more of the fundraising for the day-to-day operation of the library, the needs that come up from time to time for programs or a piece of equipment or other kinds of support. A library foundation typically has a different kind of role. A library foundation typically will be funding perhaps larger projects for the future of the library system. So potentially helping to fund the Branigan renovation or a branch, a capital campaign for a branch kind of thing so that is typically more of the role of library foundations around the country and that is my experience with them.

Councilor Flores asked it really focusses on the physical part of the library?

Carol Brey said not always. It can be but typically to fund a capital improvement project or a major project, a major service or program that the library might want to offer whereas while the Friends have been very generous in their support do not see their role as being overarching I would say. So typically, a library system that is moving forward will have both, a Friends of the Library organization and a library foundation which is also a 501c3 organization typically.

Councilor Flores asked is there any movement there in terms of that regard in establishing a 501c3 besides bringing it up today?

Carol Brey said we are working with the Friends that are helping us to identify people in the community who might be interested in serving on a library foundation and helping us get that formed. Yes, we are moving ahead with that idea.

Brad Waters said a lot of philanthropic organizations are more likely to give money to a library foundation then they are to a municipality of government. That is another reason foundations are able to raise more money in terms of larger amounts than the

Friends or the municipality.

Councilor Flores said I think it would be a good idea to really focus on how important it is to have children exposed to all books. I don’t believe in having anything banned or taken off shelves and I think it would be great to have the children who started going there maybe because I think there is reading circles where pre-k or the younger children and follow them and see how their lives, kind of follow that because I know that libraries impact people’s lives. I think they make a big difference in the quality of your life. It expands your world. You can read about different places and dream that one day you will do that or go there. Thank you, Ms. Brey and Friends, for your work.

Councilor Corran said I first wanted to thank you, and also I sort of want to speak to I feel like we are in a moment when I think the library I know serves people in exploring who they are and exploring the world around them and also brings people together who would perhaps normally would never encounter one another from Dungeons and

Dragons to like people who love plants. I know that there are really a lot of constituents that are served by the library in Las Cruces, and. I would just like to speak to future plans, and I know approving this is one step in that direction, but I do hope that when we are talk about our next GO Bonding cycle, I am going to be advocating for the library to be among the priorities among other things that we always. I hope that we can consider this kind of a road map for us, and I do hope that we follow it rapidly and robustly. So, I really appreciate this really clear path where we can build our library system and infrastructure and connect to more people in a moment where I think literacy is perhaps threatened in a lot of ways and so libraries are fundamental to addressing that threat so thank you again for the presentation and

I just want to speak to my constant support of standing with you.

Councilor Mattiace said I am very happy to hear what Councilor Corran brought up and I think maybe Brad or someone who is bold enough to give us an ideal timeframe of when we should bring the bonding proposals forward. Is there a timeframe or a year or do we just leave it in limbo?

Carol Brey said I am not sure of the exact timeframe for a bond issue, but I believe we will be formulating and maybe the City Manager/Assistant City Manager is going to respond to this. We are in the process I think of formulating the next bond issue. We are currently, I can tell you that you may have noticed that the TIDD funding for the design of the Branigan Library renovation and expansion project already was something that you approved today so we are very happy to see that. That design is actually already in the works already and I am happy to say that Brad Waters will be working with the architect, the on-call architect Desert Peaks Architects who will be working on that design. So we feel good about the direction that Branigan Library is taking and then the branch library question and even the expansion of Branigan will be something that will have to be determined by city leadership in terms of where that funding comes from but we are also doing our part in terms of getting this plan before you, helping you to have a road map as you have mentioned for where the library system can go in the future and I think that is our job, to make sure that you have that road map in place so that you know where we think the community should go. The

Library Foundation could certainly help with that, and we will see where it goes with

TIDD funding and a bond issue down the road.

Brad Waters said we would anticipate design on the Branigan improvements to start in January of next year, January of 2025. Probably a one-year design phase and you will be ready to potentially go out to bid at that point. We are meeting tomorrow with

Public Works to talk about some of these details because it is a two-phase process we really want to design the second phase first to work backward into the first phase so that we don’t paint ourselves in any corners as we move forward. It will make it a little more intricate, but I think tomorrow after we meet with Public Works, we will have a much better idea.

Councilor Graham said that if we are looking to our next GO Bond cycle, I believe that would be 2026, calendar year 2026. So that if we have 2025 to kind of really get the ball rolling and have something concrete to bring to the voters, I would also be in support of that. I just want to shout out, Friends, give yourselves a round of applause.

It was so lovely to see that you packed the Work Session in June, and you are here again, and it is cool to see you willing to come and sit through the bureaucracy for something that means so much to you and as the crowd dwindled in it just got more and more purple in here and I love it so thank you. I think it speaks to the importance of the library and to the work that our group is doing so thank you.

Councilor McClure said I am just going to echo the sentiments up here but what caught my eye during the presentation was your recommendation to fund 90% more. I think we can definitely look at what funding we might have available next year especially since we work with so many different populations and have so many needs for the community and before we can race off to building what you guys are doing so,

I appreciate that. I told somebody earlier today that I trust librarians more than most people, so I am definitely happy to help fund that as well.

Councilor Bencomo said I just wanted to say specifically wanted to be on today to vote for this even if it was through Zoom. No offense to the other items those were important as well of course. I am just really excited to be supporting this and honestly just feel deeply grateful for all of you who put so much work into this and the advisory committee and everybody who has put their hands on this and bringing this forward. I am very, very grateful for you.

Mayor Enriquez said of partnering with the county that would be on a city/county line for one of those branches. You ever work any partnerships like in metro or city/county? What are some of the things that you have experienced with that?

Brad Waters said yes, even lottery foundations that partner with cities so but clearly there has to be a memorandum of understanding and very clear responsibilities that are worked out on paper before you sign that endeavor. It best falls on the difference between of who pays for the staff to operate the building and who handles the capital expenditures and the maintenance and the upkeep of the building. Those are typically where it breaks if it is two different entities. In a county/city partnership it can just be that you are serving all residents in Dona Ana County and the county will subsidize the funding for percentage of people outside the city limits that use the library. That is another option that we usually see. We did a master plan in Santa Fe in 2019 and the county there was eager to come to the table, so they have more money than at the county. That was kind of unique situation, but that does happen.

Carol Brey said here in New Mexico there is a district law that allows for just that kind of model. It’s really the only kind of library district that can be formed under law in New

Mexico and it follows a model set some years ago by Albuquerque and Bernalillo

County which has had a city/county library for many years and based on that model this district law was put in place. So that is something that we have not looked at very much but a little bit, and I think it is something worth exploring.

Councilor Becki Graham moved, seconded by Councilor Cassie McClure, to

Approve Resolution No. 25-049.

SECONDER: Councilor Cassie McClure

Corran, and Councilor Yvonne Flores 6.6 COUNCIL BILL NO. 25-014; ORDINANCE NO. 3085: AN ORDINANCE

REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTER 38, ARTICLE V, SECTION 38-46,

LAS CRUCES INNOVATION AND INDUSTRIAL PARK OVERLAY ZONE

DISTRICT, OF THE CITY OF LAS CRUCES MUNICIPAL CODE (LCMC) IN

ITS ENTIRETY. SUBMITTED BY THE CITY OF LAS CRUCES (CASE ZCA-

24-01). Sara Gonzales, Economic Development Project Manager gave the overhead presentation.

Councilor Corran asked the recommended amendment from the P&Z is that we would also have to amend to reflect that for clarity’s sake or is it already in the proposal if we vote yes?

Sara Gonzales said we do not write them in because you do not have to use P&Z’s recommendation. So, if it were to be amended then yes you would amend the ordinance and then we would vote afterwards as well.

Councilor Bencomo said I am still somewhat hesitant to move forward with the recommendation to not build out some sidewalk infrastructure on the south side however I will vote for this as is today because I do trust that staff has done the due diligence to come up with this recommendation that best fits the future envision of the park. I obviously in the future if those are needed that will come back to a future council where maybe some of us will be part of and maybe some of us won’t and so that is obviously that can still happen. I just did want to note that today for the record. I do just trust that staff has done that due diligence.

Approve Ordinance No. 3085.

7. BOARD APPOINTMENTS 7.1 None.

8. NOTICE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE(S)

1) There will be no public discussion.

2) A Councilor may ask staff for clarification on the proposed ordinance(s). 8.1 None.

9. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BOARD REPORTS AND COMMENT 9.1 COUNCILOR MCCLURE There is a lot of things I went to last week. La Casa was very interesting. Jardin de

Los Ninos had a mentorship program as they explained how they funnel people through there. Giving guidance to those who needed it. It was just really fascinating, and I support their efforts heavily.

We had a Historic Preservation Commission meeting cancelled last week which I attended as well and many from the community as well and the cancellation kind of stood in contrast to the pretty good meeting we had with City Manager and the Chair the day before in talking about how the HPC would exist going forward. There have been some hurdles in the past and they are currently down a Historic Preservation

Specialist, and I understand from the time that it has been sort of an issue that a lot of people have great feelings about, but I do think that historic preservation for our city is key. I reached out to some of the past councilors when this was enacted in 2019 and kind of got a sense of where we are going and I think there are deep scars in the city from some of the history that we have lost and the time that I spent working in the

NMSU Library in archive has given me kind of an appreciation even though my generation of family has not lived here. I am raising a family here and it is important to know what our history is and how we have failed and how we have succeeded. I have been learning a lot too of how we butt up against private property issues. I think a lot of recognition isn’t given to them that yes they do have the freedom to do things to their property that we have the consideration of can we save that, but I do believe that staff is making due diligence on that and will move forward with some determination of where does preservation and public safety come together and that is an issue. Particularly the Fielder Building is interesting to me because I think that if we have a prominent black family and we can make use of it as something that somebody remembers from their childhood and we have the need, Chief Story spoke to about that we have issues with our juveniles that we could address if we had a teen center like that again but if the cost is prohibitive what can we do and maybe the HPC can have a hand in that and I think it is a discussion we should have going forward. I am just wanting to let people know that I am aware of it. I am concerned about it. I think that losing our heritage is a problem that we have in many places and to our detriment for generations to come.

9.2 COUNCILOR MATTIACE I would just like to see before the year ends from the Legal Department, City Manager so that we can vote on that animal ordinance. If we could get that done in 2024.

9.3 COUNCILOR GRAHAM

I was hoping as mentioned during public comment, thank you, that we could also have a Work Session in advance of that. I believe our last Work Session on the animal ordinance was over a year ago maybe longer. I know a lot has changed if we be great to be able to have that conversation before it is in front of us for a vote so I know the year is dwindling but if we could get that fit in.

I just wanted to express some appreciation for our ASL interpreters. You are absolutely amazing. I watch you during these meetings and the work you do is incredible. I can’t imagine both the intellectual and psychical is amazing to watch but I did wonder since the Pets of the Week are voiced from the perspective of the cat and the dog did you ever imagine that you would be Sign Language interpreting for a cat who is looking for a family. I can’t imagine that was part of your schooling, but I just want to say I really appreciate you, the city’s move towards greater accessibility, and I am watching you up here and it is really cool. 9.4 COUNCILOR CORRAN I second that appreciation and a desire for a Work Session on both counts. I think that would be great. There will be a mobile food pantry that is in connection with the city,

Lift Up Program, and Casa de Peregrinos and Roadrunner Food Bank which I think I serve on the board of this Friday at Apodaca Park in the morning. So, I think that is an exciting thing coming up and I am looking forward to participating with that.

I also just wanted to give everyone a brief update on the MPO’s progress. They are actually moving into another building. It is almost done so I again just want to thank all of the city staff who have helped in that transition including getting a lot of technology troubles sorted. So, thank you to the folks and then in Finance and Ms. Bencomo’s ongoing support and navigation of this process. The city council I believe we will see our joint new documents mid-November related to the MPO and new sort of status related to the organization somewhat separated from the city. 9.5 COUNCILOR FLORES Councilor Graham and I serve on the Las Cruces Community Schools Board and I just want to report that it is very successful. We entered into the MOU or the JPA with the school district. It was finally signed off in I think January or February of 2019 and the schools are blossoming. Literally they are just popping up throughout Las Cruces and in some cases outside for example, Dona Ana Elementary School is not within the city of Las Cruces it is in the county, but the agreement is of course with the public schools, and they are doing a wonderful job.

The other thing I want to bring up is Catrina Godinez, I just want to give a shout out to her. She is really a planner, and we have been hosting a Know Your Government and we work with the high schools. The League of Women Voters approached the city several years ago and then we have been doing that every year, but my hat really goes off to Catrina because she is already organizing it, and I think it is wonderful because I think in prior years we wait until December when everybody is gone and then we are chasing around. There is a lot of things that we do with the community that doesn’t really get praised or with our staff and it is just amazing that the work that everybody does.

9.6 COUNCILOR BENCOMO I attended a lot of the CCJ Legislative Committee that was held at NMSU a couple of weeks ago and I just want to give thanks to everyone that participated, especially

Chief Story for the presentation he gave that was just really alarming regarding youth and crime relating to juveniles. There is always a task force or another committee that feels somewhat daunting at times but I do feel like it would be important for us to bring in some thought partners, folks like FYI, the schools, folks who work with youth specifically to begin talking about how we can best address some of these issues because it was deeply, deeply concerning and I think if we have great minds in this city and I think that we just need to come together and think about some pathways forward.

The other thing that I wanted to speak about was the bench warrant issue that I have been raising for several months now at Municipal Court. The one-hundred-dollar bench warrant issue that creates a debtor’s court essentially for folks who are going through the criminal justice system are just given more money on top of a sentence and it just creates this debtor’s court situation. I would really love to address that since we are putting in requests before the end of the year would be great. One of the biggest reasons I want for us to talk about this is because I know that enforcement on shopping carts, well the panhandling ordinance has begun. After some conversations with some attorney friends I realize that if someone is given a citation for example having a shopping cart and they do not follow through that citation and they do not go to court to follow through on that citation there will then be a warrant for their arrest and there is a very high possibility for that person to then be detained, go to jail, perhaps have to pay a $500 fee and then on top of that a $100 bench warrant fee. So,

I think the more we can minimize that kind of impact on poor people would be wonderful and I would really love to see something like this come forward. 9.7 MAYOR ENRIQUEZ We will definitely get with Brad and Judge Filosa on those fees for these court fees that they have. Usually at the end it turns out to be written off as uncollectable anyway so that is something that we can definitely address.

On Friday I did attend the Veteran’s Stand Down on Valley Drive. It was a very nice organization to see a lot of Veterans in our community come out and assemble a stand down to help Veterans that are homeless and others needing clothing and other care kit supplies, haircuts, things. So, kudos to all the Veterans in our community for helping other veterans and all the other vendors that came out with the supplies. With that again I just want to send a reminder out that the Veteran’s Parade is going to be

November 9th so please come out and support our local Veterans.

10. CITY MANAGER REPORT 10.1 IKANI TAUMOEPEAU I do appreciate Councilor Corran mentioning the mobile food pantry happening on

October 25th at Apodaca Park from 7 to 10 a.m., so I don’t have to share too much since you did already.

The animal Ordinance update for everyone, I just wanted to let you know that this is on our radar. We do have it set as a Work Session. There are two Work Sessions left due to the holiday schedule. We have November, December but we have it scheduled for November the 12th right now for a Work Session. So City Council if it is an easy

Work Session it will definitely come before the end of the year but if there are things that we need to work on or be workshopped we may need another Work Session but if all goes to plan and it is always tough for something this sensitive and very important but depending on how that meeting goes we do understand that it is critical to bring it back by the end of the year but we may need to bring it in year 2025 but you tell us how you would like to proceed after Work Session.

Parks and Rec, we have an update on a shoutout to our residents. On Saturday,

October 12th Keep Las Cruces Beautiful hosted Toss No Mas community wide clean up event where over 600 volunteers collected over 13,000 pounds of trash throughout our city. Shout out to volunteers who will continue to remove litter until October 31, if you would like to volunteer feel free to reach out to KLCB at 575-528-4506 or just talk to our Parks & Rec Department.

City Manager’s Office, the Great American Shake Out we had an emergency preparedness drill that occurs once a year and we have been doing this for the past few years. This happens with about 35 million people around the world participating in what is called the Great American Shake Out where they prepare a drill of emergency preparation. Many of you may have been in our city building when fire alarms are going off. That is part of getting our drills and security system and fire alarms ready.

We had this that occurred last Thursday October 17th at approximately 10 a.m. This event took place here at City Hall and in the future, we look to expand to other facilities. This exercise included a fire drill and an active shooter exercise. This is what we added this year. Typically, it was a fire alarm, and we are working with the staff to build each year to do something more and this year that is where we expanded to, an active shooter drill. So, we give kudos to Vanessa King, Facility Administrator,

Anthony Garcia, Building Ops Supervisor, our IG, Charles Tucker who has emergency background, Chief Story, Chief Smith, and all of our City Hall floor coordinators and

City Hall security team. Kudos to you all and our Assistant City Manager Sonya assisting with this. We appreciate all their help. The active shooter exercise had three department programs participating. One on each floor. We had Economic

Development, Payroll, and Legal that were selected, and it was a surprise. No one knew which division or department was going to get selected so because they were training, they were prepared, and all went well. Everyone did an outstanding job exiting the building. We were able to complete that exercise within 17 minutes. We continue to offer training throughout the month of October. This includes hands only

CPR, stop the bleeding, and AED training.

An update from Public Works, there are a total of 45 streets as part of this project.

The project is $1.2 million project contracted by American Pavement and this is a completed project as part of the 45 streets that were completed. Some of it includes

Spruce, Boutz, Nevada, Lees, and Hermosa. Sections of these streets were completed in this project, and this is estimated to be done at the end of this month. I just want to give everyone a heads up on that. This is a micro surfacing project that

touches about 45 streets. If you have any questions on that David has a full list or myself and we can scan it over.

Community Development, City of Las Cruces is the highest rated city in New Mexico for our flood plain management again for 2024. Thanks to our Public Works for the help in putting us over the top and to our Community Development Department.

City Clerk, our one and only City Clerk, Christine Rivera will be sitting on a panel on

Friday, October 25th at the IPRA Connect Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

11. ADJOURNMENT 11.1 Councilor Becky Corran moved, seconded by Councilor Becki Graham, to adjourn at 3:59 p.m.

Mayor

City Clerk