Town of Silver City, Grant County, New Mexico
Council held the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 6pm GC Admin Center (no longer at 7pm)
| WHAT I AM DOING NOW OR WHAT I DID OR WHAT IS COMING UP |
| March 2011 |
| IF YOU CALL ME WITH AN ISSUE, I WILL CONTACT THE TOWN MANAGER AND THUS ENSURE DEPARTMENT FOLLOW UP. HOWEVER, I RECOMMEND YOU ALSO CALL THE DEPARTMENT HEAD DIRECTLY, SEE THE TOWN'S WEB SITE FOR PHONES ETC. I MAY ASK YOU CLARIFYING QUESTIONS - BUT I LEAVE DETAILED INVESTIGATIONS TO PROPERLY QUALIFIED TOWN STAFF. IF THERE IS A SYSTEMIC OR PROCESS ISSUE I WILL REVIEW POLICY AND WORK TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM (e.g. street cuts, parking, skateboarding, etc) |
| THE VIEWS OR STATEMENTS ON THIS WEB SITE ARE NOT OFFICIAL TOWN POLICIES OR VIEWS. THEY ARE ONLY MY COMMENTS. ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ON MY LOCAL PHONE NUMBER BELOW |
EMAIL: My policy is to conduct Town business
in person. Thus I will not debate using email.
Please call me on the phone number above and I
will gladly chat or stop by and visit. My emails to
you are personal communications, and not official
town policy.
in person. Thus I will not debate using email.
Please call me on the phone number above and I
will gladly chat or stop by and visit. My emails to
you are personal communications, and not official
town policy.
OPINIONS EXPRESSED: The
opinions I may at times express are usually my
personal opinions and they can differ from my
opinion as a Town Councilor. As a Town Councilor,
I express the flavor of what constituents tell me, and
my personal opinion is only one of such views. In
other words, my personal opinion is only equal to
one constituent's opinion. However, I also consider
opposing issues, legalities, policies, and so on.
opinions I may at times express are usually my
personal opinions and they can differ from my
opinion as a Town Councilor. As a Town Councilor,
I express the flavor of what constituents tell me, and
my personal opinion is only one of such views. In
other words, my personal opinion is only equal to
one constituent's opinion. However, I also consider
opposing issues, legalities, policies, and so on.
| Problems 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 closed out Problems working/open |
| Neighborhood Meetings held |
| 2009 Feb skate park issues May animal issues 134 people June noise issues 54 people |
| My Aunt Barbara's caramel recipe (not a hyperlink at all, this recipe is at the bottom of this page) |
| Working with the county to collaborate on more issues... Septage [July 21 ~ ~ online and working for the entire county] ETJ sub divisions JPA [August 4 ~ ~ Town and County signed JPA] Library [August 4 ~ ~ County now on the Library Board, and, helping with costs] Corre Caminos JPA [March 2008 ~ ~ as an RTD (Rural Transit District) - - Deming, Silver, Luna and Grant. ] Improved Lodger's Tax processes [July 28, 29 ~ ~ process driven, awarded to recipient August 4] Senior Center repainting and plastering the interior [ Jan 2008 ] and more air conditioning [ Aug 1 ] The Library's search web page back on line [ news story Daily Press Feb 2 ] Rewrite of the Sanitation Ordinance Sanitation - needle stick (Sun News Feb 5, Daily Press Feb 4) [ done 2008 ] Arts and Cultural district... [completed March 2008] ADA compliance on many sidewalks, and in Gough Park [ May 2008 ] New IT staffer ~ ~ ~ and ~ ~ ~ New additional code enforcement officer [completed March 2008] Lavendar strip - help with replanting [ Feb 2008 ] Resolution for US 90 and Rige Road traffic problems sent to NMDOT [done March 2008, state disagreed ] Skateboard construction [contract signed Feb 26] [ old pad removed Apr 26 ] [ground break May 2 Complete Nov 2008. Grassy park area by pool with benches, tables, BBQ and covered shade [April 2008] and signage at pool [ June 2008 ] Re-kindling the Parks and Recreation Board to integrate TOS, and other cultural/recreational resources... [ now meeting ] A semi annual report of what the Town did in glossy form... [ October 2008 ] |
| Senior Center building re-roofed Nov 2007, and new washer/dryer and stainless steel counter top Aug 2007... The La Capilla wetlands park renovation... started late summer of 2007 Spearheading the movement on the Skateboard Park... design under way late 2007 Guiding the Town in July 2007 into a tracking and accountability process for issues... Actively supporting the ETJ joint subdivision process and rules starting back in March 2007... Attending the MOLI training for Town elected officials... July 2007 Strongly supporting open government, even while I was Town Clerk in 2006... Strongly promoting process or systems oriented thinking in Town departments... Implementing the right of way ordinance, supporting the street cut ordinance... Supporting the noise ordinance work group Working well with the Sun News, Daily Press, and Morning Show... Holding neighborhood meetings, and walking our streets to meet with you so I can listen... Water and sewer line replacement in Chihuahua Hill... Fall of 2007 Support for our police department (9 new cars) Nov 2007, and fire department (2 new trucks) Dec 2007... Support of the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee... attended first meeting December 2007... Accountability (Lodgers Tax, Penny Park, Skateboard Park, Contractors...) April and October 2007 etc... Code of Ordinances rewrite to include cross references and cases... ongoing... Some 54 citizen problems solved since I took office in 2007... Land sale ordinance (while clerk) and its first implementation with Western Bank and Penny Park... The septage issue whereby the Town used its physical resources and the county's funds to help the county... ADA compliance improved, eg Gough Park. (And while I didn't have anything to do with it, ADA on Hudson also) |
| 6 |
| 44 |
HOW WE ACHIEVE WHAT WE
DO: The council, while not allowing more than
two members to work on the same issue at any one
time since three would be a quorum and violate the
Open Meetings Act, nevertheless works as a team.
There is full, robust at times, and honest debate.
What you see on TV is the results of true open
government. We all have our say, and when the
vote is cast, we collectively support the decision.
The council meetings are broadcast on CATS on
cable, and on rabbit ears channel 8. The council is
very strict on complying with The Open Meetings
Act.
DO: The council, while not allowing more than
two members to work on the same issue at any one
time since three would be a quorum and violate the
Open Meetings Act, nevertheless works as a team.
There is full, robust at times, and honest debate.
What you see on TV is the results of true open
government. We all have our say, and when the
vote is cast, we collectively support the decision.
The council meetings are broadcast on CATS on
cable, and on rabbit ears channel 8. The council is
very strict on complying with The Open Meetings
Act.
| 2007 |
| CURRENT HOT TOPICS BEING WORKED |
| One stop shopping for citizen concerns and complaints |
| A single source for all fees for Town services - And an annual review of all fees and costs. |
| Establishing volunteer programs that will last for Trails/Open Space, Penny Park, Skateboard Park, etc (February 2009 ~ insurance and legal issues resolved for volunteers ) Road work or water/sewer updating in Chihuahua hill ~ work started September. Planning for next year road repaving in Chihuahua Hill also! The Mayor's Climate Control making substantial progress the Town can use. August - first 2 electric trucks in use, cost $1 for 30 miles Enabling citizens to file ordinance violation complaints with the town for municipal court process when no officer witnessed, eg noise, dog bites. see the Town Web Site, Police Department section for details. Working with the county to collaborate on more issues. ( ETJ JPA is approved by DFA, commission positions advertised PLEASE APPLY ) Addressing noise. Fireworks ordinance approved Sept 22 limits days and times of selling and use, and no use downtown. ALSO, placed on the March 2010 election ballot for citizen feedback. See FIREWORKS notes below. Addressing noise. Noise citations are being issued downtown and feedback says it is better. The Town Web Site is evolving, with input from the staff, public, and council. It is already much better than it was. Improved WNMU and Town relationships that are effective and not one sided. |
| 4 |
| 54 |
| 2007 12/23 8/13 8/3 6/13 6/3 |
| help me set one up, as few of 4 people if you like |
| ETJ subdivision commission and rules establishment. |
| December ~ citizen issues re dog bites and local houdlums. Town Christmas/Holiday party. On the Morning Show with an update on what we did this year. November ~ met w citiizens on road work on Sonora and San Vicente, merchants re lack of Chamber tourist advertising, P&R Board*2, ATV/Bikers, Stop sign runners, red light runners, cel phone users etc. Santa Claus at the Lighting Parade. Skate Park opening. October ~ Parks & Rec Board mtgs. Daily Press Mural. Bayard/PA/7 St traffic issues. September ~ Dogs on Chains/cruelty group startup. Collating Town metrics. Cooper St flooding issues. First Parks & Rec Board meeting, and the next two meetings set up. Pickamania concert. ICIP re-prioritiizing. Museum Board neeting, and misc other meetings. Bike Rodeo. Neighborhood meeting many issues raised such as biker noise, and so on. Museum reception for retiring manager. Met with downtown merchants re bike noise, and re skateboarders. Gem and mineral show. August ~ ~ Neighborhood meeting ~ neighborhood zoning, town committees. Town Council. Fees/permits meeting w staff. On the The Morning Show with quarterly update, misc citizen issues forwarded, Copper Cruisers car show, Senior Center Picnic at the pool. Lodgers tax awards. Town/County subdivision JPA. July ~ ~ Supported objective Lodgers Tax Proposals when they rejected vague, word of mouth advertizing, and requests for unlawful reimbursment. Met with neighbors on Texas St re drugs, skateboards, flooding issues. Attended LULAC 24th annual Scholarship Awards Banquet at WNMU. 15TH ANNUAL SAN VINCENTE FIESTA. Lodgers Tax research, and then special meeting Wed. Skatepark issues, Senior Center issues, Senator Bingaman meeting, Lodgers Tax Board issues, Parks & Rec Board startup work, etc At the Water Treatment Plant re Septage System. Getting input on Parks & Rec Board needs. Studied rain in Chihuahua Hill re flooding. July 4 Downtown parade. Museum ice cream and John Deere function. June ~ ~ Neighborhood meeting 6/24, and 6/29 Parks & Rec Biard input from citizens. Saturday June TSC employee picnic. Billy the Kid BBQ. Attended TelePerformance work session discussing options May ~ ~ Wed May 28 Police Officer's Memorial. Completed code of ordinances review of issues. LifeQuest mural dedication. Blues Festival. Cinco de Mayo at Senior Center. Healthcare reform at WNMU. Sat May 10, 5 hrs listening to Hillcrest issues. Skatepark groundbreaking. May Tour of Gila. GRIP 10th anniversary and Legal Fund celebration at The Twisted Vine, April ~ ~ Heart Gallery at Western Bank, LULAC Convention. RCAC rural leadership graduation. GRIP at the Hub. Grant County Youth Accountability Card, Employee Health Fair, National Communicators Day, Water Conservation Fair, Library Week, Earth Day at Community Built Park Animal Shelter for pet vaccinations 0900-1200 met with many people to learn of rabies etc concerns. Second Volunteer Fest at Gough Park met with local volunteer organizations. Met with police cadets who may join SCPD and who were qualifying on OC spray. Tossed the first pitch at Scott Park for Little League. March ~ ~ Bio Tour - - un processed used cooking oil running a bus across the USA. Museums "Glitter and Chalk" exhibit. Met with Silver Stompers at the Senior Center. Met with Chamber of Commerce on Downtown Gateway project. C-Company Welcome Home celebration at Gough Park.Week of skunk and deer problems, spoke with Senator Morales about state responsiveness. Mainstreet meeting with the state, and subsequent meetings also . Mainstreet 2007 awards at the SILCO. Council Retreat, raised critical 2008 goals above, asst Town Manager, curb appeal of TSC properties. February and March, many meetings on misc functions February ~ ~ Peak Oil conference. Senior Center breakfast. Attended first noise ordinance committee. Met with citizens on Sanitation Ordinance, and met with Silver City Daily Press ditto. Meeting with citizens on Solar energy. General meeting at Senior Center meeting with citizens. Volunteered at Judge Hall's court on civil mediations January ~ ~ Met with Silver City Sun News on Sanitation Ordinance, and other future activities. Morning Show on CATS to update citizens on what we did, are doing, plan to do, and Hwy 180. Red Paint Pow Wow. Howie's swearing in as Senator Morales. Highway 180 project meeting, met with Animal Control Officer. Worked with the Code of Ordinance work group. Met with residents near the Cheyenne trailhead and neighboring streets for 3 hours 45 minutes, good info. |
| December ~ ~ met with residents at JavaLina for general information sharing. Town's holiday party. Senior Center re-opened after re-roofing. November ~ ~ Pepper Sprayed to see how it feels - the answer is not a good way to spend your 62nd birthday! SkateBoard Park meeting with vendor Grindline. Festival of Lights. 1st Annual Guy Fawkes Day celebrated at the gravel pit. SkateBoard Park event near Penny Park October ~ ~ Wed Oct 24 - - - - - Open Meetings Act & Public Records Act training - NM Attorney General and assistants. Aviation Day, and, Harvest Festival. Weekend At The Galleries. Lifequest 34th anniversary celebration; and, Silco Art Expo. September ~ ~ Street cut etc ordinance work session. Haciendo Tortillas Food Fiesta, Mimbres Regional Arts Council function. Texas St Outlaws, San Vincente Artists 15th Annual Labor Day, Gem & Mineral show August ~ ~ 10th anniversary of First Born at Penny Park. MRAC briefing on what has been done, and plans, held at offices at Wells Fargo. Copper Country Cruisers car show. The Document Center ribbon cutting. Met with Mainstreet folk from Santa Fe, along with the mayor. County/town ETJ rules meeting; then; council meeting, Neighborhood meeting (7 people) - Town Hall building, problem tracking, Trails and Open Space |
| January ~ ~ some water right and real estate issues, election issues, proclamations for Moose Lodge. February ~ ~ Shopping center parking lot potholes. Budgets. Hold Harmless clause. March ~ ~ Mostly election related and light agendas April ~ ~ NOI on aggressive panhandling, fixing taking office after election, NEV, noise downtown May ~ ~ Vistas de Plata affordable housing. Budgets. Issues with variance process. June ~ ~ not much July ~ ~ Town comprehensive plan, Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan, Variance granted. August ~ ~ Land Use Code revision, I DO NOT SUPPORT the proposed mandatory water harvesting, I DO NOT SUPPORT opening up all residential areas to single wides. I DO SUPPORT manufactured homes. September ~ ~ Lodger's Tax - I opposed $60k to the Chamber of Commerce for tourism, I think the message they send with the visitor center closed on Sundays, not sending relocation packages, blown down faded signs with 50 year old outdated messages, all say we need a change. Land Use - good grandfathering, variance and appeals process agreed on. October ~ ~ I withdrew a sex offender residency ordinance since no cost benefit analysis was possible. November ~ ~ Land Use Code NOI approved, next step will be final ordinance. December ~ ~ New noise ordinance NOI. Issues with P&Z ignoring the ordinance, and with a member appointed contrary to NM Constitution. |
| ONGOING |
| Entire code of ordinances review - completed. |
| Problems with the variance process, appeal process, and grandfathering. Grandfathering will be defined, and it runs with the land. The variance process has the "brought on himself" condition relaxed. The appeal process will stay the same but with more noticing requirements and more flexibility for the council. Should we move to community oriented policing (COP)? The new mobile data computers have been helping this. |
| 2010 |
| 2008 |
| 2007 |
| 2008 |
| My Aunt Barbara's recipe for caramels 4 cups heavy cream 4 cups sugar 1 lb butter 3.5 cups White Karo (white corn syrup) then 2 tsp vanilla 3 cups chopped nuts - walut or almond cook these to 238 on candy thermometer add vanilla cool 15 minutes add nuts and pour into shallow greased pans cut & wrap in grease paper |
| The Fireworks ordinance ~ ~ 2009 ~ ~ approved limiting days & times of selling and use. No one likes firework noise at 2 in the morning. I will be very supporting of noise control, but I am not in support of the fireworks ban as such, and here is why. Banning the sale does not stop people buying fireworks in Arenas Valley, Bayard, Deming or Lordsburg. Banning the sale will not stop fireworks. Banning the possession is also a smoke screen because no one is going to get a warrant to search homes. So it is at best a secondary offence to buying or to using. Secondary offences dont get far in court, they only support a primary charge. Using fireworks is another matter entirely. I believe the issue is noise, not fireworks. It may also be fire, not fireworks. The fire chief and the fire marshal say that the list of fireworks we can control are the safe ones, the dangerous ones as far as fire goes are ones we cannot regulate, so with the Town not being able to regulate fireworks effectively as far as fire goes, what can be done. Three things. 1. In a severe drought the fire chief can issue emergency rules, we pass that ordinance a couple of months ago. Done. 2. Contact your state senator and representatives (Howie Morales, Rudy Martines, and Diane Hamilton). 3. Focus on noise. Noise is the real issue. I support a ban from the time most people are in bed to sleep, say from 10 pm until say 7 am. A noise ordinance is on its way already, and I will pursue effective noise rules. These are the questions I will ask. 1. Why will this be more effective than our current noise ordinance. 2. Why and how much will noise during quiet times be reduced 3. Can it practically be enforced. 4. What will it cost to enforce and have we the money and resources. If not, where can we get it. 5. What problems do patrol officers see, and how can we meet those problems. 6. Will we implement foot patrols in critical tourist and residential areas. 7. Can we publish names of persons cited for noise abuse. |
| The proposed Animal care and control ordinance ~ ~ May 21, 2009 No one approves of animal abuse or neglect, and people don't want animal smell, noise, or aggression. However, people expect local governments to justify laws and expenditures. I met with 134 constituents, and 128 of them rejected it, and many studied it in surprising detail. I also met with municipal, magistrate, and district judges and chief clerks, deputy district attorneys, and knowledgeable county commissioners. My problem with this draft ordinance is that (1) stake-holders were not inclusive, (2) no community consensus on what is an acceptable standard of care for animals, (3) the problem, if we have one, was never defined in extent nor in terms of number of cases, (4) no one defined how much this ordinance would improve the situation, (5) costs were not estimated in order to achieve goals, (6) no one defined how we would know if the situation improved, (7) the ordinance was micro managing and excessively intrusive, (8) no deficiencies were identified in the state law nor current code, (9) no authority was identified in the Town Charter to allow the Town to tell citizens where they could or could not sell or give away their animals, (10) no public interest was identified for the highly intrusive mandates in the ordinance, (11) the drafters held secret meetings and required their names to be kept secret, (12) advice from authorities was ignored, such as whether selling animals in parking lots actually increases disease or abuse, and so on. For these reasons I opposed the change. In essence the problem was never defined, its magnitude, or if the ordinance would achieve anything, or what it would cost. Good touchy feely stuff, poor problem solving, and far too intrusive, California style laws. |
| Boards and committees I am on - Museum, Regional Transit District. |
| 2009 |
| 2008 1/7 3/1 6/24 7/30 8/24 9/10 11/20 |
| 3 |
| 60 |
| 3 |
| 32 |
| WHAT ARE MY GOALS FOR 2010? See bottom of web page for actual accomplishments in prior years. Planning for more road repaving in Chihuahua Hill in 2010 - Spring and Bremen Streets IN PROGRESS NOVEMBER 2010 Working on Community Built Park. Maximizing the insurance funds and funds teens collected along with other donations to get the very best bang for the buck. [current issues are wood preservative contamination] Statistical measurements of Town work activities... [ SB 158 Jan 09 NM legislature ] One stop shopping for citizen complaints, e.g. anmal, trash, noise issues [ raised Mar 10, 2008 ][ again April 8 2009 ] Improving animal control effectiveness. [ see SB 127 Jan 09 NM Legislature ] Police Officer assigned to just community related issues. More community oriented policing, more foot patrols, more patrol on MVR, RidgeRd, Cooper. |
| 2011 |
| 2010 Council Meeting discussions |
| January ~ ~ Working on volunteer formalization. Senior Services. SB158 and metrics, process, and involvement. SB 127 and animal cruelty. Road work on Cooper (part 1 of 2). Wheelchair access at Senior Center. February ~ ~ Attended GCSS audit. Worked on skatepark issues. Senior Services meeting, Morning Show on skate park issues. March ~ ~ San Vicente cleanup. Meeting an average of 4 hours a week w skateboarders. Supporting SCPD meeting with skateboarders, and supporting local school involvement, and a new SAFE KIDS chapter here. April ~ ~ Skate Park Jam, Main Street Awards, Murals at the court house, Senior Center Easter Egg hunt, Budget meeting, Museum Board planning, New Business opening for Kris & Krafters’ Kreations 505A Bullard, Silver City Beverage Company, Eat Your Heart Out Catering. Misc budget meetings, Econo Lodge Opening. Community Re-Built Park status. Morning show update on Town status. May ~ ~ One meeting cancelled as no agenda items. Tom Nupp's Animal Ordinance, District 3 feedback is (1) make more than 2 animals a violation only if owner received written warning at least 7 days prior on noise/odor/agression/abuse/neglect, (2) have staff do a chaining ordinance paragraph with support from Animal Shelter. May ~ ~ not much happened, budgets were the main issue. June ~ ~ A list of current activities shows the town is doing about 20 major projects right now. The town has ordered two electric trucks, next we may install some PV panels and net meter back to the power company to make the electric trucks free as far as ongoing energy goes. The town is paid $50 per hour for warranty work we the town do on the trucks. Sewer fees adjusted so the town does not run at a loss, essential for grant applications. July ~ ~ much budgetary work, issues relating to HMS locations, stimulus funding and projects August ~ ~ support of HMS seeking alternative location(s), Chihuahua Hill water and sewer project, working on method for citizens to file a municipal misdemeanor when an officer did not witness the event. SCADA water quality system approved. Chihuahua Hill water sewer replacement bid awarded. First 2 electric trucks in operation, cost $1 per 30 miles. September ~ ~ fireworks ordinance for final review. October ~ ~ New citizen complaint process for when an officer does not witness the incident. November ~ ~ Fireworks are a sensitive issue, a citizen decision is on the March 2010 election. December ~ ~ Resolution adopted for Chihuahua Hill street work in 2010 ~ Spring and Bremen repaving. |
| CURRENT STUFF Actual accomplishments ~ see below Council Meeting discussions ~ see below Important Issues ~ see below |
| IMPORTANT ISSUES |
| 2009 |
| Since this is the current year, please see at the top of this web site |
| COUNCIL MEETING DISCUSSIONS |
| ACTUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| 2010 Mar May August |
| UPCOMING |
| Budgetary stabilization ~ ongoing ~ and we were and still are well ahead of the game Revised Land Use Code ~ Grand-fathering resolved, better variance and appeals process also. Quality of life issues ~ noise ~ we are citing 12 to 16 people a month downtown on noise, |
| Phone reply policy ~ I return voice mails same day, visit if possible in a week, and follow up in several weeks to several months. I will NOT return abusive calls, calls that may wish me to interfere in the course of justice, calls that are irrational, nor insulting calls or ones that are libelous. |
| 2010 |
| After two terms, I decided fresh blood was a good idea, so I didn't run. Jo Ray Jr replaced me on the council. |
| This page is for historical purposes, I decided not to run for a third term due to family health issues, and because I felt fresh blood was always a good idea on politics. |