By REBECCA HAUSCHILD
For the Daily Press
Mayor Jon Henry and the entire Artesia City Council thanked Community Development Director Jim McGuire and Recreation Supervisor Luis Reyes Tuesday for their years of work on behalf of the community. McGuire and Reyes have announced their retirement.
“Jim, thank you,” Henry said. “We do appreciate you and everything you’ve done for the city, and Luis, same thing; we appreciate all that you’ve done.”
Reyes retires following a 33-year career with the City of Artesia. McGuire has been with the city for nine years.
In other business Tuesday, the council approved a resolution declaring the property at 1304 S. Sandia St. as “damaged and dilapidated or covered with ruins, rubbish, wreckage and debris to the extent that it is a menace to the public comfort, health, peace and safety.”
Gary Ryback, property owner, spoke at the meeting and shared that the house had a fire in October 2021, and he intends to rebuild the home. The city will hold a special meeting in October to consider a resolution to condemn and demolish the building.
Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair also reported the second layer of paving will happen this week on Phase IV of the 20th Street Reconstruction Project. The portion of roadway from Main Street to Grand Avenue should be open by next Friday.
Landfair also reported the paving on North Freeman Rural Avenue should be completed this week. He reported the contracts are back for soccer field bathrooms at Jaycee Park and the Splash Pad at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex. Landfair’s department will be nailing down numbers on both of those projects and will get started as quickly as possible. Lastly, Landfair reported the committee approved going to budget for another sweeper for the soccer fields, as it currently takes one-and-a-half days to sweep it thoroughly.
A representative from the Artesia Police Department shared a report and PowerPoint from Chief Kirk Roberts on the Artesia Animal Shelter. Based on the research and the report, the Police and Fire Committee is recommending the City of Artesia add a staff veterinarian. Roberts is conducting research on this possibility.
The council also granted permission for the use of the Artesia Center Dec. 9-10 for a Yucca Blossom Christmas Jamboree, as requested by Yucca Blossom Trade Days; the addition of a Carnival Rides/Inflatable Games Permit, to be added to the recurring annual events application by the Red Dirt Black Gold Festival; and the use of the city lot at Fifth Street and Texas Avenue from 4-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, for a benefit concert as part of the Balloons & Tunes Festival.
As part of its consent agenda, the council granted permission for:
• the hiring of Glynda McWhorter, Commission on Aging van driver, at a pay rate of $2,600 per month.
• the promotions of Argumendo “Omar” Acosta to library supervisor at a pay rate of $4,935.58 per month and Mark Crook to Solid Waste equipment operator at a pay rate of $3,688.15 per month.
• the resignations of Brandon Ornelas, water technician, effective Sept. 14; Naomi Madril, Human Resources generalist, effective Sept. 29; Beth Nieman, children’s services librarian, effective Sept. 29; and Luis Reyes, recreation supervisor, effective Sept. 29.
• the setting of public hearings for Oct. 24 for:
A. Case No. 23-05: Zone change from single-family district “R-1B” to special use zone “SU-1”. Request to change the zoning district from single-family district “R-1B” to special use zone “SU-1”; Location: 409 W. Centre Avenue; Legal: Lot 2 of Block 4 of the Roselawn Subdivision; Owner: City of Artesia
B. Case No. 23-06: Final plat for Johnson Estate Land Division tract R replat. Request to subdivide 10.38 acres into three (3) tracts; Location: North of 3401 Johnson Road; Legal: Tract R, Johnson Estate Land Division; Owner: Robert H. Johnson Estate
C. Case No. 23-07: Final plat for Johnson Land Division #2 tract 2 replat. Request to subdivide 10.06 acres into three (3) tracts; Location: West of 512 E. Castleberry Road; Legal: Tract 2, Johnson Land
D. Case No. 23-08: Final plat for Johnson Family Land Division 3 line adjustment tract F2-1 replat. Request to subdivide 17.29 acres into three (3) tracts; Location: East of 3103 Johnson Road; Legal: Tract F2-1 of Johnson Family Land Division 3 line adjustment; Owner: Robert H. Johnson Estate
E. Case No. 23-09: Final plat for tract 4 Johnson tracts line adjustment replat 2. Request to subdivide 8.34 acres into three (3) tracts; Location: Northeast of 3401 Johnson Road; Legal: Tract 4B, Tract 4 Johnson Tracts Line Adjustment; Owner: Robert H. Johnson Estate.
