At the Artesia City Council meeting on Tuesday the council set a public hearing for May 28 to consider an ordinance authorizing the issuance of a new series of gross receipts tax revenue bonds, up to $5.6 million.
Funds from the bonds are used for acquiring and constructing public facility and infrastructure improvements, extensions and replacements, including but not limited to street, water, sanitary sewer and storm drainage improvements, extensions and replacements.
Erik Harrigan, consultant from RBC Capital Markets, shared a little history on the city’s bond cycling program. The city began cycling bonds in 2013 by issuing bonds every two years for $5-8 million. The goal was to target $2 million a year in annual debt service. The last bond was issued in 2018.
“After the last bond issue, the debt service is a little over $1 million; if we go up to $2 million debt service each year we could go up to about $20 million over the next eight years,” he said.
Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Youtsey added there was a proposition on the ballot in 2012.
“The public approved $90 million of infrastructure recovery money,” said Youtsey. “We are still using that authorization.”
Mayor Jon Henry added, “This is how we completed 13th Street, 20th Street and now 26th Street and that was the original intent.”
If the council approves the ordinance in May the bond will close at the end of June or early part of July and then funds will be available. Summer Valverde, city clerk/treasurer, noted the city does have additional gross receipts bonds that are not part of the cycling program.
In other business, the council approved Resolution 1855 for a joint project between the City of Artesia and Eddy County for the First Street/U.S. 285 and Mill Road intersection project to be considered in the Transportation Project Fund (TPF).
The City of Artesia has agreed to provide matching funds at 5% of the cost of each project and to fund all project development, environmental analysis and design costs separate from the cost of construction. The City of Artesia and Eddy County are making a joint application that will be submitted to the Department of Transportation (DOT) commission.
Eddy County Public Works Projects Director Jason Burns said the DOT is thinking about funding the design and considers it a top priority for a traffic signal in Eddy County. If funding is approved, construction would start early next year, said Burns. Community Development/Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair said the DOT has already granted the city a warrant, which is similar to permission, to place traffic signals at this intersection.
Youtsey reported the infrastructure committee had discussed the utility rate adjustment plan, water reconnection fees, and repairs needed on the water system. He noted there is one more town hall meeting before the council votes on a fee increase for water, sewer and trash.
Landfair shared the proposed increased rates for water, sewer and trash is about 10% and no one attended the first town hall meeting on the topic. It will likely be two months before the city makes a decision.
Landfair also reported construction will begin in mid-May on the Splash Pad, disc golf course and restrooms at the youth soccer and football fields at Jaycee Park.
During the committee reports, Councilor Raul Rodriguez reported the Recreation Committee is recommending a $5 increase to all program registration fees.
Police Chief Kirk Roberts reported eight open positions in law enforcement and is focusing on recruiting, including attending a middle school career day, hero job fair in Roswell, and a six-week radio campaign. He reported they are replacing their radio system. Additionally, two officers attended training on investigative techniques for sex crimes on children because they are seeing an increase in those kinds of crimes and two detectives attended forensics training.
The council approved the drafting and submission of a letter of support for the Carlsbad Irrigation District (CID) concerning their request for Congress to amend the Title Transfer Act. Mary Barnhart and Alisa Ogden, farmers in the CID, reported that the radial gates on the Sumner Dam need to be repaired at an estimated cost of $30 million.
The Sumner Dam, a Bureau of Reclamation facility, is located approximately 15 miles northwest of Fort Sumner in De Baca County and provides flood control for De Baca, Chaves and northern Eddy Counties, including the communities of Roswell, Dexter, Hagerman, Lake Arthur and Artesia. Sumner Dam stores irrigation water for the CID.
As a flood control structure, Sumner Dam was constructed with three large metal radial gates that can manage the controlled release of accumulated flood water into the Pecos River channel downstream. The gates have only been used once in 1952 for flood control purposes. There are about 500 farmers in the CID.
Barnhart and Ogden reiterated that this is a federal project, and the Bureau of Reclamation should incur the full cost of the flood control structure repair and not put undue burden on the farmers in the CID. Construction is expected to begin in late 2025 and will take three to five years to complete.
The council also approved Resolution 1857 amending Open Meetings Resolution 1847 to add safety committee and combine infrastructure and planning in committee reports and Resolution 1858 authorizing and approving submission of a completed application for financial assistance and project approval to the New Mexico Finance Authority.
The City Council approved requests from Renewed Wellness to hold a Mother’s Day Market from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11, on Second Street between Richardson and the alleyway and from Rosemary Braswell to use Jaycee Park’s southside playground for a birthday party from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, May 11.
As part of its consent agenda, the council granted permission for:
- a contract with NinjaCross Systems to design and install a system at the Artesia Aquatic Center.
- the hiring of Isidro Hernandez, Community Service Officer, at a pay rate of $2,773.33 per month; Heather Silva, Senior Center van driver, at a pay rate of $2,600 per month; Herman Chavez, Wastewater Department assistant, at a pay rate of $2,921.36 per month; and Austin Newcombe, Wastewater Department assistant, at a pay rate of $2,921.36 per month.
- the temporary hiring of school program positions at $12 per hour.
- the resignations of Lindsey Davidson, library clerk, effective April 19; and Corrina Madril, Human Resources, effective April 26.
- two police employees to attend the Law Enforcement Coordinators’ Symposium in Albuquerque.
- nine fire department employees to attend EMS Region III training in Ruidoso.
- two fire employees to attend the Lubbock Week P-School in Lubbock, Texas.
- one police employee to attend Instructor Development training in Carlsbad.
- one police employee to attend a Field Training Officer Course in Albuquerque.
