your life.
Well, good afternoon everyone. Welcome
to city council meeting. Today is
Tuesday, January 20th, 2026. It's
approximately 1 pm. I'm Mayor Eric
Enriquez. Before we start, I want to
mention that we have the American Sign
Language interpreters up front and
available at every regular city council
meeting. Uh we will start with a moment
of silence for the brave men and women
of the United States Armed Forces as
they protect our interests around the
globe as well as our courageous men and
women of the Los Cusus Police and Fire
Department as they keep our city safe.
If you please join me in the pledge.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
We'll start off with a proclamation and
presentations.
Okay. So, the first proclamation is for
the Los Cusus Catholic Schools. So,
anyone from the Catholic schools that
want to come up and join me.
So the city of Los Cusus proclamation
reads, "Whereas the city of Los Cusus is
witness to the consolidation of the two
Los Cusus Catholic schools in order to
further promote excellence and better
serve the community. And whereas the
Catholic schools challenge their
students to achieve high academic
standards to live gospel message and to
work for social justice. And whereas the
city of Los Cusus is highly dependent
upon a well-educated and caring citizen
which is these schools consistently
produce. Whereas the city of Los Cusus
is proud of its citizens who are
students and alumni. It wishes to honor
the Catholic schools for their
educational excellence and contributions
to the community. Now therefore, we the
mayor and city council of Los Cusus, New
Mexico, do hereby proclaim the week of
January 26 through January 30th, 2026 to
celebrate Catholic Schools Week in Los
Cusus and call upon its citizens to
salute its local institutions and
express appreciation for the dedication
for which the students, parents,
faculty, staff, and administration
approach their responsibilities.
Congratulations.
[applause]
Okay. So, we'll have one of the students
say a few words.
Good afternoon, Mayor Enriquez and the
members of the city council. My name is
Joshua O'Hinaga and we are students at
the Las Cruis's Catholic Schools. On
behalf of our entire school community,
we would like to sincerely thank you for
the proclamation recognizing our school
during Catholic Schools Week. Catholic
Schools Week is a special time to
celebrate us and our faith, to celebrate
our faith and our education and our
commitment serving others. Receiving
this proclamation from our city makes
the celebration even more meaningful. It
it reminds us that our school is not
just a place where we learn in the
classroom, but also a place where we
encouraged to be responsible citizens
and give back to our community. At LCCS,
we are taught the importance of academic
excellence, service, and respect for
others. Your recognition shows us that
our city values education that our city
values education and positive roles and
positive role schools play in our shape
in shaping our future leaders. It is an
honor for us to know that our efforts as
students are seen and often appreciated
beyond our school walls. Thank you again
for taking the time and support our
recognized
Thank you. Thank you again for taking
the time to support and recognize our
school and for your continued dedication
to our city and its families. We are
very grateful for this proclamation and
the opportunity to be part of such a
supportive community. Thank you and have
a wonderful day.
All right. Again, thank you all. Thank
you for being here and and attending
this proclamation. And we wish you all a
great week. Thanks.
Next we have a presentation from our
sister cities and Katrina will come up
and do the introductions.
Good afternoon, mayor and city council.
My name is Katrina Godinez, community
engagement manager. Uh, community
engagement is also the city liaison to
the Sister Cities Foundation. Today, our
Las Cusa sister cities will be doing a
presentation uh to mayor and council um
regarding a trip that uh sister cities
and our councelor um Cassie Mccclure
took to um our sister city, Lero,
Mexico. Um some of our sister cities
members that are in audience are Tim
Chapel. He's the chairman of Lero
affiliation committee. He's going to be
doing the presentation.
Uh Cassie Mccclure, our city councelor,
she attended the Lero uh de delegation
to Lero. Uh Mr. Ron Bunda, uh he's the
vice president. Uh also U members um
Elaine McKenna, Hail Huber, Gabby
Buckman, Joanie Newcomer. Thank you.
What?
You can play the video.
Good afternoon.
Um, mayor and uh council members. Um,
let's see. Here is their our first
slide. Um, thank you for the
introduction, Katrina. Let me start off
here. First, I'm going to talk about
what Sister Cities is because I know
some of you are are new to City Council.
And I just want to give a brief rundown
of what we do. We had an exchange and we
went
um I'm going to talk about that in just
a second, too. Um in 1956, President um
Eisenhower started Sister Cities. After
going through two world wars and
realizing that governments are not the
best at making peace, um he started
Sister Cities International to promote
peace through mutual respect,
understanding and cooperation,
one individual, one community at a time.
Sort of created what we call citizen
diplomats. Okay. Um, Las Cruz's sister
cities, we have two, one in Larido,
Mexico, which we actually formalized in
1982, and then Ninberg, Germany, which
we did in 1993.
Um, Los Cruus Sister Cities Foundation
is a 501c3
nonprofit. So, if anybody wants to
donate,
you can write it off on your taxes.
Um, if you're not familiar, Laro is part
of the Tri Cities area down in Mexico
with Torion, Gomez, Palasio, and Lero.
It's about 550 miles as the bus flies.
And, uh, you can see here from the
picture, it's it's down there. Um,
beautiful spot. It's in the southern
part of the Chihuahuan Desert, just like
we're in the northern part.
Um our exchange took place um the 14th
to the 17th of November. 14th was a
travel day and 17th was a travel day. So
we're actually there for about two days.
Uh we went to reestablish our
relationship with Lero. there had been
since the pandemic there had been a lack
of of exchanges and and and and um so we
we held off on to it and Jorge Martinez
Rios who is also a member of Sister
Cities um out from Mexico State
University suggested well let's try
something that's not necessarily
politically related and he suggested we
do a music exchange
um they were completely excited about it
turns out the new mayor um Susie um
Salazar had just taken office the 1 of
October and on Thursday she met with my
counterpart from the Larto extend and
said yeah let's do this and they were
very very excited about it we had a very
short notice and they put together an
amazing
um just an amazing activities for us so
let's see um
Trina how did I get to that video I want
to show you um one of our members put
together a quick four-minute video
um of the exchange that I want. I didn't
put it as part of the PowerPoint.
So, let's see if I can get there.
Hold on. Maybe I'll get it.
Ah, there it is.
[music]
Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat.
[music]
Heat. Heat.
[music]
Heat.
[music] Hey. Hey. Hey.
[music]
Heat. Heat.
[music]
Okay, thank you.
[music]
Encore. Encore.
[laughter]
Heat. Heat.
Heat.
[music]
Heat. Heat.
Oops. Hold on. Let me get this started
here. And there is a good reason you
don't see me singing or dancing in that
video
because I don't
where is it start?
Um so that was a brief summary of the
visit. I'm going to talk about some of
the things you were seeing. Um on our
arrival on Saturday, um they took us um
we we rolled in about six o'clock in the
morning and we just went right to sort
of breakfast at this beautiful hienda
there in Lero that they've turned into
sort of an event center. So you can have
all kinds of stuff there that's really
beautiful. And then the mayor Susie
who's Salasar who's in the middle um met
us there that day and and Cassie and
Susie hit it off really really well. I
thought it was just fabulous for that.
What was going on with that?
Um, oops, that one got out of place. Uh,
this is actually when we arrived at the
bus station. So, we took buses from
Huadas down to Lero just because it's
it's a long drive. You we got there at
night and you just sleep on the bus and
kind of wake up down there. They have
really nice buses that you can take, you
know. Um, and then this was they put us
up in a motel which is unusual and I'll
talk about that. That's a picture of the
plaza from our hotel. We were right
downtown because our stay was only was
very short. We were only going to be
there one night and 90% of the
activities happened right there around
the plaza. It was just easier for us to
just walk downstairs and do that as
opposed to trying to take us back to
people's houses, which is the way a
normal exchange works as you stay your
host hosted families.
Now this is um when we actually signed
re reaffirmed our agreement with the
sister cities. We did that there in city
hall and as you can see they signed it
which we showed on the video and um were
presented a plaque and then this is a
plaque we put on them and you saw in the
video the mayor went immediately to her
office. We followed her there and she
put it up on the wall. She was so
excited about doing that. So, we pres
they presented a plaque for us to bring
to Mayor um Enriquez if you would come
down. We have I I call it a plaque. I
don't know what you would actually call
it.
Oh, yeah. And um it's made out of
marble, by the way. And um one thing
that's
I'll talk about that in just a second.
Yeah.
You getting some pictures for us there?
That's perfect. Yeah, we'll we'll let
we'll send them some pictures and let
them know that if they're not viewing
this online. So, thank you so much.
You're welcome. You're welcome. Next
time, we'll make sure you can join us. I
know you wanted to.
So, one of the things that we had set
this exchange up as was based on um
music. So, um in the blue shirt is Jose
Martinez Rios who again from his New
Mexico state and he had his friend and
I'm apologize for this name Mariana
Shabukia.
It's Russian and my Russian's a little
rusty, but they played a recital for 20
minutes at another place that they have
that is um been dedicated. It's a
refurbished building to a music school
down there in Lero. And if you guys, Ron
or Cassie, please speak up at any time
if you have anything you would like to
add.
Um,
Sunday was um actually celebrated as
Lero's birthday.
Um, you saw on the sign it was the back
is 131 days and they just go all out. So
in the left hand side is a picture of of
their city um the mayor's office in the
city hall if you will right there. They
had a a a event with the military
performing right there. And then right
off to the left of that is the plaza
there, which is, as you can see, is
decorated. And at that particular event
where there's all of the people, they
were have cake, free cake for everybody
in town could come by and get a slice of
birthday cake, which was really neat.
And then you saw the the mariachis were
playing and um we're just having a good
time.
Um after we finished with that, we went
to a tour and Francisco Tenokco was a
famous the Leardo was very proud of him
and and rightfully so. Um he was a pilot
that set some speed records for
delivering mail from Mexico to New York
City and unfortunately he had delivered
um
I don't know a letter to in to
Washington DC and when he was leaving he
departed and crashed and unfortunately
he passed away. Um they brought back his
plane and refurbished it and then they
set up this nice little museum for him
there which is really fabulous.
Um this is a real interesting picture.
Sort of towards the evening we had and
I'll show you the pictures where we were
um having dinner outside and stuff. Um
was one of the main areas in the is in
the one of the halls that they had at
this museum was these paintings. And if
you look around, um, I'm gonna spell it.
Feet t is the artist name. Farret.
Yeah, ferret. Fed it. Um, and you look
at the beautiful picture that's done
with wine.
It's like cool. I have no idea how she
did it with different wines. And there's
a whole gallery there of pictures, which
I thought was really kind of beautiful.
There we are in the back of that
building where we were just looking at
the art. And they have a courtyard
there, which they set up. and they went
all out with a because it was our last
night there. Sort of a farewell meal.
Um, and you can see that's what Sister
Cities is about is people sitting down
across from each other, sharing a meal,
sharing some wine, just getting to know
each other. So, it's um about friendship
and community.
[snorts]
After that, on Sunday evening, it was
really interesting. They had a big
uh fiesta downtown and in one plaza,
which is the one you see on the left,
they had a Nortania band. It was um not
um not mariachi's, more modern sort of
stuff. And that's there. And then down
at the other end, which you saw in the
video, they had a rock band which was
just playing and and everybody was at
each ends. And in between, they had a
car show. And uh there's a beautiful um
Chevy. And then one of the other things
they had there was a whole bunch and I
didn't get a picture of it and I
apologize was Volkswagen Beetles.
Mexico was the last country to produce
Volkswagen Beetles. They had a special
um a special agreement with Volkswagen
and so they're very very still popular
down there.
Um any questions?
Tim, no. Thank you. Thank you for the
presentation and for the plaque that was
delivered. Thank you, Ron. I don't know
at this time I want to see if Cassie
Mccclure uh you have anything you want
to share.
Um what I'd like to share is just the
warmth that we got from the delegation
who took us around, who was able to show
us uh what life was like in that city.
And I think we have a lot to learn from
them. the garden city specifically. Um
not quite similar climate, but similar
enough that we could probably learn a
lot of things in terms of making our
city just as vibrant with some of the
the um outreach to, you know, we could
bring their gardener. We could talk to
them a little bit more and they also
wanted to start more conversation about
how we can help each other. And I think
that is something we can develop. And
yeah, of course, no one needs to see me
dancing. I'm sorry about that. Um, but
you do win when when in LRO you you do
that. Um, but I do I'm very grateful for
the the mayor of their city to be
engaging and talking about harder issues
of how do we how do we come together in
times like these when our country seem
to be a little bit at odds with each
other and we shouldn't be because our
communities are very similar. So, I I
just want to thank Sister Cities for
inviting me to come and um hope I did a
good job representing all of y'all here
in Lardo. Thank you.
Oh, you did. Absolutely. Thank you so
much for going and participating. And um
we did sit down with their delegation
and we had a very meaningful
conversation for a little over an hour
or so talking about things that we could
possibly do to to re-engage this
relationship whether it's um educational
um cultural
um you know different things that we can
do to engage with with their city down
there. is like Cassie mentioned and we
had the same thing. We had another
sister cities go to Nineberg earlier. Um
the political climate right now at the
national level is a little unsettling to
people in other countries and I can
fully understand that. But to me these
are the times that sister cities can
shine. This is what it's about. You
know, we are people-to-people,
citizen diplomats, and
we plan on keeping this going. Thank you
guys very much. Did you want to say
anything wrong?
Thank you.
All right. Thank you. Thank you for the
presentation. Again, thank you, Sister
Cities, for all that you do. We
appreciate you.
Next on the agenda, we have jobs of the
week, uh Sarah Rainey.
Good afternoon. Thank you so much.
You'll have to excuse my voice. I've
been battling the bug that everybody's
been battling around here.
[clears throat]
There we go. My name is Sarah Rainey. I
am the onetop coordinator for the
southwest region of the America's Job
Centers New Mexico. So the Southwest
region is um from Katherine County all
the way to Sierra and Sakoro counties.
But for Los Cusus, we'd like to focus
weekly on the jobs here in our local
area. Um for the city of Los Cusus, we
have a grant development and compliance
specialist starting at 49,000. right
now. That's a continuous posting. We
also have a 911 call taker for the city
starting at 2025 an hour and the posting
closes at the end of the month. We have
a financial aid assistant at the Glitz
School of Cosmetology for $14 an hour
and that one closes on the 16th, so very
soon. Actually, that one already closed.
I'm so sorry. Today is the 20th. Um,
we also have an emergency vehicle
technician um, for the fleet for Donana
County. Donanna County actually has
several positions. Um, so I went ahead
and listed two. We have a building
attendant for facilities and services as
well for the county. Um, heavy equipment
operator for PV PVB
fabrications starting at 32 an hour and
that one closes on the 11th of February.
and we have a senior lobby services
specialist for Westar Bank starting at
41 and that one closes at the beginning
of the month of February.
I did want to mention that um this month
for in our office we have the employer
in office networking that is open not
just for employers that's for job
seekers as well. So, anybody that's
wanting to come and network with
employers and find out about new
opportunities, um employers, come and
show off your opportunities and find
your next um candidates, you can come as
well. There's free registration for
that. You can register on employee&mm.
We also have mocket till you rocket.
Some of you are familiar with that.
That's our annual event that we do with
the juniors and seniors here in our
local area. And um we're looking for
volunteers. That event is in March, but
I wanted to get the word out. Council
members, come see us. Come interview.
Um, anybody in the in the audience,
everyone's has the opportunity to be a
mentor to these kiddos. Um, like I said,
it's juniors and seniors and we do mock
interviews. We encourage them to have
two to three, hopefully three interviews
while they're there so they can get a
variety of um situations and sit with a
variety of people because everybody's
different when they interview and then
when they're interviewed as well. So,
it's a good opportunity for these
juniors and seniors to give them a
little bit of real life um practice. So,
that's going to be coming up. I'm going
to continue to mention it. And if you
would like to sign up, you can sign up
on employee&mm as well.
And that is all. Thank you.
Thank you, Sarah.
Next is a conflict of interest
statement. Does any member of city
council, city manager, or any member of
the city staff have any known conflict
of interest within with an any item on
the agenda?
None.
None. None.
Next is public participation will allow
up to three minutes, no pending
litigation or items on the non-consent
agenda. And Katrina will usher you to
the podium.
Good afternoon, mayor and council
members. Thank you for the opportunity
to speak.
During the global war on terror, I
worked in aerial surveillance at the
highest level.
Excuse me. If you could state your name
for the record.
Jason Smith.
Are we good?
Good. Go ahead. During the global war on
terror, I worked on aerial surveillance
at the highest levels. These were
careful, disciplined professionals, the
kind of people movies are made out of.
And there were actually movies made from
some of these people. And even with the
layers of review and with every
intention of doing the right thing,
still made catastrophic mistakes. Not
because we were reckless, but because we
trusted data that looked conclusive.
That experience is why I'm deeply
concerned watching cities outsource
suspicion to AI systems, especially
through unethical companies like Flock
Safety and their unsecured devices,
devices that are all over this town.
Because when a tool exists that makes
judgment feel easier, it will be used.
And human discretion quietly atrophies.
In Aurora, Colorado, an automated
license plate reader system falsely
flagged a vehicle as stolen. A family
was forced face [snorts] down on hot
pavement at gunpoint. children crying,
parents cuffed. That mistake ended in a
$ 1.9 million settlement. In that
moment, the error rate of the system
didn't matter, which is about 10% by the
way. The database did. Felony stops are
dangerous affairs and easy to imagine
one turning deadly and sudden movement
or misunderstanding causing that to
happen. Flock calls this safety. That's
their branding. Their own patent calls
it a dynamic surveillance network.
It's not safety, it's surveillance.
It's suspicion, not safety. The Supreme
Court has been clear in Carpenter versus
United States. The courts ruled that
people do not lose their expectation of
privacy simply by moving through public
space. Long-term tracking of a person's
movements requires a warrant.
Flock creates as a much more intrusive
record, much more intrusive record
without judicial oversight. This is why
deactivation is not enough. These
systems collect, retain, and shared
data. As long as the cameras remain, the
infrastructure remains, and so does the
risk. Many other cities have already
stepped away. You have that option. It's
not safety. Surveillance.
It's not safety. It's AI outsourced
suspicion, selfcensorship for a watch
citizenry,
and a system that would make Orwell roll
over in his grave and ask, "Did you even
read the book?" I urge you to remove all
Flock ALPR cameras and cancel the
contract with Flock Safety. Thank you.
Mayor, council folks here today and
those watching online. I'm Lynn Moore.
Today we delve further into the city's
non-compliance with the lead and copper
rule. In addition to citing inspection
reports and inventory records to
document our findings, we're sharing
excerpts from a master spreadsheet the
city has provided in response to
requests. Lasus utilities is required to
and promised it would put disadvantaged
properties at the head of the line and
prioritize their investigation and if
needed pipe replacement. The document
containing this promise was provided in
handout A at the November 17th, 2025
meeting. All reports of inspections
carried out during a week the in this
past November selected at random were
requested under IRA. Handout one is two
spreadsheets that show disadvantaged
properties are not actually prioritized
by the city. The disadvantaged column is
highlighted. Of 42 inspections conducted
the week of November 2nd through 8th,
74% were not at disadvantaged
properties, only 26% inspected that week
are disadvantaged. This is disappointing
to say the least. If disadvantaged
properties were actually prioritized as
the city promised and is required to do,
not one property that is not
disadvantaged would be inspected until
all the disadvantaged ones have been
inspected absent an overriding reason.
We've previously noted inaccuracy spread
throughout the utilities department's
records. Today, we bring more evidence
of the city's shambolic approach,
evinced by records that are inconsistent
with each other and riven with errors.
All properties we're talking about today
are designated as in disadvantaged
neighborhoods. A mobile home community
on Spruce Avenue of 110 properties is
one of the few mobile home communities
the city has included on the inventory
map. Handout two includes inventory
records for a sampling of those
properties. Not a single one of the 110
is located on the map where its address
says it is. There are no street signs in
this community which reflect the street
names that appear on the inventory map.
I've checked it out. If a citizen were
to look at the map, then drive over to
find a property they're interested in,
they wouldn't find it where the map says
it is. Plus, not one of the 110
properties has its inventory record
match the information on this
spreadsheet as to what the system owned
service line is made of. Every one of
the properties says the system owned
service line is non-led plastic on the
inventory record. In contrast, the
spreadsheet says each one is non-led
other. I'm not clear as to what array of
materials non-LED other can cover, but
it's plainly a different classification
than non-led plastic. Thus, for all of
the 110 properties, the city's records
fail to agree and are inaccurate in at
least two respects. Thank you for this
opportunity to speak.
Mayor, city council, I'm Liz Rodriguez
Johnson. Analysis of the city's
non-compliance with the light and copper
rule related to disadvantaged properties
continues. There's a mobile home
community on West Hadley with 220
properties according to the inventory
record. See hound out a 176 of the
properties are listed on the
spreadsheet. Like the properties on
Spruce Avenue, Lin Moore just talked
about, not a single one of the
properties on West Hadley has its
inventory record match the spreadsheet
regarding the piping classification.
Plus, handout B shows 44 additional
properties on the inventory map
designated with a yellow triangle which
don't appear on the spreadsheet. It also
includes a sampling of the inventory
records missing from the spreadsheet.
Lascurus's utility submitted the
spreadsheet for its inventory which was
required to be accurate and include all
properties within the city. Thus, the
spreadsheet they submitted is
inconsistent with what appears on the
inventory record as well as being
significantly incomplete. Handout C
shows 21 properties on Sadal loop whose
customerowned service lines are all
listed as installed in 1936
and classified on the spreadsheet as
having systemdown service lines that are
non-led other. By contrast
all are classified in their inventory
record as non-led plastic a clear
difference. While these properties are
designated as being in a disadvantaged
neighborhood and the city says all the
customerowned service lines were
installed in 1936,
all 21 properties are be appear to be in
a newer subdivision. In fact, a check of
three of the properties on realtor.com
says they were built in 2022 or 23. See
handout D. Handout E shows the
spreadsheet says that there's 11
properties designated disadvantaged on
Blue Stem Street close to Silva the
loop. All the same facts apply. The
customerowned service lines are said to
be installed in 1936.
The spreadsheet says systems own service
lines are non-LED other. The inventory
record says non-LED plastic. They can't
both be true. Realtor.com says all
houses were built in 2023. Properties on
Blue Stem Street have an added
inaccuracy. The inventory map does
doesn't correctly specify their address.
Instead of Blue Stem Street, the map sh
the map shows the street as Nightfall
Court. It's hard to believe properties
on Silard Loop or Blue Stem Street could
reasonably classified as disadvantage.
Nor can I believe any service lines in
this newer subdivision were actually
installed in 1936.
It's a travesty if a utilities
department is inspecting these newer
properties before every property on
Mskea Street and the older parts of the
city are inspected. Thank you.
My name is Fred Huff. One week ago,
there were 11 illegal encampments in the
Burn Lake City Park area. They had been
multiplying like crazy over the last few
weeks.
With the cooler cooler weather, my wife
and I are constantly smelling the smoke
from their illegal campfires.
One encampment did not last 24 hours
before it completely burned. Another
encampment that had has been there since
January 2025
looked like it was a stolen bicycle
receiving point. Every day there were
three or four bicycles there, different
bicycles. Last Monday morning, something
happened that gave me hope. Some LCPD
officers and the new park rangers walked
the area and talked to some of these
trespassers on city property. When I
talked to the officers, they told me
that the trespassors had told them that
the community of hope had been telling
them that it was okay to set their
encampments up in the Burn Lake area. If
this is true, I want to know who gave
the community of hope the authority to
tell these people to set their illegal
encampments up over in the Burn Lake
area. Over the next two days, the LCPD,
park rangers, and Mono emano got most of
these illegal encampments removed. It
went from 11 illegal encampments to just
two. That gave parks and wreck or public
works, whoever's in charge of that area,
a chance to go into the area and remove
the foliage and weeds that these people
are hiding their tents under.
Unfortunately, this area is treated as
as abandoned property by whoever is in
charge and very little maintenance is
done to keep the foliage and weeds under
control. So now the illegal encampments
are once again blossoming. As of this
morning, there are four illegal
encampments in the area. The big
question is though, where do they go? I
believe it is very inhumane to keep
pushing these unfortunate people from
one spot to another. I also feel that it
is very inhumane to keep giving these
people handouts instead of giving them a
hand up to work on improving their lives
and be able to reintegrate back into
society. We need some mechanism that has
a designated spot where these people can
stay and receive her services to help
them if they want. Hopefully, this new
city council will look at passing a
public camping ordinance that gives the
LCPD the tools to direct these people to
a sec secure location so they can start
their journey back into society if they
want. The city owns plenty of property
where this location could be. And no,
such an ordinance would not be to
criminalize homelessness. It would be to
help get these people off the streets
and back into productive lives. Thank
you.
Mayor Council Juan Garcia, we know
there's a healthc care provider crisis
in New Mexico. This issue has been
widely reported and for many like myself
experienced through a loss of individual
providers from KOB and I quote a survey
of over 1,200 physicians who currently
practice or have previously practiced in
New Mexico shows 65% of respondents
considered leaving the state with all
but one of the state's 33 counties
designated as having a shortage of
health care providers. Over 80% of the
physicians who plan to leave New Mexico
say no cap on punitive damages is their
main reason. One lawmaker in the
committee meeting Monday said the threat
that they may use to get you to settle
is punitive damage. They threatened
those doctors with the fact that if you
don't settle, we will come after you.
Punitive damage. End of quote. So why
should an issue that affects everyone,
blue or red, men or woman, be so
contentious? On the other side stands
safety over profit, a dark money group
whose donors are funded by the trial
lawyers who was sued by the state ethics
commission for refusing to comply with
the state law requiring them to disclose
the sources of their funding. NMSOP is
the public face of the opposition to
Think New Mexico's proposed reforms to
the medical malpractice law during the
last legislative session.
Reforms that Think New Mexico has
proposed like capping attorneys fees in
medical malpractice lawsuits would put
more money in patients pockets but would
reduce the amount of money going to
their attorneys. This is what needs to
be done and this is what needed is
needed by citizens of New Mexico.
Instead, the NMSOP executive director,
one of our counselors, is blaming, and I
quote, insurance and corporate CEOs as
they sip bourbon from their yachts. It's
a cute visual, sipping bourbon while
you're on your yacht. who pay lobbyists
to silence your pleas and think thanks
to sew this information to try and win
at any cost. That is why we will stand
firmly against attempts to cap attorney
fees or install caps for damages paid in
malpractice cases. End of quote. So the
question to the citizens is who do you
think is getting rich suffering patients
without providers or the lawyers and
dark money group like safety over
profit? Think about it. Thank you.
Derek Pacheco for the record.
I wanted to address what I'm about to
address to everyone here uh during the
regularly scheduled open to the public
board of county commission meeting uh
this past Tuesday.
However, I was arrested right before I
could say what I'm about to say right
now.
Youth mentorship is extremely important
to me
and I have a project that I've been
developing on my own
in support of youth mentorship that is
much needed here in Los Cru's.
I've been working with [snorts] Lindsay
Humphre of the Economic Development
Department. [snorts]
She's in the technology and innovation
office or deal.
I've been speaking with Jamie Chester of
the food hunger and a program
along with David White, the community
business and rural development
specialist.
I've uh been developing what's in this
binder, what I've been calling a seed
bankank.
This is to teach
youth and adults alike how to forage
for seeds
such as the ones that I was arrested
with like these uh tomato seeds, pink
furry boore from wild boar farms.
Uh I've been beta testing this seed
bankank that I've uh come up with with
my own family. Uh so this is actually uh
a project that works with foury olds and
seven-year-olds alike. Um there's an AI
component
to this
u because there's a software
companion to this hardware seedbank.
Anyone can check it out. It's live right
now.
www.royal
Royal
root garden.com.
Root is a play on words. It's actually a
homage to the Kamino Royale where this
project was initially based
on.
It was initially located at 646 South
Mosquet Street across the street from my
grandma's home.
Check it out. Give me some feedback. I'd
love to officially present my project to
the city of Los Cruus and thank everyone
for their
continued mentorship to the community
and your continued service. Thank you.
Mayor and council. My name is Lucy
Silva.
I understand that on May 6, 2024,
the council voted unanimously to
contract with a company called Flock
Safety for license plate readers. It was
my understanding at the time
that these readers were to collect
information regarding speeders and red
light runners. And now I see and hear
that this
is going much further beyond
surveillance.
uh flock safety according to the ACLU
website
is
passing this surveillance data on to
ICE.
They are selling their cameras to police
departments and private customers across
the nations and allowing the police to
do nationwide searches.
They have also,
according to the ACLU website,
revealed that a police officer in Texas
used the systems to search nationwide
for a woman who'd had an abortion
illegal in their state.
Flock is now expanding the power of the
system itself.
I urge the council to please
delete this contract and remove the
cameras from the Los Cru's community to
keep our community safe. Thank you.
Good afternoon, Mayor, City Council. My
name is Fred Miller. I'm also speaking
about flock cameras and I want the city
to cancel the contract. But beyond that,
I hope that legal will look into
actually getting rid of the cameras,
making sure that the flock safety
company does not just move them from
public property to private property. We
need to limit their access even if they
move them onto private property. Please
look into that. Thank you.
Councilors, mayor, my name is Donna
Striker. I'd like to thank the chief of
police and the department for the town
hall last Thursday here in Chambers. The
attitude of the police officers, the
deputy chiefs, and our chief of police
police was excellent. The chambers were
very full with citizens. I appreciated
the handley of an extremely difficult
subject that of public safety and the
issues with juvenile crime in Los Cusus
and the state. The statistics statistics
are always good to see in black and
white. On Monday, January 12th, Senator
Crystal Brantley spoke to our group
businesses for safer laser on a legisl
Cusus on a legislative overview. Public
safety and juvenile crime are on the
radar for the legislature this 30-day
session. And what was really encouraging
to hear from the senator was the
reputation of our chief of police and
the respect for him, his department, and
his efforts to educate the legislators
in Santa Fe. And it was reassuring to
hear that the chief is respected and his
department by both sides of the aisle.
And that when he comes before them,
before them, they listen. We do have a
long way to go. Yes, we do need changes
to the laws as it applies to bonding,
juvenile offenders, and competency. Yes,
but the chief explained that at the town
hall it's going to take time and the
small wins are still wins. The efforts
to show true transparency are
appreciated and I would like to see more
transparency as it applies to the
budget, the changes to the budget and
the errors that are and were uncovered.
I appreciate that this is a difficult
job for you as counselors. I believe you
are literally thrown into this job after
you win your election. There's basically
on the job training and there's a lot of
seat of the pants. No formal true
counselor training is my understanding.
I think it might be an area to spend a
little more time and a little more money
on in the future. So our counselors are
provided the best opportunity to do a
great job for our city, our citizens,
and our community. And what you do
without all that is pretty amazing
still. Thank you, Chief Story and our
deputy chiefs. Uh your many, many, many
dedicated men and women on the force.
You are all human. And if anyone in this
room has never made a mistake in
judgment, in life, in relationships, or
in general, then you are an amazing
person with exception to the fact that
humans error. In our city, our LCB PD
are not perfect. Neither one. But
neither are we. And it's good to
remember the truth of who we are from
time to time and reflect on the
difficulty of others jobs, their
dedication, and appreciate all the
things that our LCPD does right and all
the things that our city does right.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, Mayor, City Council, and
Chief of Police. Tim Jenkins here. I
would like to thank our chief of police
as well for his participation at the
town hall last week and for taking time
out of his schedule to serve the
community once and again. I would also
like to express my sincere gratitude to
our entire police department for the
work they do day and night to do their
absolute best to keep our city safe.
Public safety is something that many of
us only think about when something goes
wrong. But for our Los Cru's Police
Department, it is their sole
responsibility day in and day out during
every single holiday, every day, and
every night, 24/7. It is all they eat,
sleep, and breathe. Their work often
happens quietly with little to no
recognition. But behind the scenes, our
officers do far more than just respond
to calls. They build relationships,
support local events, work with
businesses and schools, and are the ones
and the ones to step in during moments
of crisis. Our officer service requires
courage, patience, and professionalism.
Policing today is anything but easy. Our
officers faced increased demands,
complex situations, and constant
scrutiny, all while being asked to make
split-second decisions that can affect
many lives at a moment's notice. Despite
these challenges, our officers continue
to serve with dedication and commitment
to our community. And let's not forget
their families and husbands and wives
and children that they leave behind day
and night, never knowing if they will
return home. Today, we as a community
want to wish our entire police
department a sincere and heartfelt thank
you for what you do to keep our
community safe from the pure evil that
lurks in the dark. We have your back. We
support you and you are in our prayers.
God bless and protect you all.
Good afternoon. Um my name is Jim Hurst.
Uh I have many concerns today.
First, um there is no protocol or
procedure for groups to use city hall
facilities.
Different groups have used them over
time,
but I can't figure out how to apply for
the space, how to reserve it, what the
requirements are, if any.
Uh, as far as I can tell, there are no
applications, no forms, no records. That
is a defect.
I hope the city corrects it. Also, when
you correct it,
liability insurance for small groups
for a political or religious event are
simply those policies are simply not
available
for any price.
If I had $1,000 to buy a certificate for
a million dollars worth of event
insurance, I could not get it.
So, it's unreasonable to require it.
I am deeply distressed
by the activities of my
president, the commander-in-chief of our
military,
and the person who has the authority to
hire agents to operate in America who
conceal their identity
and behave outrageously.
I see how important posy commatatus is
because local residents need to have
control of everybody in their
jurisdiction who has authority to arrest
people and to shoot people and all that
kind of stuff. Legal or local authority
over local law enforcement is essential.
We need to know who these people are and
what they're doing and they need to
answer to us.
As it is, we have a bunch of mad men
running around governed by a mad man who
is not only mad but malicious.
Thank you very much.
Next on the agenda, [clears throat] I
will read a closed meeting statement.
The Los Cusa City Council made in a
closed meeting on January 20th, 2026 at
11:01 a.m. The following were in
attendance. Mayor Enriquez, Mayor Prom
Moz, Councelor Bencomo, Councelor
McClure, Councelor Kuran, Councelor
Harris, Elizabeth Teters, the director
of economic development, uh, interim
assistant city manager, David Saddios,
city attorneys, Henry Becker, Brad
Douglas, and the city manager, Econamo,
also the city clerk, Christine Rietta.
The meeting adjourned at 11:53 a.m. The
Los Cususa City Council met in the
closed session to discuss the purchase,
[clears throat] excuse me, acquisition
or disposal of real property by the
public body which is closed pursuant to
New Mexico State Statute 1978 section
10-15-1H8
to discuss pending litigation regarding
Paris Pena Lee versus City of Los Cusus
uh civil matter number 22-CV96.
60 WJGBW
which is closed pursuant to the New
Mexico State Statute 1978 section
10-15-1H7.
Next we'll have the acceptance of
agenda.
Move to approve.
Second.
This is on the motion to accept the
agenda as presented. Councelor McClur,
yes.
Councelor Matise,
yes.
Councelor Harris,
yes.
Councelor Bencoml,
yes.
Councelor Craran,
yes.
Councelor Munoz,
yes.
Mayor,
yes.
First item is 8.1 public hearing
required.
So, the public hearing is now open at
2:04 p.m.
Is there anyone here for or against the
issuance of this license?
Seeing none, the public hearing is now
closed at 2:04 p.m.
Resolution number 26-094,
a resolution approving the request for a
craft distillery
distiller third location liquor license
with premises consumption and package
sales to Icebox Brewery located at 1840
Alvanita Messia.
Move to approve.
Second.
Okay.
Thank you, sir. Adam, community
development. For the record, before you
we have a proposed liquor license for
what is known as pharmacea located at
1840 Avenue, the missia. Uh this is
pursuant to the New Mexico New Mexico
state statutes. The applicant has been
submit has submitted [clears throat]
and received the uh preliminary approval
for a uh craft distiller third liquor
license. Uh it's liquor license number
BLA 00000013785
with on premise consumption and package
sales. Uh like I said before, the
alcohol beverage control uh division of
the state did provide preliminary
approval to the city of Las Cruus
November 24th of last year. Uh staff did
request an extension in order for us to
review and provide uh uh proposed uh to
provide I'm sorry uh liquor license
reports from all uh affected uh
departments. All reviewing staff saw no
issues with the proposed application.
Showing here the subject property right
here on Avenue Messia right at the edge
of what is the city limits right next to
the uh village or town of Missia.
So your options with that is one to vote
yes and approve the proposed liquor
license to to vote no and deny. Uh the
ABC will be notified of the vote and the
application process will continue with
them for this proposed new liquor
license. Uh that is the conclusion of my
presentation. I stand for questions.
Thank you, Adam. Any questions?
[snorts] Seeing none, Christine,
this is on the motion to approve
resolution 26-094.
Councelor McClur,
yes.
Councelor Matise,
yes.
Councelor Harris,
yes.
Councelor Beno,
yes.
Councelor Karan,
yes.
Councelor Munoz,
yes.
Mayor,
yes.
Next is item 8.2, resolution number
26095,
resolution to accept the city of Los
Cusa's annual comprehensive financial
report for the fiscal year ending June
30th, 2025.
Move to approve.
[snorts]
Second.
Good afternoon, chair and members of the
board. My name is Josie Trevino. I'm the
controller for the city of Los Cruus.
Today we will be presenting the fiscal
year 2025 audit results and those are
for the dates of July 1st, 2024 to June
30th, 2025.
[snorts]
Before we proceed, I would like to
extend a special thank you to all the
ini individuals who contributed to the
audit process with particular uh
recognition to accounting and treasury
for their diligence and preparation for
the FY25 audit. They're probably behind
me and they're probably all wearing
suits. So that is accounting and
treasury behind us. So the city engages
an independent external auditor each
year to ensure transparency,
accountability, and compliance with
financial
practices.
Today we have Mr. Jesse Al Olivad from
PB&H. He's our external auditor who will
be presenting the results of the audit
and provide an overview of FY25.
Thank you, Josie.
Um, before I begin, um, thank you for
having me, mayor and council members.
Uh, first of all, again, I want to thank
the accounting team for the amazing
work. I know they're kind of spread out
throughout here. um they did an amazing
job working with us, communicating um
handling any requests that we have
because as you know we have a lot of
requests. Um today I'll be presenting
the financial report for fiscal year
2025 um and kind of going over the
highlights. Um so I'll be following
along as well. Um there are three
reports that you will find in the
comprehensive financial report. Um the
first one being the auditor's report. Um
here is where we give an opinion on the
report itself and as you can see the
city received an unmodified opinion. Uh
what the unmodified opinion means is
that this is a very clean report. This
is the best option that you can receive
on an opinion. Uh the financial
statements are presented fairly in
accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles. So again great
job city um and all those who helped.
Um there are two other reports. The
first one being that you will see in
there is the uh generally accepted
government accounting standards also
referred to as GAGIS or yellow book. Um
with the yellow book it requires us to
um look at internal controls over
processes uh cash receiving cash uh
accounts payable things like that. On
top of that, New Mexico audit rule
requires us to expand on that test work
um where we will look at items like
travel and pdium uh procurement and gas
cards. Uh these items are selected
randomly um where we have a team of
auditors come in and review those and
make sure that we have the correct
internal processes in place. Um so as
you can see there's two findings there.
Um findings are not always considered
bad things. Uh they are just items to
note. Um in the audit rule they have us
write down anything that we um find. Um
so
what we like to uh use it as is more as
a tool to expand on our processes or
maybe clean up some of the processes. I
will go over those findings um later on
in this presentation.
The last report is um the compliance
supplement on major federal programs and
internal control over compliance. Um the
city receives federal awards um large
amounts and we are required to test
anything
uh over 750,000.
This year
the office of management and budget from
the federal government um supplies a
client uh compliance supplement and with
that compliance supplement is a guidance
to test those federal awards. It was
released um late in this year um
normally it's released around August um
and we are not able to discuss delays
um until that is released. So we did not
see that until the early December and so
that's why we're having to exit a little
bit later this year. Okay.
And we did sorry and we did have a clean
opinion on that as well. So we are uh
opining on that report.
Um the next thing communication um I
love coming here um during the audit
season. We have great communication um
seeing the decorations and you know that
are I get to come during the holiday
time. So I I do enjoy it. Um I have a
great communication with uh management
from the top. Tone to top is great and
so I enjoy um working with the
accounting staff and as you can see we
don't have any difficulties encountered
um during our audit. This is required to
be um reported to you all the council.
Okay.
In addition, um I am required to
communicate any significant audit
adjustments or unadjusted differences
found throughout the audit to be uh
immaterial. So now what that means is we
might have some immaterial items that
aggregate into a larger issue. Um as you
can see, we don't have any issues here
at the city. So again, great job. Um but
I am required to communicate that with
you.
Next uh the annual comprehensive
financial report. So Gazsby which is
also referred to as generally accepted
accounting principles they establish a
baseline of what is to be reported in
the financial statements and required
supplementary information. Um so this is
kind of like a minimum baseline of what
is to be reported. However, governments
are encouraged to um exceed go beyond
those minimum requirements and present
an annual comprehensive financial
report. Um we call it an ACT for short.
Um inside of this ACT for what you um
all have is additional information
information such as uh principal
taxpayers included in the statistical
section. Okay.
Now um
the certificate for achievement for
excellence in reporting. So the city has
received this award for uh the past 21
years. Um so I mean this is a lot of
work that goes into this report as you
know. I mean this is a very large report
that takes a great team to put together.
Um,
as you can see, the city is one of the
four New Mexico municipalities to
receive the award. Uh, this is last year
in 2024
and one of six New Mexico governments to
receive the GFOA Triple Crown Award. So,
again, great job.
Back to our findings. Um, we did have
two findings. Um, the first one being
over internal controls over cash
receipts. This finding was um
involved with South Central solid waste.
The other finding is WEX fuel cards um
regarding premium fuel being used um and
in some of our vehicles and we kind of
just want to expand on those internal
controls. Um maybe outline what fuel
should be used for which vehicles
certain vehicles require it. certain uh
normally with turbo and things like that
uh require premium fuel others do not.
So we want to outline that in our um
internal control manual
to our financial statements.
Um the first financial statements are
that you will see is the governmentwide
uh statements. Here we present long-term
assets, long-term liabilities. This is
called full acral. Um within our
long-term assets, you'll see um capital
assets like buildings, equipment,
streets. Um and within our liabilities,
we have some bonds, notes, compensated
absences um that will be reported. Um
these long-term liabilities also include
PARA and retired healthcare that's
contributed by the city. Um so you will
see those as well in the uh
governmentwide statements. Um on the
governmentwide you'll have two columns.
Uh first one being the governmental
activities which include governmental
funds such as general funds, special
revenue funds which there we have 31 uh
debt service funds and capital project
funds of 21.
Um the other column that you will see in
this report is business type activities
um which will be all seven enterprise
funds. Um these include utilities,
airport and such.
Um this is to give you a better picture
of the governmentwide. Uh we have a
graph here showing a three-year trend.
Um and you can see that it is pretty
steady um year-to-year from 2023 to our
current fiscal year of 2025 being
reported. Um with our assets being the
largest. Um the net position is our
equity.
Okay. And some financial highlights. Um
we can see that our for the
governmentwide our assets increased by
23 million um and have remained steady
from fiscal year 24 to fiscal year 25.
Um and we do have some changes in assets
variations over year to year. Um,
as far as liabilities, we see a decrease
in6 million um, attributable to the net
effect of a decrease in a $20 million
legal settlement payable
and from the prior year uh, so fiscal
year 24 and a decrease in 10 million
grant fund advance. Um, we also have an
increase in the pension liability. Um,
that does fluctuate quite a bit. That is
our pair of retired healthcare done by
actuarials actuarials excuse me. Um that
is kind of an estimate that does
fluctuate. So you will see larger amount
fluctuations in our pension liabilities.
Next after our governmentwide we have
government fund financial statements.
Here's where you will not see the
long-term liabilities, long-term assets.
Um, and the only receivables that we
will see are what is due within 60 days.
Okay. Um, the columns that you will see
are our major funds. Um, along with the
remaining special revenue funds of we
have 31, the debt service fund of one
and the capital projects. Okay. And like
I said, um you will not see our
long-term assets and our long-term uh
liabilities.
to comment on our revenue and
expenditures. The bond proceeds are
included
um as revenue in the report and our bond
payments and purchase or acquisition of
capital assets are included as
expenditures in these government fund
financial statements.
Uh here we have another graph kind of
representing our general fund which uh
is our operations which is one of our
major concerns as far as what we want to
look at. Um
here you can see assets, liabilities,
debt position again and the overall
trend over the last three years. Um
again pretty steady in our um over those
three years.
Here is a representation of our assets
within the general fund. Um, as you can
see, cash and investments is the major
portion of our assets in the general
fund, totaling around 46 million. Um,
and then so on and so forth with the
accounts receivables, leases, and
inventory.
Um, in the general fund, assets decrease
6 million primarily attributable to the
decrease of 6 million in cash.
Next, liabilities. Uh liabilities, um as
you can see, accounts payable is the
major um portion of our liabilities in
the general fund
with the deferred leases being next
along with property taxes and acred
liabilities. So, more of your payroll
taxes on that one. Liabilities decreased
1 million and attributable to the
decrease of 1 million in accounts
payable. Here's
another representation uh year-toear
from 2023 of our revenues and
expenditures. Um in this graph we do
have transfers. Um so that you'll see
that as an expenditure and you can see
that uh our expenditures exceed our
revenue for the general fund. Um and
that is because of our transfers are
included in this.
So that would be transfers out.
Uh enterprise funds are business
activities like I said utilities, um
sewer, uh airport, they are presented
separately as business type activities.
They are full acrual like our
governmentwide statements. Um so you
will see your long-term assets, you will
see your long-term liabilities and we
have seven of those. Um
Again,
we have a three-year trend. Assets,
liabilities, net position. Um, you can
see that the assets increased by 8
million um due to the increase in the
acquisition of capital assets. Um, and
liabilities decreased by
5 million, close to 5 million uh
primarily due to the decrease in bonds
payable.
And last we have our enterprise funds
revenues and expenses. And as you can
see they are fairly consistent year to
year from 2023.
Um so nothing large to note there.
And that concludes the presentation
there. Any questions?
All right. Thank you. And any questions
by council councils?
Uh, thank you. If you could go back to
slide 18. 18.
I'm new at this. So, um, sorry, not that
one. Uh, maybe 19.
Not that one. 20.
Okay. Um,
I was actually looking for the general
fund one, but this has the same
question. Okay.
Um, so you said that this includes
transfers out. Um can you explain a bit
more of those transfers and
Yeah. Um definitely. So our general fund
is transferring
um so what it is we have expenditures
throughout the year. Uh transfers are
done from general fund to other funds um
for specific items. Special revenue
funds require a certain am um things to
do cover projects
matchings and things. Okay.
And so that comes out of the general
fund. That's why it's included as an
expenditure.
Okay. And then um here is it kind of the
same
deal since we're spending more than
we're taking in on our enterprise funds
and
17. That was
Mayor Councelor Harris. Is this the
slide? Okay. Um can you What was your
question on it? Um
actually I think my question on this one
had maybe been answered. Um but so I I
guess the statement in the presentation
was our expenditures are higher than our
revenues because of transfers. Um and
mayor councelor Harris our expenditures
are higher so our revenues but that's um
part of doing um the more services we
provide that that ups our expenditures.
Our revenues may also go up which means
we need more individuals to capture
those. This is he's just telling you
that expenditures in here include both
expendit expenses and transfers.
Okay? So things that like we wrote a
check out of the general fund that is a
direct expenditure and then a transfer
out of this fund to
housing or something to cover match is
also an expenditure.
Mayor Councelor uh Harris, you're
correct. So anything that's a direct
payment we paid for
I don't know
salaries
salaries yes uh for for example my
salary yes that's general fund say we
get a uh grant and they require a match
for example for transit what we do is we
transfer the funds from the general fund
to the transit fund just because they
have different um accounting reporting
requirements. So the matches we do to
trans to transit that's considered a
transfer.
Okay. And since these two funds g well I
know the enterprise funds is more than
one fund but general fund and enterprise
funds were specifically included here.
Overall
my understanding is the budget is
balanced.
Mayor uh councelor Harris the reason the
general fund and the enterprise are
shown here is because they're both major
funds. So part of the requirement is
they have to uh the auditors have to
show the major funds. So the general
fund is an a major operating and the
enterprise is also a major um major
fund. That is the reason those are being
presented.
Okay.
Thanks
mayor councelor Harris Lesley Doyle for
the record. I did want to add also the
majority of the transfers that we're
talking about here are related to debt
service. So the debt service funds
what would happen is we have we transfer
from general fund to a debt service fund
and in that fund is where we pay from to
actually pay off the debt. That is by
and large what our transfers are the the
majority of our transfers. We do have
the other ones that Miss Tribino spoke
of however the majority of them are
related to our debt service.
Additionally, I wanted to add to your
question if our budget is uh balanced.
The answer is yes. We do have uh savings
and fund balance that we can utilize.
However, we we as a as an organization
are working to make sure that we do
utilize less of that savings and that is
the goal this year and next.
Thanks. That's that's really what I was
getting at.
Thank you,
Mayor Pro Tim Munoz.
Mayor, city council, I have a couple of
questions. First, thank you to the staff
and thanks to to you for the information
um and your hard work in getting u this
put together. Um in your findings, you
mentioned uh the WEX fuel card anomaly.
Uh how much how much was that?
Um I don't have it on here as presented.
Um it is a very minimal amount.
Mayor uh Mayor Proent Munoz, we do
actually this comes in handy.
Okay, somewhere in there.
We do have the findings in here.
Um it is where should be single audit
and on there it'll say what they tested,
how many they tested, one out of four
vehicles. Uh so the details are in here.
In this particular instance it was some
vehicles for the police department. They
use premium in uh information we have on
the processes. The premium is only to be
used for certain vehicles and uh some of
the vehicles that were using premium
were not included on that list. So, that
was um this one right here was a process
and Miss Mercedes is has started working
on the fleet, what they're going to be
doing to make sure these are uh we're
complying with everything we have on
there for our our gas and pretty much
using the tax dollar payers where we
need them and if premiums not needed
then no premium should be used. Got you.
But as far as the um so the amount you
felt um obviously if it's $4 or $400 or
$4,000
um we all have to be good stewards of
taxpayer money, but you you you're not
anticipating that it was more than than
a few hundred.
No, it was it was a few transactions. So
even one transaction, okay,
would show up because if it says premium
is only to be used for vehicle A and it
was used on vehicle B, then they should
know. they would note it.
Gotcha. Okay. No, that that's that's
very um important and good to hear that
we'll tighten up on that. Uh and that it
was not a major amount. Oh, yes. You
have the amount.
Yes. So on page 315,
it says, "Our audit of the city of Los
Cruus fuel car transactions for the
fiscal year based on sample testing
disclosed that 11 out of 25 transactions
police department vehicles totaling
$494.83
were for premium grade gasoline. That
doesn't mean the increase. That means
the total that was used for premium was
494.
Had they used regular, it could have
been 300. So the difference was less
than the 49483." Gotcha. And in
comparison to the overall amount that's
used on fuel, um okay, I don't want to
use the the term drop in the bucket.
That's But um in either case, that's
that's good news. I think we can tighten
up on that. And um you know, again, good
use of taxpayer money, but it's it's
wasn't an incredible amount.
Okay. Okay. Good. Um the other piece too
that I'm sure we'll work with city
manager and the rest of the team the um
the numbers are are flat and uh
consistent overall. Um but I also want
to keep in mind that um we're growing as
a city. So in 2000 we were about 75,000
of population and now we're projected at
around 117 or 118,000 for 2026. So,
we'll have to make those numbers match
up as as our population uh grows. Um
we'll need to continue to provide
services and provide service delivery at
at a high quality level. And so
definitely something to be aware of um
for future forecasting.
Thank you,
Council Vanc.
Thank you, Mayor. Um thank you both for
the presentation. I actually just wanted
to bring up um the director of the South
Central Solid Waste Authority who is
here to perhaps speak on the corrective
actions taken um at the authority. I
know that the inspector general has
spoken publicly here about the issues,
but I thought it was a good opportunity
for the authority to speak on um the
changes that have been made since
October. U mayor councelor Beno and I
just wanted to note that the South
Central solid waste finding was a self
report. So, South Central did contact
me. I contacted state auditor and we let
the our external auditors know. So, when
they came, they already had the case.
So, this one was um something that we
reported.
Thank you for that note.
Good afternoon, mayor, counselors. My
name is Jose Gyos, executive director
for South Central Authority. I just
wanted to take the moment to uh to uh
ensure you assure you that our staff uh
has taken uh great measures of imple
implementing internal controls to uh
control any uh ex voided transactions
which was a case about a year ago. Uh
Mr. Rosa Mononttoya, I'll ask him to
stand and Renee Ruiz. These two
individuals in late 2024 were two key
individuals that discovered the
transactions that were occurring. Uh
over several weeks they implemented they
developed implemented internal controls.
Uh the total amount of the avoided
transactions that were occurring were
under $100,000. Uh our revenues just to
put that in perspective were about 24
um about 12 million a year more or less
from from our tipping fees. So it it was
a drop in the bucket so to speak.
However, with their quick action, they
were able to identify the the issues and
implement internal controls which now uh
at the time when it was discovered there
was several dozen of transactions that
were being voided at one of our transfer
stations. Uh with the internal controls
that now been implemented, it's less
than 10 per month and they're of a a
different nature. They're basically
transactions now that have to be
replaced with with a corrective
transaction rather than totally being
voided. So, uh great job to them and our
staff that have implemented those
internal controls. So, again, uh we we
believe we have the process better
controlled now and we are looking at
other opportunities to make sure that we
catch anything uh as soon as it is
discovered.
That any questions? No, thank you so
much. I really appreciate um you coming
up and speaking to that. And yes, thank
you to Rosa and the rest of the team.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Any other questions?
Done. Well, thank you. Thank you, uh
Leslie and, uh the accounting team,
everyone that was a part of this audit.
Um, I would like to recognize you all.
So, go ahead. Please stand up. Those of
you from the accounting team,
let's give him a hand.
Thank you for all your work. I know it
is a time when it becomes a
anxious time whenever you have the
auditor show up, but we appreciate it.
We look forward to it because we always
want to build on it and improve and and
get better at what we do. So, thank you
all. With that, Christine,
this is on the motion to approve
resolution 26-095.
Councelor McClur,
yes.
Councelor Matise,
yes.
Councelor Harris,
yes.
Councelor Bencoml,
yes.
Councelor Karan,
yes.
Councelor Munoz,
yes. and mayor.
Yes.
Next is item 8.3, resolution number
26-096,
a resolution authorizing the city of Los
Cusus to accept budget adjustments.
Move to approve.
Second.
Good afternoon, mayor, city council,
staff, and public. My name is Vanessa
Perez, and I am one of your budget
analysts. Before you today is a
resolution to accept various budget
adjustments for the first, sorry, for
the for fiscal year 2026.
Before we dive into the overview of
adjustments, I just want to share a few
reminders. The adjustments presented
today are primarily going to focus on
reconciling our fund balances to the ACT
for that was just approved. Um the data
on this presentation is a summary of all
of the adjustments requested, but if you
would like detailed information, please
refer to your packets.
We are increasing our general fund
revenues by about $9.8 million to match
current revenue trends. We are also
adjusting some of our transfers coming
out of the general fund.
The general fund is transferring
$200,000 to airport to continue its
regular operations and we are reducing a
transfer to fund 5420 and this is due to
a change in accounting methods. The
total of all general fund adjustments
requested give us a total increase in
revenues of about $9.8 8 million and a
decrease in transfers of about $4.2
million.
Public works, community development,
airport, and parks and wreck are all
decreasing their operational budgets
through various funds. This is to fit
within the funding parameters of their
respective funds.
Airport is no longer expecting to
receive $20,000 in revenues from of the
from one of their events and we are now
adjusting their budget to reflect that.
South Central Solid Waste is budgeting
$96,000 in investment income and this is
to match their current revenues.
The last two line items are linked
together. Quality of life received a
grant uh for the library and for a
bookmobile. The whole grant was
initially recorded under the public
works department for the library because
quality of life didn't have a quote for
the bookmobile. They now have a quote
for that and they are requesting to move
some of that grant money from public
works into quality of life. Essentially,
we're just moving grant money from one
department to another so that they can
use it for the proper purposes.
On screen, you'll see a list of various
transfers between various funds.
The remainder of the slides are now
going to be related to the utilities
department. The utilities department is
adjusting revenues in various funds and
this is to match current revenue trends.
Um they are now going to record the
environmental gross tax receipts of
about $2.2 million in their funds. Um
this was previously recorded in the
general fund and we would transfer that
money over to the department to remove
the middleman. We are now going to
record that revenue within utilities.
Utilities is adjusting their
expenditures throughout various funds
and this is to better match their
current operational needs.
This is a continuation of the previous
slide. Again, utilities is adjusting
their expenditures to match their
current operational needs.
All four adjustments on screen are tied
to two separate loans. Utilities is
requesting to budget the revenue for
both loans as they are still expecting
to receive that money. And they are also
requesting to budget for expenditures in
each loan to spend down those balances.
The next four slides are all transfers
within utilities funds. These transfers
are made according to the budgetary
needs of each fund.
This is slide two of the transfers.
Slide three of the transfers.
And this is the last last slide of the
utility transfers. The only line item
that I would like to uh point your
attention to is the very last one. It's
the one for a million dollars. This is
tied to uh something that I just spoke
about a couple of slides back. This was
a transfer that we would send over to
utilities after recording their
environmental gross receipts tax. Like I
mentioned, we're no longer doing that
transfer. We're not going to have that
middleman anymore. They're going to
record the revenue within their own
funds.
Before you are your council options and
I stand for questions.
Thank you. Are there any questions?
Seeing none, Christine.
This is on the motion to approve
resolution 26-096.
Councelor McClur.
Yes.
Councelor Matise.
Yes.
Councelor Harris.
Yes.
Councelor Bencomo.
Yes.
Councelor Karan.
Yes.
Councelor Munoz.
Yes.
And mayor.
Yes.
Next is item 8.4, Four, resolution
number 26-097,
a resolution amending the FY2026
through 2031 capital improvement
program.
Move to approve.
Second.
Good afternoon, mayor and city council.
My name is Cynthia. I'm the capital
improvements program manager and today
I'm going to present a few CIP
amendments. We're going to highlight
some adjustments. Uh we're also going to
highlight completed projects and two
funding related to capital outlay.
However, for specific details and
complete list of amendments, please
refer to your packet.
We're going to start with the amendments
to bring in additional funding into the
capital improvement projects. Uh some of
those ones have received uh grants and
some of them have just been allocated
additional funding to continue moving
forward. We have the Pioneer Women's
Park improvement. This relate to
multiple general improvements such as
bar benches and just um the gazebo as
well. So this project will have an hour
of 741
fire station 4 remodel that includes
everything major major improvements like
the bathrooms will have an increase that
will total of 550,000
100,000 electric buses has an increase
as well to a total of 6.5 million. the
storm water system mapping which is
basically to map all of the uh storm
water system which include the ponds,
retention ponds and any of the pipes
will go up to 100,000 and this
reconstruction of Sacramento Street will
go now to 1.5.
Now I want to highlight three completed
projects and you will see a deduction in
their amendments. First one is a sport
field lighting. This project has been
completed. We also have two fire station
completed projects. One is for fire
station for re- roof. And lastly is fire
station improvements. This has a balance
of 18,000 just to pay out invoices but
project has been completed. To hear more
about these two fire station complete uh
completed projects, I would like to
invite DC Sy as he's going to give us
more uh information on the projects.
Uh, good afternoon, mayor, members of
council. I'm Dominic Susi. I'm a
division chief for Los Cruus Fire
Department. Um, so just a quick update
on some of the projects that have been
completed. Um, probably the most notable
is going to be the fire station for re
roof. Um, station 4 had been
experiencing some significant leaking
into the dorm rooms and into the
bathroom for
a couple years. Um, we were able to get
that roof completely torn off and redone
through this project. So, um, so far so
good. It got finished earlier last year.
Everything went by no problem. So,
that's the most notable project with all
this. It was kind of like an emergency
situation. The the staff at that station
was getting basically rained on every
time we had a storm. So, this went
really well. We're really happy with
this.
So, just some pictures of it. Um, the
construction company did a great job.
Lots of um attention to detail. They
painted everything red. So, you can kind
of see the red overhang on the front.
Makes our station look great.
Along with station four, station six,
another leaky roof that we had. Another
project. Um, this was also finished
through this project or through this the
CIP. Um, this one wasn't a tear off and
a re-roof, but this roof was all was
experiencing some significant leaks in
the kitchen area. There was also some
tiles kind of above the foyer, some
Spanish tiles that were falling down um
causing some safety hazards. So, that
was all taken care of as well as the
roof was repaired and recoded.
And then station 5's um backup
generator. So, all of our firehouses are
equipped with backup generators in the
case of a power outage. As you can see,
this one here was pretty old um pretty
dated. The this current that current
generator didn't power the entire
firehouse as well in case of an outage.
So um it was needed to be updated into a
larger generator. So through the program
we were able to get um as you can see
here a larger generator. It powers the
entire station in case of an outage. All
the electrical panels were upgraded.
Transfer switches were upgraded. Um
we've had no issues with this. It's
maintained well. It's it's turned on
when it needs to. So, this has gone
really well for us. The other generator
was also causing damage to the station
cuz it didn't have enough power to power
the station. So, when it did need to
kick on, we were uh burning out motors
on our bay doors and things like that.
And then this is the last project, the
Fire Station 2 bay remodel. Um so, Fire
Station 2 is one of our older stations.
It's one of like our historic stations.
Um kind of in line with fire station,
the old fire station 3. Um the engine
bay was was in pretty rough shape. I
don't have a before picture of it that
this is the after picture. Um but what
they did there is repaired some issues
we're having. If you look at the that
yellow like tile in the middle of the
engine bay that's um the water and sand
separator um for that drain that's kind
of in the middle. So all that concrete
around there was cracking um it was
causing issues. So the fire apparat were
running over that um and cracking that
concrete. So, we had to get all that
concrete repaired. They rebuilt the
entire cover. Um, the construction
company did. And then we sealed and
repaired all of the engine bay floors.
There's another room attached to it that
was also sealed up. The floors were
sealed, repaired. That's the bunker gear
room. That room that was kind of
attached had a bunch of um holes to the
roof. It was been repurposed four or
five times in the last however many
decades. So, everything was just kind of
brought up to modern. Um, anything that
was a safety issue is repaired. The
doors were replaced from the engine bay
to the living quarters, creating a
better better seal. So, the engine fumes
and everything are separated from the
living quarters. Um, the the members of
the station really happy with this one.
We also also not pictured, we used the
funds to put up a security fence. So,
that was kind of an issue that had come
up is that vehicles were being stolen
out of the parking lot of station number
two. So, now we have a security fence
with a code. um keeping everybody's
personal belongings and vehicles secured
over in that over at that firehouse.
Uh anybody have any questions?
Yeah, BC Susie, I I have a question on
the re- roofs. What kind of warranties
do we get on the re- roofs?
So,
I believe those are 20-year warranties
on those roofs.
Okay, good. Looks good. Thanks. Thank
you.
Thank you, Cynthia Liu. For the record,
then we would like to highlight two
capital fund uh capital outlay projects.
The funding for this project has already
been accepted at a past city council
meeting. So, this amendment is to bring
in those funds into our CIP document.
One of the projects that received the
highest amount in capital outlay in this
past legislation was for housing pas
veres housing received 1 million in
capital outlay and I would like to
invite Natalie Green housing director
administrator to give us an update on
this project.
Good afternoon Mr. Mayor, members of
council. Natalie Green for the record.
Poss veres represents the first of our
catalytic projects, major catalytic
projects in the El Paso Salano. It is an
80 unit low-income housing tax credit.
It has already been awarded a 9% um
allocation through housing New Mexico.
They are in their final underwriting and
will close on their uh capital stack um
we anticipate the first week of April.
Um so the city city staff or housing
staff will be bringing those um
agreements forward um now that the
funding has been accepted into the
budget. Um and then construction should
start uh within a couple weeks of that
closing date. So um we'll send save the
dates for groundbreaking.
Thank you Natalie. Cynthia Green.
Cynthia Green. Apologies. Cynthia Lao
for the record. Um, this is another
picture for Pelos Veres. Uh, the last
project we would like to highlight in
today's CIP amendments is the MIH
building. This is a project that
received the highest capital outlay in
the 2025 legislation. It received 5.5
million and on top of that they received
a grant for three million, hence a
increase of the 8 million for this
project. So, I would like to invite uh
Mr. Else again for an update on this
project,
mayor, members of council, Dominic Susi.
Um, so this this is the mobile
integrated health station or mobile
integrated health building. Um, this has
been kind of in in the works for a
little while. This is going to house our
light team and our mobile integrated
health team that are currently housed at
station one um just across the street.
So, right now they're packed in pretty
good at station one. Um doing their best
to respond out of there. Um but this
station is going to give them a place to
be. Um it's going to be closer to a
district that needs it the most. Um and
it's it's currently in progress. We're
working with the uh historical
preservation officer um with the city
and with the uh state the state historic
preservation officer to make sure that
this site is going to work for us. and
we've kind of run into some um some
preservation issues. Um and we're making
sure that we appropriately take care of
the old station 3 um as far as
demolishing it and make sure that that's
treated appropriately before we can
build this. That's just a quick update
on where this is.
And here is some renderings from the
architect for this building.
So the teams will be able to have um
meetings there. They'll be able there'll
be dorms there. They'll be able to sleep
there. Everything these quarters will
accommodate the teams appropriately and
it'll allow them to do their work better
in a more private setting when they're
dealing with um the district and the
patients in the district and and what
they have to when they have to do their
work. Right now it's a little bit a
little bit tough to have conversations
and and do their work in privacy and
this is going to offer them that as well
as privacy for the the residents
receiving service.
be right next to the new fire station on
Valley Drive.
Thank you. Any questions?
Thank you again. And with that, uh,
council, here are your options for the
CIP amendments.
See no questions. Christine,
this is on the motion to approve
resolution 26-097.
Councelor McClur,
yes.
Councelor Matise,
yes.
Councelor Harris,
yes.
Councelor Bencomo,
yes.
Councelor Karan,
yes.
Councelor Munoz,
yes.
And mayor,
yes.
Next is item 8.5, resolution number
26-098,
a resolution approving a pre-commitment
of city funding for a federal lowincome
housing tax credit multifamily
development.
Move to approve. Second.
Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, members of
council. Natalie Green, your housing
administrator for the record. The
resolution before you is a
pre-commitment of city funding [snorts]
for a low-income housing tax credit. Um
it's a 9% uh specifically for senior
affordable housing. Just some background
um information. It's the the request is
for impact fee waivers and permit fee
waivers. Our impact fee waiver program
was created in 2008. It is codified in
chapter 13 of the Los Cusus Municipal
Code under um article 2 division 2
subdivision one. It allows for the
waiver or alternative payment program
for qualified entities um specifically
for the development affordable of
affordable housing and must be in
compliance with the New Mexico
affordable housing act and our general
oversight ordinance. Any waiverss
granted to this uh property uh would
impose an affordability period and
income restrictions for the residents.
A little bit about the competition that
they'll be applying to. It's uh the 9%
low-income housing tax credit
competition. It's a highly competitive
statewide process that's run by Housing
New Mexico. In fact, the deadline to
submit is today. Um applications are
scored using a qualified AC uh
allocation plan and um that scoring
criteria is tied to the location um the
capital stack, the um the different
affordability requirements. Um and a
pre-commitment from the city will
strengthen the application by
demonstrating our support um and its
readiness uh to proceed at the time of
of scoring. And then local funds um our
local funds will leverage a substantial
amount of private investment. So um for
this relatively low ask of 500,000 in
waiverss, it'll uh leverage 18 million
in private uh investment for the
development of this project if it's
awarded um 9% tax credits. The project
is called the Golden Sands at Messia
Valley. It uh the developer is TWWG
Development. They are proposing a 60unit
senior affordable housing complex made
up of onebedrooms and two bedrooms.
Again, that target area median income is
60%. Um it would be for seniors 55 and
over and does have a veterans
preference. It amenities will include
community rooms, outdoor spaces, fitness
rooms, and garden beds. Uh the
resolution, if approved today, would
pre-commit up to 500,000 in impact fee
and permit waiverss,
and it is subject to an award of 9%
low-inccome tax credits. So, if they're
unsuccessful at the at the competition,
then uh the city does not have to wave
those fees. Um, if it is awarded, staff
will come back um with any um agreements
or budgetary needs
at a at a future date, similar to what
we're doing with baselis. When they're
ready to close, we'll come back to
council um to finalize those agreements.
And again, city support will strengthen
the low-income housing tax credit
application. And it does align with the
city's adopted uh council strategic plan
and elevate Los Cusus. This is a
vicinity map. It is located off uh uh
Baton Memorial um west side. This uh
facility is the Ashley's. There's also
the motor vehicles department, Papa
John's and uh banking institution and a
uh pharmacy.
This is a a rendering of what the
facility would look like.
It is intended to be uh a missing middle
housing type. So, it's a what they're
calling bungalow style um apartment
complex.
Um you have your standard council
options and uh I'm available for
questions and we also have Megan Adams
with TWWG development um via Zoom should
you have additional questions of the
developer.
Thank you, Natalie. Councelor Current.
Thank you again. I'm very excited as
always to have more affordable housing
on the possible um agenda in our in our
sphere. But I I always like when you
give a little breakdown of 9% very
competitive. You alluded to this. The
city of Los Cruz is actually one of the
most successful municipalities I think
in the state. Knock on wood again
submitting today, but it it is very
competitive and it does take a very
sophisticated operation to to do this as
well as a very strong private um
partner. So, I just wanted to ask you to
talk a little bit about that 9% and then
also just say um the developers have
been extremely communicative. I've
already uh chatted with them about some
of some of the design elements and what
this will be like for folks in the
community in district 5. So, um I just
wanted to sort of also say I'm really
happy that they're willing to consider
investing here in Los Cusus and and
partnering with us in this way.
Uh thank you, uh Mr. Mr. Mayor,
councelor Krenn, uh this is our chart
showing the difference between a 9% and
a 4% tax credit. So the 9% is highly
competitive because it creates almost
70% uh equity within the development. So
the the tax credit in uh the investors
and the developer only need to take a
small amount of debt service which
allows them to reduce the rents or cap
the rents uh based on HUD's uh litec
litec chart. A 4% um surprisingly is
actually starting to become very
competitive. It typically wasn't 4% um
it allows larger projects. So uh we
could do 100 144 unit complexes. you
have less equity in the part uh in the
deal, but um it was subject to the
state's uh volume cap or bonding volume
cap. That cap is actually at its limit.
So, we're going to start to see 4% get a
lot more competitive. Um which has in
turn will make the 9%s even more
competitive. Um so, uh not only are we
seeing developers compete here in Los
Cusus, we're also um Los Cusus is very
competitive at the state level. So, um
thank you for the compliment. We do. We
like to consider ourselves a
sophisticated housing department as
well.
You you knew I wanted that chart and I
love it. So, thanks for sharing it,
Cal Harris.
Uh, thanks. So, I guess first, um, those
renderings look pretty cool. Um, this
sounds like an exciting project and I'm
I'm excited to see the investment, um,
into Los Cruus. Um, my question is kind
of a general one. Again, I'm new. Um,
the pre-commitment of these funds, like
do we do that for other projects that
we're looking to get uh funding sources
for? Is that a way that we can make the
make projects we want our city to do
more competitive in other areas?
U, Mr. Mayor, Councelor Harris, the
low-income housing tax credit
competition is conducted annually. So
staff puts out a call puts out a call
for projects in October and we have um
what's called a qualifying grantee and I
apologize it's a a lot of verbiage. Um
so projects actually have to come to us
and get pre-qualified. They have to be
eligible under the New Mexico affordable
housing act and then uh Housing New
Mexico has to confirm um our assessment
of those qualifying grantees and then
that'll make them eligible for um any
pre-commitments under our programming.
Um, sometimes those are loans. Um, other
times, for example, the housing
authority project, we got capital
outlay. So, that will likely be some
sort of loan grant combination. I
haven't uh read the documents myself.
Staff has uh been working on those. Um,
but generally under the affordable
housing act, it calls for staff to do uh
primarily loans because we want that
return on investment. So, um, any
pre-commitments that we've made that
have been awarded tax credits have, um,
either come from special revenue bonds
or we've, uh, tapped into the Telshore
fund, but it's been a loan that will be
repaid back.
Um, but again, it's specific to, um,
affordable housing projects, uh,
typically multif family rental. Um, and
then for 9% tax credits, the sweet spot
is anywhere from 60 to 80. And then um
just as [clears throat] a note the
projects in order to be competitive have
to stay affordable for typically 35 to
40 years. Um so there is an expectation
that uh whatever is being built be
sustainable for for that lifetime.
Cool. That's good to know. So the so
this kind of pledging of funding for
these kinds of projects is kind of
specific to these kind of projects just
because of the the grants that they're
going out to get awarded. Right.
Correct, Councelor Harris. It's a
program that's authorized under the IRS.
So, it's um actually a tax incentive
that was created by Ronald Reagan. And
so, it's the longest running affordable
housing program. And uh our consultant
presented to council a couple months
ago. It is the only um federal housing
program that received bipartisan
increases um during the last
administration
or current administration, I should say.
See no other questions. Christine,
this is on a motion to approve
resolution 26-098.
Councelor McClur,
yes.
Councelor Matise,
yes.
Councelor Harris,
yes.
Councelor Bencoml,
yes.
Councelor Karan,
yes.
Councelor Munoz,
yes.
Mayor,
yes.
Next is board appointments. Uh to be
read into the record, uh Councelor Karan
appoints Nancy Clayool to the library
board.
Mayor Enriquez will be appointed to the
community schools board.
Councelor Harris will be appointed to
the transit board.
Good.
Notice of proposed ordinances.
We have two. Council bill number 26-014,
Ordinance number 3106.
An ordinance amending chapter 23,
section 23-36,
Police Service Aids of the Losus
Municipal Code.
Bring it forward.
The second one is council bill number
26-015
ordinance number 3107
an ordinance terminating the project
participation between
uh I'm sorry the participation
agreement with 828 productions
bring forward
next is city council member board
reports and comments. Council Mccclure.
Thank you, Mayor. Um
I have two things specifically and the
first one is that I also share a concern
about flock, but I think that we're not
thinking um wider even than that. Um, I
went to Mvita's AI conference and I
thought about cyber security in
different ways that are going to be
impacting us just dynamically for
whatever we do. Um, I was a young in in
2001, but right around then we started
talking a lot about protecting our
critical infrastructure. A lot of time
that meant water and gas from things
that we could be threatened against. And
right now we have to be concerned about
where our data goes. And I think that is
a crucial thing that we need to talk
about. Um, one of the pertinent things,
this was an 8 a.m. uh, presentation and
it was it was a lot. Elizabeth's over
here nodding. Yeah, there was a lot for
8 a.m. They had a cyber security um,
professional who was talking about um,
five years ago the ability to stop a
virus was about a month. Now it's 48
hours. And it and this is not outside
the normal for Los Cruus either because
look at the ransomware attack for Las
Cruus public schools was in 2019. We
don't want to have things like that
happen to us too. I spoke a little bit
with economic development and thinking
about that for that. Can we guarantee
data security for working with some of
the companies that want to come in? I
don't know. So this is a conversation we
do need to have here at the city level.
Um the other thing I want to talk about
is I was encouraged to hear about a
project called Art Space which is
different housing opportunities for Los
Cruises. It's u years ago they had come
into El Paso and it was like a catalyst
project for um uh downtown El Paso to
basically bring artists in and give them
a different way of living. So when we
talk about different opportunities for
housing, things like that make me really
excited. So I'm glad those conversations
are happening. and they're coming at the
end of February to kind of scout
locations. If you're interested, reach
out. I'm kind of in conversation with
them. I'm always going to argue for
downtown, but there's flexibility,
right? So, those are the things that I'm
excited about and I do think we have to
have some larger conversations
council Harris.
Uh, thanks. So I guess I will I would
also welcome further conversation on
cyber security and data privacy
practices um and the implications of
programs that we are doing in the city
uh flock potentially other things um as
anyone who's been been paying attention
to what I say can probably know that's
that's a big thing for me cyber is my my
passion and my industry and so I would I
would welcome those conversations and I
think they're very important uh Um,
second, uh, I attended the artboard
meeting um, the other week and just
wanted to point out that they are
accepting chalk artists for their
annual, uh, chalkwalk event. Uh, the
application deadline is the 21st.
There's a premeating on the 6th and then
uh, the event itself is March 14th in
the museum courtyard. Um, and then also
this Thursday, we're dedicating a uh a
new art piece at Fire Station 6 at uh,
1:30 p.m. That's it. Thanks.
Thank you, Councelor Beno.
Thank you, Mayor. Um, thank you
everyone. I wanted to note that this
week on Wednesday, which is tomorrow,
um, just in case anybody forgot, um, we
are celebrating the, uh, all of our
utilities employees at the utilities
banquet. And, you know, um, certainly I
don't I think maybe you were all
invited. If you weren't, um, my
apologies. I am inviting you now. And um
but we do get to thank uh our our
utilities employees who I you know um
feel like have a very thinkless job
often. And after seeing what happened in
El Paso in the last couple of weeks with
their huge utility emergency that they
had, um it puts even more into
perspective how important our utilities
employees are. So um if you see folks
around town, please make sure to give
them a huge thank you. I also had the
pleasure of attending um the NAACP's
um Dr. King lunchon yesterday. I'm
really grateful for their continued work
in Dana County and um for inviting us to
be there and it was great to have um
they had as the keynote speaker Leon
Howard who is the executive director of
the ACLU of New Mexico there and it was
great to have him shout out Los Cruus
and the ways that we are standing up for
our immigrant communities and um and
shout out our welcoming city resolution.
certainly hope that the majority of this
council continues to protect that. Um
especially because it does include some
data privacy provisions in there. Um
that obviously we have to continue
having those conversations. So I'm also
very much up for what that conversation
can look like in our community since
multiple members of our um community
have raised it.
And then lastly, I wanted to shout out,
we had lots of great shoutouts. Um,
uh, this last couple of weeks, the
American Planning Association also had,
uh, a report that came out on zoning
practices and specifically shouted out
Los Cruus and some of the things that we
are doing in Los Cruus through housing
through zoning to improve housing
opportunities for folks. And this
magazine, American uh planning
association, a nonpartisan um nonprofit,
also talked about the cost of
criminalization. And I know that we live
in a time where research and evidence
and data aren't necessarily used
primarily to plan policy. I certainly
hope that here in Los Cruus, we can
highlight that. And this particular
magazine did talk about the cost of
criminalizing homelessness through
things like camping bans. And um I I
think it's important for folks to
understand that um encampment sweeps um
how that impacts taxpayer dollars. Um,
one study in in the magazine, it says,
"One study estimated that after
receiving a movealong order, 91% of
unsheltered people remain outdoors,
moving only two or three blocks away,
even if temporarily incarcerated,
individuals often return to the same
neighborhoods and parks by simply
creating a costly revolving
door that circulates individual
individuals experiencing homelessness
from the street to the criminal justice
system and back. um or from neighborhood
to neighborhood or blockto block,
enforcement expenditures are often
counterproductive and wasteful. So if
perhaps the real humanitarian narrative
doesn't land on folks, perhaps the cost
effectiveness
uh of a cruel policy like this can can
go a lot further. Anyway, it was great
to have Las Cruus on here recognized. I
also saw that there are some um state uh
legislators who are uplifting some um
zoning policies and I was reading this
list and I was like we already did that.
We already did that. We already did
that. And so it's been really incredible
to see that the city of Los Cruus is
very much leading the way in New Mexico.
And so just a huge shout out to our
staff who has led on a lot of those
efforts. Thanks, Mayor.
Thanks, Councelor Karin.
Thank you. I I also agree that I would
love for us to have a conversation about
flock slash I don't I think flock just
gets the publicity but I do think that
the surveillance data is not as secure
as we would all hope for our data to be
in any situation. So um I support my
colleagues and that mention that as as a
priority to continue to follow up on. uh
but I do want to just mention in this
discussion of the bigger picture I am
really grateful uh for our opportunity
next week next Wednesday is our budget
retreat and I think I talked to someone
this weekend who thought oh it already
happened I think everyone is reading
things from 2025 and forgetting that
it's 2026 so um just as a note our
budget retreat comes up next Wednesday
um and I'm sure there'll be information
additional information publicly
available But uh the public is invited,
the media is invited, and I hope that
folks will consider joining us in that
conversation as we think about the
budget moving forward. Um so I will see
you there. [clears throat] And then the
last thing that I wanted to well, no,
I'll skip the last mention and just say
I'll see you next week at the budget
retreat.
Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim Munoz.
Um thank you, mayor.
I want to highlight um I know that
currently right now with the legislative
uh legislature in session uh we're
looking at capital outlay. I um had
heard like uh many of my esteemed
colleagues that um there were some
delays in projects um statewide not not
here in Los Cusus but statewide there's
about $7 billion that have of monies
that have not been spent. I mean, that
would be a great problem to have here in
Los Cusus, but it's it's statewide. Um,
so I asked um city manager, our city
manager and his staff to to provide a
report and I'm I'm happy to say with the
progress that has been made there, we
are on track um or have completed some
of the projects. There's just a few
projects that are we're behind for good
reasons and I think we'll be able to
catch up. So that's a really good
message to share with the the
legislature and compliments to the city
manager, the assistant city manager's
leadership and the staff for uh keeping
those projects on track. So uh looking
forward to uh finishing out the project
and then getting some new monies from
the state. The other piece I'd like to
look at if my SEM colleagues would would
like maybe a work session or something.
I know we talked about electrification
of the fleet. um we're at about 6% or
so. Um so I don't if you have that plan
out there, I'd like to take a look at it
uh to see how we can reasonably um you
know grow that or get to our our budget.
Um with that we probably wouldn't have
to worry about premium or regular gas.
Okay. No, too soon. No, that's not
actually um [laughter]
actually um that also brings me to the
point, you know, thank you to the staff,
thank you to the audit team that out of
really just millions and millions of
dollars and a lot of dollars that we
spend on fuel that they were able to
catch that, you know, uh very very tiny
anomaly and we'll be able to bone in on
that. So, and actually improve on um
those processes. So, that's pretty good.
But again um just want to look at
electrification and I want to be
reasonable. I know that there are
reasons why
we might be a little bit slow on that. I
know there was a slowdown in the
manufacturing of EV vehicles. Um so so I
get that piece. Just want to want to be
aware of that. Uh and then the last
thing um I want to thank uh executive
director Rashelle Miller Ernnandez uh
and her team and and everyone from um
Los Cusus city team who participated in
the balloon rally. Uh I felt it was very
positive community came together and not
just the Los Cruus community but
surrounding communities. um saw some
folks there from uh or met some folks
from uh various parts of this region and
also someone who really stuck out
because he was wearing shorts and short
sleeves at 5:30 in the morning when it
was about I don't know 20 or 30 degrees.
Um but he was from Canada I believe. So
um great job to the team. Again, a very
good sense of community and I hope that
we continue to to have uh more um
programs like this for our community.
Thank you, Mayor.
Thank you, Mayor Prom. And I also want
to say a shout out to Relle and Visit
Los Cusus and the Messia Valley Balloon
Rally. It was a great event Saturday
morning. Uh there's probably a couple
thousand people there. And uh again to
councelor Mccclure and Mayor Pro Timos
who got on the visit Los Cusus balloon,
one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Also our
assistant city managers. Uh that balloon
was beautiful and to see visit Los Cusus
to see Los Cusus up there in the in the
sky was something to see. So again,
thank you Visit Los Cusus for putting
that together. Um as we started out
today, we uh had a presentation by
Sister Cities and uh I always say that's
a a great way to learn not only here
locally or in the country but throughout
the world. And I mention that because we
talk about flock, we talk about
technology, we talk about AI. And not
too far from us, uh we have one of the
uh state-of-the-art
uh facilities being built and that's in
Huarees, Mexico, uh for their real-time
crime center. And it's a it's a
multi-story building and I know police
has already been invited to tour and see
how it works. GIS has been invited. I've
been invited. So, I'll extend that
invitation so we can learn and see what
are the problems, what are the issues.
And this came from Mexico City, but the
president and the governor of Chihuahua
decided they wanted it down south, so
they put it in Wadis. So, it's something
that we can learn from and grow from as
well. So, with that, I'll turn it over
to the city manager.
Thank you, Mayor Enriquez, Mayor Pot
Munoz, and city councelor Sconam, city
manager. Just three announcements and
then I'll let you on your way. Economic
development film Las Cusus announced
that the city of Las Cusus has been
named one of the best places to live and
work as a movie maker in 2026. This
marks the fourth year in a row that the
city has been listed in the top 10 film
towns in America. Great job to our our
filmmakers and economic development for
assisting with that. Uh parks and
recreation on January 17th,
uh which passed, Parks and Recreation
co-hosted a meet featuring athletes from
our four local high schools. Looking
ahead, we invite the community to join
us on January 31st for the dual meet
between New Mexico State University and
the University of New Mexico.
Boo. This event runs from 8 am to 2 pm.
This event is free and open to the
public and we encourage everyone to come
out and cheer on our hometown Aggies.
And last, just want to give an update
that uh Las Cusus PD and Msia Valley
Community of Hope are working closely
together. Uh Community of Hope Outreach
and Mono Mano continues to meet with
unhoused neighbors at Burn Lake and
transition them into Camp Hope, mitigate
neighborhood impacts and so on and so
forth. So, just want to give everyone an
update on that, Mayor. And that's it.
Thank you.
Thank you, Connie. Uh, with that, I'll
look for a motion to adjurnn.
Move to adjourn.
Second.
This is on the motion to adjourn the
meeting. Councelor McClair,
yes.
Councelor Matise,
yes.
Councelor Harris,
yes.
Councelor Beno,
yes.
Councelor Cran, yes.
Councelor Munoz,
yes.
Mayor,
yes.