Council Meeting Minutes
July 21st, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Ruth Coleman Complex
Columbus, NM 88029
Call to Order, Pledge and Salute: Mayor Salas to commence meeting (At this time please silence your cell phones and any other electronic devices)
2. Roll Call: Mayor Esequiel Salas – Absent
Mayor Pro-Tem & Trustee Roberto Gutierrez – Present
Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez – Present
Trustee Paulino Villegas – Present
Trustee Bill Johnson – Present
We have a Quorum
3. Approval of July 21st, 2021 agenda. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. 3 in favor, motion carried.
4. Approval of the consent agenda: Fire Dept, Library, Court, Sewer, Code Enforcement, Transfer Station, Streets, Cemetery, Parks & Recreation, Water Dept, Senior Center, Grants Admin and Sheriff’s Dept. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. No questions, 3 in favor, motion carried.
5. Approval of finance report as presented by the accountants. Motion set by trustee Ricardo Gutierrez, 2nd by Trustee Paulino Villegas. 3 in favor, motion carried.
6. Vote to accept James Tyo as chairman of Board of Columbus Historical Preservation Committee. Mr. Tyo Present. He wants to be elected as the chairman of Board of Columbus Historical Preservation Committee and have monthly meetings with the rest of the members. This is a position that requires voting from the Board of Trustees and will be working closely with Francis Carayol to have information updated on the Village Website. 3 in favor,
7. Presentation by Raymond to hire a public safety liaison rather than to hire a police officer. Raymond Perron Present. He wants to establish a point of contact with the Police Department in Deming while the Village of Columbus works to have law enforcement of their own. The Board of Trustees agree to wait for Mayor Salas and discuss this later.
8. Approval of Ordinance 324 to grant Columbus Electric Cooperative, inc., a New Mexico corporation, the right to use any public highway, street, alley, road, or other public place. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. 3 in favor, motion carried.
9. Discussion and Update from Southern New Mexico Energy Consultants. Derrick Perkins from SNMEC is not present. Ordinance 324 to be given to Derrick Perkins to obtain the required signatures later.
10. Discussion of rescheduled public notice for Ordinances 256 & 257, amendment 2. Jesus Sanchez (Village clerk) present. Changes to the ordinances have already been approved. As instructed by Richard Virtue, attorney of NMFA, the changes to the ordinance have been published on the newspaper and it will be signed on Friday, August 6 of 2021.
11. Discussion of ordinance draft for the Cannabis Regulation Act. Jesus Sanchez (Village clerk) present, discussing that on Friday August 6, of 2021, there will be a public hearing on the draft for Cannabis ordinance on Columbus. This will be the last meeting before approval of the ordinance on the next meeting.
12. Approval to purchase a grill for the fire/EMS dept. with ambulance funds. Motion set by Trustee Bill Johnson, 2nd by Trustee Paulino Villegas. Andres Ramos, the chief of the fire department, is present. Since the fire department funds do not allow the purchase of a grill, he wants to use the ambulance funds. The grill will be used to cook on the fire department during trainings, breaks during the covid shots, and yearly event. 3 in favor, motion carried.
13. Approval of resolution 2021-25 for extension of termination date to December 31, 2022, for CN L100451.
Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. Roberto Gutierrez (Trustee) reminds everyone this is for the improvements on streets like Jesus Carreon, Adams Street, El paso street and Taft Street. 3 in favor, Motion Carried.
14. Approval of resolution 2021-26 for local government road fund program and request for match waiver administered by New Mexico department of transportation. Motion set by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez, 2nd by Trustee Paulino Villegas. 3 in favor, motion carried.
15. Approval of Resolution 2021-27 FY21 Final Quarter Financial Report Year ending June 30, 2021. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. Itza Soza (Village accountant) is present. She explains these resolutions (this one and next one) are to accompany the budget reports from last month. This is just for filing. 3 in favor, Motion Carried.
16. Approval of Resolution 2021-28 Annual Budget Adoption (2021/2022 Fiscal Year). Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. Itza Soza (Village accountant) is present. She explains this resolution is to accompany the budget reports from last month. 3 in favor, motion carried.
17. Approval of resolution 2021-29 to adjust the amount of state aid budgeted for the Columbus village library, fiscal year 2021. Motion set by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez, 2nd by Trustee Paulino Villegas. Maria Ehlers present (Library department head). She explains this is for a budget increase of $16,513.00 under the Go Bond expense. This is 100% reimbursable to the Village. 3 in favor, motion carried.
18. Approval of resolution 2021-30 for budget adjustments under fire department in order to match revenues and expenses to the State Fire Allotment and rollover funds received in FY21. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Bill Johnson. Chief Andres Ramos present. Chief Ramos explains this is necessary under the fire department to match revenues and expenses to the State Fire Allotment and rollover funds received in FY21. Adjustments will be made according to the schedule attached. The State Grand is $6,000.00. 3 in favor, motion carried.
19. Approval of Joint Powers Agreement to obtain insurance coverage through a self-insurance schema funded through the pooling of municipal, local public body, or political subdivision resources. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. Jesus Sanchez (Village Clerk) is present. Jesus Sanchez mentions this is an agreement to keep connections with the New Mexico Municipal League. 3 in favor, motion carried.
20. Approval of Multi-Services Agreement between Luna County and the Village of Columbus. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. Trustee Roberto Gutierrez explains this establishes the exchange of services between the parties, excluding the provision of professional law enforcement services by the County to the Village. 3 in favor, motion carried.
21. Approval of agreement between Village of Columbus and the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments for the benefit of the finance authority. Motion set by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez, 2nd by Trustee Paulino Villegas. Trustee Roberto Gutierrez explains this is for the Fiscal Administrator to provide fiscal administrative services in connection with funding. 3 in favor, motion carried.
22. Approval of facility contract between The Village of Columbus and Help New Mexico, Inc. Motion set by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez, 2nd by Trustee Paulino Villegas. Trustee Roberto Gutierrez explains this is a facility contract for the HELPNM program to keep using the Ruth Coleman Complex at a $12,800.00 annually.
23. Approval for professional services for RFP No. GES2021L. Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Ricardo Gutierrez. 3 in favor, motion carried.
24. Public Comment; two minutes maximum per person.
25. Trustee Comments:
26. Mayor Comments:
27. Next regular meeting date: 08/18/2021 at 5:00 PM
28. Motion to adjourn: Motion set by Trustee Paulino Villegas, 2nd by Trustee Bill Johnson. 3 in favor, motion carried. Meeting Adjourned.
