City Council - Regular Meeting

I believe we have a phone call. Yes, sir. Uh this is Ireina Beay and I'll give her a call just for her. Hi. If you record your name and reason for calling, I'll see if this person is available. Arena Vay returning a phone call on behalf of the F City Council.

Thanks, Arena. Please stay online. Hello. Hi, Irina Beay. Yes. Yes. This is uh Alfred Dea, city clerk with the city of Gallup. Uh we we have you on uh on speaker phone with the Gallup city council. This is public comment on non-aggenda items. You may address the city council.

Thank you. My name is Ireina Pigay. I am a community member, advocate and also a parent and a lifelong resident. Um, I just wanted to emphasize the priorities of supporting the um, opioid settlement housing trust fund for the Nova 3 residents and also as a community member and parent to um, keep the National Guard out of um, domestic deployment that may endanger our vulnerable population of the unhoused. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Vay Mr. Mayor. Okay. Um there's nobody else with public comment. We'll go on with our presentation and the first this presentation is going to be on the proposed North Hogbath Trail. Um this is going to be by Brian Ley. I'm sorry. That was just Yeah, come to the phone. Sorry about that.

That's okay. I'm I'm tired. I'm not paying attention. Um I thank you so much um for taking a comment from me, too. I also um want to support the funding for uh the former Lenova 3 residents to be able to keep their housing and thank everybody for their work in making that happen. Um I also did as I'm my name, sorry, my name is Jean Phillips. I'm also a member of this community and I do understand that the governor has recently suggested or proposed sending the National Guard to Gallup. Um, and I would like to thank everybody in advance who vigorously opposes this idea and who respectfully declines any offer from the governor. We are dealing with an authoritarian federal government right now. We don't need the National Guard here. it's likely to inflame in uh tensions that are already very high. And um I respectfully oppose it. I also just wanted to real quick um I think I'm probably un illinformed on this issue, but um I I would love to propose tableabling the issue of demolishing the Lexington. I think that that's an important decision that needs more discussion and that that would be my comments. Thank you. Anybody else? I won't jump ahead. Okay, now we can get started back trail. That's good. We got to warm up. Yeah. Yeah. Can you guys get We have a slideshow in junction with our presentation here. So, good evening, mayor and city

council. I am Greg Kavanaaugh. I am here on behalf of Gallup Trails. My name is Brian. I represent Venture Gallup and Beyond.

Uh we're excited today to come before you just to give anformational quick informational presentation about a um proposed project. We're working on a trails expansion project. Uh this is simplyformational to get it on your radar. Uh we're not requesting anything or um looking for approvals on anything at this point. No vote. Um and simply just kind of tell you about it and explain some of the goals and show you amazing pictures and video footage to convince you that this is an amazing thing. Um, so when we are talking about the North Hogback Trails expansion, um, I think we can all agree in the room that one of Gallup's unique assets is our topography, our location, our terrain, our rock formations. Um, and from places in town, right, you can look to the east, you can see prominent features like Pyramid Rock, and you think to yourself, I I want to go there, right? It's it's a high point. Um the hogbacks that run through town uh are another one of those unique prominent features and um as trail advocacy groups, we're always looking for how we can expand and improve um the access to those places for the betterment of our community uh for quality of life measures and for tourism and recreational um economics. Um, so we are looking at expanding an existing trails system that takes place already on the hogback in between I40 and um essentially in between Hassler Valley and uh the waste uh transfer station. So there's already a trail there called the Jagged Edge and we'll get into more of that in a second. But um the next section of Hogback to the north of that um it's kind of the confluence of the Hogback and the White Cliffs uh is the area we're looking to expand this system to uh bring more trails to the

community. So we're going to talk a little bit about that and some of the goals.

Um yeah, so kind of playing off what he said, you can see there's a map. Um I'm not sure if I guess Council can see that. So there is existing trails. You're looking at about two two and a half miles of trails there. uh rugged, beautiful, just absolutely gorgeous views. The photo on the right um represents that's that's the crest of the Hogback, the Jagged Edge Trail, and that was a a Kairen that was built by the Youth Conservation Corps many years ago. So, next slide, please. And this is just a list of uh potential stakeholders that we've identified that we would probably want to work with in this project. Um you know, no one is here is committed to anything. I think these are just the the players that that um that are important. Next slide, please. Um so this project has two overarching goals. Drake touched on it. Um we want to create additional trails within the city limits to for for residents to access. It's a quality of life thing. We just think more trails um more fun and just more enjoyment. but also we really are focused on creating an a destination worthy experience for people that come to our town and we'll talk about how we're going to do that. Um essentially we're we're building on Gallup's outdoor recreation economy. Um let's see next slide please. Um, why this matters, you know, like I said, it expands non-motorized trails options within city limits. Um, more opportunities for our local people that live here. It supports community health and quality of life by providing additional outdoor access while also building on the landscape along the north Hogback. Uh, more broadly, it aligns with Gallup's continued emphasis on outdoor recreation as part of the community's identity. um where's my notes are cut off here without uh identifying yeah committing

to a funding source or implementing a specific approach at this time like you said this is just an idea we're kind of putting out there and getting some feedback on um next slide please uh here's a map of the trail system um to the southern to the the bottom part of the map you can see of course the Gallup OV park um existing infrastructure there. Um the the jagged edge on BLM land um it's represented by the little yellow box. And then just to the north of all that where all the squiggly colored lines are or are routes that we've actually been working on. We've been going out hiking kind of scouting this out looking at what could go where. Um there's a couple of points on this map that are that are worth calling out. Actually though it is on a light later slide. Uh but just wanting to identify you can see there's the city of Gallup land. Um this is you know part of the project and then there's this section of blue uh state land. So these trails would be built on public lands owned by the city. Um you know and then it would be great to have the city's assistance when approaching the state to ask them to build trails on their land as well. Um next slide please. Up here. So yeah, uh there is existing infrastructure. We have signage out there. Um on the bottom right, you can see the parking lot and you can see some of the beautiful rockwood that YCC has performed over the years. Quite amazing what they've done out there. We want to take that.

Yeah. So I'll chime in. The uh the the photo on the bottom right there, you're looking north. You're on the edge of the kind of the southern section of the Hogback. Uh we're talking about trail ideally up above those power lines on the ridge of that hogback and then on the east side so the right side of the photo um as you're making your way back in there towards the white cliffs. Uh it's kind of affectionately known as Little Zion. It's uh it's amazing back there where those two um geological features come together. Next slide, please. All right, map again. um kind of this time wanting to point out the uh the trail lines on the map. So, we realize um there's probably a need in the community for trails that everyone can access or a wider variety of people can access. I don't know if everyone uh would be appropriate, but so in that case, we've identified the yellow line on the map, which would be kind of I would say an easy trail. It would definitely be open to a variety of users. It's uh there's still hills and little obstacles there, but it's it's generally flat. The red line that you see on the map, that is actually the old little Zion loop that was built by YCC. So, kind of a point I want to make is that there has been trail trails built out there. Um they have simply just faded due to lack of maintenance and use. It's a really challenging area to build trails. So, we want to kind of reassess that and maybe look at what would be a better approach to that. And then

and there's there's no signage out there either. So

there's no signage. So we want to try to address that. Um and the other the other thing that we really want to focus on is the blue line which you kind of see labeled as the Razer's Edge. We envision a two-mile long adventure route that that would traverse the top of the Hogback Formation. This wouldn't be an easy trail. We're not saying this is something that everyone can do. In fact, it'd be kind of more of a destination worthy experience that I talked about earlier, you know, like what what is the thing that brings people to Gallup or to your town in general? And we think a cool trail like that could would would be an amazing asset to our city. Um, and then the rest of the lines, they just represent other areas that we've explored for potential routes totaling about eight miles. Um, we think we could we could come up with

many uh destination outdoor uh places have kind of their crown jewel, right? It's the the one trail everybody knows of. Uh, we could definitely think of this as potentially one of those trails for our community. Then you hit play on this video. So, this is me and my wife. Um, it's hiking again. This is actually this a little slow, a little choppy. So, apologies for that. But, um, it was a pretty smooth video. So, anyway, what I wanted to just show here was like the potential, the beauty that you would get with like a destination worthy trail. This is the jagged edge. So, you know, at this point, but you could. So, uh, approximately two-mile adventure trail traverses at top of the Hogback. very challenging hiking route intended as a signature experience for seasoned adventurers, not a beginner trail and clearly signed as such.

Next slide, please. Um, why this project? Well, Gallup's outdoor recreation economy continues to grow. Um, there is a demand for variety in trail difficulty and experiences. So, we think that kind of this would definitely touch on that. Um, and this would add high quality non-motorized options and it balances accessibility with adventure.

I'll add um one of the reasons in coming before the council and the mayor too is uh to present this not as simply a a little pet project for some of the hikers or mountain bikers in the community, but something that's that's worthy to put our weight behind um as a community as a whole. Next slide, please. Okay. Yeah. So, um, did you want to go?

Sure. Um, I I think we get the gist of it here, but essentially, uh, it's a phased construction for the project is the idea. Uh, we can't get it all done at once. Um we'll start with what we can accomplish at the beginning, redo existing trail, um which is the little Zion and what we call the honey badger trails and then we'll look for assistance um in kind of the bigger crown jewel that we want to take on with getting up on the ridge and and what would go into that. So um steps I guess is the idea here. Um, so yeah, planning assistance, uh, we would probably ask or we would ask that you guys ask the council of governments for that planning assistance since you guys are a member of that organization. Um, that would be great, but also uh, the Gallup Trails would we would love to assist in sort of the design of this project. We feel like that's really where we can can help out. So, uh, YCC would be a huge asset. We think that they could build some of this Um, I think that conversation needs to happen a little bit more about what they can do, but definitely a big part of this. Um, we we would maybe recommend just considering like hiring a professional trail builder to build some of these adventure routes just because, you know, they're they're pretty hard technical routes.

Something we might be able to do, but not necessarily as volunteers. So, Yep. Um and then you know the hopefully we would uh we would be looking for assistance with grants you know and things like that for funding would be our preferred route. And then finally the last side um so today obviously is strictlyformational. We're not asking for you guys to make any decisions or anything like that. Um we might come back at some point with with an ask but just informational at this point. And we'd like to thank you guys for your time and uh open it up for any questions you might have. Go ahead.

Thank you, mayor. Uh guys, thanks for what you guys are doing here. It's a great project. I have a a question revolving another area if you don't mind. Uh what can you tell me about the Metmore area trail? Um, well, I Are you talking about the city connection between the new the new one? Oh, yeah. Well, we want to connect uh up there by the old soccer field.

Yeah, I can chime in on that. Um, I helped um helped uh YCC and Parks and Wreck kind of figure out where the routing of that should go. Um, I believe you and I had spoke with that even at one point. Uh so I think you know I would defer to your parks and recck department but they are uh in the process of building that still and gathering materials. Yeah.

You know I think we had talked about building a bridge over the Rio Quo at one point. Um that that would require um a good chunk of money to do the engineering on that part of it. But the pieces are in place. I've talked with the land owner, Gallup land partners, and they they are open to having a discussion about allowing more trails and access on their land. So, I think u I think there's some work still happening, but it's it's moving along. I uh I'm I'm here if you have any questions.

Yeah, Vince, what can you tell us? Well, we've already the I had Josh a couple weeks ago mapped out the second phase of that walking trail. It won't it won't have any metal edging like we do along Zenowi, but it's a little over two miles. It'll go all the way to the falls. It'll turn back and come out by Turpin Elementary. So, it'll make a full loop. Good. And I'm hoping I'm hoping to get started on that pretty quick depending of course of when I have people available. We're looking at about 1,400 tons of crusher fines. Very good. Uh how about the bridge, Vince? Have you talked to anybody about the bridge? Uh Patty or

No, the only the only conversation we've had regarding the bridge is of course, you know, during our meetings, myself, Brian, uh Keegan, but supposedly there's a bridge somewhere, but I don't want to put Brian on the spot, but I I guess I just did. He's down yard. Yeah. One one of the things that's important for me is getting a bridge across there because where we park what's the trail head called? We call Mmore trail head. Menmore trail head where they park over there at Menmore trail head. It's kind of a off the off the place. It's off It's not very conducive. I don't think it's a very safe place to park your car. And

if I was if I was a crook, that's where I'd go to go steal a car. Now, if we we uh if we we utilize the parking there at the where the old soccer fields are at, that's perfect, man. That's a nice safe place. It's wide open. You know, there's probably even lights there left. Do we still have lights up there?

No, there's no lights at that uh that particular part. But the other thing so the council will know we've actually I was talking to city manager this Monday as a matter of fact the all the we're going to put uh a fitness a fitness course at the old soccer field. We got 12 stations that are on order. Um so we're going to do everything we can to attract people to that location. Good. Good. Thank you Vince. And I'm sorry to deter you from from your from your goal tonight. Projects are good. I need to ask small. There's a bunch of these going on. So, it's good. I'm glad you asked about it. Um, and I I would love to see a trail head in the

Good. Yeah. So,

yeah. I just wanted to also say thank you for coming out to present to us. I think it's really cool your passion for the land and getting people out onto it. My one concern would maybe be the residents that kind of live in that area. And I don't know um if you know the family that lives just on the east side of the hogback. Um I had heard that when the Jagged Edge Trail went in, they hadn't been consulted about that and because it and we're working in an area that's part city, part BLM, part state land, right? So, multiple jurisdictions, but also just want the people who reside on that land to always be included and aware of any changes, even if it means like there might be more traffic coming back behind where they let their sheep go out and you know those kind of little things. And so, I also want to offer um if you do want someone to go along with you, I'd be happy to do that if you want to go visit.

Really appreciate that. That would be very helpful. Yeah. Yeah. I know Greg Kirk has had quite a few um mutations with that family as the motocross track is also right there too. He has good relationship with them as far as good. Thank you. I do have a question. Um yeah, thank you so much. My questions are maybe just more naive. So this is just biking, not walking, right? Mostly mostly walking and hiking. It's pretty sandy and pretty rugged. Okay, so not biking, mostly walking. That's more of a fingers crossed type of thing. If we can if we can make it bikable, we we definitely will.

Okay. I mean, I I don't actually bike, but I know a lot of people do. So, that's why I was kind of getting confused. Okay. So, it's the opposite of what I was thinking. Um, which actually makes more sense then cuz I was imagining people biking on the Jaguar Trail and I was like, is this like a sec like a insurance like is it just like at your own risk? Yeah. Like I'm not sure, but I guess if you're walking hopefully that's less dangerous. Okay. So, then that leads to a second question of I don't know if we've ever done this. Um, but I saw like some other hiking places I I was at. I actually don't really hike a lot. Um, but I was hiking Los Cusus and they had this cool thing that was like just it kind of scared me and made me interested. that had signs that were like, "These are different animals that are native to this area that you might encounter." Which was really interesting cuz some were like this bird, this certain bird, and some were like this snake. And I was like, "Oh, like that one less, you know, or this fox." And I was like, "Oh gosh, I don't know." Now I'm like nervous. But it was cool because then they also said like, "These are not dangerous or these are native to the or certain flowers that were native to the area." So anyway, it was just kind of educational while I was walking or running. I was like, "Oh, that's very interesting." And I had never really seen that before. So, I don't know, just a thought like if that was something we could maybe cons. And I imagine it would be pretty low cost. I mean, it was just moreformational signs um with like pictures of what you look for. And so, I thought that was kind of cool. So, I just wanted to mention that as a a possibility. And then if we were I assume you'll come back to council if we need to like talk to the co like if we're going to talk to the co about planning assistance and what that would look like and the timing of that as well.

Yes. Yes. Exactly. Okay, great. Yeah, thank you gentlemen. You know, that area is quite unique. We spent a lot of time up there, you know, the geographic figures and geological figures because people working we work on the G22 M wells. Um there's a there's a bush out there, the Manzanas that grows. It's one of the only places in in McKinley County it grows, which is really cool. So yeah, this and the and the only the access and the is seen the amount cheap up there yet? I haven't there. Yeah, that'd be cool. And the uh So yeah, we and this would be accessed through the motocross. Yes.

Okay. So you'd have to have an agreement with getting through there. Well, that's already there is existing that's existing already. People are already accessing trails. So you can park at the border crossing. Okay. Basically. Yeah, which to get to the parking lot you guys showed though you have to drive through the motocross. Yes. Okay. There is a gate. Just makes unlocked. Thank you. Any other questions? Thank you guys so much. Really enjoy it. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you guys.

Um the next order is the consent agenda. These items are placed on the consent agenda. So the city council can designate by unanimous consent those routine items they wish to be approved or acknowledged by one motion. If any item does not meet the approval of all council members or if the citizens so request it will be heard as a separate item. Um there's five items on here or excuse me yeah five. Um does anybody wish to hear anyone sent to me or cons the consent agenda go as it is? Um, I want to pull number two and number three, please.

Okay. All right. Um, motion to approve consent agend consent agenda items 1, four, and five. Second. Second. Councelor Molina. Yes. Councelor Piano. Yes. Councelor Garcia. Yes. Councelor Daz. Yes. the following. Yes. Uh well, you're the speaker. So, mayor, I just have a question.

Yeah. So, the library board is number two and um I'm recommending Rebecca Bernetti, longtime Gallup resident, Rahobath graduate. Um work raised to work kids well knew on paper very well. And the other one would be Ben. Well, it's same situation. uh friend of uh work for the city, has a lot of in institutional knowledge about the city. Um what what uh what questions did you have?

Um yeah, I I think I know both of these people. I don't necessarily have a problem with either of them. I think um my question and it's it's a little more elaborate, but since the library board happens to be on here, I I just would like to bring up that maybe at some point we could discuss just maybe the ordinance itself of how we appoint war members. We currently are uh ordinance does say the mayor can appoint to boards not not to the library and other boards as well. But I just would like to look at this at some point of just saying can we discuss you know having the council also be involved in that decision talking to the various departments whether it's the library whether it's the fields or whatever board it is so we can kind of get input from the organization and from the council. Um, it's not to say that I think you're just these people both seem great and I don't really have a personal problem with either of them. Just more the process of how we come to the decision. I just wanted to bring it up as and I know that's kind of weird to say when we're really just voting on these two people, but I don't know how else to bring it up in another section. So, um, that was really more my comment of and also wanting to have that out in the open because I think people are confused as to how people get appointed to boards and I think I was confused even before I joined the council on how that process worked. So, I just want that kind of out in the open of like why that's why it's being done that way. Um, and I wanted to you to also give like maybe a little more information about those people or why you chose them specifically for the board because I know you said you had some specific reasons.

Yeah. Did I answer your question? Specific reasons? I I think so. Um, how long are they on the board for? I should know this. I was on the board. I can't remember. They're probably four years. like for that's what or until until they're replaced. I'm not too sure exactly. I don't remember a term limit on these boards even like the sports commission or any of them would have to look into that answer that question.

I believe it is four years um that they stagger for the four years. But I was also interested, Mr. mayor in why you chose these particular people. Um because there was some inquiries this week that had come up about people who were interested and had applied and why you had chosen not to go with those applicants but to go with other people. So I wanted some more background on that as well. there. So when we first took over the um became when I first became mayor on the third day, you know, we started looking at these boards of commissions um and I had uh people set up for the sports commission uh jail um other commissions and for this particular board, the library board, these two these two were best fit for the for those positions because of their uh in in in um the case Rebecca or Becky Bertetti, you know, she's raised four kids. She knew Octavia Flynn. She was very she's very familiar. All of her kids went to high school, college, and um are very she's very well the actual library system and she worked for Galin County Schools. So, she has some some good insight on how the library should be. And Ben Welch, you know, like it says, you know, he's lifelong resident. He's very familiar with the the workings of the city. um he's ran other boards and play he's worked like at the Red Rock State Park and different places and I think he'd be a very good both of you be very good asset for the hospital board um to help it move on to the next step of getting money and not hospital board the library board hospital board um to li to the next step of moving on and getting funding and and hopefully get us a nice library built. And did are either of these two individuals here tonight?

No, we didn't ask them to show it to you. I guess my my question and because also because this is the first time that I've been involved in a process of approving your appointees to any boards um is do these individuals want to serve on the this library board and are they interested in advancing the plans and the purposes of the library because our library is kind of at this critical point. So I think it's really important that the people appointed do have a passion and an interest in supporting the work of the library and um I am not again I know I think they're both wonderful people um but one of the things that had come out was these are not people who utilize library services actually and or have a current library card and so that was a little bit of a concern to me.

Yeah. So, you know, the uh um these people right here are definitely going to help the library move forward. You know, Ben Welch, I said the in working in the city and Becky her knowledge of the how to uh you know, provide library and how to provide and work with kids having raised kids in Gallup. I think that that they'll help the board move and advance better just as good as anybody. Looks like maybe we might have a Yeah, if I can address you can quickly read your name. And

so my name is Sammy Mo. I'm the director of the Octavia Felon Public Library here in Gallup, New Mexico. Mayor and counselors, thank you for your leadership and caring about the future of Gallup. I want to be very clear about the spirit in which I speak to you tonight. Not division, but partnership. We all share the same destination. a stronger city, a stronger downtown, a stronger future for our families. That's why I feel disappointed that the library's recommendations for the library advisory board were not fully taken into account. The library advisory board is not ceremonial right now. It is a working board at the center of an ambitious 5-year effort to raise significant private dollars for a new regional library alongside public investment. That work requires board members who are ready to show up, build trust, and carry a long demanding campaign. The candidates that the library advisory board and the library director, myself, recommended, have demonstrated exactly that kind of readiness. One is rooted in Gallup and connected to the library's mission through service and community work. someone who understands what community spaces mean for families and resilience and who came to work with the with us through being a friend of the library. Another brings deep civic and governance experience, a proven record of public service and a personal commitment to libraries as places that belong to everyone. Public libraries are also not separate from city government. We are one of the city's most effective frontline partners. We advance city goals like downtown vitality and economic development and we deliver wraparound services and support the strength, health, resilience and opportunity. So my ask is simple. When the board and the library director do the work to

identify strong candidates for a critical moment, we need confidence that our recommendations will be meaningfully considered. If the mayor's appointments stand, I'd ask for a clear commitment to a shared process going forward. One rooted in alignment, transparency, and the urgency of the work ahead. A board appointment is not a seat. It's a responsibility. We can disagree on the route and still commit to the same destination. The nominees recommended by the board explicitly speak to the need for an expanded inclusive library facility and the seriousness of the work ahead. Matt, who is here this evening, frames the new library as an inclusive community hub and ties his motivation to years of frontline social work and community engagement. Christina, who may be online, I'm not sure. She would be joining us remotely because she's traveling, grounds her motivation in the library as a civic space which belongs to everyone and as a place that fuels curiosity, imagination, and the public good. They both bring credibility, community trust, networks, and stamina. Matt has nearly a decade in child welfare, social work, and now works in public health in the Navajo Department of Health ecosystem. Christina's career reflects long-term public service, leadership, and education work, and complex high-stake environments. Libraries are key partners to city government. OFPL is one of the city's most used civic spaces downtown. Pan preandemic visits were greater than 220,000 annually with visits rebounding from pandemic lows of less than 10,000 to over 125,000 in 2024-25, meaning library decisions directly affect downtown vitality and civic engagement. The city and the state have invested in OFPL as a workforce and innovation hub,

including a robust maker space, digital teaching lab, and fine arts studio. All inaugurated in December of 2024 with the mission of building 21st century skills and entrepreneurship in our community. OFPL is an active partner in behavioral health and trauma-informed initiatives, embedding supports like mindful breathing and storytime, Narcan training, resilience workshops, acu detox clinics, and trauma-informed library service, positioning the library as a trusted civic access point. OFPL is helping expand teleaalth access via a whisper booth supported by the US Department of Agriculture, New Mexico State Library, and UNM Partners, turning civic infrastructure into healthcare access. The library supports federal service delivery, too. We host the IRS community assistance program, showing how a library becomes a government service multiplier for residents. I respect the appointment. What I'm asking for is a shared process where our due diligence and mission alignment carry real weight, especially during a capital campaign of this scale. I'm committed to partnering fully and publicly with every appointed member because the mission is bigger than any one decision. And I'm asking tonight for the same commitment in return, that the library's expertise and recommendations are treated as an asset to city leadership, not an obstacle. I want to acknowledge Mayor Depali's recommended candidates. Rebecca Berdinetti and Ben Welch are clearly dedicated community members, lifelong residency, service and education, advocacy for veterans, and years of work with the city. It all matters. Those experiences reflect care for Gallup, and I respect that deeply. But I also want to name why the library's recommendations were made and why this moment calls for a very specific kind of board service. The

library advisory board right now is not only about representation. It is about capacity. It is about readiness to engage in a multi-year highstakes capital campaign that will require fundraising, donor cultivation, public advocacy, and sustained strategic labor. This is not a question of who cares about Gallup. It is a question of who is positioned to carry a 5-year, $25 million responsibility alongside the library and the city. The candidates recommended by the library step forward with a clear understanding of that responsibility. Their statements speak directly to the future as a regional the library as a regional hub to equity to long-term community impact and to the work required beyond meetings. work that includes relationship building, fundraising, and public accountability. That alignment is why these recommendations matter. They were not symbolic choices. They were strategic ones. This isn't about who is worthy of serving. It's about who is ready for the work this season demands. If the mayor's nominees are appointed, I will absolutely work in partnership with them, and I will trust that they will serve with integrity. What I'm asking for tonight is acknowledgement that when the library board and the library director put forward candidates during a transformational moment, it is because we are looking at mission alignment, capacity, and urgency, not preference. Public libraries are not auxiliary services. They are civic infrastructure. We advance city goals in education and workforce development, downtown vitality, public health and resilience, access to government services, and community trust. When libraries succeed, cities succeed because libraries are often the most trusted and most used public space a city operates. So my disappointment is not about who was recommended. It is about the process. Partnership requires confidence that

professional recommendations are not only heard but meaningfully weighed, especially when the task and the stakes are so high. That confidence is essential if we are to ask our community, our donors, and our partners to believe in this project. I'm committed to collaboration, to shared success and moving forward together. And I'm also asking respectfully and directly that the expertise of the library and its board be treated as a strength of the city, not a formality. Because what we are building together is not just a building. It is a public promise. Yeah, I'd like to make a comment. Thank you, Tammy. Um I think my concern here is the breakdown of trust and that um I don't feel good about moving forward on something when we have some the dissension within our organization and with between our leadership and um I understand understanding and clarifying for the public as well. I understand that the mayor um is in his rights and within the ordinance to appoint anybody that he chooses and also understand that we do want a wide representation of our community and we do want a diversity of voices on any of these governing bodies. Um but because of the breakdown and trust in the process and not feeling good about the way that we're working with our department leadership, I can't support the appointments at this time. And again, not because of the people involved, but just I don't feel good about the way this feels right now.

Yeah. I mean, I I'm the one that called it off. I think I think I just again the process to me, too, and it's tricky because the mayor is within his right based on our ordinances. That's not really his fault. I mean, we need to look at the ordinance and we need to look at and I also think maybe opening positions up just to clarify on my end um in the future opening positions up because I'm not saying that I would I don't know I wouldn't necessarily have approved yours either. So, it's really not about the people, but I think there could be people in the community that we don't even realize and like, oh, and then we as a council review and say we open it up and they get 10 applicants and like, no, this person doesn't fit our criteria and we meet in a work session or and then we decide like as a group and and that could even open up people that the mayor doesn't know, people that you don't know as a director that we're like, oh, this is a good suggestion. So, to me, just the process of like opening it up and looking at the ordinance, it's a it's like a broader conversation of why we're not doing this. And I blame myself because I had this same discussion last time I voted on this. It's like I'm having PTSD about this library board. So, um I just um I want to just fix this process so we don't have to because to be honest, this should not this should not be becoming a biggest deal in the city. Um but it's just something I think when we talk about transparency and working with our departments, it's important. So that's all.

Did you want to say something? This is the library advisory board president here. I'm Caroline Cachera. I'm the chair of the library board. And when I joined the library board eight years ago, I was invited because a staff member saw me repeatedly using library services like going through the stacks checking out books. That's why I was reached out to. I'm also incidentally a professor of English at UNM Gallup. I value literacy. I am happy to work with whoever ends up on that board with me. But I was really excited about working with Christina and Matt. Are you done with me? I got a question for you or anybody. How many people are on this board?

It is has it's recently been expanded to nine. Nine. There's nine people on the board. Okay. And how long have the other people been on? Well, it depends. They have staggered terms, but four years are the is the is the term limit. Okay. And they can serve three times. Okay. My next question is for Dave. Dave, what does the ordinance say exactly? The ordinance provides the mayor appoints with council approval. So, the mayor has the appointment power. The council has the power to approve or disapprove. Thank you.

I'd like to make a motion at this time. I'd like to uh approve consent agenda item number two. Motion to approve. Second. Councelor Garcia. Yes. Councelor Molino. Yes. Councelor Yazy. No. Councelor Piano. No. Mayor DeFali. Yes. Oh, the other one's three. The next item I think you had another Yeah. Item three. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Could come to the Oh, we already there.

This one hopefully won't be as um just a conversation. I really pulled this. I I was actually planning to pull it because I think it's a great thing and then many several people had public comment on it which I thought then was interesting. um you know because I didn't know that of course ahead of time. So I just pulled it more so people could have an understanding of what we're doing and why this is happening um just like a little more detail of um that we're we're providing uh so people are not on the street basically and I think it's a really good thing that the city's doing and I just wanted to give a little more clarity.

Okay. Mayor, Council, Deborah Martinez, City of Gout Behavioral Health. I'm here before you to request 70,000 in funds to help um Nova 3 sustain 40 people and 10 children in their current residence. This was brought to our attention in January. Um Nova 3 was operating a housing program along with substance use treatment. Um they lost their funding in June to sustain the housing, but they were still trying to operate the IOP program to generate income. Um, come January, they weren't able to um rectify any of their debts. So, we were brought um this project and with the help of city staff um we came together to find some funding to have a scoff gap to give um the HOJO time to develop a program, implement contracts um and hopefully um keep the program going long after. How long will the residents remain or how much time are we giving them to remain in the housing situation before Hojo essentially takes over? Because I saw on here we're going to try to hire somebody.

Yeah. Um we've been in discussions with Ken. Um he's bringing on somebody from New York. She'll be here mid-March. Oh, but she's able to consult. Um in the meantime, we do have some uh legal so they can look over the rental agreements. Um, and then the prior Nova project was collecting rent on some of them. So, majority of them are already anticipating the rent that they're going to have to pay to sustain um their current living situation. It might not be look identical to the programming that NOVA 3 had, but the goal is to get it back exactly. Right.

So they might be paying additional rent that they weren't paying before. Moving forward. Oh, moving forward. Okay. What? When they when they do the rental agreements? Um, so this is just a stop gap. We'll do it for February and then look at the rental agreements. So income come in so they can sustain the program manager um the programming, the food and then the rooms. Okay. We don't know if anything's going to happen with the person that was overseeing this project before, like a lawsuit or anything like that. Maybe that's not a question I'm allowed to ask out loud.

Okay, never mind. I strike that from the record, but um I did put in an application to the Office of Housing. Um we know they don't have any current funding, but there's going to be clawbacks after March. So, it it's it's going to take a group of us and I've talked to Keegan and some of the other housing justice program members. We really lack the capacity for people to run housing programs and I know a lot of programs are interested in running the programs. We just need to really build on working work on building that capacity so people are able to stay in these programs so we're not always in this emergency.

Yeah. I mean, we've seen it with the Lexingtons. We're seeing it now. So, hopefully we can work with other partners in Albuquerque. I've been in contact with um heading home to see if if we can continue to get information and work on building that capacity. It's really needed. May I have a question? So Deborah, um the 70,000 is just to carry over just for a month until everything can kind of get settled and find somebody and we're going to use the same deal.

It ideally um we'll do the contract with um Howard Johnson and then they'll hire a property manager to start, you know, those rental agreements the and get that funding generated. um we need to talk about what is going to be the rate for each room because I know it varied with um the previous program. So, we're trying to keep it the same but also sustain sustain the program further on without us having to keep supporting the program.

And there's other entities in there that different programs in will they get to stay also at this point, you know? Um can I see if Ken Collins with yeah he's part of that they're we're going to contract with them to do the programming. So he they're part of some of those rooms. A lot of programs are providing services in lie of rent. So we need to figure out that portion of it.

This is the reason why money is coming from two different pots. the housing is coming for the the actual living space and then but the the programs um you know we can't use housing money to pro pay for programming. So that's why it's coming from the opioid settlement act. It's a rehabilitation type program. So we're taking portion from the opioid opioid for that that portion of the the space and then the housing um portion come from the trust fund. So it's a two month stop gap. I have a question.

Yes. Um a while back we were talking about who is running the IOP portion that um I'm just concerned about like the the amount of billable services to be able to actually support the housing portion of the program which I know is possible but probably need the staffing in place to do that. And so we've been talking about who is actually do do you have the staffing or does Ken have the staffing to support that? So Ken's working with capacity builders, but they're also going to charge them a fee to rent the space in order to do the services. So Oh, it's it's it's going to be a puzzle piece. Um I can come back to you when we get it a little more nailed down.

Okay. But Ken does Ken's a peer run peer run program, so it's not it doesn't have the capacity to do the IOP program. Okay, gotcha. So whoever was facilitating the IOP portion before is no longer there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Shoot. Okay. So they were doing IOP and then they were getting the housing funds. So it worked until the housing funds went away and then they were having trouble sustaining that. And they were trying to charge people rent. But it's it's going to take some time to get it

going. But I I'm fully confident we have some great people that are working on this. Um people with knowledge and housing. It's good that we have you guys to fill the gap. You know, it's this is very important for the city of Gallup. I appreciate you guys supporting um there's there's kids in there and I really appreciate you guys moving forward with this. Me. Yes. Motion to approve consent agenda item number three, approval of use and budget adjustment of opioid settlement and housing trust funds in the amount of $70,000. Second, councelor Yazi, yes. Councelor Garcia,

yes. Councelor Piano, yes. Councelor Molina, yes. Mayor Deal, yes. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you. Um, yeah, that covers all the consent agenda items. And so the next item will be the discussion the act action topic topics. First one is going to be a budget adjustment for animal control capital purchases. Um and this is going to be Tiffany Hubard.

Good evening mayor counselors. My name is Tiffany Hubard. I'm the director for animal protection. Um, the animal control department is needing to purchase 28 animal kennel bank cages, two surgical exam lights, and two anesthesia machines from the Humane Society in order to continue our daily operations since taking over shelter operations. Uh, this amount was negotiated and agreed upon between the two entities. So, I'm requesting a budget line adjustment in the amount of $58,417 from our supplies budget line into capital purchases to cover the cost of this equipment. We already have this money in our budget, so we're not asking for any extra funds just to move it. And with that, I'll stand for any questions.

Any questions from council members? Um, Tiffany, we skipped over it because I had already pulled two off, but also very at least I saw you got a grant for 200,000. So, I just want to say that's great. Um, for the facility. Um, but also, I mean, we kind of negotiate, you kind of said this, right, but we negotiated this down, right? Because it was, I was a little bit, it was more negotiating this with Yes. the previous humane society. Correct. And the original um the cost for the 28 kennel bank cages alone was 85,000. So we got that dropped down to 40. Oh yeah. Because these are 15 over 15y old

cages. Yeah. So yes, ma'am. We I did negotiate with them on the prices. Well, good job on that. I think we need this stuff. And also a a thank you shout out to the remaining board. I think there's been some I wasn't even clear on this, but the the city manager kind of filled me in, but I mean the board or the former entity of Humane Society is still existing and they worked with us, which we appreciate and they've been doing some like food drives and things, animal food drives. So, kudos to that board who I mean that was a crazy process we went through, but kudos to them for really being willing to step up and still work with the city. I I really appreciate that

for sure. And we have very I've got very good communications with them, so I do appreciate that also. Yeah. Do we um do we know what they're going to do with the 58,000? Who the for the Humane Society? Uh no sir, I do not. I'm hoping more food drives.

Motion to approve budget adjustment for animal control capital purchase. Second. Yes, councelor Yazy. Yes, councelor Molino. Yes, Mayor Paulie. Yes. Thank you, M. Mr. Mayor, on a note with them, with the closing of our newspaper, um, a lot of people saved newspapers to be used

at animal control because they line cages. They're they're very used. So, so now with the closing of that, losing that print, I just want to put a little word out to all the people out there. If you describe to other publications, anything like that where you have clean paper and and can donate it, I mean, it's a great way to recycle and be able to use um our animal control center can use very much so that just wanted to put that out there. It's if not, we're going to have to start buying stuff and then it it just takes the resources even further away from the FC. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Next item is community development department budget adjustment request and it'll be Keegan Kenzie Chavis is the speaker. Good evening Mayor and Council. First of all, I want to apologize I uploaded you probably saw that first four pages.

Eight hours of my life will never get good. Our whole budget.

Now we know what you're working on. So what took and I had to think that was the first time I attempted that like putting like that day everything I was working on and I don't know how that happened. I apologize. So I come to you with this request. So, when I was hired, um, new position and new department, just me, and they basically provided $27,000 for me. Um, from I think let's see, September to January, we've I've grown by three more staff members. So, now our department of community development is four people. and um the staff has needs for travel and attending workshops. So, that's a big chunk of the money. And rather than coming back to you more than once, I thought I'll look at all my other uh accounts and see where I need to um add funding. Um didn't realize how expensive it is for advertising and printing. So the fact that we're holding kind of community events that was kind of the jump in the um public let's see in let's in printing and publishing so requested some funding um for that and really I can just answer any questions. I kind of broke down and listed the events that um the grants and contract manager want to go to, our new uh grants compliance officer, and then our housing person want to go to and then there's a couple events that I'd also like to go to and some training.

Okay. Sure. Uh so my only question about all the travel is are these conferences things that your staff are are any of them required for certifications or lensures that they need to keep up?

You know what the the one that is probably one of the more expensive ones the B2G now that is basically dealing with a federal platform kind of software that explains um how to do the reporting that may be required. So that one um is needed. Everything else will basically just kind of increase um skills. The water and wastewater association conference um that one basically is for me to go to and get you know some develop some skill sets when I'm looking over the project for the water and the wastewater um especially the wastewater to understand the pro the processes. I can go through training for the um operators technician um is that the correct term?

Yeah. Just so that I get some knowledge as I'm trying to understand all the pieces in those systems especially the wastewater treatment plant. And then the other one I don't know if I let's see um and the other one was I think a requirement within my first year was to get lead certification and that is an online pro program. I don't have to travel for that one. But the and then despite those the wastewater, the BTG now and then the leads, everything else I think will just enhance their skill set and help them perform their jobs better.

Yeah, thank you Keegan. You know, one one thing about these overnight stays, especially like in Mexico water and wastewater, you network and you meet people and you know, there might be someone that might want to mouth um which is kind of the other reason is kind of a recruiting trip and I I probably the gathering small towns is very similar, isn't it? A lot of people you meet at these conferences and I don't know you getting tra see a little bit of networking and perhaps even recruiting. Well, and there was one at the end of January, but I didn't have enough money in my budget to go. There is another one happening um in Espanola at the OK Awing. So, I that was great that they happen twice a year for the water and wastewater association conference. the home. Actually, I should also add the homegrown housing series. That is a program that um Tammy Parker signed up for. It's a series of five different sessions. So, she's already attended um two. There was a little kind of wonkiness with the third one, but there's still two more sessions left. So um the next one is going to be dealing with let's see that one's dealing with um agencies to kind of bring together your pro and this program is kind of interesting. Basically they help you develop a project um and then the last session is presenting that project to a panel and and the organization that runs that brings in different legislators and different agencies that might be able to fund it. So she I mean I guess she could drop out but she is part of the program and one of the participants for that. So need to fund the next two sessions a few questions and I can start sneezing. Um

so I I have a follow question on the training too and okay I this is only because I work for nonprofit and I'm cheap by nature. So, um, it does seem like a lot of excessive I just preface that. I'm It's still not used to government and how much money we excessive money we spend on trainings and whatnot.

Could we try to limit trainings to not flying everywhere because that's an added expense like you said espanola that's close but then also like I'm just looking at this is petty basic but like Santa Fe Fortnite hotels 250. I think our cost just recently at the to go up to Santa Fe was a discounted rate that Tasha got us and that was a downtown hotel. It was cheaper than that. So I'm just wondering about some of that. So yeah. So that's for two different sessions. Those are two nights. So those that would be your session four and session five. Oh, okay. Two nights.

And I'm not attending that. I'm not going to that to you know allow for some savings. So, and then the other thing I use the actual rate because just coming from my um state position, how um hard it was to get hotels. I mean, I'm hoping we can find things cheaper, but I don't want to have to come back to you guys and say, you know, we're over. So, I put kind of the middle rate. I also put mileage as if um like there's a few things where more than one person is going and there's a good chance they could carpull but on the added added chance that they couldn't I put this in there so I don't have to come back and be short in funding. So, um the only I guess there are two plane flights. The Fagatville um one and that has to do with the strong towns that Tammy presented last time. That's a gathering of um they kind of bring in all these different people across the states and they brainstorm and talk about housing programs. The Phoenix one we realized it was cheaper to just fly with advanced air like from Gallup and so that's what that is. But I do I chose the for the actual um it's up to 350 and so I put 250. Just my experience. And you got blocked rates, right?

Yeah. Sure. Yeah. Those you can't get it for only one or two people. Exactly. So hopefully it'll be less than these. I just put in the amounts that would um make sure that it would fund the travel and we wouldn't run out of money and have to come back again. On a side note, um, for Patty, could we like become City Hilton or Marriott Rewards members? Because with the amount of travel we do for our departments, we could probably book a whole lot of free rooms. That's a side note thing, but I'm just saying we should do that. Um, and while Patty's coming up to probably answer my question of why we can't do that, unfortunately. Um, also my other two questions are, could we get updates on um, Kegan like from staff or even a written some sort of written document? So, when they go to these trainings, they come back.

Yeah. Yeah. When they go back either they do an update to us or a written just so we know like what they learned at the trainings and then that's great. That's fair. You know the city's funding them. Absolutely. They can do a presentation or some kind of Yeah. You know what they learned back on Yeah. what they made that experience. Okay. Yeah. That'd be awesome. And then there was one more. Sorry. Last thing and I feel like Frank tried to explain to me and I didn't really grasp it. I'm sorry, Frank. Remind me or explain to me why when you because two of the three extra personnel people that you got for this department are already working for city. So only one is new. They they transferred from other departments, right? So when they transferred, why didn't the money that we had for them transfer on over from the other department?

Okay. And Patty's right here, but Oh, you knew you knew I was going to ask about this. This is my understanding. People transfer their phones. Is that fair enough? So the so to be clear the and I I don't even know where they all transferred from so nobody hate me out there but wherever they transferred from they transfer departments and the money we were using for them stayed. So man what a great if I'm a department head I'm going to be like transfer all my people out just keep all their money I don't understand this this is like not even logical.

Yeah. So it's not not a super clear super concise answer. So first question on the travel is if the the main part of the hotel stays is many of our conferences are at a specified location in hotel and there is a block rate for everybody going and you are pretty much expected to be at that hotel and the police department can tell you I've challenged them on that many times when their shooting range is 2 miles away for their training and their way over here. I'm like what are you guys doing? And then I Google Earth it and they are at the closest place to where they could be. But we are not able to really stay with just Hilton or just with Marriott or just whatever because of what's available. And so the other piece of that would be in order to really do that we would basically have to have one person be the travel agent for the city and then you're going to end up paying for another body or half a body or whatever. It's going to cost you more than we would have in savings.

Could we improve our processes and do some more streamlining? could and my staff and I try to work really hard with departments. We do kick things back. Um they if it's out of state, the policy requires that they fly unless they can prove to me it's cheaper to drive. And some of the departments have gotten really good and they understand that and they're doing well with saying, "Well, if I carpull these two people to drive to Durango, it's going to save the city money overall." And you know, they agree they're going to drive the I don't know, is it 10 hours? And so, so that's kind of where we're at. But but we could definitely do some more refinement and more development in our in our travel and try to make it more economical. We um also for the the budgets. So one of the things that's occurred, we've transferred these people from fund A to fund B. They are different funds with different sources of money, different restrictions, different requirements. The risk management fund that she's in that she's working with is funded by the general fund and the utilities combined. So the money essentially will go in from all the different sources, but there some of their assignments have changed as well. I think is Alicia traveling?

Yes.

She normally wasn't one that was doing any traveling other than like a state meeting for her her old role. Her new role is more in depth and more defined. So So even some of their requirements have changed. And we knew as we were developing this part this this um new department and getting things set up when we did the budget last year and we kind of mentioned it was we just threw a swag at what we thought they might need for the first year. It's just taken off and gone a little bit further than we anticipated which is why we're having to go ahead and get funding in there and help them develop with what we're trying to to give them as a workload. Well, I mean, I understand that like you can't maybe know the full embodiment of like what you what they were charged for travel and everything like cuz maybe it just wasn't all written down, but you do know their salary and their benefits. So, did the salary and benefits that paid them that was coming out of that other department transfer over to their new department because

yeah, that that was all done as part of of the theations we've done and the approvals we've gotten for the year. Okay. I mean, as long as that that kind of at a basic level, I just I was just I'm just imagining like Yeah. two one was already budgeted there and then two were transferred in during the year that we didn't have originally budgeted that way.

Okay. I mean, that that helps. Also, I just want to say I've never been to a conference at some Motel 6. They're almost always Hilton's. I know because they have to have a big space. And so, I'm just saying like you add up so many points. I don't know I do it on an individual basis and the amount of travel I mean it's like having a flight card like we could just get so many free flights because we used I mean we got to figure this out but the amount of travel and the amount of city employees it feels like we could be racking up some sort of point system that helps pay for other stuff at some point individually it's it's possible it just it's just we would we would need a person that's designated that that's basically their primary role I'm about to designate myself

and it's it's I can tell you as one that travels I'm really picky about it. I just booked my flight for my GFOA. I booked one way there and one way back because one airline offered a direct flight which saves time and money and it was cheaper to book two oneways than a round trip. But I spent a bunch of my own time and research that because it's it suited my schedule as well as the city needs. Yeah, we could definitely do something like that. Is it feasible? Is it realistic? Not really the way we're set up with everybody being so diversified and so spread out, but um it's it's something we could discuss during budgets, but

yeah, brilliant. for the hotel. I mean, you got to think about it from the perspective of the hotel, too. So, I know everything's you thinking of like getting a hotel chain like Hilton or something, but think about when people come to travel here and they stay at different hotels. All the different hotels are appreciative of basically spreading the love, spreading the business. So if we were to just um make it one hotel or one chain, is that really fair to that city or that? So I mean from um if the conference is being held at that hotel. Yes, totally.

Right. But sometimes the conferences have it like with more than one chain because sometimes they need to accommodate an overflow or something. I'm just I'm just um I'm not saying what your idea was wrong or anything. I'm just saying like from a perspective of like maybe doing more than one hotel chain, but not making it only one. We've had like hotels actually come to me and say, "Can I be like the City of Gallup hotel?" And I'm like, "You can offer discounts and everything you want, but we support all our hotels and all the different chains because we're I mean, I don't know."

But I'm not I don't work for the hotels. I work for the city. So, if I'm trying to save the city money, then I'm trying to look at the hotels that are going to give me a discount in points. And if hotel sleep until noon does that and they're not a hill insured, sleep at hotel sleep until noon, I don't care what the name of the hotel is, but if they're giving us points and they're giving us a discount just just from a different perspective, let's go back. Let's go back to everything that we're budget. Well, it has to do with their budget. Okay. Um, we have a there any more comments or questions?

Motion. I'm going to make a motion, but I didn't bring my reading glasses. I Somebody else make a motion, please. department. Yes. Councelor Garcia. Yes. Councelor Yazi. Yes. Councelor Molina. Yes. Council. Yes. Mayor the Yes. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you all. Thanks. The next item is a recommendation of award for bid number ITB2609 to HO construction incororated for the city of Gallup Carbon Coal McKinley County Industrial Park Waterline and speaker is Jen Daryl Booth.

Thank you mayor council. I'm here uh seek recommend uh approval for award of ITB-2609 to HO construction out of Albuquerque, New Mexico for the city of Gallup carbon coal McKinley County Industrial Park water line. This project consists of installing new water lines on Carbon Coal Road and Industrial Park Road at the newly developed industrial park site in the city of Gallup, New Mexico. for the amount of 1,87,854.38. The carbon coal row portion of the water line would consist of installing approximately 2400 linear feet of 12in class 350 ductal iron pipe. Work will include gate valves, air release valves, a fire hydrant assembly, water line tie-ins, fittings, special trenching, rock excavation, back filling and traffic control for the industrial park portion of the water line. uh be the same only. It will be uh 538 535 ft of 8 in class 350 ductal iron piping. Work will also include gate valves, air release valves, a fire hydrant assembly, fire post indicator, high pressure water service meter, fittings, specials, trenching, rock excavation, back filling and traffic control. Project JU2307 will be funded by a US Department of Commerce uh environmental of 0879 05634

and I have um uploaded documents that effect. Yeah, just to make sure everybody understand it's it's an EDA that's economic development correct 100% paid for by the federal government. Good. That's great. Good. Um, any questions or I I do I have a couple of questions and I'm sure between the mayor and Jan you guys can answer them. Uh, first of all, this is water. Where is the water source at? It comes from uh commercial tanks. We have a a new 24 inch water line. This will be tied into that.

So we're running on the east vent beside this new road. Yes. Okay. Yeah. So the road rightway is 250 ft wide. Okay. And in that road right away is the road itself and then there'll be sewer lines, water line, gas, and then electricity. Now my my question is and and I I I think I know the answer, but I'm going to ask anyway. Uh, couldn't we have included the sewer line in at the same time? I know it's a money thing, but uh I think we' have saved money by doing both of them at the same time. Yeah, north south, but this is west.

Yeah, there would there's also a component plan for the sewer line to go east west, but there's there's no money for the sewer line. Okay. So, the sewer line is going laterally north and south. Okay. When when the time comes. The cacino line. Gotcha. Gotcha. So the casino line will have to run from Walmart all the way two miles to to Arbon Cole Road and then from there it'll go east and west. Now I I understand there's one hydrant, one fire hydrant on the main road. Is that what I read? Not at this time. No, but this project five There will be five. Yeah. Okay. Because I only read that there was two. One on the property, one on the road. Um yeah, I don't have there is five in the in the in the plan.

And that's what I was going to ask Chief if he had

Okay, there is enough. We do have enough hydrants incorporated into this bid. Correct. Okay. Very good. Yeah. I have a quick question. Um just curious if there's any other reasons uh other than the lower bid than the cost, you know, of of the money, how do you decide to go with one bidder over the other? Is there any reason why you'd prefer HO construction over double E other than the total amount? We'll have to let our speak official. to me. Oh,

this per um formal bib which means it is costbased first and foremost. We also do u require qualifications to be submitted meaning they have to be licensed um not only themselves but other subcontractors that they provide. They have to show certain years amount of experience. And so when we put out a particular scope of work, scope of services, as long as they meet those minimum um um requirements to meet those needs and that they meet the qualifications that we also require, we base this on cost. If we are going to do more of a service-based um um uh we're meet needing something more service based, we will do an RFP which is more qualifications and you may be other

and we and we weigh per criteria that um we come up with based from um key personnel to years of experience and then we do also um take cost into consideration but formal bids um are more cost based and um requests for proposals are fees are more product based. So just depending on what type of service or what type of scope of work we're looking for that's how we solicit services um that is a collaboration between the department and then of course procurement and quality. Okay. So yes, it's but also

also Thank you, Ron. I just want to make a correction. The fire hydrants, there's only three. There's three. Yes. Chief,

yes. The idea now that I remember the idea was there is a culde-sac a 540 foot culde-sac which will have two fire hydrants. The 12-in line itself is a transmission line um in carbon coal road and we there was one fire hydrant put in in the carbon coal road but eventually as development occurs we anticipate the ry to be ran laterally north and south and then fire hydrants be put in. We didn't want to give a lot of access into the line as you know because potentially who knows what happens.

You want your uh hydrants on your distribution system not really any transmission. Okay. I'd like to make a motion. Anybody done? Yes. Make a motion for to approve the recommendation award for the bid number ITB 2609 to HO construction incorporated for the city GP carbon McKinley County Industrial Park Waterline. Second. Councelor Molina. Yes. Councelor Piano. Yes. Councelor Garcia. Yes. Councelor Gazy. Yes. Mayor Depali. Yes. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, council. Thank you. Thank you again. Yeah.

Um the next item number four is the future of the Lexington Hotel. Um and today Marcus Largo is going to give us an update and I'm sure Frank will have some additional opinions.

Good evening. Um Mr. Mayor, uh city council, um executive staff, members in the audience, and those watching online. Um we have uh reached a point in our conversation uh with our insurance uh company who provide coverage for the Lexington Hotel um regarding the structures fate. Um unfortunately uh the events that had uh occurred within the building itself um have uh by recommendation of our contracted engineer uh and those who assessed it from our insurance company uh the adjusters and so forth uh have determined that the cost of repair for the Lexington Hotel would um be pretty substantial um and almost exceeding its uh property volume. Um the recommendation that we received from uh the insurance company um and the engineer was uh to demo the property. Uh however uh it was taken into consideration that that building is a historic building um which would would require extra care uh when making this determination. Um however uh the state of the building again would require some pretty substantial remediation um including uh bracing the foundation, the walls uh and the floors within it. Um some damage had also um had occurred to the building next to it uh which the fund had paid out. Um unfortunately the conversation with the insurance company had come to a stalemate where uh they are um refusing to cover any remediation uh and have only entertained an offer uh to cover demolition of the property. Uh

so we bring you know this information to you uh to request your guidance as to how to best move forward you know with this structure um and how to carry on that conversation with our insurance company. Uh I think it's important to note that, you know, because of the the the nature of the demolition, uh that that cost is going to be anywhere between $750,000 to $1.2 million. Um and the insurance company is only willing to cover $300 uh,000 of that cost. So either way, there's going to be a substantial financial um obligation u that will be had by the city. Um, and with that I stand for any questions.

I'll let Frank explain, but I just want to make sure the insurance company is New Mexico selfinsured. Correct. Okay.

So, um, originally just just due to, you know, we know there's there's issues with how the money came to us. Um, a grant from HUD for low low-inccome housing. Um, we've had some great programs in there. Um but again um the the amount to fix versus demolish um outweighed at that time we were recommending demolish but very fortunate um run into Battern families here in Gallup in in Santa Fe and we were in there at at Santa Fe this last week. um they have some funding for to acquire um design and construct um some property. Um they are asking for more this year. So at this time I would actually like to make the recommendation that we hold for at least 60 days um through U Main Street. Anticipating our letter um coming in. We've got our full application in. We're anticipating our go-ahead letter from Main Street this week. Um, one big component of Main Street is the the preservation of historical buildings and and working on them. So, we'd like to work through through Main Street to find a historical engineer or architect that works on historical properties to come in and look at it. Um, we know we're going to probably have to demolish the complete inside the floor. Right now you can't even stand on the second floor. My weight I would probably go through the floor. Um it's that water done. So so the walls floor have to go through. Um they'll give us a recommendation on how to brace the walls um from the water damage that old rock. Uh, I was very fortunate to be talking with Mark on the history of of some of our downtowns and

how they had shored up the chief theater at one time with the metal shoring inside and then rebuilding the floors um the basement floor and the second floor type. So, we'd like to look at doing something like that to see what the cost would be for this. And then the reason I'm saying 60 days is bad families is going to the legislature asking for more funding this year and they would like to go into partners with the city on um building and and working on that um and then managing a a uh a housing for for their organization within their scope of work and it would be a good partnership.

Mr. Mr. Mayor Better Families is here tonight wanted to come and voice their support for that project. Thank you.

Good evening. Um, I just came from a basketball game. The coach basketball, so we can links one. It's great.

Oh, it's great. Uh well um yeah, we'd like to partner with the city on um building some shelters. Uh ideally the Lexington Hotel would be a great youth shelter just because of the space of the rooms. It wouldn't qualify um under HUD as a family unit shelter. And so we're familiar with we run a housing program with HUD right now. And so we're very familiar with the specifications and the requirements to be able to submit um reimbursement documentation for uh that program. You know, the Lexington Hotel is, you know, a big part of the history of Gallup and I think it would be good to make a little effort to to kind of save it. So, um any questions? I'm here to answer them. What uh excuse me, what are the probabilities of getting money to do that realistically?

Well, I I think at this point we have last year's allocation which was around I think it was 2 million or so. Um and so that we have three years to spend that out. So at this point it's two years left for this year's requests. um depending on how some of the other capital outlay projects have been spending out or uh re uh reverting their funds then we'll have a higher uh return on that. But we do have some support within the legislature to create shelters for the um population that's on the streets. So, we will know at the end of the legislature that final bill comes out.

Good. Great job. You've been working on this for many years and bad together. So, I see this finally coming to fruition. So, I thank you for the effort that you put into it, working hard on it. Uh, would the city be the fiscal agent on this? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. While I was in Santa Fe, I was very fortunate to meet with Secretary Pros um with the uh DFA um and their their lawyer who deals with um the uh cabali.

Oh no, anti-donation stuff. Sorry. I was thinking in kind. It's like in kind don't make sense. So uh and and was very fortunate to meet with them. um he's he's sending me a form that that we can fill out beforehand to show what services they're providing. You know, we don't want to end up in a in a situation like across the street where they work they work very hard to get some direct allocations. It comes in, a fiscal agent bills it and then wants to lease it back at full market rate. And and we don't have to do that with the um the way the laws are set up. It's not considered a donation. I think the best way they explained it to me, anti-donation is not a stop, it's a slow down, make sure you have your documents. So, um, the lawyer there with the FAA who who deals with with the anti-donation wants us to fill work with her, fill out these forms up front beforehand, what services are they providing, um, how many people, the the maintenance, everything that we go through and and then how it reflects how much time do we want to enter into an agreement with them to do this. And then we can factor out and and spread that quote unquote donation over these multiple years to where it's it's not a donation. It it's more of a support us providing the support to them, but then them providing the services to the city and our community and and working it out and and that way there's not a donation and they're not paying $10,000 a month to use the building. Um it works out. It's a win-win for them. It's a win-win for for the city in this case. So I'm I'm I'm very very happy and yeah for reaching out to me catching me let's talk um you know and it was it was great. Um

it the timing was beautiful and you know it was I couldn't ask for better timing and I couldn't ask for a better solution to save potentially save one of our historic buildings. Question. I got a question. I do. Go ahead. No I can save mine. We're down the road. They're not relevant right now, but thank you for I'm excited about the possibilities. Yeah, we we are taking the insurance money, right? That was so insurance money. Then we don't get it, right? We'll get it if we don't. Just a second. That's the only way we'll get insurance money if we demo it. Okay,

let me make a couple of basic points. We're we're not finished with our insurance company yet. Number one, they have refused to provide us with a copy of the relevant policy. We cannot settle anything with them without the relevant policy document. Number two, in August of 22, they carried this building at a value of 5,274,000 roughly even, not including contents at another 15,000. So, their ultimate exposure on the loss here is probably approaching $6 million. And I mention that because I believe that their denial of coverage on two main events that uh resulted in the loss uh is fairly shaky. I think it can be argued and I think it can be disputed and I don't think we're anywhere close to the end of negotiation with the insurance car. The other thing is this uh the property is encumbered by a declaration which provides that if it is no longer used to house very low income people then we are obligated to repay HUD uh the amount of $400,000 if we demo the property. By definition uh it will no longer be used to house that population. But that declaration will continue to encumber the property which would render the property sa unsalable. So I think that we we really do need for the reasons that all already been must also reasons that I mentioned with respect to insurance to focus our entire effort on obtaining the funding um to rehab the property and keep it in use

because otherwise you're going to be left with a de demolished building. uh potential debt of $400,000 and no way to sell the property.

And I just want to add that we do run a HUD program at this point. Uh state of uh it's a new concept. Uh it is specific to domestic violence. Uh we are we do have a great relationship with the HUD representatives in New Mexico and then the regional division which is in Dallas. So um our legislative congressional legislators are very familiar with the workings of this grant. So um we are having some issues right now's having some issues based on how they've released the RFP which they call a no um that the Trump administration has released that most of the states do not agree with. So, they're in litigation right now, but we are able to um maneuver that and we there's there's a potential solution there.

I have a question. Hey, Emily or Senator, as I like to call you, because I see you everywhere at the legislative session. It's her new name. Um I'm putting into the universe. That might happen one day. I I like coach.

Okay, coach. Okay, I can switch. I can switch. Um yeah, I think this is really cool. a good way to partner, especially with the Lexington. Um, just more like some basic questions. Um, so it sounds like you have a large amount of money from your allowance from previous years, which is great, but it also sounds like this building is in need of major repair. And so, I mean, if you can get the money and you want to I mean, far be it from us to stand your way. I kind of feel like because that's a big project. guys want to make sure that if we are use using as a youth shelter, it's safe and that um you guys feel like you have the mechanism to kind of get it back up to where it needs to be. So, I guess that's kind of a comment question. Um and then I guess this is a kind of a question maybe for Frank and maybe we just don't know because we'll work out the details later. Um do you think it is a win-win? Are we talking about pay still having some sort of rent? Obviously not $10,000 um or anywhere close to that, but like some sort of rent that because I mean this isn't really against better families, but I think we had this discussion earlier with um um the way we rent out space and how we have so many buildings that we're just continually like that we shouldn't be giving our buildings away for free essentially, but you'd be renovating it. So there might be a different kind of thing going there. So I just I mean I don't know. I'm just kind of putting that all out um as to like what that looks like or is that more of a discussion further down the road once the renovations start

again? Again, they'll send us the form. Okay. And in the form tweet, we'll not only put the maintenance, the the services they're providing, the programs, the education. You look at their what their program is. It's it's not just, you know, we're providing just a shelter. it it's so much more for for our community. So, we can take a piece of all of that and put it into the form. Um,

okay. Again, this is the the leading expert in New Mexico on on anti-dilation and we'll send it to him the proposal and he'll go through it and make recommendations of this passes the mustard. This doesn't adjust this or looks beautiful and and then then we have a plan which I like before we get into any types of agreement or accepting any funding or anything. we have everything down on paper ready to go and it's it's a it's a long-term you know again this isn't going to be a one two year we're done you know this will probably be we're talking a lot of money this will probably be an 8 10 15 year type of process and and again slow down take your time take all the time you need to to work through the services and funding out and and we can do it so I think it's a very doable um we've already got a big chunk to to start on it. Um hopefully we can get a little bit more from our insurance and keep pushing for both.

One last thing just to make sure and the city will maintain title of the building. Correct. Yeah. As we as we'll see. Yeah. the way it's so throughout the state um other domestic violence providers um across the state you got Rio Losruses Santa Fe um the way that they've worked it is occasionally well no some of them have given the titles back to the nonprofit and so then that way they're not liable and the nonprofits will provide the insurance themselves so there's no liability on the city other places have just given them $1 lease so whichever ever you guys are comfortable with it works

and and again it's going to be what what the DFA proves to show that it's not a donation and and again as as working towards it there there's going to be a break point where they provided at or more services than the funding came through us were for and at that point you know it's now a mute point sort of like you depreciated a vehicle out there's no value to it well the agreement's valued itself out and it becomes theirs.

One of the the needs here is for a domestic violent shelter, a culturally informed um a a shelter that's sensitive to the needs of the victims and the children. That's the ultimate goal. That's what we need a partner in developing. And that concept, we haven't even started that concept. We have one of three projects. We've completed one project. Um we're going to be adding on the Lexington as a potential fourth and I see that one, you know, be going pretty smoothly. We still have our strong property that, you know, we can rehabilitate and decide a direction for that. We do have um I believe it's 8 acres on Verde Drive that we have a complete concept on. our ability to get funding and support from funders not just New Mexico um is is pretty good. We've got several people on our staff that are familiar with grant writing and managing grants. So, we're able to do that very well. We work with a accounting services out of Albuquerque which making make sure that we're, you know, up to date on all our IRS documents and in compliant. But this is definitely a long-term uh solution. So, uh, we look forward to working with you. Yes.

Thank you. Thank you. Can we develop a motion to So, we want to either make a motion to table it for 60 days or demolish at this point. Vote either vote no demolish or postpone it. I think bumper 60 days to just defer action. That's not a formal table. If you make a formal table, strictly speaking, under Robert's rules, you then have to take the matter back off the table through a second motion, affirmative vote. So, I would recommend just a motion to defer action

for 60 days or just I make a motion to defer action on this item. Second. We'll need a deferment time. Is there a period time period associated with that? 90 days, 60 days. Good. You don't need one. Okay. If you want one for the foreseeable for the foreseeable future. Council Yazi. Yes. Councelor Garcia. Yes. Councelor Piano. Yes. Councilor Molina. Yes. Mayor Nepal. Yes. Mr. Mayor. Thank you everybody for all your participation help on the

um our next item of is the extended extended contract with city attorney and contract for selected legal issues. Um I'm the speaker on this item and the contract for Dave E expires on February 14th 24th uh 2026. He's requested to work until the end of March to ensure ensure a smoother transition with a deputy city attorney. And on the other thing, he has been requested to contract beyond March on issues dealing with the trade port and the Navajo Gallup water supply project. Um you can see the fiscal impact there. I don't know what's our correction to that as it'll

be a little bit less fun. It's actually going to be a little bit more because we're going from the 14th to the 24th. Okay. Um, sorry. No,

the money's already budgeted. My my salary is budgeted through the end of the year. So, so effectively this this saves that element of the budget from essentially uh the 1 of April through the end of June. Um depending on what happens with Erica's position, uh there might be uh some increase in her salary, but at the end of the day, I calculate um an overall budget savings on salary of about $70,000. So for for this for this agenda item, the fiscal impact is a cost. If it's budgeted, that's not a cost. The actual expenditure is a cost and we will be extending the contract x number of days. Even though it was budgeted to the end of the year, it won't be spent. We are spending what do I have? 32 days. It'll actually be 42 days or minus the weekend. So say 40 days. So it'll actually be a fiscal impact of 40 days of salary plus whatever if if the the council wishes to contract the whatever the proposal is for the contract fee will also be a fiscal impact. Um budgeting is not a fiscal impact. The actual expense is

okay. Um Council Molina had to leave for a minute. So I think what we'll do is wait for him to come back. Jeopardy music should recess just so it's not like awkward. Yeah, we can have a fivem minute recess. Is that we can do that now? Yes. That's okay. Thank you.

Sorry guys. Restart the meeting. Um and uh it hasn't. Um so we'll continue the discussion. Yes.

Um for Dave's extension March 31st and Paul. also for contracting separately with the uh with works to work on the trade board of the NAVO Garland. Let me just add one observation to that. Uh we talked about the Jacobs litigation as well. So another litigation that's going on. So, are we talking about two kind of separate things? Um, extending the contract for this next 32 days, but then also on top of that, we're talking about the discussion of extending like a just a buy case contract. I mean, that's those are two separate things, right? Extending till March and Right. So, I just want to clarify that we're talking about two kind of two separate things and we need to discuss one if we want to keep ducks. It's weird talking about you while you're here, but I guess is what it is.

No, I mean I don't like that. It's just weird. Anyway, but yeah, so it's it's are we continuing his contract in March and then are we do we want to look at keeping him on contract for various other specifics? That's what the Yeah, that's what we're doing here. Or we make we make no mo no movement. Oh yeah. And then just end the contract on the 24th. Okay. I just want to have all the options laid out. You know I mean do we want to have some discussion about this?

You said you the contract expires February 24th and but you mention in March it expires. I don't understand it but um sorry if there's confusion u my contract was for three years it commenced uh when I was admitted to practice either on a special basis or a comprehensive basis in the state of New Mexico. You may recall when I was hired I was not licensed in New Mexico.

That occurred on February 24, 2023. So three years means the term date on the contract as it's written is February 24, 2026.

I I'm suggesting and it's up to you guys that to allow for a smoother transition between me and Erica that the contract just be modified to extend out to the end of March. What six weeks max. Um and then again uh at your discretion there's probably a few things I can continue to assist with uh the trade port matter uh Navajo Gallup because of potential conflicts that Eric Erica faces there and the Jacob affiliation that we're involved in. So those would be subjects of any continued representation on a contract basis. We would have to work out the details of that contract and I have no doubt we can we could get that done.

Yeah. I just want to say just to comment more that I think um you've done an excellent job as a city attorney and even in my short time but witnessed before that from further away but in being here I think that it would do us well to accommodate you in this way and basically give whatever you're asking for this time. I would support that. Um, I wish we could keep you on longer, but I understand false. So, no, I I would support this.

My I support this. I adjacent support this. I I support I think having you on till the end of March. In my professional opinion, it would be good so we could have our other attorney, Erica, be up to speed on everything that she needs to be and making sure that, you know, if we're having this succession plan that it's lined down. I think February's end of February is like going to be here before you go. So, I liked extending it. I I'm not sure about the extension of contract work. I It's not against you. I like you as attorney. Um you're sometimes kind of mean, but other than that, I like you.

I'm just kidding. Um I just I I think that in all seriousness, like I have a few concerns. like we had previously um and maybe you can speak to this, but we had previously um been told that we could not contract with certain people once they worked at our city after. And so I just want to um I don't want to set up a a bad precedence that if that was something we had told that I was told by some former employees that they tried to contract with the city and we we said no, we couldn't do that. I'm not sure why we said no. And so now we're saying we would do that. And so I think that sets a bad precedence if that is the case. So I'm I'm a little concerned about that. Um and also I just think I think we I am also concerned that once you contract with someone, you become much more reliant on them than you anticipate. Like you say, well, we're only going to contract with you for this x amount. But you have so much knowledge of the city and your work expertise. I think it's easy to go down a slippery slope with contract people because it's like well it's I have this much time. It's like okay but actually we need and then it's just like we just never cut ties because we're just always relying on you and I worry about that slippery slope. So those are some of the real reasons and I just want to address those.

Well, let me address the first observation. I'm aware of no impediment to working on a contract basis post employment. I am aware that there can be problems with parah if you're re-employed post employment. If you quit or retire or otherwise leave employment and then attempt to be re-employed there can be a problem with per there. Uh but I'm not aware of any prohibition or inhibition on on a you know a post uh contract

employment contract. Now as the second concern uh lawyers work at the pleasure of the client. Uh the client has an absolute right unfettered unconditioned unqualified to fire a lawyer at any time for any reason or none. Uh I made that clear when I began this job that that was your right. Uh I'll reiterate it. So to the extent there's a concern that I'm hanging on post employment or you no longer need my services post employment, you just have to say you're fired. Um or we've terminated the contract. Uh so you have that authority. I I understand the some of the you know

more contextual problems that can occur. It would be, believe me, it's not my desire to continue practicing law until I drop dead. Uh, it would be my intent to transfer this work

to your in-house people, Erica, if you have another deputy with Erica, uh, over time. It's just right now given the subject matter, the potential conflict, and everything else that's going on, I think that would it would be unwise to leave all of that with Erica along with everything else that she is trying to uh you know become um familiar with and and steeped in. So, it's not intended to the post-employment thing is not intended to be permanent by any stretch in the imagination. Frankly, I would appreciate it if it was far less than permanent, but it's something I believe and I'm suggesting would be in the city's interest uh given my knowledge, given my participation, and and given the transition period that we're in.

Okay. In in reference to Sarah's question real quick, can we have Marcus talk? I I I'm still learning Pah. Um I I was ERB, the sister fund, the steps sister fund. It wasn't pay more in, get less out. Um but but with ERB we we had several cases where superintendants retired then came back and contracted with the school district to do the same job and some of them even went through a secondary co-op agency to do it and there were some huge lawsuits in the state of New Mexico. I I don't know how PARA works and Patty and and Marcus are are better off speaking to that, but I I just saw this um CDES had a big issue with it. Um had a superintendent in Komado retire and then went and became superintendent reserve on a contract basis through the co-op.

And we had others who who retired and then the district just hired them back. Well, we're going to keep you for one more year on a contract basis. And Paris said no. So that that's that's just a concern that if one of those two could address because I don't know the answer or both of you.

Uh good evening again Mr. Mayor Councel. Um Mr. City Manager to uh address your concern. Um you are correct in that uh we would have to report the continued employment um of Mr. Een to Perah. Um and it would be up to them to determine whether or not he can continue to accumulate service um from the date that he left uh depending on the contract itself. Um however, you know, with respect to the ERB and the PAR designation, there are two state funded retirement programs. One's educational, the other is governmental. Um and and it somehow it's been allowed that a retired ERB can return to work for a parah organization uh and continue to get credit for that um service. Uh however again you know it would have to be reported per

so so

so if you retire under ERB or you retire under parah they are they have a reciprocal agreement to where counting your service your payout they kind of work together as one with their own individual calculation kind of a a complex thing. If you retire under one, you cannot work under either one in that same type of thing in that same employment and draw your money. You can if you're retired under one, you could go to the other side like like he's done here. He is an ERB retirey. He I think he's drawing his thing. He is ineligible to participate in PAR when he got here, but he could not have gone back to the schools and done similar work because he's a retiree. So we do have a potential issue with Mr. Een with Parah and then him trying to come back to work under that same status. Same type of work, different status. It's it's it's like we're trying to pull a fast one in their eyes. I don't think have that happen. So we would have to work with them to see and report it to see if it's if it's an issue. Um, I've also reached out to our uh um auditors because we we one of the first questions they ask on their PBC list every year is we need a list of everybody that's gotten a W2 and a 1099 because we got in trouble a few years ago.

We had employees doing two types of workforce. One is an employee and one is contract labor and it got us in a in a world of hurt. So the basic that there's a lot of rules that IRS has in place that we would have to make sure we're abiding by in order for this to work and and it gets it's a little bit tricky and it's complex and we would have to proceed very very cautiously but um if we cause issues with parrot it's it's going to be the big problem for us or on the on the other side either one. Now we've got two weeks before the final day of his contract. Well, we can extend.

Can you get us Can you get us that information?

So, so there there's I think what she brought up earlier is there's two pieces here tonight. So, if you want to talk about just the contract and separate them out, I don't know what Al has to tell me you're allowed to do that or tell you if you're allowed to do that. But then in that meantime, um, in order to research this, I think we would both need to have a better understanding of what's being proposed because the other piece of it is on the purchasing side is are we skirting an RFP process or is there a justifiable way to not be doing RFP process for these services because we do currently have attorneys that have been on contract with the Navajo Navajo Gallup project for many, many years. And um we also, you know, it's it's it's just not as cut and dry as we would like it to be, but if we could get the specifics, then we could do the research for the see for for the continuity uh contract proposal. So, so the the contract as it is extended is different than contract as like a 1099 vendor. They're they're two different things, two different types of things. If we extend, let me just saying this out loud like if we extend the contract the beginning of this to March where say the end of March whatever the recommendation was and then don't take steps currently on the contractual basis because we and then we leave us more time too for you guys to look well and also maybe for the council at some point to have a discussion a broader discussion of like what are those needs? Do do we actually need someone on contract? um like whether it's Dave or anyone else, do we need another contract person past March? Um and also then like is it legal with PA and all of these questions that are coming up? Um but at least if he was extended till March, he'd be able to help with those things and we'd have more time to get some of those questions answered because he'd still be on full-time staff during that time. I don't know. Those are just some

thoughts. Any more questions?

No, I just got a comment. Um Dave's been a hell of an attorney. He's got us through a lot of stuff. Uh the annexation, big big big job. Uh Navo Gallop water uh project, man. When I when I have a problem, when I have a problem and I first thing I think of is Dave, the junkyard dog, man, he's going to get after it and he's going to fight fight for us. and uh it's a pleasant thing to have at your clo at your fingertips. Having said that, Dave, you're the only older person in this room besides me. You're older than I am. I uh

I'm I'm uh thinking it might Yeah, it is. It might be might be time to think about retiring and I know you are. Um, but uh we'll figure that part out. And uh the other thing is um I've not held this back from anybody, but I got a bad taste for attorneys. I got two attorneys that I I like. One of them is in Berlin and the other one's sitting right there. Well, that's nice. Thank you. That's all I got. you know, and I I uh Oh, go ahead.

Well, just to add some context to really what we're thinking and in terms of going forward, and I won't take offense that I'm not one of the two. Sorry, specifically Gallup. Obviously, my potential conflicts coming over for the Navajo Nation. I think the cost camp

creates tremendous certainty that we didn't have before. So, we're sort of seeing the light at the end of that tunnel. There's some finality coming that way. Um the trade port authority, they're going through rulemaking. Dave is obviously more familiar with that statute, with the annexation, with the purpose of the trade port authority. He's been sitting on that board. That is also going to be seeing some finality once that committee gets going and the state actually knows how they're going to operate trade ports maybe. But, you know, we'll see some finality on that end. The Jacobs litigation, we're right in the middle of motions practice on subject matter jurisdiction. The court will either say it's going to be in federal court or send it back to state court. We have a litigation plan for that for whether wherever that's going to be. We have our outside counsel on that for litigation. Was there something else I missed?

Do you feel that Erica that do you feel up to I mean it seems like you feel up to speed. Yeah. Yeah. Like up to speed and all those things to confidently handle these matters on my own.

Yeah, sure. But timewise um there's only certain hours in the day and as you guys know there's plenty of stuff that comes through our office regularly in terms of the routine. But I think um you know with with litigation there's also getting off we're both council of record. There's just some other minations that having additional time while we find those points would be helpful in terms of the the transition and making sure that we don't um lose any legal services. I will also say that our outside council for prosecutions and municipal court is also closer to retirement than I am. We don't know what his succession plan is in terms of resource management, what's coming through the office. Um I would ask the council would consider the things we're working on and the things that we've identified um and are recommending in terms of Dave staying on for those issues.

Well, thank you Erica. Appreciate it. Um, you know, Daven, it's you've done wonders for the city and the $76 million cap cost, the stuff you've done with the annexation, all the stuff you done with the Naval Gallup. We really appreciate it. I think it's wonderful. I

But, you know, I I I think with Erica, um, you know, it's it's time to move on. I I think it's it's time that we can move on. We have the Winter Law Firm to help with Navo Gout. They've been familiar with it for probably the last 20 years. Uh we have in case been they have access to John Uten. We have our water rights attorneys ready to go. Lyn Isacson for all of our prosecutions. Um, and then of course Juan Flores and his crew with RF Jacobs lawsuit, you know, and extending the contract is always uh to me seems to be a problem to uh I mean contract for cyber services when there's RFP processes and we have uh lawyer people already in place always seem to be difficult. Um, so I like I said, I appreciate all the work you've done and I just can't support either the extended contract or uh the your contract date or requesting any more sub contract work beyond the beyond beyond what you're doing right now. But that would be the Drakeport, NAVO, Gallup or the Jacobs lawsuit. I think we're I think we got plenty of people in and I think we can take care of those. Is it an option to extend the full-time contract to the end of March and then perhaps do interended contract for part-time work

to avoid the um PAR stuff that the going into the 99 status stuff just to make it simpler rather than contracting to change the contract

um offer a new contract from that point in time to like a 5 hour 10 hour a week or just kind of a different type of contract timewise for the next through the end of the fiscal year maybe or like we could discuss that part but I it does seem important to keep with the extension for one more month at this time just to allow for that. I'm good with the extension of one more month and then revisiting the second part later because I don't think we can really vote on that second part just because we don't because we do have to we just legally I would think we need to check with PRA and do we need to send an RFP and just things like that right so it might be helpful to not vote on that just so we don't get ourselves in trouble and then if that's something we want to revisit later but I'm I'm just speaking for myself but I would be okay with extending to March just to make sure that everything and then knowing like that's the end and we haven't done you know I don't know that I'm just throwing that out there.

Yeah. It also leaves us the option that we might decide it's not necessary to an additional contract at that point. Yeah. Yeah. I want to make a statement. I before I continue on, David, you just you came in at the right time for the city and you did an excellent job with us and so many like they say the annation modified one um so many things that you did for the city. Um we worked you to

we worked and I thank you for that so very much and and I'll forever be grateful for you for what you do to the city. Uh what I wanted to say I I I can see um uh extending to the end of March for a smoother transition for a deputy city clerk because you know you spoke highly of her and I've seen her and I I know her confidence and uh I think that she's able to go right into once this contract it ends in March and this transition is done and I think it should end at that point. I don't think we need to investigate. I don't think that Do we have to make a motion?

Oh, yeah. Okay. Thank you. Are we motioning tonight to make this or we was this just more discussion? I guess I got a little confus. I mean, council consider and act on request.

Yeah, we make a motion. Um I make a motion to uh extend uh I believe um the employment with Mr. Davy Don until the end of March for a smoother transition of the deputy city attorney and um that's it. No contract that way. Second. Councelor Garcia, yes. Councelor Piano, yes. Councelor Molina,

can I hear that again, please? Uh, Al, you may repeat the motion. I the motion to extend the appointment to for Mr. Dave B are planning to the end of March as he requested for a smoother transition with a deputy city clerk and no contract. Yes. No. Councelor Jazzy. Yes. Mayor D. No. Motion carries. No, we're not. Tasted.

Yeah. Yeah. Uh what the what is going to be held at the contracts extended to 31st and no contract? No separate contract approved. There's no action on the on the separate contract. No actions. Thank you.

Okay. With that, um you wait to have comments, mayor and council. Thank you very much. Um, one of the things we want to make sure clear and and and uh Frank's going to expand on this a little bit more is when we talked to the governor about getting assistance from the state police and from potentially the um National Guard, they had they would have certain roles. They wouldn't be out with their rifles rounding people up or anything like that. They would be more administrative that that they could help with to do those those roles. Um, we want to make sure that that that people understand that Frank can explain more on that. But the whole trip to Santa Fe, you know, it there was some good points that, you know, it was long and tedious. We met with a lot of people trying to get money for different projects and hopefully we hopefully we can um and with that I'll pass it on to Sia if you have any comments or anything.

Sure. Yeah, just a couple things, commendations. I wanted to commend um Keegan Mackenzie Chavez and her team for a great outcome at the community meet and greet. Great. Yes. On the 30th. That was really fun and I was really impressed with the outcome of that event and I look forward to the upcoming events. When is that? That's what that's coming up right.

The next one is um February 18th and that will be the electric department, the public works department and That one's earlier, right? 3:30, I think. I saw that. It's 5:30 to 6:30. The next one will be I think for the next six um to try some different times. Yeah. So, it's 5:30 to 6:30 on February. Same place. So, Wednesday. Same place. It's a Wednesday. And just three departments. Great. But they'll bring their sub department electric public works and develops

and planning I always say planning and zoning but it's planning and development planning. And then um just also was really good to see the widespread support for Gallup and McKinley County efforts the capital last week. I did not make it into any of the pictures that got posted anywhere, but I was there. I promise you. We saw you. We saw you

you guys because I I was there. I was around. I often found myself in the gallery when you guys were other places but um that was a wonderful um series of events and my first time being part of that. So it was really lovely and I also got to connect with some of the tribal council members and representatives that were there on the same day. So that was really um nice too and hopefully we'll get to do some more partnering with those other governments. Yeah. Um, and that was all from me. Anybody else?

Um, no. I just said most uh Sarah and I were on a mission. We also met with representatives, all representatives and they and it was a great outcome. So, we had some good representation for the city of Gallup and we're selling Gallup really well. So, and also Ron and I, councelor Ron and I and others with Roswell. We invited them to our county uh the county where they're going to have their what is it conference.

So, they said keep them in mind center cards. They're coming down to Gallup. They were so happy about the events that are coming out. So, yeah. And um I just want to say on Friday is senior day. Dave, thank you. Thank you, counselor. Day at the at the at the roundhouse. So, senior citizens will be going on a bus. I will be traveling with them on a bus. We made arrangements and uh Senator uh Pinto, Representative Wanda Johnson, and Lester will be there and seniors love that. So, I just want to say we're very genius with the seniors. Well, love that.

I always have comments, mayor. So, I'll just go ahead and go. Um, first of all, happy Valentine's Day. I know I didn't used to think this was a real holiday either, and now here I am wearing all my hearts. So, just want to say go out with your loved ones this weekend or go by yourself. No judgment. Um, also, I rarely I'm on a roll tonight. I'm in a Yeah. And go with your friends, right? Like, so I rarely do this, but he left. So, I'm really sad, but he was here the whole time, I think. But Robert Hamlin, if you're listening, um I want to give him kudos because I had an issue in my district. And um you know, I'm never really there when directors are having to speak to unhappy people. Like they're unhappy with me and then they're unhappy with the director, but we're not usually there together. And um it involved a speed hump. Um that was it was placed at a not a great place that people were not happy about. And so they called me and they're pretty frustrated and I called Robert and he went up there and he talked to them and then he gave me an update and I spoke with the people after and they said that guy that that you sent up there, the director, he was really great and he was so calm and he just let she said my husband was so mad but he was just so professional. He just let him rant rant and rave and then he and then he he really he just really addressed our concerns even though it couldn't change and and this is not coming from me. This is coming from the people that were mad. They just said he just really did a great and I was like I just wanted to give him a shout out and then he left. So I'm sorry Robert Hopefully I'll I'll write you a note too. But I just thought that was so impressive to hear. It is such a skill set to deal with upset people in a super professional manner in which you also don't get upset because our natural instinct is to become very reactive and be like you know what and he just didn't he just has and I've heard this from other people he just stays so calm and I just imagine that must be so difficult with the amount of road complaints we get so I just want to give him a special

shout out um for doing that so that's great um yeah and then I think um just echo every what everyone else said, um, appreciate everyone's hard work of just really and and appreciate our senators and reps, right? They're also doing a lot of work to support our community and I know they're hearing from so many people on a daily basis to ask for money and we do genuinely appreciate the support that we get from our senators and representatives because it is so important to our community. Um, and it's important that we as a council are a collective body that comes together and has priorities and says this is what we really need. So, I really appreciate my fellow council men and women and our staff. I just think it's so important that we have a united front and I really felt like um there was just some great networking going on at the capital. So, um yeah, I just echo that. And then I don't know, maybe Frank is going to say this, so I'm sorry, but also guys, it's also Frank's birthday tomorrow and he now can go to the senior center apparently. That's what he said. But he's those are his words, not mine. Um, so we should probably sing him happy birthday after the mayor makes his comments. I'm just throwing it out there.

I actually did the first ones. Now we Now we got Linda. Oh, okay. You were the first one. Okay. So, we can sing happy birthday. Okay. She said her. So, so I'd like to just expand a little bit. Um, you know, when we met with the governor, she she brought up the state of emergency that she did in Albuquerque and it's not working in Albuquerque because um

you can't get a lasso around it when it's so far gone. Um, she also told us that, you know, they deployed to Espanola. Espanola said, "No, we don't want you." But the tribes around Espanola said the amount of drugs, the amount of violent crime was rising. They needed help. So, so she did it for the for the tribal entities around Espanola because again just because Espanola is not tribal land that that is their their commerce center and and they were seeing it. Um when the National Guard comes in as as Mayor Depali said, they take a background role, they take an administrative role, they they help with logistics. You know, she also brings in the state police. The state police can do patrols for us. Um be wonderful to see more state police in Gallup because we have how many state roads? Boardman.

Yes.

Mexico 118 second street. Well 602 491 Maloney. We have a lot that you know bring them in, let them patrol. That frees up officers for our chief and deputy chief our administration to put elsewhere. They can do second drug task force. They can do um ditch patrol type things where they're they're going through the the um transient camps where we're starting to see more weapons. Then the National Guard can do the um logistics, the the radio, the that kind of stuff. They will not participate whatsoever in arrests, in active patrolling, those type of things. They're they're there to do our our administrative roles, to free up our officers to do more. Um, let the state police respond to accidents. Um, those type of things. I mean, you don't know it, but you know, when an accident happens between mile marker 16 and 26, that's taken four or five of our police off the street onto the highway to do traffic patrol to to keep our fire department safe on on traffic patrol to, you know, help with the scene, to do the investigation, those type of things. And and then the rest of the town is going neglected for that law enforcement. And and you know, I've seen a number of in in the county, I see a number of fake calls, and I honestly think they're calling county to to one area so they can do their crime sprees in a different area. Those type of things. So, you know, our our people see that our are our our criminals are pretty damn smart. They're they're street smart. They might not be books smart, they're street smart. They they know how to get around things. Um you see a lot of them now not carrying IDs. uh riding bicycles instead of driving cars so they can't get the

moving violation to then possibly be caught or or pulled over. So, you know, when when we talk about doing that, we're we're talking about bringing resources in to make our community safer and and yes, I still feel Gallop is pretty small town, somewhat safe. I I feel comfortable in a lot of situations, but at the same time, my my daughter will not go to to certain plazas after dark. You know, she would like to run to Walmart after dark and shop, but she's not going to. Um, we're changing our our quality of life because of what's going on with crime. And and this is a way to start reigning it in. So, we're not doing it to federally bust a race of people or a group of people or harass or abuse. We're we're doing it in a system to give our law enforcement officers more resources to do their job and and and get better results. We know we're thin. We know they're doing a great job with what little they have. um this is a way to maybe get us over that hump. So when we're going to talk after the session with the um Mr. Baker who's the secretary of safety for the state of New Mexico, the state police chief, the colonel of the National Guard. Um we want our chief, both chiefs, our red chief and our blue chief, fire and police.

Uh we want them both at the table. um and and to to have these discussions of what can we do again to get a better handle on on what's happening to stop the stabbings. Lord knows we need help with fentinel. Lord knows we need help with fentinol. So these these are the type of things we're doing and and like to say we didn't go up there searching for it. We went up there searching saying we need help. They're actually just asking, we'd like to see more state police doing more on the highway and on the state roads. And it turned into more of the governor reaching to us saying, "How can I help you? I hear you. What can what can I do?" And this was her potential solution. So, um, more to possibly come. And of course, it'll be a full discussion with council before we do anything with with our law enforcement, fire department, and and and everybody weighing in on what's best for Gallup. That's that's what we're here for.

That's right.

Well, two things. First, I I very much appreciate all the kinds. that needs a lot of support. Second, since we're talking about law enforcement, which is something presumably I know about, um I would suggest to you your biggest problem here is the lack of a DA. You haven't had a DA in this town for five or six years. You cannot credibly effectively enforce any criminal law, any statute, any public safety measure. If you don't have a vital, vigorous, intelligent, and knowledgeable district attorney backed up by a well financed, active staff, I would suggest that we take a deep breath here. I would suggest that we see Ms. Martin removed from office, which I am confident will occur in early March. And I would suggest that uh some time be given to the reconstitution of the district attorney's office here and to the effectiveness of that office before uh thought is given to calling in in one form or another the National Guard. And I say that for the primary reason that I believe that is a very drastic step. It will be viewed a scance to say the least by people who wish to visit this community to spend time here to invest here to bring families here to grow or create businesses here. I think it will be very

bad for economic development. And if I can speak in moral terms, I think it's a confession of defeat. Uh it is extraordinary extraordinary for the chief executive officer of any state to call out and deploy the National Guard to a community over a problem like this. And before it's done, I would be very cautious. I think all stakeholders involved in the matter need to be sounded out. I think the chief judge of the district court needs to be uh sounded out on this. I think the current acting DA needs to be sounded out on this. I would act very cautiously in this regard. Those are my two cents worth on that. Thank you,

Dave. When we were at meeting with the governor, she requested that we write letters to one of the justices. Did you write that down? What was that? I I asked I asked the chief to the justice of the Supreme Court or No, she the governor said that we she wanted us to write letters. she's she's seeking more funding to to train the judges uh th those type of things. So, I did ask the the chief of staff the next day Yeah.

to to please send us the talking points on on what they're looking for because again, if the governor's reaching out to help us, I think reciprocal, we should be reaching out to help her. And I think training for our our judges, um training for our district attorneys, um is vital. Um uh the more that they can put in for professional development to strengthen our courts, um of course be nice if Santa Fe would strengthen our laws. Sorry, I'm not going to be political, am I? Uh but if they can strengthen our courts and and what we're doing, um that would be a big help. So, I did ask the chief of staff to to send me the information, the talking point, so I could bring it to council because again, it's going to be a letter from Gallup. Um, it's not going to be a letter from the city manager. It's going to be a letter from from Gallup itself. So, we'll bring those talking points and see which ones that you all agree with and and how can we support the governor and getting better training for our judicial system.

Thank you for that explanation. And remember, she was asking for something. I just wasn't too sure what she was asking for. The the courts can always use more money. There's no question to that. And you've got some people on the bench in any number of places who probably shouldn't be there. But I would emphasize again, you cannot enforce the law without a district attorney. It's that simple. And you don't have one. Yeah. Thank you everybody. Motion to adjourn. There's something else we have. I haven't You haven't offered me a comment my comments yet, buddy.

Just kidding. I thought you I'm probably not going to be the popular person here, but I'm going to tell you something.

Uh, district attorney, we know we have a problem there. The biggest problem we've got in Gallup is we haven't done anything. Time is very crucial. When I say we haven't done anything, we haven't done anything big to stop this problem. Um, we talked, we decided we want to bring the state police in and we asked and it was given to us. How many? We don't know, but uh, we'll find out when the time comes. I am on board for bringing the National Guard in. Uh, Frank told you guys it's not. They're not going to come with guns. They're not going to come with I don't even think they're bringing uniforms, you know, military uniforms are coming, however they're coming, but they're going to come and help us in other areas where we can relieve our police department from what they have to do on a daily basis where we need and we need them out on patrol. Uh we just had one of our officers stabbed. And the problem is if we don't do something, yeah, the DA that place will get fixed in time, but we can't wait. We have got to start patrolling. We've got to start doing something proactive. The drugs, uh, they are taking over this town. It's been an ongoing thing. And I am dead set on bringing the National Guard in. Now to the public, if you can find another way to fix our problem, I'm I can I can change my mind. But until somebody comes and gives me a reason, a better way to control the drug problem here in Gallup, uh I'm all for it. But right now, this National Guard thing is, uh is a big thing in my mind. Uh, it's

going to help. We have an open door here in Gallop for all the druggies. Chief, the the the villains, where are they coming from? Um, I will let you finish, sir, and then I would like

Okay. Good, good, good, good, good. We're we're we're we're having uh we're having uh people coming in from all over the state because they all know that Gallup is an easy place to do drugs and sell drugs and do our thing, you know. So, we have to do something. Uh that's my comment. Now, before I go any further, Keegan, thank you for what you did with those public meetings. I've told you several times when I first heard of it

when it came out of your and Frank's mouth, I said, "Wow, that's amazing." And it was. And it was. Thank you for that. Okay. Also, uh, you talked about Robert Hamlin. Uh, his crew was up there, Metour, cutting weeds and everything else cleaning up a bunch of bunch of crap, you know. Thank you, Robert. Uh,

you wouldn't open the door. Anyway, uh, uh, in closing, I'd like to say we need some drastic steps to take care of this drug problem. I've got grandchildren here that I don't need them growing up in that type of environment. Uh, last thing. I haven't forgotten you owe me 20 bucks, Sarah. Oh my god. Off the record now. Thank you. One more. It's Vince Alonzo's birthday tomorrow. No. See you guys. Yeah. I That just makes me feel better because then I know I'm in better company than I I thought I was.

Oh, it's your birthday. Yeah. Thank Thank you, Mr. Welch, for sending that to me. Happy birthday, Vance. You're a great man. Happy birthday, V. I'd like to call on Deputy Chief,

Mayor, City Council, uh staff. So, I'm I'm hearing some of your comments uh that are being made. I'm not going to speak on uh whether I am a for or I'm against the National Guard. I think that should be uh done in a private setting. Um, what I do want you all to know and I want the public to know that we are proactive. Um, our men and women are dedicated to this community. Um, they do great things for this community. Things that you guys probably don't see. Um, they don't spend no time at home with their families, vacations, uh, they get called in court, um, multiple days at court. They have no days off. So, I what I want what I would like to make sure that I emphasize to you all and the community is that we're going above and beyond um that what we should be for the amount of people, the personnel that we have. Um do I think that the New Mexico State Police should uh be uh assisting us? Yeah, they're they're the state police. So, um you know, Gallup falls within the state and it falls within McKinley County. So, I have no idea um why they don't take calls for service in our area. That's that's probably something that should be asked. Um but we, you know, we rarely um ask them for assistance only in things such as officer involved shootings, uh major traffic collisions that happen uh on the interstate, which there was anou in place that they were supposed to be handling deaths on the interstate, which the Gallup Police Department are still handling them. Um, and so I'm not I'm not trying to to say that they're doing a horrible job, but I want you all to know that our dedication of our task force, um, our drug task force is is amazing. I can't help it that we arrest the same 20 or 30 people all the time for drugrelated offenses and two days

later they're out doing it again. Um, I I wish I could. Um, if you all have any clout, go and and and tell them something about the Bell Reform Act. Uh, the Bell Reform Act, I don't think people understood what they were voting for. They do.

And it's an in-n-out. It's it it serves law enforcement no purpose. Um, and so, um, I just want to make sure that the community understands if you do something bad, like we will investigate those crimes and and we will take action. um our men and women of the Gallup Police Department do an incredible job um for the amount that we have. The other part of this is is some of the competitive pay plans that other places have. I mean, we can't compete with that. Um if the Mexico State Police gets another raise, I guarantee you we're going to lose three or four more of our police officers to the Mexico State Police. Why would you stay and work here when you can go there and maybe get a tool number back here in Gallup and and make seven or eight or $10 more an hour?

So, I mean guys, like I I understand and I hear your your complaints, but I do want you to understand that me and the chief are doing trying to do the best job that we can operational and and I have family and I have kids that are embedded in this community. So, there's I I have I mean, I was born and raised in Gallup. I have I I want to be here and we want to to make sure that that we constitutionally um do our job. I mean, we have to we have to do our job constitutionally. We have to only do it by the state of uh by the statute, the ordinances that we can do. We do get frustrated when when judges um let people out. Uh they kill they they they kill somebody and they're back out on the street uh in two years. Like that's frustrating for us. but we stay positive and we do our job with what we have. So, I just want to make sure that you all understand and the community understands that we're there. We're doing proactive things and and we're going to be here. So, thank you.

You know, police department has a heart. I worked with the police department alongside for a little over 25 years and I seen the dedication to the chief of police administration and police officers and you said it loudly and you said it right that you are committed and I know some of the officers when the morale gets so low because you know you make the arrest with the same person time after time after time but you make that arrest knowing that these judges their hands are tied off so they have to let them out with this new law and um and you're right, we all need to get back to Santa Fe to legislation and and change these laws for our officers, for our cities because uh the job that you do is endless. I've seen that. I've seen the paperwork that you that I had to do for you all just on on on some of the arrest hours and hours just for one arrest that that takes you off the street. So, we're doing this because of that. We are doing this because you need the help. We want to help our city by helping you. You are doing everything you have to do. And we want you to be with your families, deputy chief. We want you, Chief. I think you're doing an excellent over beyond work. And Gallup is proud to have you there as our chief and our deputy chief and our police officers. And I back you up a thousand% each and every time. and whatever you need, we have to go back to the table and get some more incentives for you to get to for officers to stay. By God, we will do it because we're here to we heard you.

Thank you. And chief, it it's not a complaint against the police department. Yes. No. It's a cry for help. We know we're short staffed because of the pay issue when when they gave the state police these huge raises. It's tough. and then took duties away from them in the local areas. It it made it more difficult for you just to recruit and do your job. And then on top of that, we're not a town of 22,000. That's correct. We're a town of 70 to 110,000 depending on the day.

133 in that last story. And yeah, and and when when you're doing the job with with a police force of 22,000 short staffed and we're now bringing in the crim criminal element because of the DA's office and and all these other things. When we asked for help, we mainly went for ask for help with the state police more presence doing more here. It it was an ask for help. it wasn't a criticism of our our police department because I know you guys are working your ass off and and we we want to be committed and stand behind you and that's why we want to ask for this help and that's why we want you and the fire department to be at that table when we're looking for solutions with the state folks.

Thank you. Yeah. Do you understand? No complaints. We're fully I I understand. I just want the the the community and the citizens to understand that we we are out there and we're doing our job and um and if they have issues, they can come to the police department and talk with us. We have an open door policy um that if you have suggestions or you have complaints, please come to us. I mean, that's that's how we sometimes find solutions. Okay. Thank you.

Yes. Mayor Council, thank you for allowing me to step up here. Um, Erin Tolina Pablo, the police chief of the Gallup Police Department. I just want to I'm grateful for to have um Deputy Chief Padavich next to my side to be able to advocate also for our men and women of the Gallup Police Department, but I sit here in the audience just hearing the conversations that are happening and none of the Gallup Police Department was at the table in discussion of this matter of speaking with the governor as far as issues with crime. Um and and I I I just think that um how it was being portrayed earlier was honestly I felt like I was being slapped in the face of the Gallant Police Department earlier. But I I I do want you guys to know that um we we did provide um stats here for for everyone. And I this is actually kind of response to what we're doing and the information that is getting out to the public. We try our best to get out positive news of what we're doing. Um, I know everything that everyone sees is negative on Facebook of what we're as far as crime. We're highlighting what we're taking what we're taking into jail, what the things that we are doing. But I think the positiveness of the Gallup Police Department is we are a part of the community. We, you know, we're doing a lot out there and we want to highlight that because we're the ones that are going to pave our story for ourselves and no one else is going to tell it. But I just want to um let you know that this is out there and we are open to anyone who wants to come and talk about stats or what's the problem or how is this working. Um we're busy, but we will make time to meet with those um and also to the public. Um but I I do want to put this out um and somehow we're going to get this big old um presentation out on Facebook. Somehow we'll do that, but we'll get those numbers out. But I just want you to know that I did provide those um for all of you guys there and I appreciate all the work that you guys are doing for us and to hear the support because our officers do need that and it

is frustrating but I'm glad to have that to hear that you guys have um our back um 100%. But thank you guys very much for the time. Thank you. Chief, I just had a comment and I don't know if this is even possible, but um with Keegan setting up kind of the and you guys are busy and this I don't want it to be a waste of your time, but with Keegan setting up kind of the meet and greet, it would be great at some point if we could figure out um a way to have some sort of meet and greet with maybe with like fire and and PD. Um we Yeah, we already talking about it. They were there.

People were there. Oh, we were there. And then also I know that we weren't highlighted as far as when, but Moon and Keegan were talking about that. And as you know, we do national night out and that's kind of to her summer stuff coming on up. So that's a lot of the things that we do and also for our hiring. So we are in the process of doing that. We were just kind of seeing how do we highlight it like a public safety with um yeah fire and also EMS. But yeah, that's okay. Good. Good. I just the first six months because I know how busy you guys are. I wasn't sure a good time. Yeah, we talked in Yeah, we'll do it probably, let's see, August to

Yeah, kind of around when we usually do it for like the ceremonial, we try to highlight our PD and then National Night Out. We wanted to host our own um at the PD. So, but yeah. Yeah, we're doing Okay, awesome. I love the idea. I mean, I think um just to echo some of the comments that were made on on PD, I mean, I feel I feel two ways, and this isn't about the National Guard at all, actually. This is just about um what deputy chief said you know I think people a lot of people don't have good understand oh chief

oh I I think people don't have understanding of qualified immunity be being taken away they don't have an understanding of a bail and catch and release they don't understanding of the courts and all those things truly impacted and as you know I have a brother who's a chief of police in the state and um I often have conversations with him and he's like you know no one wants to be a cop like you can pay them It's it's like you can pay them more and more and more and all of the things that they have to go to through and their families, they just don't want to be a cop anymore. And so having these retention bonuses from the state are helpful, but it is so difficult. And so I think what I want to see is just like working with the PD because we do need solutions though, right? Because I can't keep telling people that we're understaffed for 12 years now. That may be true, but I can't that can't be the answer that we provide,

right? So like I think having solutions with all those difficulties and figuring out how do we help each other? How do we help you? Because I mean I think that's what you want, that's what we want. So I just want to echo some of that and and recognize that you know those things have made this job incredibly more difficult over the years. Yeah. I I just want to say that um being in Santa Fe and asking to be to testify in some of these bills that are happening is really important because when those bills were brought up um they never involved the association of chiefs of police to go testify on these but they are open to that and we are um showing our faces there and our uniforms um in in these hearings. So we are going to advocate for those now. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you so much everybody. Um motion to adjourn. Motion to a second. Motion to second. Councelor Molino. Yes. Councelor Piano. Yes. Councelor Garcia. Yes. Councilor Yazi. Yes. Mayor Deal. No. Yes. You're now in the index.