City Council - Regular Meeting

reminded our pardon after we do the approval of the agenda. the first out. Okay. Okay. So, we've got a quorum, a roll call determine. We have a quorum. We've done the pledge. Now, we have for approval of the agenda. Councilman form.

Thank you, Mr. P. Got a couple of changes we need to make. Item four of the consent agenda need to be pulled off and we're going to put it immediately under new business. Call it number four and also item 15 under leases. Uh also put it second after number four in the back.

Where are we moving into? that 23 A and B after she wanted. So the order of the agenda will be um you'll do item 23 and then you'll do 24 I'm sorry 23 4 15 24 4 15 and then 25. Go ahead.

I got a question for city. You and I have discussed about item number 24. Mr. Mayor, uh, Mr. Mayor, the that one is properly moved at when when it hits the agenda. Thank you.

Thank you, council. M Mr. Mayor, we got one more correction. The uh order of business indicated that we're supposed to have on the agenda opportunity for city council members to discuss u any items that could be considered at a later date. And I would put that just above the city manager. with that changes adoption of the agenda as amended.

So that would be item 32A. Now it's not number of the agenda template if you will. So if you want it if you want it before the city manager's agenda. Right now you have 32 before that. So this would be city that would be item 32A.

No or it's supposed to be its own spot just like city manager consent items, opening ceremonies, resolutions, leases, minutes, new business, regular items. It's supposed to be its own catch. It's not numbered item to be considered. If we're catching up new rules and all the department I just came up with this

if there go ahead. So, right before the city manager reports and announcements, we're going to do city council announcements and future items and that'll be on our agenda uh according to our governing body. Please just got overlooked this time.

With that, I move the approve to approve the agenda as amended. Second. Okay, we've had the motion before us to uh to change the agenda and move items four and 15 and place them in in uh I guess almost in place of item 24 cuz if we might move that later at the time we get that we might sort of be after uh

24 A and B 24 A and B we call it 24 A and B that's item item four is on 24A and item 15 to would be uh 24B require. Well, we just have to so you can follow.

Okay. And we have a mouse motion by council corn, a second by uh council lady or Arnold, excuse me, Arnold. So, uh Mr. Clerk, we call the role. Councelor Korn, yes. Councelor Maruo, yes. Councelor Helder, hi. Councelor Moore, yes. Councelor Oropesa, yes. Councelor Johnson, yes. Councelor Halverson, yes. Councelor Gas, yes. Councelor Arnold,

yes. Motion passes nine. Affirming none to zero. The agenda has been set and okay. Okay, next we're item number two, the approval of the consent agenda. Have councelor Korn. Mr. Mayor, I move that we adopt the consent agenda items number three through 19.

Excuse me, Mr. Mayor. We according to our rules that we adopted. So this is what this is the script. Now you're giving it. Oh, okay. The consent agenda is before you. Are there any items any member wishes to remove from the consent agenda? And we've already removed those already removed. So okay, those are done. Okay, we've had the hearing. Is there anything else to request to be removed?

He's got it. It's done. Okay. Okay. So, we've already done that. We've approved the consent agenda. Okay. Are there any objections? It's too late. He crushed it. Mayor, you got These new rules are terrible. No, they're great.

Okay, so we've done that. So, it now be the proper time for our proclamation for the proclamation number 20. If we could go to item 20, please. And if we had uh would you like to read this now? If we could have this is for a proclamation for appreciation for Judge Baldock. If you and your family would like to come up, we would appreciate it. If you don't mind,

I keep the key. Yeah. Where would you like to stay? Just come up here if you don't mind in behind the podium there if that's all. She's a quick She's a quick reader.

So, I'm just going to read you this proclamation. Whereas, it is it is with great pride that we recognize individuals who demonstrate exemplary dedication to the community and to our country. And whereas Judge Bobby Ray Baldock has served with the city of Rael in the state of New Mexico with distinction with distinction embodying the ideas of justice, integrity, and service. And whereas throughout his career, Judge Baldock has earned the respect and admiration of colleagues, attorneys, and citizens alike for his unwavering commitment to fairness and his tireless work on behalf of the citizens of Roswell. And his steadfast service has significantly contributed to the betterment of our judicial system and has left an in indelible mark on our community. And whereas Judge Baldock contributes extend beyond the courtroom, having been an influential leader in various community activities and programs to promote civic engagement, education, and the welfare of our citizens. And whereas in recognition of his dedicated service and contributions the city of Roswell, it is fitting that we honor him with the highest accolades that our city can bestow. Now therefore, Mayor Tim Jennings, the mayor of the city of Roswell, does hereby proclaim this day, February 12th, 2026, as Judge Bobby Ray Baldock Day in the city of Roswell. And they present him with the key to the city as a token of his appreciation for his steadfast service to our nation and his compassionate dedication to our community.

Please be seated. It's going to be a long one.

You know, we always shared with everybody. There's the greatest mistake you can ever make is either give to a lawyer or a judge a microphone. I'll try to keep it short because the proclamation that I just received greatly appreciated. My wife and I have been here. I met my wife and she was in the third grade and I was in the fourth grade on East Side. Matter of fact, East Side Elementary School. We've both been cross almost all of our lives. And in all of our lives, come June of this year, we will have been married 70 years.

And she is the one that has propped me up if you wanted to know. So this key, I don't know which half she'll claim, but she'll claim half of them for sure. To the council, I thank you because I've had the privilege of swearing several of you in in the time you took office. The key to the city really belongs to you as the council members of this great city and to the mayor. You've taken on a position that certainly doesn't bring you much besides grief and accusations, but I for one thank you very much for the opportunity that we have to live under your guidance and your direction. I want to introduce two more people, three more actually. Um, Linda Brown, who was just she just retired as my judicial assistant assistant. Moren and her husband Tim. Where is she?

I'm behind you now, judge. That's the problem being an old judge is that you lose. Oh, there she is. Anyway, thank you. Thank you.

My current judicial assistant. Now, the only other thing I can say is that thank you each and everyone for this key really belongs to you. Your dedication to the city. It's an honor and a privilege first to receive it, but also known to be a resident of the city of Roswell, New Mexico.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Judge. You know, it's kind of being I wish Council Cavan was here because we're both children of uh lawyers and attorneys. actually are not lawyers. They're attorneys in Roswell. And uh that we've all council cat and I have grown up together with the lawyer, you knew every lawyer in town growing up and and it was a wonderful experience. But you know the when you look at that uh when you look at his judicial career and from being a lawyer and uh and then going on to uh on the federal bench and then to the 10th circuit court of appeals I'm the next stop is the Supreme Court and uh but when you look at Judge Baldock I have I've had the privilege of knowing him for and living about five houses from him for well more than 25 years I lived there and I I was I was his water man and I also handled all his trees and trash. So I've known him I got to know him real real well but I didn't have to dig through the stuff that he put in on the out there. But he is a fan he and his wife are fantastic people. They are great neighbors. They always uh they always look after the community in every way that they can. And he and another man that uh was from Heerman, Jimmy Langford, were great friends. They all lived in South Springs. And it was something that I really I really got to learn when I moved to South Springs how close people in one neighborhood can get. And uh but from the beauty I've seen these what these people have done for

everybody in our community. They're truly an asset to our city, county, and state. And you know, when you turn around and you look sometimes I have a niece that was lucky enough to law clerk for Judge Paul Do. And I can't tell you the people that have ever law clerk for him know and truly love and respect him. He just had his birthday what two Saturdays ago and so that's he's kind of humble about that but then sometimes you don't want them to know how old you really are anyway but uh but he is a fantastic jurist and that's probably something to be recognized by the by your own profession and they certainly did that when they were appointed to the uh to federal as a federal judge and into the court of appeals. Uh I mean he is a fantastic attorney and we are honored to have you judge and thank you all very much for coming. Thank you for always uh swearing us in. Uh when it was my turn to pick I always ask for you because the great amount of respect my father had for you. I can never forget that and Mr. Cavin as well. uh you have always been known as uh really a you know a lawyer's lawyer because you you know and you make really good uh courageous decisions and uh you you stand by the the very oaths that we take in the constitution of the state of New Mexico and the constitution of this country. Thank you very much for your service.

By your name and I would like to be Yes sir. You may go now. I can talk as long as any of you. Well, anyway, I better be quiet. Thank you all.

Okay, so now we're Bobby Thompson. Bobby Thompson for airport update. like talk about a tough act of follow.

Good evening, council members, Mr. Mayor. So, for your airport updates today, I would like to talk a little bit of the past, a little bit of the present, and some of the future. So, we talk past, I'd like to talk about buildings 115 and 66. Those are the two buildings that have worked. Uh on 115, uh we thought that would certainly be under demo at this time, but the former lease holder for that building has hired a company to do some salvage of some of their precious metals in there. There's some titanium and stuff in there. We're waiting on that company to let us know when they will be doing that. Uh we've actually requested that they start to move a little faster on it, but we've also requested that they provide general liability insurance before they start that process to protect the city, the airport, and for the citizens. On building 66, uh we actually yesterday we talked to the New Mexico self insurance fund, our representative there, and then we had an update for him this afternoon. uh he's talked to his folks and well the air seal would like to get in there. There's still some equipment and stuff around that building that they would like to salvage. Uh the New Mexico self insurance fund would still like to do some investigation of that site. Uh they will do it on a dayby-day basis on whether they can get into there. We still have to restrict access to it. Uh and again there we will want them to provide general liability insurance as they go onto that site to make sure that we're well covered with that. Uh one of the things that we did discuss with the fact that they go in there at any point in time right now without permission it would be considered trespassing until our insurance company releases that for them to take a look at. The ATF that was here for of course several weeks before did their investigation left. They still

have some forensics to get back from the lab. They have not determined a cause of fire, only what this where the fire started at this point in time. Be happy to answer for us any questions about that. I would like to let you know that our December passenger boardings were 6,315 in 2025. That compares to 3,486 in 2024 December. So you can see our traffic's growing. I was asked the question of how can I be growing if we have a fewer flights which they had three but they are bringing in larger equipment at this point in time. The staff uh last week completed three days of FAA training with the airport certification manual. Now the airport certification manual deals with part 139 or air carrier airports. Now that manual is over 400 pages long. It includes not only the regulatory things, how to mark runways, how to inspect runways. It includes our emergency plan. It includes our snow removal plan which we've definitely got to use recently. So there's awful lot of activities in there. uh and then it constantly has to be updated and we're happy to know all those gentlemen were certified and qualified in that training. So that photo and speaking of snow, if you look at this photograph, uh we have between 8 and 10 in in various parts of the airport. Now, we're always thrilled to know that we have all that beautiful pavement at the airport, but when things like this happen, it is a problem. On Saturday, if you remember of that event, we had ice storm. Well, there's nothing much we can do with ice. Uh we don't have these icing fluids and stuff that we use at the airport because it's such a rare event. U so after the ice built up on Saturday, we had to close the airport Saturday afternoon because

breaking action was what they would call nil on the runway and of course it started to snow later that day and we end up getting eight or 10 inches. But I have to compliment our staff that did just an absolutely amazing job moving all the equipment talking DOT out of some extra equipment to get some things done. They got the airport open at 5:00 on Sunday. We were open before 28 other major airports across the country that are much larger with much bigger staffs. So our guys did amazing. In fact, Carl's bed, which isn't a larger airport, but Carl's bed didn't get open till Wednesday. So, our guys are certainly be complimented for the hard work they did. So, we've had NATO here and if you've seen the big gray aircraft flying around lately, that's a NATO aircraft. It actually has a crew from Germany on board. They had come here to do one maybe two trainings. It looks like those trainings are going to increase to five events. So, we're happy about that. The Navy that comes every year is back again. They had 26 aircraft come in this past weekend. and they'll be here six to eight weeks training and we're always happy to see them as well. Now, as we go to the present, currently we're doing runway striping. We had our part 139 inspection. Uh like roads, the striping on runways have reflective beads in them and after a while those beads just aren't reflective enough. So, we're having to do all the edge striping, all the center line striping on the primary runway as well as on several of the access taxiways for that runway. That's a $348,000 project. Uh, and certainly takes time. We have to be done by FAA standards. We have to finish that project by the end of March. Uh, and it's going to be, I can tell you be a struggle because we weren't able to paint for a couple of weeks because the paint has to have over

55 degrees. So, we'll continue to work on that, but I think we'll be all right. We had Excel at the airport this week looking at some additional power lines to get buried in support of safety for the races. Uh, we'll work through them to get a bid to bring back to you at a later date. U United Airlines uh has been in the process of hiring now since late December. Uh they still are looking for a lot of people. The hiring has been extremely difficult as I'm sure some of you realize it's just it's very tough to find people right now and they're certainly running up against that. Of course, they will bring people from other basins to work here until they have a full compliment of people here. The permanent grandstands are under construction. They're certainly visible and Mr. Kung will talk a little bit more about that when he talks about our projects. Then as far as future, we have a KC 46 is going to be here doing a lot of training from the 23rd of February through the 27th. KC 46 is an air tanker provides fueling, airto-air fueling, and they'll be here doing a lot of training. The NATO plane will be back three more times. only this time they're going to come back in an Airbus 319. They actually had some problems with Airbus 321 they were flying after they left here. So, they're going to bring a different aircraft the next time. And then I'm happy to report of course next Tuesday we will have the first United flight that comes in from Denver about 10:00 and then about 4550 minutes later it's going to depart. So hopefully some of you will be able to airport to see the festivities we're going to have. We're going to try to make it quite a nice event to celebrate that. And in talking to the United Folks in Denver, which is a sister city of Roswell, they have some nice things planned when the folks arrive as well. And then we're finally going to get that restaurant

open again. Uh it'll be also open on the 17th and it will have a regular schedule and regular hours and be open six days a week. So with that, I'll stand for any questions. We have questions with Miss Thompson. Councelor Korn. Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Thompson, how explain to me how you what opening day restaurant, where you got the money, where your personnel calls going to be, how many people are you going to hire that? Two. Two. So, explain how that works because you don't have a line item in your budget presently.

No. uh with with the help of the finance department, we created a line item to support the restaurant and the activities there. Uh and we had money in our reserves to do so. How much money did you spend? I don't have that right off the top of my head, but I can certainly get that for you. Okay. And when are we going to get some kind of accounting for the money that was spent getting ready for the air races? We've been asking for that for a while. uh that's actually been turned in and reported previously. Oh, I must have slept through that meeting. Would you back it up?

But I can just from off the top of my head, I can tell you we had the 7,250,000 appropriations uh from tourism and we had the 5 million from the DOT, the secretary to do the taxi way that was accomplished. Uh and that covered the bulk of everything that we did. So what it cost cost us in labor or whatever to put those RV parking places in. What sir?

The RV parking places. Where are we on that? Do we know how many manh hours we put in? Which departments? Well, we we were very happy that we used the water department. We also used street department. There were several departments that were involved and helpful and those were all then those folks those label arrows were charged off to the airport. Okay. How how did that flow honey? Did did you reimburse those various departments for their hours on the job or Well, to be accurate, sir, how about I get a full report for you at the next council meeting? That would be an excellent idea.

Be happy to do so.

Okay. Thank you. Any further questions of Miss Thompson? I would say Miss Thompson's has accompanied our Mr. Hess and myself or Mr. It and myself to Santa Fe several times and we've been very well received. Uh a number of people have been we're excited about the air races and excited to know they're coming back on the 16th so of September. So it was we had a very nice reception yesterday. We had 30 minutes with the governor 40 minutes or something. So it was and but her staff has been very accessible accessible to us as well. So it was real nice.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you Councilman

Mr. Thank you, bud. Good evening, Mayor Jennings and Rosal city councilors. The AAC had our February meeting this past Tuesday on the 10th. We had all air center staff in attendance. Mayor Jennings, city manager in Timma, and city councelor Helden Brand. Uh we also had several other interested parties and tenants present. Thanks to all of you for your participation and interest in air center activities. Our agenda, as always, was lengthy with 25 items on our agenda. One agenda item, air center revenue and expenses, was addressed differently than in past meetings. The Tyler software that the city has used for years is not well designed to present financial information for the air center uh for uh uh for decision- making purposes. One of our AAC commissioners, Mr. John Hitchcock, is particularly well-versed in financial analysis and accounting since he's a CPA. He's also uh served as president of Pioneer Bank for several years. John has taken it upon himself working with Tony Gomez uh to see if there was a way to develop and report financial information uh for the air center that simplifies

income and expense information and separates out grant funding from that reporting process. He and Tony were able to simplify information reported to the commission. However, even this simplified information is still not entirely usable due to timing of grants and payments to accurately reflect ongoing income and expenses uh and uh and grants that come through on a monthly basis. The commission thanked both John and Tony for their significant efforts. They will continue to work to develop more usable financial information for the air center. Oracle Netswuite is the new software to be put into use by January of 2020, I'm sorry, June of 2027. This should assist by providing more usable information for financial analysis to separate operating revenue and expenses from grant information. The ADB lighting and electrical vault project continues. Hopefully most of you remember the information that I provided during the October city council meeting, but just a quick review. ADB lighting project has been ongoing a couple weeks each month for over a year. This project updates, installs, and replaces the original runway lighting and wiring put in by the Air Force. This process is fairly standard, just extremely time consuming. However, the new electrical vault portion of the project is much more complicated.

The conclusion of my presentation in October was if the existing electrical vaults became inoperative, the possibility existed that nighttime operations at the air center would have to cease. The AAC then directed the contractor to hopefully identify a plan that would be a workaround in a worst case scenario. Because the AEC was insistent that a workaround be developed, the contractor and city staff was able to report at our meeting that the old regulators in both existing vaults are now operational. A switch had been purchased from Amazon. Imagine that and uh it is uh the switch still needs to be wired into the system. However, when that is accomplished, it is believed that uh nighttime running runway lighting can remain operational even if one of the old regulators fails. The new vault and equipment are awaiting the FAA program manager to submit final documents this week to issue the federal grant to proceed with the construction. This is not a firm time commitment or there is not a firm time commitment to obtain new commit new equipment or construct the wall. This is another good example though of AAC commission members input and followth through that will benefit the full operational ability of the air center. The BLM loading ramp project is completed and ready for the new fire

season to improve turnaround times for BLM uh firefighting tanker aircraft. The BLM taxiway project is about 50% complete. There have been several weather and plumbing issues over the past months. There is currently an issue with an existing underground electrical service line. However, the contractor believes substantial completion should be by the end of March, barring any additional problems cropping up prior to completion of the base course and paving for that project. Taxiway Charlie rehab will follow completion of the BLM taxi way. Same contractors doing both projects. The airport master plan project is still in a hold position, a hold pattern awaiting the FAA, although a new person has been assigned to this project at the FAA per meeting held in January. Um, just prior to the meeting, um, Bobby wanted me to expand a little bit on the, uh, uh, seating out there. If you've driven out there, the framework has been up for a couple weeks. They're putting seats in. Uh they've made great progress. And Bobby, you said that should be completed by the end of April.

Yes, sir.

Okay. So, we're we're a little bit behind schedule, but it's going to happen in plenty of time. So, those are the permanent seating for the air races that's going to be uh finished up by the end of April. The southeast waterline project is about 95% complete. Phase two, the sewer line portion of that project, is expected to be completed by the end of March. The museum taxiway and gate project at the southeast corner of the air center is still in the design phase. Uh no starter completion date are available. However, this is not a time-sensitive project. Another project that the AEC has been involved in since the project was decided upon is the restroom project at the terminal. The two large restrooms on the west side of the terminal are substantially complete and have been in use for about a month. U I mentioned last month uh if you haven't been out there to look at it, it's new, it's modern, and it looks great. Uh there are some punch list items that are to be completed after the east end terminal restrooms are finished. Uh during the demo process in the east end uh restrooms, it was identified that there were three different slab levels in the area where these two rep that were to be repurposed for two new restrooms. Once a new slab floor was poured to overlay that area, uh work has continued to pro progress. The wall framing is now complete and plumbing and electrical rough head work are being done this week. The contractor still believes he can complete this project by the end of March.

The new generator portion of this project for the terminal building has drawings and equipment specs completed. The engineer is working with the city to provide the new generator. This will provide power to the terminal in the event of an electrical service power loss. A couple of items of additional importance are the reason that Dr. pals, our one of our AAC members, was not at our meeting because he was in Santa Fe attempting to obtain additional funding just as the mayor was and Bobby Thompson were here recently. Um, but he's obtaining it for additional classes and instruction instructors to keep up with the continued enrollment demands at ENMUR. Dr. PAL has done a great job in continuing to improve educational services and opportunities to benefit economic development by providing qualified uh employees to numerous business businesses uh to assist in job growth in our area. In addition, Carrie Hollerfield and her family have agreed to donate a 60 foot wide by 6,000 ft long emergency landing strip for the air races on Brown Brothers Ranch uh just west of the air center. This extremely generous donation by a member of the AAC will provide the needed emergency landing strip to accommodate two additional classes for air races this coming September. My last item of information is a reminder to the city council of the

special audit report that was dated July 31, 2024. And I read from that report, the city's airport advisory commission plays a crucial role in discussing airport related topics and making recommendations to the city council. The commission has been actively involved in various projects and initiatives to enhance the Roswell Air Cent's operations, infrastructure, facilities, and community engagement. While the commission has no supervisory or managerial authority, it serves as a vital control mechanism fostering collaboration between government governance management and community stakeholders to ensure the effective operation and development of the air center. As I provided information on products or on projects at the air center and the involvement of all members of the AAC this evening, you have all heard about and inform your own opinions of the value added to the Rosal Air Center by the airport advisory commission and its members. This concludes my presentation and I stand for any questions.

Thank you. Do we have any questions for Mr. P? No questions. I have a statement. Mr.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You know, I tried to attend all of these meetings that you your AAC have. I miss a few, but I want to commend you all for the time and efforts that you put forth to the city to help with the guidance and the future of what that airport's going to look like. And every one of you members out there have done a great job, very diligent. And um we I think this council at least I as a member of this council appreciate and look for your continued guidance and recommendations of what take place out there. So thank you all even to those who were not here. Thank you for your kind comments. We've got a a team that we've put together over the years that's bar none probably one of the best teams in the city. Yeah.

So thank you Any further comments? Thank you, Mr. Cppel, for the time you serve and and all the members service. U we've had a certain number of challenges at the airport finding that uh you have high power or high voltage lines buried 4 in below the surface without any not no conduit or anything just buried. We have a lot of uh things out there where water lines and things aren't where they're supposed to be or they or they're show up where they are and um hopefully you're not digging them when you find them. So, and we have we've we've had a few tunnels too. U so there's been a lot of things going on at that base that that that we founded. uh you know if it was the tunnels were one thing that were very unusual uh and whether they were con connected to the missile silos or anything else my gosh who knows but it was uh it's we have some every day is a new day out there and uh one thing I can tell you that was uh not a new day and that was the the work that they did to clean our runways We have a tremendous group of employees out there and and u you know they cleaned those runways and they've got one big uh what 15 yard truck or something with a big snow plowing that'll really throw the snow and stuff. But you have to be careful because you have to throw that snow over the landing lights or else if you hit those are runway lights because if you hit those the snow will break break them off. So it creates a lot of problems. The staff has to be really conscientious in their work. And uh to have our own runway up

and running uh it was as much snow as we had as quick as we had was a tribute to uh Bobby and and all the team at board. And we really have good employees. And I, you know, whether they were the water department or whoever putting in things for the air for the air show, air races, uh it's really nice to see our employees, how hard they work together and uh it's really it's really a a real nice thing to see and we should all certainly be proud of it. Uh okay, thank you. So now we have next we have our out of state uh travel by the police department and solid waste and coming chief.

Good evening ma'am. Good evening city. Um this month's uh out of out of state travel uh the first one's going to be uh taken away. Uh the officer is put this two week notice. He's on active duty military. So, he's gonna we're going to scratch that one off. We just didn't do it in time. And then the other ones on March 2nd, those uh those four officers are going to a basic SWAT school. They're brand new uh SWAT operator. So, they'll be going to Garland, Texas for that week. So, that's all we have for for this month. If you have any questions, any questions.

Thank you. Thank you, Chief. Yes, ma'am. Mayor counselors, uh, this next month we are sending Armando Silva to EV training in Fort Worth, Texas, so he can start um doing his certification for that. And I have any questions? We have any questions?

Boy, got out easy. Thank you very much. Okay. Next we have uh for uh our public uh for items the public wish to speak to the council on. We have three members that have wished to ex uh to address the council. They are entitled three minutes whatever. Uh we have Victor Silva at 3305 Riverside Drive Lights in the Park. Yes, sir.

Oh, no. You don't have to be this morning. Just on Am I good? Yes, go ahead. You're good.

Um, I put it down on my phone so I can say it right. Um, good evening, mayor and city council. My name is Victor Silvas. I am a youth soccer coach. I'm here today because we have an issue in our community community, which is our parks. During the winter months, the sun sets before 6 for families trying to combat the rising trends of obesity and depression through outdoor activity. This creates a major barrier. Currently, the soccer fields lack any functional lighting. This has forced me to move my practices to the tennis courts, the only lit safe area available. Despite my players wearing flat shoes to protect the surface and remaining respectful during the practice, the police have been called on us multiple times for simp simply utilizing a public space. I've seen parents parking their cars in front of parks and playgrounds using their headlights just so their children can play. Um, this isn't just an inconvenience, it's a safety issue. By installing adequate lighting at all our parks, the city will promote how to um deter crime and uh support the youth. Um and that's pretty much it. Just hopefully invest investing in some lighting for our community.

Thank you very much, Mr. Bur. Would you anything? Very good. Okay. Good. I would uh I would we've had several opportunities on on getting lights and they've ended up by legislative appropriations to the to the baseball fields and uh Mr. Burus is aware of that and we're trying to get do what we can to get you lights as soon as we can. Can I have service? Yes, ma'am.

Mr. Bur, are there any parts with lighting that he could practice at? Council have been there after the flood too. It's street lights that had kind of shined on the parts. No ary football field which he is contracted out and u just comp fields. So um there's really nothing nothing. We are putting $240,000 of electricity on the soccer fields the youth uses. And then we have bids for the rest of the night. So we'll get it started. Okay. Thank you. We do have the lights the electricity coming to

the electricity coming. If I have any money left, I'll at least put one light, you know, if I can. Yeah,

I understand. Um just a major concern too, I I didn't want to put it in there because I didn't I know it's limited to 3 minutes, is just the the police also how they're um we have practiced five times. three of the times we got the police called on us. Um, one time I guess he was a member of the Roswell tennis. He was trying to talk to me about it and I told him I'll happily talk to him after practice and he actually grabbed me by the shoulder and there was the the kids actually had like flat shoes. Um, we weren't kicking at the nets, any of that stuff. We were just practicing running drills. I even have a video from like where it was just simple back and forth passing of the ball, dribbling, things like that. I took my own goal, they could shoot at. And um we still had the police called on us multiple times just for being in the tennis courts. So, and it's a public space, too. So, that's a concern because if they're willing to go confront people, um imagining kids being in there and them confronting the kids and trying them to get out of there and things like that.

Can I tell you how did the police do anything? Because I think, if I may, Mr. care. I think they uh they have to go if they're called. Yeah. Did they do anything? Um one of them allowed me to stay because uh he couldn't contact the city. So, and he was saying that it is public space and everything like that. And then the other two I just explained to them and we were pretty much finishing up practice too. And I mean fortunately they never they didn't do anything or any of that sorts. But it's just more so the fact that like the cops are being called on people using public space whenever there's no vandal vandalism. There's none of that stuff. They can't do that. But I I agree with the officers public space. Is that right, Mr. Bird?

Well, uh counselors, it is marked for tennis or pickle ball only because of the damage to the nets. Victor's team and Victor are very respectful, but that doesn't always hold true. And the nets are about 600 a piece. So soccer, I mean the tennis association and parks department replacing nets and the all the mechanism for the nets. Um so that's probably why they called because it is marked. But to his his point, there's there's an excuse to play soccer at night and so that's why we're trying to see.

How many teams are there? You soccer is the largest league that the city of Roswell has. It keeps going, sir. But we might see about getting if you get some preliminary estimates on what it cost to light it. So I have those at a million and a half so far. Main and a half. Okay. Thank you. That's good to know. Yeah. So again, not for gas. What about using like the outfield on the baseball park on college practices?

That's fine if if the soccer coaches approach the folks that have the contracts for those fields. Um that's that's fine with us cuz they're related. So they're they're not city property. Well, they're city property, but they're leased out to these different folks, different leans, and they're responsible for the maintenance. And I've offered cokefield but so far south no one wants to go that far south. Yeah. So and so styles field and the one in college and all those are contracted out right we've offered the parking lot there at the aquatic center the overflow by the the all inclusive playground

maybe put some cones and barricades there with asph limited but there are lights there

you might want to call one of those basement especially for younger kids I wouldn't think you the outfield. I I know one thing on on East 19th in some of those fields, isn't it 19th across from Eman there are a number of uh we need to find a gopher exterminator? There's a number of gopher holes in those fields that are really really dangerous for children on playing running and playing soccer. And I know where we find something, but we need to find something.

That's a true statement. And about half your part of shoot is trained to travel. So we send them out different parts of town all the time to exterminate. You know, if you turn on the lights to that field or this field and you think it'd light up enough of that park that's in between the two to practice, I would think. Yeah. In the softball field. We put new lights and do not off. But those lights light up the parking lot, I think. Do they go far? They don't. No, not very far. The LEDs is pointed down because of light emissions. Okay. You know, once again,

as long as they're not tearing up, they can use a baseball field and get a hold of your knob. We don't have any problems with that. It's only because those leagues are responsible for maintenance. What league is responsible for the big field on college? Yes, sir. Um, which one we talking about? It's the one like Gateway plays on. And that's the same. That's the one we just put lights on. Yeah. Is that new? Yeah, it's new. That whole facility through there,

but we always help comes forward the best we can. And there's a few folks that are playing on styles and they said, "Well, we we put a lot of maintenance in it ourselves." And you know once you start breaking off the uh sprinkler heads things like that the best the best best the best solution is put lights on that grass over there by the where the kids play soccer both those fields. Yeah. If you had a million half dollars

Yeah. But you know if there's any volunteers or any any donors out there more than happy to point them in the right direction. Unfortunately, I think it's too late to be changing the legislators to see if they can give us any money. I don't know of any that was any of them. I have haven't heard of any of them that did that, but next year we certainly should. Yeah. Well, why? Well, we have the blueprints and and uh we just uh contacted Exo Energy and they've got that on our work list to to start putting fire that direction and change you take it from there. And we also council Johnson also said daylight savings time's coming pretty quick.

Yeah. So, that helps cuz you guys start right after school and then it gets dark and then it's like worthless. There's also basketball um courts in some parts and that would prevent and deter people from the tennis courts cuz there's no net in the middle of it. There's like those courts right next to also. Yeah, I know it's the same thing. We know there's no lights. Yeah, you can play soccer in the daytime. I suggest that maybe the the folks that have kids on those teams get together and rent or purchase a generator and some of those lights you have at construction sites and maybe they can get you through practice at the office until we're until we're able to put lights on those fields.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much,

sir. So, next we have uh Gabriel Kata, 615 North uh West Bank Beer Street. Hello, council. Uh I'm just a concerned citizen, more or less a statement. Um I've been here for 45 years, 45 years old, and I begin to notice things in town lately. Um, I think my biggest concern um would probably be me if um schools um in particular um right off of uh South Washington uh Missouri Avenue school in particular um every time I pass by um I see the kids like a project out there. Okay. Um they don't have any uh space to play. uh there's no fencing and so and they're also sharing uh their playground with the public and so I think this needs to be addressed. That's really my big concern. And so um also I think that um you know our resources probably be needs to be kind of spread out a little bit. Um I've seen a lot of resources being spent on the north side of town. um not necessarily I see a lot of neglect what I would say um when it comes you know to the the poor side of town um you know it's unfortunate for our kids that grow up with a little less you know and I feel like they deserve to have you know the same advantages as our kids on the lower side of town simple things like fencing around their playground you know what I'm saying um simple as that that's one of the things I'm concerned is our kids really and the next 10 years where are these kids going to be? You know what I'm saying? Uh we need to take

care of all the kids in our community as simple as that. So that was a statement. Absolutely. But thank you for the time.

Thank you Mr. M. Any questions for Mr. Ma? Mr. M. I might just say one thing on the schools and on fencing. That's generally a school function and not for the Roswell school system. And they they have capital outlay money that bond money that they vote on every year to improve each school and and Roswell has always supported those two two mill levy bonds that they have for enhancing the schools. Uh but as far as playgrounds around the school, that's kind of pretty much uh their their responsibility to do, not necessarily us. Now, we have the city has always tried to work well with the parks department with parks and the schools cuz a lot of the there's a park usually around a school. We tried we've tried to keep some kind of park around a school where we are. So there's places for them to be.

I can say um I have spoken with some of the teachers. My my mother herself was a substitute teacher for years and she's brought up things to me about the school systems and the buildings itself. It's a new building. Um but from what I can understand is the kids are crammed up in there. They can hear through the walls. again, you know, if you if anybody passes by that I'm one school in particular because I I see this by my house and you know they're out there is 100° and there's nowhere for them to play. They're just kind of I mean again if you pass by you'll understand what I'm saying and I can help but notice the schools that are let's say for Nordi looks like a resort. Okay. So I mean let's just be real here. I mean, uh, it's pretty it's pretty obvious to to me and probably to a lot of people, um, what's going on here. I I really think that people need to start looking into what's going on. You know, again, just kind of spread our resources out a little bit, you know.

I I appreciate everything you're saying and I agree with you, but I think you need to go to school board meeting and I recommend you talk to them and bring it up there because he's saying we can't I understand. Yeah. We can't tell them how to But I understand what you're saying. Thank you very much, Mr. Kobos. Ariel Kos, uh you'll have to give you'll have to state your name and your uh your residency where you live because that's a requirement that we have here. But I I don't have your address up here, Mr. Pogos. So,

okay. My name is Gabriel Co. I live at 203 Robins Drive. Um, one thing that I'm pointing about is we have an issue with cats. It's become a point where we did get funding to the animal control to spay and neuter and then release. Um, I've made several calls and then it's like the cats get released and if I don't want it in my neighborhood, guess where I can ask them to put it? I can put it in the north side of town. It's doesn't make sense. If the cat's a feral cat, it doesn't do no purpose. We have issue with rodents. They're not killing the rodents. They're killing birds. They're not killing the birds that need to be that are a issue, which are what? The grapples and the crows and pigeons. Nothing gets done about that. So, that's one issue. Then another thing that I have an issue with is the fact that we're paying rent once again for what the right there on second. How much it will be paying a rent yearly lease on that building.

That being the police department. No, is that I mean No, the new city city code enforcement building that's right there on second real estate. Yeah, it's what 120,000 a year. Uh 90,000 that was at the end. 90,000 half of what you were paying before. Okay. So that that's a little bit less than what we were paying. We were paying what? 112 for the other building next to right there on the corner of Maine and right next to the city hall. Sunway Bank closer to 200. But 200 Sunway Bank.

I had spoke to you James on the phone and I had that recorded that it was around 112. But almost $200. Man, that's a lot of money. Well, that that was a lease that was constructed before any of us got in here. Okay, that was Mr. Tent Tai's deal.

Well, that money should have never that should have never got done. City council should have never approved that for one. Um, that money could have been spent better for our kids. Lighting for instance. Um, as I can really get to mind, but one thing that I do have that's a big concern to CYP2, there was an incident where animal control was called out to a house on New Island. Um, two minor children were in a house. Uh, this was 6 months ago with

Mr. This is very important. There's two other children that are involved. Um,

these children were in a house where there was deceased animals inside the house. Then those animals were really were taken out. The things are supposed to get better. Um, last week or two weeks ago, they got animal control. PD got called out there. D got involved. Um, the schools fell the girls as far as I'm concerned. And I can go into detail on that, but this time upon arrival there was 39 cats, 28 dogs. Something needs to be looked into the situation. Why our schools haven't done nothing? Cuz you can be within 8 ft of these wonderful girls. And you can smell the hearing from bands. We need to do something for our kids. if you can give us furnish our staff the

address name and address and we'll see what we can do to work on that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kos. Is there anyone else that would care to say anything on the public that did not sign up? If you can please come and pull. Oh, Mr. Mr. Mayor and city council. I came You have to give your name and

Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Vivian Waka and my address is 3107 West 8 and I came for a positive thing. Okay. Oh, that's on our agenda. Is that It's not on our agenda. No. Okay. I'm sorry. Well, I I talked to her.

Okay. That's all. But anyway, um I would like to I'm trying to start a new program that is geared towards um getting people to volunteer to help seniors. and it's called the 50 yard challenge. And we're we're gonna ask the public to sign up to do yard work for seniors free of charge. And then we're going to ask seniors to sign up to have their yards done. Um for each yard that a person, an individual or a small company does, they'll get one point. And that's where the 50 yard comes from. when they do 50 yards, they'll get a prize. And initially, I was going to donate a vehicle that I have. And since I decided that um several people told me that that would not be a very good idea, that it would be better to sell the car and give $1,000 to three people to the first three people that completed the challenge. And so, um, I I've already I mean, I just heard about this on Tuesday and I started plowing through, um, when people sign up to do a yard, they'll have 48 hours to get it done. I don't want something that's going to drag on and on and on. If they don't have it done within 48 hours, the next person on the list gets to do it. Um, if they don't show up at all, they get a demerit. If they get five demands, they have to sit out for a week. They can't and they can only clean one yard at a time. I will go and check the yard to make sure that it it needs to be done because I don't want um people that do yards to

say that they want to do like if they had a customer that had their yard done two weeks ago to tell them to call in or to get signed up to do it and then they say that they did it but they did it two weeks ago. I just want to make sure that the yard needs to be done and gets done and not um so there won't be any cheating I guess. So I just would like to know what you think what you all think of it.

I love it. Thank you very much. Yeah, that's kind of what we there's been a definite need for community activation in that area when you actually see a lot of constituents in W1 and throughout the actual city. Um, yeah, turn me up and I'll be happy. I have been a compulsive volunteer all my life and one thing that I noticed is that when I go volunteer somewhere, it's always the same people that are volunteering for everything.

Yes. And so I'm trying to to um encourage people to not only volunteer but to think about the seniors and what what seniors need and one of the things they can do I mean it's just for yard work u mowing raking leaves and when there's snow um clearing the the snow off the driveways and the walkways. Well, hopefully because that's kind of been my thought is if you know your neighbor needs help, you know, um I have actually a lot of people that call me saying, "What are you guys going to do about the weeds and you know the height?" And I'm like, "Um, have you talked to your neighbor? Make sure they're even getting up and getting out." Um, and so I think there's a a long way that can go with that. So, like I said, if I can do anything to help, please reach out. I I am planning to to do a um presentation tomorrow at the Joy Center and I'll also be doing the senior circle and I've been in contact with several churches to to try to recruit the youth departments and I've have really good um feedback.

Can I tell you how um so somebody was talking about this on the Next Door app a few weeks ago. So you might go on that. That's where I got the idea, but I I didn't see it until Tuesday. And as soon as I saw it, I said, "Okay, how could I do this?" And I just started coming up with the rules and and everything and talking to people. And so I just wanted to know what you all think about it. See if I could get your support.

Any further questions or comments? Mh. I might suggest that maybe you check with code enforcement. I was thinking about that. I was wondering if code enforcement is allowed to release names of senior citizens that might be in violation. I don't know, Mr. Mayor. We could definitely once they find a property that's in need of assistance, we can share her number with those residents and have them reach out to her. So, yeah.

Uh we'll add add you to the list if I need your information. Thank you. Any further notion? Thank you for volunteering and thank you for coming up with a new idea. Even if it was secondhand, it was started in Alabama. In Huntsville, Alabama.

That's good. Okay. I didn't see anybody else that was up. So, next we have we go to item uh 24. And this is ordinance 26-01. Hold a public hearing to consider adopting the proposed ordinance 26-01 and an ordinance amending the city of Ralph's purchasing procedures. Uh council cabin was here to talk on that. I believe this is one that uh they want some members wanted to move this back. Council

uh Mr. Mayor, uh the the internal auditor has made some suggested amendments to this and we think it that this would be better suited for the committee setting, but this where we want to bang out all of the details. And so staff would respectfully request that this be referred back to the legal committee where it originated, where it originated. Council lady council lady. Yeah, I know. I just live your truth. Sitting next to you for 40 years. Live your dream. Mr. Mayor, I move that uh we take item number 24, which is an ordinance to hold a public hearing and send it back to the legal committee. Second

for further review. Second, council. Okay. On a motion by Mr. Counselor. Thank you, Hillbrand. Second by councelor Maruo. Is there any further discussion? I'm referring this item 24 back to the legal committee. Voice vote. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Okay. This will be moved to legal. Sorry. That's okay. Mr. Herbert Brown, I'm so sorry. My mother was Mrs. Herbr.

Okay. Yes. Oh, that's good. Item 24A is item four on today's calendar. And if uh go to item four, which is 94, page 94 in your book.

All right. Item four, we have item four. This is councelor C. Pardon mayor. Mr.

Thank you, council. Mayor Prom. Uh Mr. Mayor, uh this is also um we've had some discussions with counselors uh and with the fire department about this particular item. It might not be 100% ready for prime time. We don't want to slow it down unnecessarily because part of this legislation would affect our ISO ratings. So, what we would ask is that this the staff would recommend a motion to refer this to the public safety committee. We have a motion. U counc uh if we could have a Mr. Mayor, we need a motion from the I can't make a motion. Yeah, I know. Would anybody Mr. May I make a motion? Did we see this in public safety already?

Uh, yes. Yes. So, the the idea is that a couple counselors want a little more details. So, there's there's kind of two components to this. There's the adoption of the 2024 code, uh, which we want to need to continue with. And then there were some additions that the the city had put in on top of that. We want to bifurcate those and take them individually.

Yeah. Okay, Mr. Mayor, I move that we um move item number four to the public safety committee. Okay, we have a motion by Madame Halverson, Council Lady Madam Halverson, and uh to move item four, ordinance 26-03 to this uh back to the public safety committee and was seconded by Council

Council Moore. Is there any any further discussion? Seeing none, all those all those in favor signify by saying I opposed. By voting nine, deferring anything there is it's trans uh sent to public safety committee. Okay. Next, we go to item 15 on the uh Mr. mayor if I could. Yes. Council, Mr.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Prom. On item 15, uh I became aware that a number of people had not So, this has to do with the police department moved. I didn't fully realize how the the current situation, the current building was not financially understood by the committees. I'd like staff would recommend that this be tabled for a month so that we can present you with all the current estimates we have on the building and a possible alternative. Uh so, you know, this is going to be 380 a year. I'd rather not dive into that too quickly. So, okay. So, Mr. Mayor, you want a table or you want to move it somewhere where you can work on it?

I the the lease is just fine. I think I just want the council to have more information before they vote on this particular lease. So table of public safety. It won't slow it down. Yeah. Gives a chance to get stuff talked about. Yeah. Anyone can bring it back. Safety's next week. Uh actually, no. So Mr. Matthews, is it a big hassle for you to add it on tomorrow morning? Uh, if I can get it back and early tomorrow morning. Okay. Council lady or councilman I'm sorry.

I know and I know I've got two but we have talked about this correctly the square up on the maintenance costs as well. So that may need to come back go to public safety and then come back to finest. where it needs to move.

Well, we can get it all done before the next city council meeting, but if you just leave it here on the table, that hits you nuts. So, I I think that public safety needs to look at it and then we can move financing committee. Would you be agreeable to have your motion be from to go counter corn to have your the bill go to public safety then finance? So move. Okay, we have a motion. Councelor Corn has made a motion for public safety seconded by uh Mr. Counselor Hilden. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, if the clerk will call or while just a voice vote, all those in favor signify by saying I opposed. Okay, we have we have passed by nine defering Nugan is negative. Next we go to item uh 25. Item 25 please and that is

okay.

Okay. Council witnesses to consider uh approval of lodgers tax sponsorship agreement in the amount of $6,200 uh to the Galactic approval of the Galacticon Lodgers Tax Sponsorship Agreement. Councelor Gaz, I'd like to make a motion we consider approval of the Galactic County lodgers tax sponsorship agreement in the amount of $6,200. Second. Okay. I have a motion by councelor Gash, second by councelor Arnold or how was it? Okay.

Okay. Second by council ar. Now we're on that item of discussion. Yes, ma'am. TJ, I'm just here if you have any questions. So, um this was presented at presented at finance um and the pending award for the sponsorship is 6,200. They originally asked for 8,000 sponsorship and at um a meeting that I had with the director Elaine um for Galacticon, we brought that down to 6,200. We cut a couple of her um items that she wanted to do for you festival. Okay. Council Hilderbrand.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, uh TJ, you know, Galacticon, do they not charge? They do. So, the items that she's asking for for sponsorship are going to be outside. Um, and they are going to be free. What do you mean by outside?

So, usually her convention is inside. So, last year she used the building across the street from the UFO Museum. This year, um, I'm not exactly sure what building they were using, but outside she did have a kids space that had some Jolly Jumps as well as she brought down a car. um the UFO car and it was people were able to um take pictures and get inside of it and it was also in the parade and they're from they're from I don't know where they're from but they're far away and so she paid for a sign to go on the back of their car for marketing as well as their trip down here marketing to go in and pay to go in the the car you said they they got a sign for the Galacticon.

No, they got a sign for the car. the UFO car. So when it was driving down to Roswell, um it said follow me to the UFO festival and it got a lot of traction that way and a lot of people did come down for. So that's what she's using the money was to pay for that vehicle. That vehicle? Yes. To come down. Okay. That was not explained to us at Sorry. Finance committee. Yeah. It was in it was in their packet, their original packet, and that was quite a bit ago. So that was presented to you guys in their um their application for sponsorship.

Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. Counelor. Any further questions? Okay. Okay. We have a motion before us on item 25, a motion uh to approve the Galactic Contact Sponsorship Agreement, the amount of $6,250 on a motion made by councelor Gas, seconded by Council Lady Arnold. If the clerk could call the role. You want to do a voice vote? Yes. All right. On a voice vote, all those in favor signify by saying I.

Opposed by a vote of nine in the affirmative, none in the negative. Uh item 25 is duly passed. Next we go to item um 26 and that is to consider the Main Street sponsorship of uh Main Street uh approval of the Main Street sponsorship agreement for the UFO Festival in the amount of $102,000 with 56,000 out of lodgers tax and 46,000 out of the general fund. Council Gas I'd like to make a motion to consider the approval of the main street rousal sponsorship agreement for the UFO festival festival in the model 102,000 56,000 coming out of the lottery tax and 46 coming out of the general second. That was second by council lady more. Okay. Now a motion by council for gas and a second by councelor Moore to consider the approval of main street sponsorship agreement uh for the American 250 role in the amount I don't know if that's a different 127 I screwed up. Okay went too far page 301. So anyway, on a motion by for item 26 for approval of the um Main Street sponsorship program for the UFO Festival in the amount of 102,000 with 56,000 out of the lodgers tax and 46,000 out of the general fund. Okay, so we have that. Any questions or comments from any members of the council corn? And then councelor Gas.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I've got a couple of questions for council gas if you go. Council G. I uh Hold on. Time to ask a question. You're going to ask me a question. I'm going to ask you. Go ahead. So, we just approved $6,200 out of the lottery tax. Yes, sir. And we got another $1 58,000 out of the lottery tax if this passes. Correct. We've got 158 what?

This total amount is 158,000 out of the logger tax. Correct. No. No. It's We're taking uh 46,000. 46,000. We're taking 56,000 tax and that essentially takes all of our money under financial consideration. Where's 102 coming from? The 102 is 56 from the lodgers tax and $46,000 general fund. So if we if we give them this $56,000, is there going to be any reserve left in the lodger tax? No, that essentially takes it all off. Okay,

we're down to zero. And that's why Yes. And that's why this motion has $46,000 coming out of the general fund. Okay. So, let's talk about the general fund. So, you're talking about $46,000 general fund. Yes, sir. How much money are we out of balance in the general fund? Have you done your midyear review in your committee yet? Well, we haven't done the mid review of the committee, but I did send a midyear review to all the counselors to look at it. It's not totally accurate, but we are in the negative in the general fund. We're essentially spending money that we don't have.

And roughly what's that negative figure going to be if you had to guess? Well, let me let me pull off my report here. I'm saying that the general fund is going to be down about $4.5 million.

That's this sheet. Mhm. Yes, sir. So, my sheet that you sent that I printed off cuz as you know, I'm pretty into this site. Yes, sir. shows 19 billion short. So, there's been some adjustment or needs to be some adjustment. Well, that's the total budget, right?

And there and there's uh an adjustment to the airport fund that is going to give us $9 million back. So, the 19 and there's 4.5 million. We're going to get reimbursements, but we're still wait. We're still $45 million total in the total fund that we're down. Can you say we're how much in the general fund? Well, on this sheet it said 4.5 million. Okay.

And and the the ones we're getting back, we're getting a million from the general fund. So that's 3.5 million and we're getting eight or nine million back into the airport fund, but we're still down. Our original budget said we were going to be $998,000 short for the year. We're closer to 4.5 million. So you also inquired of the number one thing that that the counselors deemed that's important to get done. Yes, sir.

So something simple like a balanced budget, what did that kind of bring? the responses I got back from the city councilors that responded to me when I talked to them or sent an email all of them had it at one or two as that is the most important thing out of 10 and so um so as counselors we the majority of us feel that's very important I you know when this was at the finance committee um we had a 4 to1 vote. I was the one vote against. I I just don't think we should spend money on something that's not absolutely necessary for the city to to perform when we don't have a balanced budget and we've gone south from where we thought it would be at the beginning of the year

and we're just halfway through the year. Yes, sir. So, we got another half the year to go. Well, this is through January 31st, as I understand. So, Okay. So, you still you got five more months. Yeah. Well, so let me ask you this question. It seems how you're chairman of finance in your opinion or let me state my opinion and see if you agree. Okay. My opinion, we can't control the income. Income comes in. It's that

it comes from Santa Fe. It comes from grants. We can kind of help that along a little bit if we ever get our audit finished so we can get some get get our house in order. So the single thing that we can control is our expenditure. Do you agree with that statement? Yes, sir. Although I do think we can we can help our income and we and I think we've done a good job on that with attracting businesses and using our tax to to promote growth in Roswell. But yes, the main thing is is controlling your expenses. So this $46,000 almost buy

it'll buy it buy 40% of one. We just we we're buying two of them and but um well no that's right they were they were I can't remember I said the car I didn't talk about the equipment. Okay. Yes. Yes it would it would buy it would buy more than half of oil. I I guess in closing, I don't know when. I mean, it's high on most everybody's lips to balance the budget, but we just can't seem to get there. I don't know why that is.

Well, I I agree with you. The motion I made was from the finance committee, and you know, I I would amend my motion, in my opinion, to take the money out of the lottery tax. We have given Main Street Roswell 50 and 56,000. the last two years as I understand it and if we gave them the 56,000 this year I think they could do a good job but I don't think we should spend money out of the general fund to that we don't have and we haven't had a balanced budget in more than a decade last

and we and we have got to do something about that and we might as well start right I yield, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Council Lady Halverson. Is Kurt next? No, Kurt. Oh, Kurt. I'm sorry. Kurt, I thought I I pretty much answered all said everything I was going to say in the answer to his question. Okay. Thank you. Okay, Council Lady Halverson and then more.

So, I understand and I also want to balance budget, but I have a couple issues. First of all, the lodgers tax is low because of how it's being funded. But we've given 300,000 to the air races. And I'm not disparaging the air races in any way, shape, or form. I think they're a great event, and I think they they need to be here. But they charge people to go in. Main Street Ronald puts on the established UFO festival, which everyone expects, you know, that visits, and their events are free. So, there's more people there's more money for people to spend in the stores and in the hotels. You know, I um Tony, can do you have our GRT for Sorry, I'm sorry. Our GRT for September. It's July's GRT shows up in September.

Um yes. Do you know what that amount is? Let me pull it up. Cuz I think it almost pays for itself. Um the the event is worldwide now. I mean, we've had people from all over the world come visit. I've been, you know, Japan, China, Germany. We get a huge amount of people that come. I if you look at the pictures online, you'll see I have thousands of people all the way from Fifth Street all the way to Alama. You can just see all the people. It's just a sea of people. So, we get a lot of people for the 3-day event. So, I know this is coming out of the general fund, but I still think it's worth supporting.

Okay. Are you through a me? Yeah, I was just Okay, next we had Miss Moore.

I'm just going to say the same thing. This is a worldwide event and a lot of people support it. It brings in all kind of money for you said some it's going to put some of the money back in the lottery. It's going to put some people in the beds and so I think it's a worth uh the the struggle. this 50,000 is not going to balance a $400 million $19 million deficit and it's not going to break it. So, I feel like we should still support this. Um, like I said, this is this a big time thing for Roswell and it's been going on for years and we want it to be the best that we want the people to keep coming. We're going to have them. And I like the idea. Some outside, some inside. And they have parade. There's so much going on. They even have the pet shows with the animals wearing the costumes and all that different kind of stuff for all kind of vernaculars. And so I think I mean, you know, I know we're in the in the deficit. I understand, but I just don't think that is going to break the bank any different than all the 7 million for the other things that we, you know, put we put money into. And so I think I'm I'm in support of this. You know, people could be upset about it, but it doesn't matter. I think that brings enough value to Roswell to put that money into it. I

Okay. Okay. Thank you. Any further Mr. Mayor comments? Yes. Councelor Press. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You know, I am also looking at the next item coming up for $150,000, I think. But it still Yeah.

the list. And and the the thing is that if from what I'm hearing, if we're down $900,000, I believe it's the amount that I heard or now it's 44 million. Where is this money coming from to to finance? I mean, if we don't have it in in the general fund, where is this money coming from? I guess is a question to to Mr. Counselor Gats.

It's it's we're just draining our reserves like we've done for over 10 years. We have we have to stop spending money we don't have. In addition, the infrastructure cup infrastructure committee had a meeting this week and we found out that the the grant that gave us that they presented us the findings, they rated all of our infrastructure in the water department from a one to a five. If they replaced all the fives, I'd need $92 million next year to do that. And they said, you know, it's so important to do preventative maintenance rather than reactive maintenance, which we've done because when we have a water line break and we have to pay overtime and weekends and, you know, all this stuff and we pay an outside subcontractor, it costs us five times as much if we did preventative maintenance. and they're and they said that we need to spend $10,250,000 a year just to maintain what we've got and catch up. Well, in the water department in the projection here, we're going to have an extra $500,000. That means we need another 9 and 3/4 million from somewhere from water hikes. Well, you know what happened there or somewhere that we're going to need in the future. And so we we just have to stop spending. We for over 10 years we spent more money than we've than we have. We have to stop doing that.

And when you say the uh the money is coming from reserves, what reserves are you talking about? The general fund that we're just going to be the mandated reserves. Oh, no. You can't go below that. But but the general fund, what's going to happen is you're going to go down and down and down. And that's what we've done for a decade. We, you know, we're we took an oath to do the very best of our this job to the best of our ability. We've got to be good stewards of the of the city's assets. And we cannot spend money on stuff we don't have to spend money. We shouldn't spend money that we don't have. And by going to a lower general fund balance at the end of the year, that's what we did. And that's what we've done for a decade.

Well, I'm still having a a hard time trying to understand what uh what reserves are we talking about. Well, what I'm saying is because the only reserves that I know of is the mandated state reserves that we are but we changed it to 312. We we live in the 312s, but it's only mandated 112. Okay. So, that's the only reserve we have to have is 112. 1% 112 112 not 1% but 112. Yeah. So So we're saying at the we're saying at the end of the year here we're going to have $18 million in the reserves

in the no in the general fund and our expenses with budget adjustments are 64 million. So if we take 112th of that 64 million, let's say that's let's say that's 5.5 million. That's what our reserve is mandated to be. And we're going to be at we're going to be at 8 uh 181. We started at 23. We just can't keep spending money we don't have. So, I'm I'm still very confused with the numbers. Maybe I should have make it a point to to go to the finance committee meetings, but I I understand that we can spend what we don't have,

right? We have $18 million and we have to have a reserve of let's say 5.5 million. So we we could spend 13 more million in the general fund before we hit that mandated reserve. The problem is we have to realize that we shouldn't go down in the general fund every year. We should go up our other funds, enterprise funds should have to pay for themselves. What I'm saying is our water fund right now, according to the expert we just heard from in the infrastructure committee, we're going to be almost $10 million less than where we should be. So, we can do 10 and a4 million of repairs next year.

Well, I I I think the number is going to be a lot higher than what we were told in the infrastructure committee. Well, yeah, and that's and they said 92 million in one year. Well, you can't possibly do that. There's no way. And we and we don't have that money. And so,

we've got to figure out a way when we do next year's budget, which needs to be balanced, we got to figure out a way how can we save more for the infrastructure for the water. regarding this item. I'm just saying sometime the city council has to stop and say we don't we can't spend that money out of the general fund because we can't let the general fund continue to go down. our budget has to be balanced and we haven't done it for over 10 years

and I I totally agree with that and I and I guess that's the reason that within the last council we got into problem because basically we were borrowing from Paul to pay whatever the saying is and

well I I think you know I wasn't here but I think you had some problems in the finance committee which which I think we've straightened out and will be better going forward. And and the finance committee didn't even get the numbers the budget until 3 days before June 1st, which is when you have to send it to Santa Fe. So, you know, the the city council before really didn't have a chance to balance the budget. I think if you'd had another two weeks, I think you'd have balanced the budget, but because we had these other problems, you didn't really have a chance to do it. We will this year somehow. So let let me ask you a direct question. Sure. Um

in your in your opinion being the chair for finance, is it possible to cover the the amounts that are being requested because I I also understand that the the event is going to bring in a lot of money. I mean, unless the problem the problem is if we don't have the money to pay it up front, but after the the event, if we do have it, we will have plenty of money. I I believe

I guess my opinion is we've given them 50 and 56,000 the last two years and they've done a good job. They need to do that again this year because we don't have money that I think we should take out of the general fund. That's just my opinion. But you're saying that we can we can uh be able to to give this amount from the reserves and then put back the money back into the reserves. No, what I'm saying is we've got we budgeted

we actually budgeted less than the 56,000, but because some Rodgers tax money was not taken, we can we have 56,000 we can take out of the Rogers tax fund and it won't put us in the hole from our budget. If we take more money out of the general fund, which we have, but we're going to reduce it like we've done for 10 years, we've just got to stop some time. And so I I'm not I'm not for taking the money out of the general fund. I'm for giving them what they've got, as much as they've got the last two years. They've done a good job and you know, we'll look at it next year, but I don't think we should spend more money. And the question I guess for for staff is how important I know it's important but how important is it that you have theund and what is it 200

Main Street people or Main Street? Yeah, Mr. Mayor Council. Yeah, this is this is Main Street's request and so the staff recommendation was the lodgers tax number. The addition was uh asked for legislatively by council Robertson.

I yield. Thank you, Mr. Okay. Thank you, Christina. Yeah, I had Did you have a problem? You didn't. Okay. I'm sorry. I got my notes backwards. Okay. Next I had u Miss Arnold and then I had Miss Howerson.

Uh thank you Mr. Mayor. Um I'm not sure if I wanted to go first on that cuz um I actually um am uncomfortable with the the events in general fund and I was going to say this first to um um Councilman Gas. I do want to say that I actually want to commend the council and the administration for the last four years of hard work we've put in. We have a lot we have a lot of work to do. But um since we came in four years ago, we've been working on this and uh something like this being overnight is not realistic. Now, I will say that I do believe that we could be better about planning, actually having workshops to have conversations about focus and um coming up with a true um plan for getting us to a balanced budget. But I myself um don't actually see it as something that occurs overnight. And it's I think it's we need a lot more buy in and a lot more we need the people um the council completely informed on the motion forward. And so I I do hope in your time as chair um we can come up and create something so you know we can truly truly have a balanced budget without actually because the reason um I think the reason you see a lot of it is for years there were departments that didn't have funding to even buy new vehicles and so we've been doing things and that's why I want to commend this council and this administration for the work that they put in the last four years trying to get there. And as I said, there is still work to do on um I do not support um general funds for um events um this one

or the next item. Um so I do want to put it out there that um if I may ask Main Street Roswell um can can you do an event for 56,000? I know you you put in for a little more but

Right. Well, yes, we can do an event. It just depends on what kind of event you want, you know. Uh there was a lot of things that we cut. When you look at the the expenditures of the 2025, what's the one was it? Yeah. And we didn't we spent the 50,000, but there were so many other things that we could have done that we couldn't do. And the only reason we actually didn't spend more was because we had a few of our acts cancelled. Some of our entertainers are cancelled, but there was many of them that were recommended even that were done before previously when the city of Roswell did the US festival. They said everybody loved this thing or that thing or this, you know, you know, fire person or this aerial type thing. Well, we just had to cut our budget to make sure we stayed within that amount of money. We did get sponsorships and we did try to use some of those. I don't think everybody tries to go out for sponsorships because I know some of the people that receive Rogers tax funding don't go out for sponsorships. We do. We try really hard to get enough money to cover for everything. But this year is our uh 79th anniversary of the 1947 crash and it's also the 250th birthday United States. So, we really wanted to make it a big one and we wanted to put as much as we could in there to say we want to make it bigger and better than you've ever seen. So, by the time the 80th anniversary gets here the next year, it'll be a really great big event. So, the answer to your question is it's possible we could do it. I mean, we've done it. Uh, but as you can see, we went down from getting I think the first year we got 60,000 and then that's not mine. Okay. We went from getting 60,000 down to 50,000 and this year was a recommended 20. You can't do that. You

cannot put on an event that way. And um but I would appreciate that you consider it. I think we've done a good job. We're good stewards of it. We we cut our budget as as requested uh by the finance committee brought it down by $28,000 from our original budget. So we'll do the best we can with what you what you give us. That's all I can say. I for now. Thank you, Council Lady How.

I just wanted to add this is one of the largest events in the state and the downtown merchants. I'm always trying to look out for them. They do more business during this weekend than they do like like three or four months in a row. So, if Main Street Russell can't put on a quality event, then I I really think we're going to hurt our merchants, the hotels, and all our all our all the all the vendors in. Thank you. Did Oh, council Hel.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Tony, I received this email from councelor Gas today showing the final budget summary. How much what percentage are we over budget or underbudget in the general fund on spending right now? Um because this contemplates 100% correct. So

and I and I also question two questions three questions really. You have a budget adjustment expense. You're going to add another $8.8 8 million in budget adjustments that we know did not approve in last year's budget. I would think this council needs to know exactly where we're at on that $ 8.8 million that we did not approve last year. And you're saying that we're going to have $ 8.8 million. And does this also now you're saying we got budget adjustment revenue an increase of 5.4 million. Is that how did you how did you arrive at that number?

So the 5.4 million is um grant related. Um it has nothing to do with the increased GRT that we received which we are running what over 3 million close to $3 million ahead of our GRT projection. Correct. So, there's some fallacies in here, counselor, that I think need to be that need to be brought to everybody's attention so that we're talking crystal clear here. So, councelor Gas before um coming tonight as called me and asked me if I could give a breakdown of the Yeah, I would like to have a meeting with you and councelor Gas. So, I I'm I didn't grow up in Missouri, but I grew up next door to Missouri. Show me. I've got it all right here

is what I'd like to see so that we are all transparent and we all know what we're talking about here on just the general fund. Yeah. I have all the budget adjustments that were approved and and the incomes that went with them. Yes. Okay. Cuz that that that inflates them because all I ever look at is the budget adjustments that we approved that don't have income with them. Those are true budget adjustments. The others are grants that come in. Correct. Right. And I I have them separated out for you. Okay. That's what I want to look at.

So, to answer your question, counselor, I'm not sure that we're going to be down this amount of money. We have not done a thorough budget review at this point in time, which I believe needs to be done. We haven't done a review of all of the enterprise funds from 25. We haven't seen that yet. The year's ended. We're 7 months into the new year. Have any of you seen a performance review on any of the enterprise funds?

No. Have we seen a performance review midyear on the enterprise? I'm not chastising you, but we don't have information that's solid and we've been working on this solidly for 4 years trying to get this thing under control. But I think there needs to be a lot more review done before we say we're broke because I think there's $3 million more in gross receipts, maybe $4 million more in gross receipts. That's not in this number. Could you not disagree with that? Because I presented those numbers at finance when I did some calculation.

So I think the physician is not as bad. The sky is not falling. It's falling a little bit, but it's not falling around and we're not going to destroy us in my opinion. I've been working on these things for four years. So, council, I'm asking the city manager. Here's a sky following. Yeah, I know you've only been on the job for a short period of time. As my on my ninth day as the job uh

and you've been involved in the city for a long time. No, what I can say is that uh I have not thoroughly looked at this document yet. But what I can say is that we are about 18% above projection on average for this year on GRT. Yeah, that's a fact. But we haven't we don't know where we're sitting at. Of course, we could I mean you handed us the package. I don't have u

I mean I could go create worksheets and spend hours and hours and hours on where every department is on their budget, but we haven't done a budget review at all. I don't know whether street department is under budget by certain percentages through the year. And the other thing you have to look at when you look at these budgets, we dump in frontend costs, do we not? that don't come back at the later port of the portion of the year. So you can look like you're over budget but you're truly not because the way we frontload some are some of our expenses. Correct. Is that a correct? That is correct. Yeah. So the insurance for example is frontloaded. So we're already covered there.

Um no. Yeah. So I don't mean to pussyoot around it but it I just simply haven't looked at the numbers to give a good answer one way or the other. We're well ahead on GRT but we're also we've also been making budget adjustments every month for substantial sums. And and it's not this council that spends the money. No, no, you just give us the You just come and ask. All of you come and ask. So stop asking and we won't have a problem. I did want in the chair.

No, but that's all I have to say about this budget. When you talk about we're being under budget or we're going to be $4 million down until I see some more analysis on this, I cannot believe it. So I yield, Mr. If I could, everybody's spoken once that I that I've seen with their hand up. I would just like to point out, you know, when we when we came in here back four years ago, whatever. And you know, we had had a series of huge problems all the way from Tyler. You're looking at that and you look about the budgets and then you come along and we find out how they were people were taking money out of all the

enterprise funds that you're not supposed to do that and they were putting that in the regular budget and spending it where willy-nilly wherever they wanted. And so we we had we had we we got a budget that was falsely inflated because of the monies that were coming in as I see it. it was falsely inflated because of monies that were coming in from enterprise funds and other things and being spent in that way. So, and then we had Tyler a system that uh really the inputs into Tyler were not correct in the water department or you know darn near anywhere. It seemed like there was always a problem in Tyler and Tyler's was a company is a company that uh was not responsive when it came to solving problems and answering questions for our staff to answer questions to us or for us to get reliable answers. And so what I'm saying I guess really is is that I think that we got a system that was extremely broken and we had we've identified where some of the bright breaks were in the water department, how things were plugged in there. Uh I'm not sure if we didn't have increases that were supposed to be put in and what I think there was some Jon was supposed to put in before he ever left here and didn't do it. And I and so we have a whole system that is really just plain screwed up. And and I think when we decided to take Oracle on I think that was the way we knew that when we took Oracle on it, we would actually get numbers that really meant something. And I think that's one of the greatest things I think that why this council voted for that was because we were going to start a fresh with

somebody and have a clean slate so when we leave this place we can leave our the next councils that come up with a clean slate. And I want to compliment everybody here. What everybody says about the the funds, they're all true. We we have a little cushion because we only have to have one 12 and we have three and we've kind of guarded that uh to the best we can and and when you take the 40,000 out or and 150 out or whatever when you take that out yes you were you were eating away part of that 312s and everybody's here is right when they say you got to quit. And so this is one of those times where all of a sudden it becomes very apparent that we have to decide whether we quit today or if we quit tomorrow. And uh and I I I I don't I don't fault uh Main Street uh you know, everybody wants to put the best show on we we can and uh you know it's we we just have to decide. But we are running out of places to take money from and uh and you know that's that's just kind of where we are. I I don't I don't want to blame uh our finance department. I don't want to blame our counselors. We just got a place that was extremely messed up. And that's how you say it. I don't know. You can you can say it lots of different ways, but that's just the plain facts. And there's probably not many of us that would use the terms messed up. Would probably been something

that was worse. And uh and I uh so I think we just we need to decide if if if we're going to go down that road, if we're going to give them some money, that's what this council is about. And if today's the day it stops, it stops. and uh and but I I got to tell I have to thank each and every one of you for just being with us when we have to fight the things that we've had to try to turn around. I mean, I don't think it's little. I think it's big what we've had to turn around. We were left in a huge mess. And if you really want to look, didn't our I don't know. It seems to me like our city manager got 11% raise on his way out the door.

I think that's right. Correct.

And And I'm just saying now we're wondering why that happened. Why didn't Why didn't we get why didn't our guys at the water department get 11% raise? I mean, you know, all I'm saying are the solid waste or we have a group of people who are all working together and we are coming together where I think that the workers in in this city and I think the people have confidence in us that we're going to turn this ship around and get it when a balance sheet and the stuff that we get and show them are going to be 100% factual. And but it's going to take another year or two probably to do that too because it was so screwed up. Now if we get 80% income all this time, you know, uh that's that's going to really help us out on getting down the road. But uh but you know, you can still turn around and you can look and see and we have employees that uh aren't being really paid a competitive way wage to keep them hired for the city to to change those big pipes. Some we don't have a crew really to to trained to change, you know, a 30-in pipe and so we have to hire that done all the time. And I would just tell you, I do remember there was a pipeline that was cut at the uh out at the country club, a sewer line that was cut and we were told it was a $60,000 repair. We had to get somebody from out of town to do it and that the people who cut it kind of complained a little bit and said and they fixed it for $5,500 versus 60,000 if we had got somebody from Albuquerque. So, and they did that with some workers

from here and it's held up ever since. So, you know, there are a lot of things that we need to address in our system, but we've got to have crews crews that can fix water leaks of all sizes. We've got to have that. And we're going to have to probably pay some salaries to get people here that can do that have that kind of knowledge. But I I just thank you all for being here and this is a real positive discussion as far as I'm concerned because from this every one of us knows right now it's either a time you fish or you cut bait and that's what it is and we can either put it off or we can pass it and we can stop and I don't want to I don't want to do anything to mainstream our UFO you know we still get 750 people a day or 800 every day goes through that place. That's the best tourist thing. We don't there's not a better tourist stop in the state. I mean, it's not. So, thank God for the UFO and Oh, and go tell my brother cuz he did the 97th and Stan and those guys made it really go good. that whole group they had, but it's really worked. So, let's we need to we need to keep it going. Barbara's right. We need to keep it going, have a good festival. But, you know, this maybe we can't do the 56, but that's that's why you all are elected to decide when we fish or cut bait. So, you want me to get the poles or you want me to get the bait? Or maybe we don't need either.

Call for a vote. Hope for a vote. Well, we go ahead. I I just wanted to go on record. I I really appreciate

uh councelor Korn as chair of the finance committee and the finance committee in the past because they did work really hard trying to balance the budget. They were handcuffed because they didn't get it there. I appreciate the city staff because they have I think they're really busting their butt to get us the best information they can. And I want to make sure that everybody knows that the city of Roswell asked for the special audit. We went to the state auditor said, "We've got problems. Can you come down do the special audit?" That was the mayor and the finance committee that went and asked for that. So, um, we, you know, it they have been working really hard on it and and I and I think we'll get there. I really do. So, that's all I want to say. Okay. Anyone else? Well, it's the same problem, though. Bobby, I mean, Bobby, did you guys all worked at that? He's exactly right. It's the same problem. We're still dealing with the same stuff from bad government in the past and but We're working forward

for the question. Okay, we have a motion for the question. So the question that we had on the floor was to uh consider item 26 to consider the approval of Main Street Rosal sponsorship agreement to the UFO festival in the amount of 102,000 with 56,000 from the lodgers tax uh and 46,000 out of the general fund. Motion was made by council councelor Gas and seconded by council lady Moore and question.

And so we're going to have a vote. The motion before us now is on the call of the question on on that u u doesn't have to be seconded or move the question. So no it doesn't. So okay. So if the clerk would call the role on if we are going to this is to call the question to vote on item 26. A vote of yes means we vote. Vote of no means we continue discussion. So if the clerk can call the role. Councelor Corin. Yes. Councelor Marovo. Yes. Councelor Helen Brand. Hi. Councelor Moore. Yes. Councelor Oropesa.

Yes. Councelor Johnson, yes. Councelor Halverson, yes. Councelor Gas, no. It was clo Oh, council Arnold. Yes. It was on the question. This was on the question. Yes. It was a It was a real close. Pardon? Now we're going to vote on the motion. Yes. After But we can't announce the ball. He'll Yeah, I misunderstood. So, I have a Yes. He misunderstood. He thought we were on. Well, I had I I had nine in the affirmative. Uh that we vote on the question.

That's what I had on my vote. Okay. So now we vote on this is on. All right. This is item 26 to consider the approval of Main Street Rival sponsorship UFO for the amount of 102,000 56 from the lodgers tax and 46 out of the general fund on a motion made by councelor Gas. Seconded by councelor Adam Moore. The clerk will call the role. Councelor Korn. No. Councelor Maruo. Yes. Councelor Helderbrand. Hi. Councelor Moore. Yes. Councelor Oropesa. Yes. Councelor Johnson. Yes. Councelor Halverson. Yes. Councelor Gas. No. Councelor Arnold.

Yes.

Motion passes 72. Okay. So we have we item 26 uh by vote of seven in the two seven affirming two in the negative. Item 26 to consider the approval of Main Street to sponsorship agreement festival for 102,000 uh dollars with 56 from lodgers tax and 46,000 from the general fund as due pass. Next we go to item 27. Okay. Item 27 is to consider the approval of Main Street RS with the sponsorship agreement for America 250 in the amount of $150,000 from the general fund. And uh that uh councelor gas uh I move that we consider approval of the main street sponsor with the American 250 Roswell in the amount of 150,000 from the general fund. Okay. We have a motion by council gas. Is there a second?

Thank you. Council lady Halbertson seconds. Okay. Is there uh Council Gas, would you care to explain your motion or is there any discussion on on We've already gone through it. Is there any discussion? Mr. Mayor, I do believe Mayor Turkey had a comment. He might want to Thank you. All right. You don't turn. No. No. I'm I'm good. Thank you. Okay. I appreciate it.

Okay. Seeing no discussion. Oh, I have a discussion. Oh, well, I just asked. Okay. Councelor Gas. We are in the hole. We are going We even if we take that revenue, we still are in the hole for this year. There's two and a half police cars. I I had somebody call me today, a businessman in Roswell, and he said, "I can raise the 150,000." He said, "I don't need that." He said, "I" He said, "What I need out there is is the is the city to go out because if you have 10,000 people out there, I need the city go out and have police there and have the fire department there and sanitation." And we could take 20,000 out of the public safety fund to give them for that so we could have those people out there and then we could invoice them and get it back. It wouldn't cost us anything. But this is this is a lot of money that we don't have. And again, we're robbing the general fund. I think there's a way to to get this done privately this year and not cost us that much money. And I I just think we we should consider spending $150,000 again that we don't have.

Okay. Next. Are you done, counselor? Yes, sir. Natural Hiligram. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, if this individual wants to raise $150,000, then this money would would never this money would come back because they would never spend it. Correct. No, they would spend 300. No, they wouldn't. No, they would not spend 300. They would spend Excuse me. Let me finish my time, please. Yeah, that I'm asking council or Yeah.

that if we grant them 150, they get a donation for 150 for their fireworks display, they would not be spending our money and it would come back to us. Would that be a proper statement? Uh the way the contract is written that is not what we would be purchasing is advertising. Now, if if Main Street's willing to represent that if they were to get somebody to come in with 150,000, they would give that 150,000. Could we contractually make that happen? Yeah, we can add that in. We could we could amend this contract.

That the language would be something I'd want to think about for a little bit. So, what if you would if in your motion you simply say with language that would require a payback? If they receive something, then yes, we can do that. But then I would like to make that motion. Okay. Sorry, Mr. Yeah. So, what I'd say is the that the that you would propose an an amendment that would include a reverber clause when executing of the 150,000 when executing the contract. Okay.

That if they were able to receive that direct donations for that, then we would have a claw back to the city. I second that motion. That's my motion to amend. A motion to amend on a call back. Councelor Hilderbrand and seconded by Howerson. Is there any further discussion on that motion or on the whole?

No, we're on the motion. On that motion and I haven't there's not I don't see any hands up. Uh I would just have one question. If they don't raise it and I mean if they have to buy fireworks, this is just for advertising. Once they spent that is gone and we have they're on and we're going to be counting on someone else to raise the money, whoever it is we don't know, and give the money. If they don't give us the money, Main Street will have already spent the money. No.

How person? Yeah. So, Mr. The way I would probably construct this and and Josh feel free to chime in is we would say that um for every dollar that is donated for purpose X that shall that shall create a reversionary interest to the city for a sum equal to that amount from the 150,000 sponsorship. So if some benefactor were to come in and give 200,000 for fireworks the whole 150 would revert. If somebody comes in and gives 50,000, 50,000 will revert. So, we could be on the hook for the whole 150 or any.

Okay. Now there was also a comment made about an individual said he could raise the money and uh I was approached by an individual and his main thing is that we have one fireworks show and the story was that Church on the Move was going to have theirs on June the 20th and then we were going to have uh whatever we had in Ronhole was to have all our police and firemen there. So we had good representation and crowd control for 10,000 people that go go to Seattle Grande to watch it. And uh so uh I mean I to me as I see that then this is basically we we we've got to sell this to have uh Main Street Rob will raise $150,000 and have our policemen will then be con committed to go to that show or police or fire or whatever I would yes to provide uh uh security and safety at at that event because the only place we have have a lot of people is the old grounding. So would that that would be how it's understood with everybody on the council.

Councelor K and then councelor Moore and then councelor Arnold. Well, are we going to vote on the motion first or are we going to go into Well, we're still in discussion on the motion on the motion. Yes. Counselor Moore or Council Korn. I'm sorry. However you want to do it, Mayor. No, you were first. I'm sorry. I just misspoke. Councilor Moore second. No, she doesn't. She I was just giving attention.

She doesn't. Oh, she doesn't want to. Then Council Arnold. My my comment is that if you put a claw back in to Mr. Smith that says that he can he thinks he can raise the money that and we go ahead and give the money. What's his incentive to try to raise money just to give to the city of Ron? Would you care to respond? Is that a question? Yeah. It's his word. Well, is that not corrected? Answer. Yes. You talk to him.

Well, that's what we'd have as his word, but he didn't think he was going to get the 150,000. So, he said he would go raise it. He said he didn't need it. That's what he told me. So, to answer your question, counselor, all you have is his word. Mhm. I know. and he's not here to talk about it. 350,000 would buy two new police cars with the equipment.

Doesn't matter. It's coming out of the general fund and the police and the fire department are general fund agencies right now. And so I got the same problem with this general respond. Okay. Finish responding. Okay. He's from counc. Okay. Councelor Arnold. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. So I have a couple questions. I did hear you guys actually talk about that this this is funding marketing. Did I hear you someone say that? Okay. because that that's not what the agenda item abstract says. It actually says it's covering fireworks.

That's right. That's what it says. So, is it covering marketing or fireworks? The contract is a sponsorship agreement, not a fireworks purchase. Sponsorship agreement is a Sorry, this is an advertising sponsorship purchase, not a fireworks purchase. The abstract is incorrect. I got it now. We can't buy fireworks. We can pay for sponsorship. You don't want to buy.

We that my very firm position that we do not get in the fireworks purchasing business. Once twice shy. We're not going to do that while I'm running around. We can wait. So got sued because they just put the money up to buy the fireworks. Yeah. Yeah. So, so council, kind of to answer your, uh, being an attorney, I'm kind of riskaverse and purchasing fireworks if something goes sideways is not something I'm prepared to endorse in any way.

Okay. Um, so, okay. So, I I understand what you're saying and I understand the whole thing and and and I have been I think I've pretty been pretty clear although I I wasn't in the last because the two were tied but um I don't actually believe that the city should have been involved with this because we're not in the event business. Um, and I see it as even though we're going through uh Main Street Roswell as our fiscal agent, um, or well, I've never been a big fan of fireworks. How many fireworks shows are we having this year? Four. Four. Is it four?

Okay. Yeah, cuz I also did work on my veterans and I really appreciate that we're contributing to a drone show. Um, and again, I would probably feel a little bit different, but this is out of the general fund. That's 150,000 out of the general fund. And I could swallow the 40 on the last one because that wasn't divided up. But um yeah, this uh this just guys, I think we all came in here making sure that the city was not engaged in the event business. So I I think I'm pretty clear where I'm standing. I know. No, we were talking on the

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Okay. Any further comments? I have comments, but not on the motion. Mr. Mayor, can I just ask Barbara? Yes. Go ahead. the uh the $150,000 that Main Street is asking for is what is this specifically for? Yeah. Do you want to answer that for me? So, may I Yes, go ahead.

So, we formed a meeting to put on an anniversary celebration for the birthday of the United States. Main Street agreed to be the fiduciary for the committee. So part of the event is $150,000 for a fireworks show. Um they have to be a fiduciary through the city um to pay for it. Maybe you can explain it better. He has but to release

Yeah. to release the liability. So basically we would hire a third party to put on the firework show. The city would not be putting it on. They'd be hosting the the event center and providing the police and the fire, but a third party would have the liability for the fireworks and the insurance. Make sure he's the fiduciary, but this is not a an event that absolutely necessarily has to be done.

No, but in my opinion, I think it does only because it's 250th birthday in the United States. That happens once ever. Never again. And I don't know if you remember, but most of us remember where we were in 1976 when we had, you know, the last anniversary. Well, I don't know, maybe you don't, but I do. I was in the hospital. Yeah. You want to remember that. But to me, this is a once in a-lifetime event. And you know, we want we want the city the city was threw so much hardship. I want to create something the entire year that culminates July 4th, but it continues on that gives something, you know, for people to celebrate and remember.

Well, and I and I appreciate that. But, uh, the fact is again when you're talking about the money, obviously the money is not there. And from us, what I'm hearing is that these four firework events that that are going to take place, I'm not sure on the when they're going to be doing it. Church on the move June 20th. So, we wanted to do in conjunction with the UFO festival when all the tours the other ones that are what is it? Lake Band and the country club. And I did have a question. It's still your course. No, go ahead. Mr.

Well, I had it for Mr. Journey. Were you comfortable with this contract because I thought you had issues with uh No, I was not. Okay.

I think I think that Pardon me. I think that the U agreement that was presented um when the finance committee met it was one agreement and then it was broken into two. We we have no issue with the UFO festival agreement. We do have a lot of concern about this one and our concern lies in the fact that we initially put ourselves in a position to partner with the city as a fidiciary. Nobody really knows who's going to do the show. Nobody really knows where the money's coming from and where it's going. The accountability, the way that that the way that the agreement was written and and I was prepared to to um to address that with you. It it's it's not something that we can do. We we need we need the flexibility to be able to sit down because liability is not going to be on mainstream role. It just can't be. We we couldn't purchase enough I'm not sure that we could purchase enough insurance to be able to cover a liability to to hold the city harmless. Indemnify the city and hold them harmless would would cost us outrageous amount of money. So, so, so when we started when we started this, we were going to be a fiduciary and and I'm hoping that if you do uh vote to support this, I'm hoping that you will will will allow some

flexibility for us to to be able to work with the city on on on what what our responsibilities are going to be because they were all over the place on the last one. and I understand there's a new one, but they were all over the place and and it was not acceptable. I was going to come this evening and ask that this be tabled so that we could take one week to sit down and try to hammer out a document that that that didn't leave Main Street Roswell hanging for for a potential liable situation, but that allowed us to help you do what it is that you want to do. That's what we're here for.

So, m Mr. Ama, what if we do table this till the next city council meeting? No, no, no, no. We can't go that long. We can't go that long be because I've got to I've got to think that fireworks are falling off the shelves right now. There's not going to be another month that that that you're even going to be able to buy fireworks unless find the fire technician to to to do it. So,

we already have a company that's already agreed to do it. do. Well, my understanding is that they that that that that agreement, that conversation happened weeks ago, if not a couple months ago. And again, I'm not I maybe maybe they're hanging on to those waiting for the city and and and make sure Rosel to come to the agreement or whatever. No, but I got to think that. Can I interrupt just please? Yes, sir.

Sir Tama Forever, we we started with Satderfield, Mike Satderfield's fireworks. We had all those shows and we gave it all to the city. We paid to train the firemen. We had all that. It was all done. Gave it to the city, the computers, everything to run. And then Dennis brought in somebody from outside. And then they didn't retrain the people. But for the show where that when they brought uh the next year after he brought in that show and it was a flop and the next year he had the fireman do it and that's when we had the accident. Okay. Yes sir.

Now I'm going to tell you the only thing Satoma did was give the city money 25 or $30,000 or something to buy the fireworks. Yet when you think that you're going to get away from this by going from the liability when that lawsuit went around and the firemen sued and everybody Sertoma had to pay money because they gave the city the fireworks and the city screwed up on how they went off and Sertoma had to pay. So don't be thinking that you're if you go through uh Main Street and everything else that and we fund that through some backdoor mechanism that you're going to get away from the liability because in our lawsuit STOMA had to pay and all we did was give you money and I thought it was really wrong. I still do but that's what happened. I would just tell you what, the best thing I think we can have come out of this is if we got uh Main Street to get together and ask for all the people who want to have a a fireworks show and get with Travis Hicks and and uh who was your guy? try to spell

we'll get them all them and say okay let's raise the money and do it and we will provide the firemen and the uh police police to to to take care of the show at Cello Grande we will provide those firemen to provide safety for our constituents in that thing and I think that could work u and that's if you want a response it's a you're at the podium that's you know I mean That's fine. And if not, I've got Coward U Howson was there first and then then councelor Korn and then or Juan. So,

well, I I was just going to suggest the same thing that you just did instead of the the city getting involved. if Main Street could get together with the individuals that are having those uh events and let them take care of of the fireworks if that's what they want to do and we'll have the police and the fire and the and counelor or I I I appreciate that but I don't want to be a satellite. I I don't I don't want to be caught up if something were to happen. I don't want Main Street Rosco to be caught up in it. So the whole idea

if if if we if we were continuing to be looked at as a fiduciary, which is which is a nonprofit organization to be able to to to put monies in to write the checks, I I'm probably good with that. But but anything that brings that brings a potential

extensive liability case against Main Street Rosel is it is not going to happen. So the way it's set up was they were only the fiduciary supposed to be involved in any well they were involved because they're on the they're on the committee so they're involved in the decision making but the committee involves you know people from Miami people from the school district there's a committee of people the city people so the whole idea was they were just the fiduciary they weren't making any decisions unless it was made by the committee we were going to we were going to track deposits made from from the from the sponsorships that that um that were sent out in that flyer.

So, they're not supposed to go out. Well, I mean, they can if they want, but they're they're not making the decisions. The committee is making the decisions, but they're still holding the money. We're holding the money and we're paying the and we're paying and we're paying the the fact that you're holding the money, you're still responsible. Yes. That's that's that's why that's why I asked if if I could not get with with the city attorney and the city manager and and and put a cure in there for he could be required to have the the guy providing the show be insured. No, he is okay. Dell is new to this. He wasn't involved in any of his decisions. Okay.

So, we had the committee had already talked about the fire. So, we had someone but you didn't never call me. You're calling everyone else, but you're not calling me. I could have set up a meeting with the person doing the fireworks before all this happened and we wouldn't have to be going through this right now. We could have had all these all these things worked out. So, you want I see where you're coming from, but we do have a third party that would do it. They have the insurance. They they carry the liability. Is it the same third party that's No, no, I'm talking about a professional fireworks show person. Okay,

that's who we were. That's who we gave approval to go ahead and get ready for the show. It's a not if Bobby Art knows them. It's not through our net fireworks or anything. It's a professional third party fireworks person that carries all the liability, does the show. They do everything, but still the the 150 part of the $150 is going toward the fire. That's what the 150,000 go to fireworks. So, if I'm hearing the mayor correctly, then the city still holds responsibility. Sure. Roma would did. Yes. Yeah. We're still exposed. Yeah. You know, you guys decide what you want. I was just trying to create something nice for the city of Roma. Oh, absolutely. You know, that's

and and we're here we're here to do what we can to help. Yeah. But it's not like nobody wants it. No, it's not that. I think we I think we get it actually. Councelor Korn, Mr. Mayor, I got a question if Council Howard can yield. Yes. So, you keep using the we word. Who's we? The people on the committee. There's a huge what? Who is on the committee? Okay. I'm not on the committee. Main Street, I think, in it. Well, Main Street's on the committee. The school district's on the committee. People from Nim is on the committee. um people from Excel Energy. Bobby is on a committee. We have like 30 40 different people. Okay.

I tried to create a committee that included people from the entire city to make this entire citywide event, not just a city event, not a main street event. I'm trying to include everybody in the city to have part of this because it's a year-long event. It's a city. I would also like to go on record. Yes. Pay attention. Make sure I don't get myself in trouble here. But I have not ever seen nor have I heard where you can contract out of liability exposure. You can limit it somewhat but you can't get away from

Yes. So council uh one cannot wave negligence in New Mexico. Uh so the reason I be sir Tomma had a slightly different circumstance but we are protected by the torque claims act. So the standard liability we require when anybody holds us harmless holds us effectively harmless. 2 million bucks. We're requiring 2 million 2 million. Okay. And then 2 million individual 5 million aggregate. So we'd have to have a little except for raw. That's a $und00 million policy. Much different risk profile ra's got exposure all over.

I mean that that's the thing. There's a whole lot of stuff. involved with this thing when you're dealing with fireworks. And I think that we just need to pass over this thing, let it die its own death and get on it a little earlier next time and see if we get something. I think there is no next time. There's only one 250th anniversary. Huh? Councelor, I But are you willing to are you going to write the liability check if somebody gets hurt? No. There you go.

The city of Ross could potentially have to cash in. I mean, you know, if you got a lawsuit and we got a million coverage and the lawsuit says you owe $2 million, guess who has to pick pick up the other million? We do. That's not that's not a small amount of money nor dependent on how bad the incident is. That's a little money. If one of these firework leaves its barrel and falls in the crowd and it goes off, you don't have enough liability coverage. Guarantee it.

I I don't I don't disagree. and and and and and quite honestly we $150,000 is not being requested by Main Street Rosle. It's being requested with Main Street Roswle being a fiduciary of of taking deposits and paying on invoices. We're not requesting. We're not we're not going to make the deal with the You sure? with with the individual that's going to do the show. All we are is we're a pastor. That's all we want to be. That's all we can that's all we need to be.

Who's going to who's going to actually contract with the you got the I I don't have any idea. And and and if it and if it comes if it comes down to that then then then we need to look at it real hard to be honest with you because again we're looking at this and we've seen two or three or four different generations of of agreements and and and things are are are already in place before you even made a a decision on what you want to do with it. But but we were asked to be a fiduciary and that's that's going to be our limitations.

Somebody's got the contract of potential vendor. I understand. And I don't know if that's I don't know who it is. Opens us up even wider to exposure. I yield. Okay. Thank you. Council lady Moore hadn't asked any questions all day. So go ahead. Council lady. Um, so you don't have a contract with the American the 252. So there's no contract there. Um, council gas said someone was going to the flip the bill. I don't know what the word raise the money.

So why are we discussing this what the city's going to have to pay if somebody's going to raise the money? Just let somebody raise the money and leave the city out of it. We don't want to be let, you know, let them raise the money and do it. Um, you have the same.

It's the same. I know. I I want this. I understand this event and I understand it. But if somebody already has the money to take care of it, then why are we still talking about what the city's going to if the city's going to pay the 150? If we already got somebody that's willing to say, I don't need the 15. I need to meet that person that don't need the 150 bucks. Anyway, um, he said he don't need the 150. And and do y'all really want to be the fiduciary area of it of of it? If if if we can if we can come to terms on an agreement that does not put us in a in a seriously liable situation, we're more than happy to do what we can.

So So you know the person that's talking about donating the Okay. So you don't know anything about that. Is this the first time you're hearing that conversation? Uh, no. My my understanding is that there was somebody and and and it looks like there's a couple different people. Yes, ma'am. This is the first time we're hearing that.

Okay. So, if this if the money's donated, then we cannot I'm vote no on this. If somebody else is already going to donate the 150,000, leave the city out of it and let it get donated and let it get done. And that's that's kind of how I feel about it. I I agree that we need to have something nice. It's 250. It don't happen, you know, that often. So now keep this even if even if somebody else pays for it, it's in our city. There's still some some kind of liability for us anyway.

You know what I mean? Because it's in in our city, but not as much. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. There's still some type of liability. Um and if you're going to think about it, of all the years we had them, how many accidents were there? you know, except for the big one that didn't have nothing to do with us,

you know, that was a personnel issue. So, I mean, out of the fire, you know, out of the shows, how many accidents have there been? And so, I mean, don't think about whether we going to have an accident. We can't we don't want to claim that. But I just feel like leave the city out of the 150 and let them let it get donated and put put the people put them in touch with the people they need to talk to to get the that said they they got 150 for you. You I'm sure you'll take it. Right.

We we we will if if again if we can come to an agreement that does not put Main Street Roswell in a seriously liable situation, we'll do whatever we can to help out. as a fixed and you and you did not see this contract is in our packet today. I understand it was done uh in the last couple days and we might have Mr. Mr. Mayor if I may Mr. comfortable signing this what what's your recommendation? Uh I guess two things. So first is is a point of order that we're still on the question about amending

correct? So, we're not we're not gerine to the second part, but we've been going German anyway since we I don't love this right now. And I I I I'd prefer not to worry about how to make sure that we protect ourselves from a show. And uh you know, there's other times of the year where we could do a firework show at the city council chooses. It's not quite the same, I understand. But okay, counselor Brown. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Attorney, yes. I'm finished with you. I'm sorry.

So, this quote anonymous individual were to put up $150,000. You still have the same problem that you're bringing about the city. Well, I was just having just having a conversation about that with You're going to have the same problem about the liability. Well, not if it doesn't run through us. If if someone's going to put up the money, they can just pay the the the federal technician. But I think they're willing to run it through you because they can get charitable donations for that. That's what they're looking at because you're a f you're you're you're a charitable organization and they can write that check and get the the deduction, right, for that, right?

I don't think they're looking at just them putting on the show. What else? I think they're looking at the tax advantage they get out of it as well. So then you're going to have you're going to have the same dilemma or you're just going to have to recuse yourself from say we don't want to do it. And and and honestly that may be where comes but but but I want that to be the very last breath that we take. We want to do we want to do everything we can to make but I'm hearing that come that's what your your conclusion is. it it's is that you're you don't want to take the responsibility and so therefore

you're if if I had if I had another day or two that I could that I could call our insurance um provider would and and ask what it would cost to to cover a fireworks display and and if it was you know if it depending on what it was that that would have a varing the decision So there's no guarantee even if they he makes the donate or he's able to gather the donation right now. He he didn't say he's going to write the check himself. He said he's going to go out and give see if he can raise them raise the money. Okay.

There's no guarantee that he's got the 150,000. And that's why I made my motion as I did so that if there was a shortfall, you wouldn't be on the hook for anything and the city would get their money back and the whole thing would work. So, but you're still going to have to wrestle with that issue of the liability. Yes, ma'am. And I'm hearing you saying you're not going to take that liability on. Well, the the the way it was written is that we indemnify and hold the city with with with decisions that we're not making with with with money that we're not soliciting.

And and so and so someplace in there there's got to be a balance. But if it's totally out of balance, then then I get that. And so, but what our city manager saying that number needs to be $2 million worth of coverage. Correct. Two 2 million per individual, 5 million aggregate. Yeah. So, and that would identify the city the right amount. Well, that's all we have to put up. We don't have to according to what he's saying. So, and one of the line items would be where the prior technicians is to have like

That's what I was going to ask. Yes. If if if an insurance if insurance policy could be a line item and and money from that come or or if we got 150,000 and we gave we gave the city back 150,000 less what that insurance policy cost was, now we can start to to maybe look at putting some rear. that would be in a total. So, so let's say the insurance policy is $10,000 for one night, for one event. If if we get 150, then we give the city back 140. We use 10,000 to to pay for our insurance. That that that's something I'm guessing maybe that's something we could do. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Thank you. Okay. This last one, Council Lady Howson, this is kind of your deal, so this would be the last. We'll go to the question. I haven't talked to the donor, so I don't know if he'd be willing just to pay them directly, take the funds, raise the funds, and then pay them directly. Kirk, you have any idea? I mean, you can't speak for Say that again. If he gets the funds to raise it, keep Main Street out of it, and he just pays him directly. He doesn't get the tax write off. He just raises the funds and pays the the fire company directly. I don't know if he'd be willing to do that. I mean, he's going to have the liability. It's going through his account. It's bypass.

Oh, I don't know. No, cuz he's not writing a check. He's going out and I know, but I didn't know if he wanted to gather the funds and do that. I didn't know if that was an an option. I don't know if he's willing to do that. I I can't speak. Nobody can speak to you, Mr. Jurnney. I did let Barbara know that if there's additional insurance required, we can pay for probably the American. Was the last part? If there's additional insurance required for Main Street to to be the fiduciary for that, the fireworks show that we could probably pay for it out of the American 250. I wouldn't expect it to come out of 150,000 for the fireworks. Okay.

Plus the 150,000 with with the motion that's on the table, it would be clawback and any money that was not spent would go back to the city. So, so, so, so the money the money that's coming through on the sponsorships, the $25,000 or the 20,000 or the 15 or whatever that that's that goes to the that that goes through the committee to Main Street. Well, it's going to the account. Can can part of that money be used for then we can buy the policy? Yes. Okay. Is that what you just said? I missed it. Okay.

Yeah. because that's the sponsorship money. That's not it's not tied to anything with the city. The only thing that would be tied to the city is 150,000. But the motion that's on the floor that if we get 150,000 from the city and then this sponsor finds more money for us, then that would come up with So could I ask a question real quick? Yeah, but we got to wrap it up. I Okay. Got some dead.

Okay. Can Can the council leave some negotiation between Main Street Roswell, the city attorney and and the city manager? Because again, I've not seen this. I I didn't know it was anything new. So, so if there are some small tweaks that need to be done, can can the council have or or can the council give authority for those tweaks to be taken care of? But if there's something significant or major, then a decision would have to be made whether or not we could do it.

Mr. Would I be able to make a motion um after this other motion passes or goes through gets voted on that um the city council gives you authority to negotiate with them? Uh yes. So, uh, what what really we would need is the budget authority and permission to enter into a sponsorship agreement not exceeding $150,000 for July 4th festivities. And if that's the motion, then we can take those. Okay. Well, we have a motion on the floor. We have a motion on the floor. We have

uh Yes, Mr. Mayor. Councelor Hildbrand could withdraw his motion from the floor and then substitute in this motion. Could you but then we could make the motion with the clawback. Uh the other was I'm going to include the clawback if if you're if you give us the ability to negotiate it. The clawback will be a part of it. You don't have any motion. So I'll remove the motion. Did you have a sec? No, you didn't have a second. I was a you have a second. She was a second. Do you agree with that? I agree with that. So, the council, the two members who proposed the amendments, now we're back on the bill. Make an amendment

and make amendments. Well, you won't hurt. Well, amendment is stated. And this would be to give this this would enable the administration to enter into up to $150,000 sponsorship agreement with Main Street Roswell with a reverse process with a reversion.

Okay. So that's would be it. Now, is there any way that you can get your group of 250 to work with anybody else in town that want to have a same firework show and about donate money to it? I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. So, there's a motion. We need a second. Second. Okay. Now, we got a second. Okay. If we have somebody that's promising to try to raise the money, I wanted to get your group in touch with them so we can stop this stuff. We'd be very happy to work with any of the other group. Okay. And that could include funding or whatever. So you don't even have to draw any money down from the city, right? Okay. Yeah, that's fine.

Okay. Does everybody understand it? Is that way? Yes. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Okay. And this would be to consider item 27 and approve of Main Street sponsorship agreement. for the read. Would you want to read the Would you read the motion?

This would amend the uh the under the the principal motion to the if you approve this, then the next vote would be to allow the the city manager and attorney to negotiate up to $150,000 sponsorship contract with Main Street Main Street Roswell for July 4th festivities. That was a motion. With call back. Okay. So now, okay. If the clerk would call a roll on this motion on the amendment. On the amendment. Yeah. Councelor Korn. No. Councelor Mugo. Yes. Councelor Hellbrand.

Hi. Councelor Moore. Yes. Yes. Councelor Obesessa, no. Councelor Johnson, yes. Councelor Halverson, yes. Councelor Gas, no. Councelor Arnold, no. By vote of five in the affirmative and four in the negative. The amendment has passed. So now we're back on the bill at item 27 as amended. Any further discussion? Seeing none, if the clerk would call the role on the motion as amended. Councelor Korn, no. Councelor Moho, yes. Councelor Helen Brand,

I councelor Moore, yes. Councelor Oropesa, no. Councelor Johnson, yes. Councelor Halverson, yes. Councelor Gas, no. Councelor Arnold,

no. By a vote of five in the affirmative and four in the negative, item 27 as amended is duly passed. Okay, moving right along. We'll go to item 28. It's approval for budget adjustment for $263,355.30 30 cent to install data lines and CJIS required access control to the new Roswell Police Department headquarters. and uh uh Councilman Korn.

I move that we make a motion we approve the budget adjustment of $263,355.30 to install data lines in CGIS required access control for the new Roswell Police Department headquarters. Second asking that was council move hope for a second. Yes. Yes. So we have a motion in a second. Is there discussion council? Go ahead. City manager.

Thank you Mr. Mayor. Uh this item was also tied with item number four. Uh the as you'll notice I think in your patent you're actually missing the document that will be supporting this but we also again want to present to the full to the committees of council the alternate funding availability or alternate costs for maintaining the current police station. As such we would respectfully ask that this motion be tabled item 28 be tabled. Yes. Okay. There's no nothing unlike the other one, but tableing's fine because this really is just an up or down on a quote that J&G gave. Okay.

Okay. So, we would the sponsor and the second consider a motion. Uh well, someone has to make a motion to table table. Second.

So, council corn made a motion to table and second by council order. And so so is there any further discussion? Seeing none, you want to voice vote. You want to ought to have a voice vote. Okay. All all those in favor signify by saying I. I.

Opposed. Okay. Bye. Nine. Affirming. Item 28 has been table. Okay. Next we go to item 29 that is consider the um Jennings recommendation appointments to a flood task force were as follows. These are uh five individuals that uh are from around town and they are uh just being perfectly honest. They're not geographically dispersed. Uh but they have different talents. Each person has a different talent here. And this is for a flood task force. So the purpose of the flood task force is to develop plans and get ideas about what we can do and how we can spend the FEMA money to get the biggest bang for our buck in moving Roswell down the road to recover from our floods. And so, and if you look, you have um Chris Tortez, everybody knows him. He knows an awful lot about water and everything. He was a counselor. He understands us. Warden Patton is a builder around town that has been here his whole life. And uh Micah Spiritu is with our chamber of economic development. And John Hitchcock is a local banker here Roswell with Pioneer Bank. is uh uh he serves around. He has a good balance in our community I think as well. Now that's would just to get somebody to start looking about different options that we have to prevail on about where we go if we ever if FEMA ever starts sending money out to us and that that would be the purpose of this task force.

Mr. Mayor. Yes. One quick question. Uh on Mr. Johnny Hitchcock, is he still on the uh airport advisor? Airport advisor. Yes, he is. So, we have regulations that says that one individual cannot serve in more than one committee.

Uh yes. And if he cannot s if he has to decide on which one he would rather do uh I would change him off of one or the other and I will come to you with a new appointment. I wanted to find somebody with a financial uh background that has been in Roswell and been involved in Roswell and everything in Roswell and uh you know they've always been very supportive of the city on loans and stuff to keep people going and that's why if he want he is very adamant and he's very strong on the aviation committee but I wanted to give him the opportunity. I know this if he has he might have to pick one or the other and then I will have one. I'm the I would like to get this group started because when we get if we ever if FEMA ever starts giving us money with the damage that's been done there there will be a lot of opportunities to put money together to do different things and uh because it we can't necessarily go back and and uh into the Rosville Museum where it sits now because we can't get insurance. So this gives them opportunities to look at everything whether it's we don't we don't have an adult center that we have. So I understand that's the importance of him being on the committee.

But my my concern is that if we have a resolution ordinance that one individual could not be in two comm two serve in two committees. Yeah.

Yes. Mr. Mayor, counselor. That's correct. So, um, Mikey Spiritu and John Hitchcock are both on the AAC presently. Mr. Spearu terms out before their next month's meeting. So, he wouldn't be that rule and duplicate him. Mr. Hitchcock would have to choose between the two. Part of the reason why I advised the mayor to put him on is that I wanted to make sure that if something happened between any of the other three, we have a quorum to move forward. So, Mr. Hitchcock like he'll have to choose one or the other tomorrow morning, but I I'd prefer to have a full slate available uh because as I recall from our December meeting, this was a very high priority group for the council and so we need to get them meeting especially with budget coming.

One more vacancy that needs to be fil. Yeah. So there's one more vacancy to be filled. Um I was going to ask that they had ideas cuz they all have to work together and they're going to be working a lot. Okay. So, but it's the mayor's call, of course. I mean, that I'm just looking, you know, I'll try to balance it out the best I can on purpose. Council, maybe the easier thing to say is we will not allow any of these individuals to violate the ordinances. So, it'll be taken care of tomorrow morning one way or the other. Okay.

So, I thank you for your indulgence if you'll give me and Mr. Hitchcock that opportunity to let him take. So we uh I have a motion to approve item 29 with those appointments of for the to the flood task force of Chris Cortez, Gordon Patton, Michael Spiritu, and John with there will be one more appointed. I think I need to make that motion.

Yes, we were hoping you would. Well, if you quit gabbing, I would. So, council, I wish that you approve the rea recommendation of lease appointments to the public task force Chris code. Have a motion. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Johnson. I think beat you. Any further discussion? Can we do a voice vote? All those in favor signify by saying I. I.

Opposed. By nine, defirming none of the negative. Thank you. I'm sorry for that. I do appreciate the opportunity to let him pick. Okay. Next, we have to approve the employment terms. Oh my gosh. Now, this is this is hard. Christopher J. Nar Mahan. Well, nobody knows who he is. And I know Josh is going to introduce him as for the position of our city attorney. Josh, would you care to say something nice about Mr. Christopher J.

Sure thing, mayor. Mayor Council, uh, I, uh, look forward hopefully to the opportunity to be the city attorney and serve on the council, the mayor. Um, you know, it's my role as a deputy city attorney. I think it's been, uh, challenging. I think it's a good opportunity now to, uh, do something a little bit different. And so, I look forward to that. And I appreciate the, uh, mayor's appointment and stand for any questions. Okay. Why don't we have a um potential for a close session if you want? Oh, if you want a close session, yes, we can do that. Does anyone care for a close session?

I just have a question. Yes. Go ahead, counselor. I just have a question. And I guess this goes to city manager, not you, Josh. That the term of the agreement. Mhm. It says that he'll be the acting city attorney until August 13th. way. We're not just meeting the city attorney now. Yeah. Uh so, uh and and when does this contract going to go in effect? Is it going to affect Alex 13? So, I can So, is it you're asking the mayor to to appoint him as acting?

So, uh I will I can answer that for you. So, uh Josh and I discussing it, I think that he meets the minimum standards of the ordinance. He said that there could be a question because he did take a brief uh while still an attorney by licensing, he was not working for a period of time doing other things. So, there's a six-year requirement. The way I read the ordinance, I think he meets it in an abundance of caution. We've ordered it so that he assumes the official office exactly when he would hit that in all guaranteeable ways. Okay. So he's going to be acting city attorney. And when does this contract then go effective date?

This would be effective upon execution, but he won't be the city attorney. He'd be well he would carry the authority of the city attorney's act because so I he can't right now like we can't settle things cuz he we don't have anybody with city attorney signature authority. So you have to indeed him with that. I just saw that I didn't understand what that was about. No. Yeah. So this is I like this was Josh uh being risk averse like any good lawyer. Oh, did Josh do it or did Christopher do it? That was Christopher, his other lawyer. Get two lawyers for the price of Thank you. Thank you for the explanation. But if we vote on him, he can go get in this other lawsuit with you or help you preree column on the fireworks.

Yeah. The city Christopher, you know, You know, I Josh has been there. He's been here. He's He's been a good employee for, you know, all the time I've been on the council. So, I I don't have any problems with this. I think I think he's I think you'd be a good step up and because I think he's done a good job for us in the past. So, and now the the uh city judge is going to have to come. You're going to have to fight him now. So, let Megan has to Right. Yeah. Okay. Yes.

So, will there will there be a deputy? Will you have to find another deputy some for their Yes. So, we'll be posting for Yeah. Or we're going to have to see what's out there. The legal market's pretty lean these days, but we found you. I like Well, you found a lot of gristle. Okay. Any further comments? Go to close session. Does anyone care to go to close session? No. Okay. Call the role. We need to come off the table yet. Huh?

No. I'm sorry. Okay. Are you ready for me? Yes. I just waited everybody to be quiet for a minute. Approve the terms of employment and job description for Christopher J. Say the

position the contract acting city attorney and now we seconded by council maros. Any further discussion? So we should call the RO. Clue call the RO. Councelor Korn. Yes. Councelor Muho. Yes. Councelor Halibbran. Hi. Councelor Moore. For Josh. Yes. Councelor Alvesa. Yes. Councelor Johnson. Yes. Councelor Hson. Yes. Councelor Gas. Yes.

Councelor Arnold. Yes. Motion passes 90. Congratulations, Josh. We're glad to have you. Okay. So, 32 is gone. Okay. So, we better go back and see what we can redo. Okay. We didn't have a close session. Okay. So last item on the agenda, we have ordinance resolutions and

uh item 32 32 resolution 60 uh 2609 adoption of resolution 2609 approving the budget adjustment for the fiscal year of 3 June 30th, 2026. Council Jazz. Uh Tony, do you have the new numbers? Yes. Okay. What are they for revenue and what are they for expenses? Um there was no changes in revenue. It was 21481655. Okay. There was one the same as it is.

Yeah. Um and then the change with um the expenditures with um agenda item number 26 was just the um allocation for 46,000 to general fund and 150,000 to general fund for the um street proposal. So that was a change of the 224 and the allocation to lodgers tax on there. So is now general fund. Um and it is now 1,439 22726. So what is the number Tony for the UFO? You got 224 on there. What is the number? You have 46,000

less. Um and then 150 for Main Street Rosle for both of those. Okay. So it's 46 and 54 and and 150. 150. 46 and 15. 196 for that. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. I make a motion that we pass resolution 2609. Adopt the resolution of 269 approving budget adjustment to fiscal year ending June 30th, 2026 with the numbers that Tony just gave us. Motion by councelor Gas. Is there a second? Second.

Second by council. Here's for council. Is there any further discussion? Uh, call the role. Councelor K. Yes. Council. Yes. Council Ren. Hi. Councelor Moore. Yes. Councelor Oropesa. Yes. Councelor Johnson. Yes. Councelor Herson. Yes. Councelor Gas. Yes. Council Arnold.

Okay. By a vote of nine in affirming, none in the negative. Item 32, resolution 26-09, uh, approving the budget adjustment for fiscal year June 30th, 2026. Do we pass? Ma'am, do you have a different Yes. Council Arnold voted no. Oh, she said Council Arnold. I'm sorry. I don't know. I think she just gave the phone. Yeah, because he was talking. So, she asked me and I said no. Okay. Sorry. Sorry, ma'am. I I thought you said yes.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Next, we have center manager uh report. What? We got 30 more. I only got council announcement. Make a statement. Oh, does any counselor want to make a statement? I do. Okay. Yeah. Council lady, is there anyone else? That's council lady Arnold. Council Arnold. Oh, excuse me. Who am I doing? Albertson.

And then Council K. Anyone else? You can change your mind if you first off. I sent this flyer to everyone. And I invite everyone to the Pioneer Banks that are 25 years old and we're having a business after hours this next Thursday from 5:30 to 7:00. I invite people that um I'd like to talk briefly on the 250th. First off, I do want to point out we did try to work with uh Church on the Move for the fireworks show and they they were receptive to working with us. They had already set up their event and they couldn't move it. So, if we can get a private sponsorship with well, several sponsors to pay for it and not have the taxpayer pay for the show, I'm so open to that. And if the other uh fireworks shows want to work with us to create one big show, I'm thrilled about that, too. So, I just want to point out that I want to this this whole thing is to try to be a year-long event to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States because to me, that's super important. So, we're having this weekend is our first event. We're having first is the flags. People can go if you go to our Facebook page. There's links to all these. You can you can adopt the flag or get a flag. It's free. The city bought the flags. You can um get a flag for someone in the military or just one of your family members. We'll put your name tag on it and we're going to set them up. The Boy Scouts are going to help as well as volunteers. We're going to try to do this every holiday that where we put flags up. President's Day, um Memorial Day, Veterans Day. So that'll be an ongoing for the whole year. Um, Mind Pro Tri trivia is going to have a President's Day trivia for us. The Liberty opened up for us on Monday, so we could do that. So, thank you to them. And then, uh, we're also going to be taking photos and videos of people who want to be waving American flag for to use for marketing at the insurance home. Thank you, the insurance home for letting us use that facility from 3:00 to 5:00 on President's Day. So, that's

just the first month. Next month, we've got the uh, Robert H. Goddard anniversary we're going to be working with and we're trying to come up with an event for every month. So it's a year long thing too. That's all I have. Any questions? We do have stuff for sale as you can see. We just got up today. So I'll proud. Anyone else care? I would uh

I would tell the members of the community and the counselors at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, one of our National Guard troops, I can't remember where they were deployed to, but they're supposed to be coming back to the National Guard at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. And uh you might have to check the time again. I don't hasn't changed that I know of, but I Yeah. Well, Juliana said she'll let us know. 2 p.m. on Saturday. It's 12:30. It's 12:30. It is 12:30. Yes, sir. Oh, well, they told me 2 p.m. Okay. It's at the National Guard Armory. Yes, sir.

12:30. Airport send off. And the airport send off is 10. The plane comes in at 10:00 and then we will load the plane and leave about 45 minutes later. 9:30. 9:30 is the send off, right? Okay. 9:30.

And that's on the 17th. U Saturday is Valentine's Day. That's So, is there any other things to come? Anyone else want to bring anything up before the council before we counc Oh, who did? I did. Okay. Council lady Arnold.

Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, I just wanted to actually simply um invite the council to participate in the uh council connection forum on Tuesday, February 24th, 5:30 to 7. Um, I want to thank the staff for for helping put that together. It's been said many times that the community um necessarily hasn't had an opportunity to get feedback from us. So, um there's quarterly forums planned. This first one is about 2026 forward movement and motion, what it looks like moving forward. Um, so anyway, it's at the um, Backdraft Barbecue, Third Street Station and so um, anyway, there's flyers out there and help spread the word, get people out. Thank you. Dr. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I have a request for council gas and that is you all have now completed the fiveyear reviews that I had lined out as part of this department. I would ask you to ratify those in some manner. Mr. Ina can probably assist you in that. get that done at the next meeting would be my suggestion. And so I don't know exactly ratification or adoption or what the language needs to be, but those our staff worked hard on those. They got lots of good information. We need to codify it and make it part of

our budget deliberations from here on. And then next year you start through again and see what changes need to be made. They're not supposed to be set to stone. They're supposed to be living. So keep going with that. And mayor if I will. Yes. And the asset management plan I think is a good one to follow as well.

I think they did a great job there. uh the asset management plan by Coven Morton, wasn't it? Uh Mosley Corbin, head of that person. They did an excellent job of it and uh it's going to bring us a lot of value following that. Nothing else will fire trucks float. Okay. Is there anything else? City manager. Thank you. Well, city manager, go ahead. All right. Actually, you guys want to hear Montre? I can keep it real short. I'll keep it short. Uh, I've been here for nine days, so we'll keep it under nine minutes.

No. Uh, uh, as you guys know, we've had to send electrical inspectors to the state. The new one for the city starts May 2nd. That'll speed up building permits. Um, the safety liaison position is per opened. I want to com that last year we were 54% of the New Mexico self-insured funds total payouts. Now that was that was flood and fire predominantly but it's also that our safety program is getting better. I want to keep that trend. So council Johnson that safety leazison is just what we're calling our next safety officer. Okay. So what so the safety department

I will be planning on budgeting is is uh is three and a half people next year. Um similarly we had a discussion earlier tonight about increasing revenue and with that in mind uh tomorrow morning we're going to be posting for a grant writer. This is something we've talked about for years. We're going to see how it goes. Uh but you you know, if they get $1 million grant, they'll pay for themselves more than 10 times over. Um finally, uh we've we have uh finance is looking over a salary schedule for dispatch. So, in the next month or two, I will be presenting that to you. We're optimistic that we can get three people almost off the bat if we use the the higher fee schedule, but like I wanted to see what the numbers look like before we start pillaging the personnel money. Um, we'll also be having some change in duties now that Mr. Matthews has only got one counsel, if you can believe that. Um, the fire department is going to be taking over public safety liaison duties and the police department is going to be absorbing animal welfare like they did in the past. We're going to try it and see how this works and if it doesn't work out, we're we'll make adjustments. Um, speaking of fire, they had uh is Steve here? No. Uh, they had 17 recruits make it past the physical and the written. Uh, so that's an unbelievable crop and would fill all our vacancies. So, we're very excited about that. Uh, more information as they as they hopefully don't flunk out. I I want to commend the road crews. As you probably heard, they put out 600 tons of salt for the snow. Um, and then they're filling potholes left and right. Now, we've ordered another 300,000 uh tons of salt. I don't I'm optimistic we won't need it for the rest of the year, but you never know. My cherry trees could get ruined. Um finally, budget will be delivered in 1 month and a day per the governing resolution on the matter. Uh

the and just to give you where idea where I'm heading with it, um the state general fund revenue estimate as of 2025 was a 2.4% 4% increase in GRT. That would be statewide. In the past four years, we've outperformed significantly. In 20 fiscal 23, it was 11.58% year increase. In 24 was 10.5. In 25, it was 11.11. And right now, for fiscal 26, the first 7 months were 18.5.4% ahead.

Uh, I'm going to be I'm not going to anticipate a gang busters year like that. I would much rather go to midyear and be able to start making adjustments based on good numbers. But I think saying completely fat flat is not reasonable given the past four years of performance. So we're going to stick with the state's 2.4% number. Um in any case, uh there are some large numbers though that we're going to have to work around. The self-insured fund has their premium increased by 1.8 million. Uh by doing some improved investments of our cash balance though, we were probably going to be able to cover about 1.3 of that off the bat in the new budget. Um, so that that's kind of where I'm at. Please give me a call. Um, oh, I'm sorry. The last thing, uh, we're going to start adding a little newsletter or something in the water bills. Right now, it's tentatively just planned as a I don't want to call it a field, but community events, things you can get your kids involved in. If you guys have any thoughts, ideas, or we would like to include more, please let me know, and we're going to have TJ over at public affairs spearheading that. So, uh, otherwise things are going pretty well in Santa Fe. It's a leaner budget up there than it was last year, but I think, um, the the people that are in charge of these decisions seem to be looking at us. All right. So, I I hope we'll have something stronger to report next month when the session's over. Thank you. Now, I might point out up in Santa Fe when Hess and Bobby and I went up there, we were very wellreceived and people were extremely excited about the air races and and I mean, they helped us a lot on all that. We didn't get a lot of help on flood money, but that hopefully that's going to come in the current year when the when the budget gets a little better on uh on capital outlay. Uh we might get some this time too, but we did try and

we had uh they were extremely elated about how well the air show came off and and we had lots of comp compliments about how well our uh city crews worked to get the job done. I mean, so you know, I know this seems tonight's a little bit crusty kind of because of all the stuff we haven't to do, but you know, there is we're making a huge difference. Our employees, I think, know that we really care and and I think we know they really care because you can see it in their work ethic. It's very apparent in their work ethic. Uh can you see him patching the holes and and uh fixing stuff? And you know after all that snow on you know what Friday uh Friday afternoon we had the thing and Saturday, Sunday and Monday they did all their their uh putting out all that salt. Uh we there were very few accidents and people could get around town very easily cuz they salted all the intersections and um with that ice on the bottom the first time I thought you know man there our crews really did a good job and and I just I have to give them kudos because I think it's you know we have a really good bunch whether it's police department, fire department, solid waste or you know uh liquid whatever water we have a we have really good proofs. So thank you all. Anything else? You still have eight minutes left.

Can you sit tomorrow morning?