Notes from Special Town Council Meeting, 9:30 a.m., June 10, 2008

Posted by Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner on June 10th, 2008 3 Comments Printer-Friendly Author's website: Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner
1) The weekend of June 27-29 is the Taos Solar Music Festival, Kit Carson Park, Town of Taos, http://www.solarmusicfest,com (get your tickets early if you haven’t — the line up is impressive). There are a variety of events in Town that weekend — all generating activity/visitors in Taos.  However, with the area-wide construction occurring, including the TCA, Town Hall, NMDOT on highways, etc., traffic and all-day free parking will be even more restricted than usual.  Please keep all this activity in mind as you travel — including delays/potential route detours as part of the Chile Line’s transportation schedule, etc.  The two-hour-free-parking at all Town of Taos historic district meters is in place, and this should assist, but this is an early warning item about this happily jam-packed June weekend.  As always, area maps showing the Town’s all-day free parking lots are available, and continue to be distributed for all.
2) Update to Council on the Taos Center for the Arts (TCA), http://www.taoscenterforthearts.org
The Town of Taos owns the TCA facility, which in turn is run by the TCA organization.  The TCA organization has done a tremendous job of focusing on renovation of the structures, raising funds, and working with the Town on garnering support at the State Legislature — led by our area’s state elected officials — for redo funding.  TCA construction began May 27th, and is scheduled to continue through December 2008 — with a reopening of the facility in January 2009.  In the interim, TCA the organization has found alternate venues throughout Taos to continue their programs.  An update from them is below, including ‘numbers for this past fiscal year (07-08):
  • Staged 294 programs, including 7 specifically for children that were free of charge
  • Both the Town and TCA work hard together to keep costs down for all the TCA’s programs down — part of the TCA effort in this area included sponsor donations of $60,000; $47,000 in individual donations; $43,000 in grants; three TCA fundraisers resulting in $53,000 being raised; and 53 volunteers working 2100 hours
  • 21,000 people attended these events, including 4,000 children
  • The TCA facility was used 307 days out of 365 (by TCA and a variety of community organizations/entities that use the center regularly)
Part of the concern this year is continuing TCA programming/events while having a reduction in revenues due to the facility being under construction.
The construction improvements underway include –
  • a ‘new’ 1300 sq. ft. lobby including art space
  • new, welcoming exterior
  • new concession stand, ticket office, projection room, and office
  • new ADA accessible restrooms
What the TCA is still raising funds for –
  • HVAC system (heat and air conditioning)
  • sound system
  • ADA accessible stage
  • exterior landscaping
  • acoustic interior work
  • out fitting of the concession stand itself

3) Douglas Webb presentation on progress of Biofuels & Energy

B&E is working to construct and operate an alternative fuel facility for Taos out near the Taos Regional Landfill.  Over a year ago the Town of Taos Council passed a ‘resolution of support’ for B&E’s efforts.  No funding was connected to this action, but the Town hopes Town-owned property might be used for this project when it is ready.  This approximate $25M plant would potentially provide all area fuel needs out a variety of working alternative fuel solutions — with lower environmental impacts for the area, and lower fuel costs.  The primary issue holding up progress is investment financing — private and government — to get the project going.  Although rising gas prices help with the projected profitability of the project, and its perceived need, they also drive up all the other costs associated with building the plant and getting it operational.  The effort continues.

4)  Recommendation for renewal of Town’s contract with Polk Oil Co. to provide the Town with fuel for all its vehicles.  This is after an RFP process in which Polk was found to be lowest responder.  Terms to stay the same, which is a “cost-plus” contract (the ‘plus’ includes tax and profit of approximately .41 cents a gallon).  Last month the Town used 2,600 gallons of fuel.  Lots of Council/Mayoral discussion with Polk about cost of retail gas for consumers — the why of current prices, the how of potentially lowering it, etc.  Although the agenda recommendation was for contract renewal for three years, motion from the floor was to renew contract for only one more year — and then again go out to RFP.  This motion for a one year renewal was passed.

5) Update by Finance Department to the proposed Final 08-09 Town of Taos Budget - which still must be reviewed and finalized by Council at a meeting currently scheduled for June 24.

a)  General Fund total (preliminarily approved) $11,474,992.00

  • Deleted Special Projects Operating of $24,819
  • Deleted Special Projects Personnel of $82,328
  • Added Part Time Position, Plumber/Buildings Dept. $15,426

Resulting in a preliminary budget reduction of $93,736 in the General Fund, making the revised expenditure General Fund total $11,381,256.00.

b)  Vehicle Replacement Fund of $181,000.00
  • Deleted bucket truck of $125,000*
Revised preliminary expenditure total of $56,000.
*$55,000 is in capital fund now toward this expenditure, and it is anticipated that it can be funded in a few more months, but it must be removed from the projected budget at this time until/and if those funds should materialize.  Note:  Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) revenues lag a month behind their pay-in month; lodgers tax revenues lag three months behind.  An update on these revenues will be out after the 17th of June (this report will include May GRT and March Lodgers Tax).  Summer tax revenues should also increase, and with the lag time noted, will be examined in September/October 2008 for increased revenues.
Usually, the Town of Taos has an annual ‘projected’ percentage increase that is used for budget planning purposes given historic revenue realities.  This year that projected revenue increase did not materialize – budget numbers were met, but no revenue increases were realized.  Nor did the usual end of year percentage increase on top of those projected revenues materialize — revenues that are often used for coming year capital projects.
All other changes discussed had to due with end-of-year expenditure adjustments — having to do with the timing from one ‘year’ to the next, and not total amounts.
Council Member Sanchez discussed Kit Carson Park landscaping and paving management on the parking areas in that facility, asking for tighter management overall.  All Council Members discussed the need for continuing, conservative management of funds given overall downturn in revenues.
Council went into Executive Session.

Cathy Connelly
Public Relations Director
Town of Taos
office 751-2001
cell 779-1013

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