Town of Taos Special Council meeting highlights 9/22/09

Posted by Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner • September 22, 2009 • Printer-friendly

Reminder: Next Quarterly Citizens Forum, 6:30 p.m., September 29^th – open agenda meeting for Mayor and Council to listen to constituents. Held in Council Chambers on Civic Plaza Dr. All welcome.

The Town of Taos Information Technology Dept., in conjunction with Taos Local Television, has enabled Town of Council Meetings to be heard live on your computer via the internet. Today, this streaming audio access was tested on http://www.taostv.org/. It will continue to be available on this site, in addition to the Town of Taos’, www.taosgov.com. Further reminders of this audio access will be provided prior to future meetings. This service is to enable all members of the public and media to ‘listen in live’ to Council meetings on their – whether or not they are subscribers to Comcast Cable. To date, Channel 22/Comcast cable has been the only live video access point for viewing of the Town’s meetings through Town of Taos contractual support and the public access efforts of Taos Local Television. This new streaming audio service dramatically expands the potential audience that can now access meetings on a real time basis – also enabling those wishing to speak about a particular agenda item to listen in via the internet and arrive at the council meeting just before their item is heard.

1) Town of Taos Public Works – Coordinated with Taos County, announcement of a second plastics recycling push – October 16 & 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days, at the Town of Taos Recycling Center, 201 Bertha St., 758-9673; and Taos County Solid Water Transfer Stations, 737-6300. Acceptable plastics: No. 1 – plastic soft drink, water, mouth wash, salad dressing, peanut butter and mayonnaise plastic bottles; No. 2 – Milk, water, juice, shampoo, dish and laundry soap bottles, cereal liners, grocery trash and retail bags. Items should be washed out and caps removed prior to drop off. A Town of Taos’ October calendar item will be sent out later this week to include a ‘Green’ waste clean up day, and other relevant dates/times. Watch for it in your email, and in you utility bill insert October 2.

2) Council pulled items off the consent agenda for discussion – big focus on ‘buying local’ with all contracts, while of course balancing ultimate competitive amounts, and making sure lowest bidder isn’t one planning on major change order increases down the road for insufficient reasons.

3) Composting facility approved to be located at the Taos Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility; LCI2 contractors; discussion about asphalt vs. concrete pad – to receive further examination.

4) Crack sealing contract and pavement work for Taos Regional Airport runway approved – three different grants from the State for this work.

5) Approval of contract for a new garage at Fire Dept. Station #2 on Camino de Santiago, behind the Southside Bean; Anissa Construction Inc., $324,900 plus GRT.

6) Approval of agreement between the Town and the NM Dept of Transportation Transit and Rail Div. in the amount of $494,668 for fiscal year operations 2010.

7) Approval of contract with Don Templeton to work with the Town of Taos Public Works Dept. to ‘wrap’ the existing in-town Chile Line Transit buses as part of an advertising program, tastefully done, to generate further revenues for the transit division – and a new outreach opportunity in the Taos area for advertisers. Lots of more information about this will be forwarded as work is started with Templeton. However, if you have a business potentially interested in at least talking about this new advertising opportunity, email this office.

Change orders submitted by Gerald A. Martin, Ltd. For Town Hall phase 1&2 additions and remodeling in the amount of $110,369.64. Lots of discussion about concerns with regard to ultimate completion of Town Hall, timing, change order elements/documentation, quality of finish work, etc. Item held for further discussions with the contractor. Approval was provided for some specific items on the change order list to be immediately paid given that these items have been individually validated and are funds due local sub-contractors that have satisfactorily completed their work.

9) Presentation on Rural Historic Landscape Nominations to the Federal Register of Historic Places, grant funded. Public meeting dates/items about this sent out earlier in the week by this office. Couse pasture, Canon, and Ranchitos Historic Rural Landscapes are potentially eligible – areas in Town and in Taos County. Taos County staff knowledgeable of this exploration and should be in attendance. Note: This designation does NOT change any zoning, or prevent property owners from developing their property. Find out more from Matthew Foster, mfoster@taosgov.com. First meeting on this issue - 7 p.m. tomorrow, September 23, Martinez Hacienda, public invited.

10) Approval of Town priorities for Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan (ICIP) for 2011-2015. Copies of list available. Email this office.

11) Discussion of proposed “Busker Activity” ordinance to be heard by the Town Council on October 1, 2009. Buskers are ‘street entertainers’ such as musicians. Allen Vigil can provide a copy of the draft ordinance and other proposed details, avigil2@taosgov.com.

12) Town Manager Daniel Miera presented highlights from his recent ICMA panel participation/conference. A report is available. Just email this office. Revenues from paid parking meters were also discussed – three months equals approximately $95,000, even with recession and active construction issues during this time period. New Federal/State Stimulus Funds totaling $3.1 million have been received by the Town for the Waste Water Treatment Facility, Phases II and III.

13) Mayor Cordova – would like to resurrect having a Youth Representative appointed and part of the regular council meetings – something that’s been discussed for many months. It will be moved forward in the next two months.