Town of Taos Candidate Handbooks for the Municipal Election on March 2, 2010 will be ready on Friday, December 11, 2009.  Interested persons can pick up the handbooks at the Town Clerk’s office, Town Hall, 8 a.m. t0 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  The handbooks include candidate forms to be submitted on filing date (January 5, 2010), the Municipal Election Code, Town Code covering Campaign Material and Campaign Signs and a checklist of important dates.  Thank you.  Renee Lucero, Town of Taos Clerk, (575) 751-2005.

Today’s Town of Taos Council Meeting highlights -

1)      Lodgers Tax Advisory Board, Town of Taos – ratified by Council -- Mayor Cordova has led the Town on aligning the Board’s role with what they should be doing under State statute, which is contributing substantive input to the Mayor and Council on how the Town’s lodgers tax funds ought to be spent on helping tourism in Taos.  Two meetings a year will be designed to focus on this input.  Other ‘elective’ meetings may include quarterly marketing meetings with the community.  The refreshed Board, and their designated representation on the Board, includes (list with contact information attached):

Chris Smith, Lodger

Rey Deveaux, Jr., Tourist Business

Morris Whitten, Tourist Business

Merly James, General Public

Ken Blair, Lodger

2)      Town of Taos Recycling Advisory Committee – appointments ratified – appointees include Joseph Godfrey/Recycle Taos, Uvaldo Olonia/Taos County, Barb Wiard/Landfill Board Chair and TSV Council Member, Steve Fuhlendorf/Taos County Chamber of Commerce, Melissa Larsen/Wholly Rags, Francisco Espinoza/Director, Public Works, Town of Taos, Jean Nichols/Art for the Heart

3)      Council member Abeyta highlighted Council’s need to focus and move forward on the ‘clean up’ of the Bigbee building.  There was some discussion of the other ‘nuissance properties’ in Taos, and agreements with owners that are being negotiated.  Action on properties is being actively pursued.

4)      Town of Taos revised Sign Code/public hearing – approved with extensive recommendations made today in Council. Matthew Spriggs, Director, Community & Economic Development Dept. presented the draft new code, which he indicated had changes made to it as late as yesterday.  Council reviewed it and had many of their own.  A final version of the ordinance passed today and can be secured in a couple of days from Director Spriggs, dspriggs@taosgov.com.  This office will also send it out as soon as a final version is secured.

5)      ‘Star’ Department this month – the Town of Taos Legal Department, comprised of Town Attorney Allen Ferguson, Assistant Town Attorney Jack Clough, and Administrative Assistant/Legal Assistant Cindy Perez.  This Department completes over 300 contracts per year, consults constantly with the Council, Management and all Departments, has initiated new programs over the last year including work to improve nuisance properties, litigation work, and a variety of other town-wide tasks.  Charlie Sanchez, Buildings Dept., was also honored for his dedication to serving town constituents above and beyond his regular assignments.

6)      Presentation by Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC) – presentation concerning the Learning Lab Students’ involvement in assisting the Taos Coalition to End Homelessness.  http://youthcorps.org/contactus.html This help includes $100 and 26 ‘care packages’ presented to the Taos Coalition to End Homelessness at today’s Council meeting by the RMYC. Upcoming December ‘art event’ to help the Coalition - http://www.wnightingale.com/events.

7)      Taos Artist Organization (TAO) presentation was postponed due to Whitehawk’s inability to attend today’s meeting.

8)      Accrued annual leave policy (this is combined vacation and sick leave) at the Town of Taos was today amended to do away with some problematic issues.  The new policy encourages use of the elective time off, rather than its unlimited accrual for ‘sell back’ purposes.  Of course adequate sick leave will still be maintained.  No staff will loose accrued annual leave hours, but the sell back component is now restricted.  Want a copy of the new policy?  Contact Loretta Trujillo, Director, Town of Taos Human Resources, ltrujillo@taosgov.com.

9)      Ordinance was passed by Council approving the 2010 holiday schedule for the Town of Taos – dates are listed below.

Monday, January 18, 2010                      Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday

Friday, April 02, 2010                             Spring Day

Monday, May 31, 2010                           Memorial Day

Monday, July 5, 2010                              Independence Day

Friday, July 23, 2010                               Taos Day (1/2 day 1-5 p.m. – Fiestas de Taos)

Monday, September 6, 2010                   Labor Day

Thursday, November 11, 2010                Veteran’s Day

Thursday, November 25, 2010                Thanksgiving Day

Friday, November 26,

2010

In lieu of Presidents Day

Thursday, December 23, 2010                 In lieu of Columbus Day

Friday, December 24, 2010                     Christmas Day

Friday, December 31, 2010                     News Year’s Day

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