The Las Cruces City Council will meet via video conference at 1 p.m. Monday, May 17, 2021 for a regularly scheduled meeting.
City Council will consider a Resolution to adopt the City of Las Cruces proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022, which begins July 1. Development of the budget began with a City Council pre-budget retreat on Jan. 22, 2021, and continued with work sessions on February 22, March 22, and April 26.
A public hearing on the proposed budget was conducted through Zoom on May 4. Additionally, the Las Cruces Utilities Board met April 8 and reviewed and recommended approval of the Utilities budget portion to be included as part of the City's Fiscal Year annual budget.
As required by the Las Cruces City Charter, the proposed budget must provide a complete financial plan of all City funds and activities for the upcoming year. If the Council approves the budget, it will be filed with the State of New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (NMDFA) by June 1, for approval as required by State Law (NMSA 1978 Chapter 6, Article 6).
City Council will also consider a Resolution approving the City’s six-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for fiscal years 2022 through 2027. Adoption of the Resolution is also required by the City Charter and NMDFA.
The City Charter and NMDFA require a planning tool for capital expenditures that is presented to the City Council for approval as part of the annual budget process. The CIP identifies capital projects that address capital needs to build, replace, expand, and improve infrastructure and systems.
The CIP is made up of two components: Funded Capital Projects (FCP), and an Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP). The FCP is the list of projects that are funded for the upcoming 2022 fiscal year. If a project is not funded, it will not appear on the list.
The ICIP shows projects for the five fiscal years from 2023 to 2027 which are not funded.
Additionally, at Monday’s meeting, the Council will consider a Resolution supporting a Trap-Neuter-Return Program (TNR) to humanely control the population of feral cats in the community.
Currently, the City handles feral cats with only euthanasia. In 2020, the Animal Services Center of Mesilla Valley euthanized 321 feral cats.
A TNR program would be a humane alternative to euthanasia to control the feral cat population by live-trapping cats, spaying or neutering, ear tipping for identification, vaccinating, and then returning them to the area where they were trapped.
The Animal Care Taskforce is developing a TNR program that functions with a community cat policy, provides financial and educational resources, and includes a four-strike policy. The TNR program in development by the task force includes provisions, which would prevent feral cats from being trapped and then returned 150 feet of a licensed daycare center, public or private school, a nursing home or care facility, any park, or City-owned or leased facility property, or within a half mile of the Rio Grande or within 150 feet of the edge of a designated, natural or un-channelized arroyo, unless within an enclosed cat colony.
The Council will also consider the following agenda items:
- Conduct a public hearing and consider adoption of a Resolution to approve the transfer of ownership of an inter-local dispenser liquor license for Blazing Wings, Inc., doing business as Buffalo Wild Wings, 2750 Mall Drive; and a second, separate public hearing and consideration of a Resolution approving a beer wholesaler liquor license to Icebox Brewing Co., 2825 W. Picacho Ave.
- Adoption of a Resolution to name the first-floor facility wing at City Halll, 700 N. Main St., as “Angel’s Wing.”
- A Resolution, on the Consent Agenda, to adopt the 2020 Doña Ana County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan for the reduction of hazard risk with the City.
The complete agenda for Monday’s City Council meeting is available online at: https://lascruces.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=212.
Monday’s City Council meeting will be televised live on CLC-TV, Comcast Cable channel 20. The meeting will also be available online at clctv.com and at YouTube.com/clctv20.
Prior to Monday’s regularly scheduled meeting, City Council will meet via video conference at 11 a.m. for a Closed Meeting. The Council will convene in closed session to discuss pending litigation.