The Las Cruces City Council will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022 in Council Chambers at City Hall, 700 N. Main St., for a regularly scheduled meeting.
City Council will consider two Old Business items. One of those items is a Resolution appealing a decision to revoke a City-issued business license for Speak Easy LC, a limited liability company.
In its application, Speak Easy LC claimed to be engaged in retail trade. Based upon that information and an inspection of the business, the City’s Community Development Department issued Speak Easy LC a business license because it complied with the Las Cruces Municipal Code (LCMC).
However, such a business license can be revoked if the licensee “has violated any... city ordinance... or whenever, in the judgment of the City Manager, the public welfare shall require it,” according LCMC Section 16-97(a). On Sept. 30, 2021, Community Development Director Larry Nichols informed Jason Estrada, the owner of Speak Easy LC, that the Community Development Department intended to revoke the business license.
The business license was subject to revocation because an investigation conducted by Las Cruces/Doña Ana Metro Narcotics concluded that personnel from the Speak Easy LC possessed, distributed, sold, bartered, or gave away cannabis products that were in violation of state laws and a City ordinance. Las Cruces/Doña Ana Metro Narcotics has submitted a sworn statement summarizing its investigation.
Jason Estrada, through his attorney, has appealed the decision to revoke the business license. The City Council’s standard for review is to determine if Community Development acted fraudulently, arbitrarily, or capriciously; and whether Community Development’s decision is supported by substantial evidence, or whether Community Development acted in accordance with the law.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, City Council will consider adoption of the Council’s Standard Rules of Procedure. The Las Cruces City Charter requires the Council to adopt, through Resolution, its own rules, policies and order of business.
The Standard Rules of Procedure for City Council provides the required rules and polices the Council needs to conduct meetings and general City business. The Rules include annotations explaining the rules and references to authoritative sections of the City Charter and the Las Cruces Municipal Code.
The Rules are to be interpreted and administered in a manner consistent with the City Charter, the City’s Municipal Code, and state laws. The Rules also serve as the rules of procedure for City commissions, committees, and advisory boards.
The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is available online at: https://lascruces.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=362.
Tuesday’s meeting will be televised live on CLCTV, Comcast Cable channel 20, and in high definition on Comcast Cable channel 928. The meeting will also be webcast at clctv.com and at YouTube.com/clctv20.
Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, City Council will conduct a Closed Meeting at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall. The Council will discuss pending litigation at the Closed Meeting.