VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETING

MINUTES

EDELWEISS LODGE AND SPA CLUB ROOM

TAOS SKI VALLEY, NEW MEXICO

I.        CALL TO ORDER & NOTICE OF MEETING

Mayor King called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m.  The notice of the meeting was properly posted.

 

II.       ROLL CALL

Mayor King, Councilors Bennett, Stagg, Wiard and Wittman were present. Staff members present included Village Administrator Bruce Kelly and Village Clerk/Treasurer Vanessa Chisholm.

 

III.          APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

 

MOTION:  To approve the agenda as submitted. 

Motion: Councilor Wiard                        Second: Councilor Bennett  

Passed: 4-0

 

IV.     APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 5, 2010 COUNCIL MEETING.

 

MOTION:  To approve the minutes from the January 5, 2010 Council Meeting. 

Motion: Councilor Wittman                     Second: Councilor Wiard

Passed: 4-0

 

V.              FINANCIAL REPORTS

Vanessa Chisholm presented the financial reports.  The Village General Fund at the end of December was about $2,800 less than last year.  The FY2009 annual audit and FY2009 lodgers’ tax reports were presented to the Council.  The audit report had no findings. 

 

VI.             COMMITTEE REPORTS

A.        Planning and Zoning Commission

Councilor Wittman reported the P&Z Commission met on Monday, February 1, 2010.  There were three items on the agenda.  First, was the subdivision of 41 acres from the Pattison Trust 1361 acre tract above the Kachina Subdivision.  The land is zoned for recreation and agriculture, and is being subdivided from the larger parcel in order to be sold to the nearby property owner.  This land sale will consolidate ingress and egress issues between the parties.  There was a public hearing and P & Z voted unanimously for final plat approval. The second issue was a discussion about securing the Village water source.  Andrew Sweetman from the Rural Water Association was present at the meeting to share information on how to promote protective measures.  Bruce Kelly would like to organize a committee to discuss how to reduce the threat of contamination.  The third item on the agenda was the Open Meetings Act.  The Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for March 8, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. at the Edelweiss Lodge and Spa Club room.

 

B.        Public Safety Committee 

No report

 

C.        Public Works Committee

No report.

 

D.                Parks and Recreation Committee

No report. 

 

E.                 Lodger’s Tax Advisory Board

            No report.

 

VII.                 REGIONAL AND STATE REPORTS

Councilor Wiard reported that the IGC and Taos Regional Landfill Board meetings did not meet in January.  At the next meeting Taos Ski Valley, Inc. representatives will present their master plan.  On January 14, 2010, Governor Richardson and the NMML Executive Board met in Santa Fe.  Councilor Wiard attended the January 18-20, 2010 NM Association of Counties Midwinter Legislative Conference as the President of the NMML.  Wiard is also on the Board of the NM Certified Public Manager Advisory Board.  Wiard reported that Councilor Stagg attended the Business Day (ACI) meeting on January 26, 2010.  Councilor Wiard reported that the 2010 Legislative Session will end on February 18, 2010. 

 

VIII.          MAYOR’S REPORT

No report.

 

IX.                    STAFF REPORTS

Dave Wallace, Director of Public Safety, reported on a quiet Christmas holiday and New Year’s Eve.  Wallace stated a broken sprinkler line flooded two condominiums at the Inn at Taos Valley. Fire Department personnel managed to move all furniture and save it.  The condo owner would like to give an appreciation dinner at the Inn to thank the volunteers.  EMS personnel responded to a female who fell and suffered an arm injury and thanked the EMS volunteers for their response.  H is very proud of all the EMS and Fire Department Volunteers.  Kelly thinks all sprinkler lines should work and not freeze up.  Kelly may pursue a change in the code, i.e., antifreeze systems. 

 

Ray Keen said the plant is back to normal.  The centrifuge is working fine now.  He also discussed the sludge tanks, freezing water lines and snow plowing the Village roads.

 

Bruce Kelly, Village Administrator, stated the Village Staff had a complaint from a homeowner regarding snowplowing.  Kelly has instructed staff to have people talk to Keen.  A letter discussing road priority while snowplowing was sent to all homeowners.  Kelly told the Council that the final bill for the water line improvements has not been paid to the contractor.  The contractor is not returning calls or working toward resolving any disagreements.  $146,000 has been paid to LCI2.  This will be reimbursed to the Village from the legislative appropriations. Kelly said we have begun the process of obtaining a Collaborative Forest Restoration Project grant.  The Village has been notified that we have been awarded two planning grants, one for $13,750.00 for the planning to acquire the treatment plant site and one for $33,750.00 for the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for a new plant.  Both grants will be of great assistance to us, but we will probably spend more than what was awarded.  Don Schieber and Kelly met with Kent Sharpe regarding the land acquisition by the wastewater treatment plant and asked that he send our application for the 14 acres to the Forest Service to start the process.  We have budgeted $50,000.00 for the PER.  The recent storms have resulted in the use of overtime for snowplowing, sometimes requiring the public works staff  to work until midnight and a new crew to begin at 5:00 a.m. the next morning.  They did a remarkable job keeping up with the snow fall.  Kelly also discussed the CWPP (Community Wild fire Protection Plan) and the purchase of a leak detector using stimulus money.

  

   X.           OLD BUSINESS - None

 

  XI.        NEW BUSINESS

 

A.                 PUBLIC HEARING Ordinance 10-25:  Amending Subdivision Ordinance 08-25

Bruce Kelly said the P&Z Commission have discussed and approved changes made with additions such as “cluster developments” and approved a recommendation to submit the subdivision ordinance to the Village Council.  The Mayor opened the public hearing.  No one spoke either for or against the subdivision ordinance changes.  The Mayor closed the public hearing.  Councilor Bennett asked about the 15 foot requirements for space between buildings.  Bennett also asked if that was enough space and whether or not propane tanks, pipes, etc., would be allowed in this space.  She was concerned about the possibility of another Wheeler Peak Condos complex being built and the resulting fire that took place there.  Kelly reassured her that this would not be the case.

 

MOTION:  To approve Ordinance 10-25, amending the Subdivision Ordinance 08-25.

Motion:  Councilor Wittman                Second:   Councilor Bennett                     Passed:  4-0.

 

B.                 Consideration to Approve Resolution #2010-185, a Resolution concerning Granting of Signature Authority and Naming a Grantee Representative (Authority previously given).

At the January 5, 2010 Council meeting, the Village Council reviewed the Legislative Grant Agreements for SAP 09-3695 ($125,686.41), and SAP 09-3696 ($396,000) and named Bruce Kelly as the grantee representative and signature authority.  Staff is presenting this resolution nunc pro tunc, since it should have been approved at the January 5, 2010 Council Meeting. 

 

Councilor Bennett asked if the grant agreement changes had been approved.  Kelly stated that the NMED waived the changes.  They sent a letter to that affect. 

 

MOTION:  To pass, adopt and approve Resolution #2010-185, a resolution concerning granting of signature authority and naming a grantee representative.

Motion:  Councilor Wiard                   Second:   Councilor Wittman                   Passed:  4-0.

 

C.                 Consideration to approve Resolution #10-187, a Resolution Requesting a Permanent Budget Adjustment.

At the December 1, 2009, meeting, the Council approved Resolution #10-181, authorizing the execution and delivery of a loan and subsidy agreement between the Village and the New Mexico Finance Authority.  As of January 11, 2010, all paperwork has been completed and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund loan #2388-ADW has closed (on December 18, 2009).  Staff would like to purchase leak detection equipment with this loan money.  The leak detection equipment purchase price is $48,265.65.  Department 01, Water Operating, has money budgeted for leaks on the beginner hill that were not used.  $5,340.65 can be transferred to Department 41 for the purchase.  The remainder will be paid by the Drinking Water Loan ($42,925.00). 

 

MOTION:  To approve Resolution 2010-187, a resolution requesting a permanent budget adjustment.

Motion:  Councilor Stagg                    Second:   Councilor Wiard                   Passed:  4-0.

 

XII.           MISCELLANEOUS

Chisholm reminded the Council about a Special Council Meeting to be held on February 16, 2010, a Liquor License Hearing, at 2:00 p.m. in the Village Administrator’s office.  March 2, 2010, is the regular municipal election.  Voting is at the Edelweiss Lodge and Spa Club Room from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

 

XIII.    ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE OF THE NEXT MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL.

The next meeting of the Village Council will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at 2:00 p.m., at the Edelweiss Lodge and Spa Club Room.

XIV.    ADJOURNMENT

Motion:  To adjourn the meeting.

Motion:   Councilor Bennett               Second:   Councilor Wittman                 Passed:  4-0.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________         ____________________________________

Neal King, Mayor                                            Vanessa Chisholm, Village Clerk