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 2:09 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 included Bruce Kelly, Vanessa Chisholm and Dave Wallace.

 

III.          APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

MOTION:  To approve the agenda as submitted.

Motion:  Councilor Wittman                Second:   Councilor Stagg Passed:  4-0

 

IV.     MOTION:  APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE September 7, 2010 VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETING.

MOTION:  To approve the minutes from the September 7, 2010 Village Council Meeting.

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

 

V.              FINANCIAL REPORTS

Vanessa Chisholm, Clerk/Treasurer reported there is a small increase in total gross receipts (GRT) collections for the FY2011 with construction GRT collections accounting for about half of the revenue.  The Lodgers’ Tax audit report, completed by Precision Accounting, was presented to the Council.

 

MOTION:  To accept the Lodgers’ Tax audit report.

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

 

The financial reports were accepted into the minutes

 

VI.             COMMITTEE REPORTS

A.        Planning and Zoning Commission

Councilor Wittman reported the P&Z Commission met on October 4, 2010.  A public hearing was held for the Pioneer Estates final subdivision plat.  The commission gave final approval. A letter of credit has been posted.  Wittman stated it was a good presentation and the plats are out of the riparian zone. Wittman discussed the Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan (ICIP).  Discussion was held on dust control, AKA road stablization.  Roger Pattison requested fiber optics installation to be added to the ICIP Plan.  Wittman then reported on the Village Master Plan.  The next meeting of the P&Z Commission is scheduled for November 8, 2010, at 1:00 PM 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.

 

F.                  Committee Appointments

Doug Fields would like to be on the Parks and Recreation Committee.  He is the manager at the Sierra del Sol condominiums.

MOTION:  To authorize the Mayor to appoint Doug Fields to the Parks and Recreation Committee.

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

 

VII.                 REGIONAL AND STATE REPORTS

Councilor Wiard reported that the IGC (Intergovernmental Council) did not meet in September and the Taos Regional Landfill Board met on September 23, 2010.  Recycling of plastics may be possible by the end of October.  Wiard was a speaker at the NMML Municipal Officials Leadership Institute in Santa Fe. Wiard talked about the special training she will receive on the new computer equipment for the November election as a precinct judge.  Wiard attended the Governor’s Council on DWI.  The money collected goes to NM Counties for prevention.  Councilor Wiard, as Board president, presided over the NMML Board Meeting.  The NMML Board discussed maintaining and protecting revenue sources and would not be asking for anything financially this year.  Future meetings include the NMML and NMAC Joint Executive Board Meeting in Santa Fe and the NLC Congress of Cities in Denver.

 

VIII.          MAYOR’S REPORT

Mayor King reported that he attended a meeting at Kit Carson Electric regarding Word Band Internet.  It was said that Kit Carson will get to Taos Ski Valley eventually.  He spoke about the Enchanted Circle Fire Academy held in Red River.  Three new volunteers to the Village’s fire department are from Taos Ski Valley’s vehicle maintenance facility attended the academy and passed the course.  King reminded everyone that the Village Clean Up day is on October 14, 2010. 

 

IX.                    STAFF REPORTS

Dave Wallace distributed a copy of the Incident Summary Report for the Taos Mountain Music Festival, held on September 5, 2010.  The actual number of people who attended the festival was 4,279.  There were no significant control problems.  Property loss amounted to one stolen purse, which was found intact later in the kid’s area.  The EMS tent attended to 34 individuals ranging from cuts and scrapes to a possible fractured ankle.  There were no EMS responses away from the concert venue; no arrests; 9 parking citations issued.  Wallace reported $915.00 was spent for outside law enforcement assistance from the Taos County Sheriff’s office and the Taos Police Department.  Wallace discussed the EMS Conference in Red River, the Enchanted Circle Fire Academy in Red River and the EMS Refresher Course last weekend.  He said there were no fire or EMS calls in September. 

 

Bruce Kelly, Village Administrator, submitted his October 2010 report highlighting the IRS Audit of the Village, a safe driving class to qualify for lower rates from the NMML, and EQR’s for water/sewer rates.  He said there is a leak that was found in the line by the new water tank on the return ski trail; it will be fixed and filled.  The PRV’s will be covered up this week.  Next summer’s projects totaling about $1.5 million (the Kachina tank, lift station, etc.) will be scheduled.  One PRV will be hooked up this year.  A PRV is scheduled for Ernie Blake Road for next year.  Covering up the core Village tank is the top priority.

 

Congratulations to Joey Apodaca, Jessie Miera, and John Padilla, employees in the Public Works Department for passing their Wastewater certifications.  The department hired Eloy Montoya, who started on October 4, 2010.

  

   X.           OLD BUSINESS

A.                 Consideration to Approve Resolution 2011-195, a Resolution adopting the 2011-2016 Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP).

The P&Z Commission reviewed the ICIP Plan at their last meeting.  The top four priorities for 2012 are Kachina water system improvements, Kachina lift station, bobcat with snow blower (for moving snow onto lots), and three-phase electrical connections to homes.

MOTION:  To approve the ICIP Plan.

Motion:  Councilor Wittman    Second:   Councilor Wiard

 

Discussion followed about the ranking of the projects on the ICIP Plan.  Councilor Bennett spoke about item #14 titled Construction of Phase III of the community-wide wastewater collection line extension.  Bennett felt it was the most important item to get done stating several reasons why this should be done sooner than some of the other projects on this list.  Bennett requested that this line item be moved from #14 to #8 on the list.

MOTION:  To approve the ICIP Plan as amended, moving #14 to #8.

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

 

B.                 Discussion and Approval of New Utility Rates.

Staff and Council have been working on a new rate structure for Water/Sewer since May, 2010.  The Mayor spoke about the water/sewer utility rates.  Equivalent Residential Units (EQR’s) were discussed.  An one (1) EQR is equal to a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom residence. After a lengthy discussion, it was determined that the monthly fixed charge would have an EQR value times $33.00.  The water, sewer, and trash charges are added according to the water usage at 4.07 cents per gallon.  For water and trash only (no sewer connection), or for sewer and trash only (no water connection), the usage will be charged at 2.07 cents per gallon.  There will be no free water.  The charges discussed were needed to obtain a budget amount of $638,749 for water, sewer and trash needed for operations plus future projects.  Staff and Council have attempted to make the rate formula for water/sewer billing as simple as possible.  It was also decided that the Village Council needs to revisit the sewer ordinance to discuss mandatory connection to the sewer system.

 

MOTION:  MOTION:  To approve the new utility rate formula of zero gallons free per EQR, $33.00 fixed charge per EQR, $0.0407 per gallon used, and $0.0207 per gallon used for people NOT connected to the sewer system.

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

It should be noted that the old “Peak Usage Charge” no longer pertains.

 

  XI.        NEW BUSINESS

A.                 Consideration to approve Resolution 2011-196, a Resolution requesting a Permanent Budget Adjustment.

At the August 19, 2010 Council meeting, Resolution 2011-193, was presented to the council to increase the Lodgers’ Tax budget line item 6313 Materials and Supplies by $7,900.  The Council approved $5,900 of the items requested by the Parks and Recreation Committee.  More information was needed on the Dog Waste Stations.  The resolution passed 4-0.  When this resolution was sent to the DFA, it was sent in error, and the amount of $7,900 stayed the same.  We are now presented with the request for the Dog Waste Stations increase of $1,000.  Discussion followed including locations of these (three) Dog Waste Stations, including “sponsors” who say they will maintain these stations. 

MOTION:  To approve Resolution 2011-196, with no budget change to the DFA.

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

 

MOTION:  To NOT provide funding for the Dog Waste Stations at this point.

Motion:  Councilor Stagg                    Second:   Councilor Bennett                 Passed:  3-2.

 

Councilors Stagg and Bennett voted in favor of this motion, even though it is a negative motion.  Councilors Wittman and Wiard voted against this negative motion.  Mayor Neal King broke the tie and voted FOR this motion.

 

B.                 Approval of Memorandum of Agreement between the Village of Taos Ski Valley and the Town of Taos to Provide Waste Management Services.

In the past the Village had a sludge disposal lease with Taos Ski Valley, Inc.  The lease has expired.  The Town of Taos currently owns and operates a sludge compositing facility, which staff feels are better for the environment.  The Village would agree to pay the Town of Taos the sum of $30.00 per cubic yard of sludge plus three cubic years of wood ships for every cubic yard of sludge. 

MOTION:  To approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the Village of Taos Ski Valley and the Town of Taos to provide waste management services.

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

 

C.                 Discussion Regarding the Chile Line Bus Service

Councilor Stagg requested that this item be included on the agenda.  The Lodgers’ Tax Budget includes a line item for transportation in the amount of $30,000.  Councilor Stagg wanted the members of the Council to agree that this would remain the same and the council still wanted to do this.  Discussion followed and no motion was necessary.

 

D.                Discussion and Request for EIS for Taos Airport

Councilor Stagg stated the FAA has been working on a EIS (Environmental Impact Study) for the past 28 years.  Mark Fratrick, manager of the Taos Airport, is asking for a letter to the FAA to say what the decision is on the study. 

MOTION:  To ask Bruce Kelly to write a letter to the FAA requesting their decision on the EIS.

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

 

XII.           MISCELLANEOUS

A complaint was registered by a resident regarding a property owner located by the Beaver Pond who has cleared his land of trees and other lands above him as well, and has left the slash laying there for over two years.  It was stated that this is a big fire danger and is an ordinance violation.

 

XII.           CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION:  Pending & Threatened Litigation

MOTION:  To go to Closed Executive Session to discuss pending and threatened litigation.

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

 

MOTION:  To return to Open Session.

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

 

The following motion was made after the Village Council returned to Open Session:

 

MOTION:  To approve the Mayor to sign the agreement between the Village of Taos Ski Valley and Core Village Holdings, LLC.

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

 

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, November 9, 2010, at 2:00 p.m., at the Edelweiss Lodge and Spa Club Room..

XIV.    ADJOURNMENT

Motion:  To adjourn the meeting.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________         ____________________________________

Neal King, Mayor                                            Vanessa Chisholm, Village Clerk