October 13, 2017 New Community Development Director Our quest to hire the best and brightest continues with the filling of the Community Development director position. Larry Nichols has more than 28 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. He is currently Director of Planning & Inspections for the City of El Paso. He also served as El Paso s General Services Director, and Chief Building Official for El Paso and the City of Yuma, Arizona. While in Yuma, he also held the title of Deputy Director - Community Development Department. He was a general contractor in New Mexico for 14 years and served in the United States Army as an artillery officer in Vietnam and a school architect in Afghanistan during his time in the Peace Corps. His certifications and licenses include certified building code official, building inspector, plans examiner and zoning inspector. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree and certification in Public Administration from Arizona State University, and is a Las Cruces High School grad who played basketball for Hall of Fame coach Lou Henson. Please join me in welcoming Larry to our City family on November 1 st. Absentee Voting Underway Voter registration for the November 7 th Municipal Election ended Tuesday and absentee voting by paper ballot began Wednesday of this week. Voting hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday in the City Clerk s office located at City Hall, 700 N. Main St. Absentee voting by machine begins next Wednesday, October 18 th. Saturday absentee voting will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., October 21 st, 28 th and November 4 th. The last day to mail absentee ballots issued by the City Clerk s office is November 3 rd. New Construction A new Burger King is under construction at 4660 Sonoma Ranch Blvd. (across from Pic Quik) and nine acres of land is being cleared for a new Green Fox Landscape Supply at 4455 Bataan Memorial West (between Jornada Road and McGuffey Street.) Radio Appearance I had the great opportunity to be a guest on the new community radio station, KTAL-FM (101.5) from 9-10 a.m., this past Wednesday. We covered a lot of ground in one-hour. Topics included Las Cruces as a business-friendly community, affordable housing, transparency, an update on Downtown to include maximizing Plaza de Las Cruces, the Convention Center and Rio Grande Theatre. 1
My thanks to host Peter Goodman and Walt Rubel, opinion page editor at the Las Cruces Sun-News, for an engaging dialogue. 2 Toss No Mas Citywide Cleanup is Tomorrow The City of Las Cruces Parks & Recreation Department s Keep Las Cruces Beautiful, along with New Mexico Clean and Beautiful, will host the 23 rd Annual Toss No Mas campaign from 8 a.m. to noon tomorrow. Hundreds of volunteers will collect litter at parks, schools, streets and business properties. Volunteers will then be treated to a free lunch sponsored by local businesses from noon to 2 p.m., at Young Park, 1905 Nevada Ave. Last year, 1,100 volunteers that included 65 local groups and organizations, collected more than 15 tons of litter during the annual event previously known as Trek for Trash. Interested individuals may go to Young Park beginning at 8 a.m. to locate the Toss No Mas main table to register. For more information call James Woods at 575/528-4506 or email jwoods@las-cruces.org Arts and Culture Open House The Economic Development and Quality of Life departments are hosting a public open house for the Arts and Culture District Plan. The open house will be in the classroom of the Museum of Nature and Science, 411 N. Main St., from noon to 7 p.m., Wednesday, October 18 th. The entire Las Cruces community is invited to share their thoughts on the vision, goals, impact, and importance of arts and culture activities in the original townsite of Las Cruces. The planning process is organized to enable community stakeholders, like arts businesses, arts organizations, merchants, artists, and neighbors, to voice their thoughts on developing the creative economy on Main Street and the Mesquite Street Historic Neighborhood. The planning process will integrate all previous Downtown revitalization plans and studies. The plan will highlight successes and build on the historic assets and business innovations that can impact the proposed Arts and Culture District. For more information contact Andy Hume, Downtown Coordinator, at 575/528-3048. More information is available online. Church-Water Two-Way Conversion Project The next open house for the Church-Water two-way conversion project will be from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, October 19 th, in the atrium between the Museum of Nature & Science and the Museum of Art, 411 N. Main St. NMDOT NM Bike Plan Website and Interactive Map for Public Comment The New Mexico Department of Transportation this week announced the launch of a project website and interactive map for the Prioritized Statewide Bicycle Network Plan (NM Bike Plan). The website provides a platform for bicyclists and others to share their valuable input in the bicycle planning and route prioritization process.
Through an interactive map New Mexicans can identify currently used or potential bike routes and complete a questionnaire on user preferences. Input from bicycle users of state roads and highways for commuting, recreation, or touring is valuable in identifying the bike facility needs that fit their uses and locations around the state. The plan considers how best to provide New Mexico residents and visitors with a safe and connected bicycle network on state maintained and owned roads and highways. Highlights of the plan will include: A map of prioritized bicycle routes on State maintained and owned roads and highways Design standards for bicycle facilities that are specific to the road type, road usage, and types of bicyclists using the route Methods to include bicycle facilities into existing road maintenance schedules as funding and facility conditions allow In addition, the plan will incorporate public comment, the results of an equity analysis, project funding considerations, and input from local and regional agencies in the development of the long-term plan. In the coming months BHI and Alta Planning, consultants for the plan development, will host three public meetings across the state. For meeting dates and locations, visit the project website. The public comment for this portion of the planning process is open through the end of December. No Newsletter Next Week I will be out of the office part of next week attending the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) annual conference in San Antonio, Texas, so there will be no newsletter next week. I will resume the newsletter the following week. The ICMA s mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and fostering professional management to build better communities. City Council Meeting Preview There are several items on Monday s agenda: Resolution No.16-17-085: A Resolution to award a price agreement for an amount not to exceed $500,000 annually, for road construction materials to GCC Sun City Materials of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Mesilla Valley Concrete & Materials of Doña Ana, New Mexico, from date of award through June 30, 2018 with the option to renew for two additional one-year terms, subject to annual renewals and approved budgets. Resolution No.18-044: A Resolution approving the addition of two full time positions, an Assistant City Attorney and a Legal Assistant, to support the enforcement of misdemeanor crimes in Municipal Court. Resolution No.18-045: A Resolution amending the land lease rate at the Las Cruces International Airport. 3
Resolution No.18-046: A Resolution approving proposed amendments 1, 2, and 3 to the 2017 Action Plan as Part of the 2016-2020 Consolidated Plan for the City of Las Cruces (City). The Resolution authorizes City staff to submit the proposed amendments to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Resolution No.18-048: A Resolution adopting a distribution of the City s portion of the proceeds from the sale of the City-owned property at 201 N. Main St. (formerly known as the Camunez Building) and amending the City s Adopted FY2018 Budget. Council Bill No. 18-001; Ordinance No. 2825: An Ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico Joint Utility Improvement Revenue Bonds in a principal amount not to exceed $5,600,000 to expand and improve the City s Joint Utility System. Council Bill No. 18-002; Ordinance No. 2826: An Ordinance repealing Las Cruces Municipal Code 1997, Chapter 2, Article III, Division 5, City Fee Waiver Policy in its entirety and amending and renumbering Las Cruces Municipal Code 1997, Chapter 2, Article III, Division 6, City Manager. Council Bill No. 18-004; Ordinance No. 2828: An Ordinance to authorize the conveyance of a parcel of City-Owned property located at 201 N. Main, formerly known as the Camunez Building, to Las Cruces Community Partners, LLC (LCCP), as authorized by the provisions of New Mexico Metropolitan Redevelopment Act, New Mexico Statutes Annotated, 1978, as Amended, Section 3-60A-10.N.3. The Week Ahead Standard, Non-Standard, Operational and Joint Board and Committee Meetings Courtesy of the Public Information Office Monday October 16, 2017 1-5 p.m. City Council Meeting - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Council Chambers (541-2076) Tuesday October 17, 2017 9 :30 10:30 a.m. Quality of Life Policy Review Committee Meeting - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Conference Room 2007-A (541-2271) 5 7 p.m. MPO Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee Meeting - Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N. Motel Blvd., Commission Chambers (528-3070) 6 8 p.m. Planning & Zoning Work Session - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Council Chambers (528-3043) CANCELLED Wednesday October 18, 2017 9 11 a.m. Development Review Committee Meeting - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Conference Room 1158 (528-3043) CANCELLED 1 5 p.m. Las Cruces City Council and Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners Joint Work Session - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Council Chambers (541-2076) 4
Thursday October 19, 2017 8:30 9:30 a.m. Transportation Policy Review Committee Meeting - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Conference Room 2007-A (541-2271) 9 11 a.m. Solid Waste Authority Board Meeting - Transfer Station, 2865 W. Amador Ave., Board Room (528-3584) 10 a.m. 12 p.m. Zoning Review Team - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Conference Room 1158 (528-3043) 10 11 a.m. Health Policy Review Committee - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Conference Room 2007-C (541-2271) 12:30 2 p.m. Airport Advisory Board Meeting - Las Cruces International Airport, 8960 Zia Blvd., Conference Room (541-2471) 1:30 3:30 p.m. Capital Improvements Advisory Committee Meeting - Utilities Center, 680 N. Motel Blvd., Conference Room 218 (528-3636) 3 5 p.m. Transit Advisory Board Meeting - Mesilla Valley Intermodal Transit Terminal, 300 W. Lohman Ave., Conference Room 203 (541-2500) 6 9 p.m. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting 1501 E. Hadley Ave., Administration Conference Room (541-2651) 6 9 p.m. South Mesquite Design Review Board Meeting - City Hall, 700 N. Main St., Conference Room 2007-A (528-3204) CANCELLED Friday October 20, 2017 No Scheduled Meetings Meeting dates for boards and committees are gathered from the public meetings calendar in Outlook. Meetings may be cancelled or scheduled after this notice is issued. 5