The cold and hardening snow was a concern for Mayor Timothy Jennings, city councilors and most people who attended the council’s meeting on Thursday night.
Jennings explained to someone conducting a presentation that the proceeding needed to end before the “streets freeze.” That person wrapped up quickly and the meeting ended within about 90 minutes.
Though short, there were notable developments: The unanimous council vote to ratify Jenning’s choice of Christopher Cortez to take over the Ward 3 council seat vacated by Matthew Chappell; the election of Councilor Juliana Halvorson, Ward 2, as mayor pro-tem (chosen by a unanimous vote); and the announcement by Roswell Fire Chief Matt Miller that he was retiring after more than two decades with the department.
Cannabis business request OK’d
A commercial cannabis operation’s principals have requested a zone change from a rural-suburban residential zone to a commercial cannabis floating zone (CCAN), a conditional use permit and a variance to local distance stipulations. They would do business from the Starlight Plaza, a commercial building at 3606 N. Main St. Caleb Cortez, the general manager of the Hobbs-based Gnomad Canna Co. (and a different person than the new city councilor with the same last name), who was at the meeting to answer any questions posed by the council, had to go on the defensive.
First, Halvorson told the man that putting up signage was presumptuous and a “surprise” to her when she saw the signs up.
“You put them up before it went to P&Z (the Planning and Zoning Commission),” Halvorson said. “I have a real problem with that.”
The man apologized and emphasized that the signs were taken down. He then explained there had been a long wait to obtain the commercial space, which currently has only one tenant operating that provides a specialized exercise experience.
There was also concern expressed by some of the about whether Gnomad would want to add a consumption area to the location. They have a “hotbox” consumption area in Ruidoso.
“You do not plan to make it a lounge?” Councilor Angela Moore asked.
“No,” he said. “It’s going to be a retail location. And that’s not going to change.”
The vote was 6 to 3 in favor of the company’s zoning request, with Halvorson, Moore and Councilor Carlos Marrujo all opposed.
Flooding needs
One item was removed from the agenda so it could be further considered at the committee level, the proposed ratification of the city staff’s choice of a contractor to conduct the Substantial Damage Assessment Project.
Stantec, with a Roswell site and three other locations around the state, was named from among four possible service providers to inspect structures within the current 100-year floodplain to find out if any of these received substantial damage. This group of buildings includes about 200 residences, two apartment units and 19 commercial structures.
Among city government structures are the museum and convention center, both near the Spring River between North Main Street and North Richardson Avenue; the adult center at West Eighth Street and North Missouri Avenue; the parks office and park storage building at Cahoon Park, the Boy Scouts structure at West Ninth Street and North Missouri Avenue; and the parks department yard near North Virginia Avenue and East 12th Street.
Councilor Robert Corn disagreed with the suggestion by Councilor Edward Heldenbrand that changes to this item could be made there at the meeting. Corn, also the chair of the Finance Committee, said he didn’t see it as being a viable alternative.
Another item related to the severe flooding in October is a loan from the state of $1.04 million to repair sewer damage caused by the incident, which was also approved.
The city has agreed to use money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to repay the loan from the New Mexico Environment Department. If the federal agency doesn’t provide the money to the city, the state will forgive the debt.