By John Larson
SOCORRO – The Socorro City Council got a chance to get a look at a proposed ordinance creating a Police Oversight Committee Monday night.
Councilor Mary Ann Chavez-Lopez said the document was ready to turn over to the council for a reading.
According to the ordinance, the Police Oversight Committee will have five members “who broadly represent the diversity of this community.” People interested in becoming committee members should provide a written request, along with a resume, to at least two city councilors. Those names will then be forwarded to the mayor, who will choose specific candidates for approval by the city council.
Minimum qualifications for prospective committee members and other information on responsibilities of the Police Oversight Committee will be available at the public library or at city hall.
A public hearing on the ordinance will be during the next council meeting, at 6 p.m. Monday, July 20.
In other business, the council gave its approval to name Magee and Associates for landfill general engineering and consulting services. Mayor Dr. Ravi Bhasker said the state Environment Department told him it would not issue a permit, based on previous violations concerning litter, methane monitoring and groundwater monitoring. A report from the NMED indicated that an extra person would need to be hired specifically to oversee the landfill’s operation – a position under city Utilities Director Jay Santillanes. “The question is, and has always been, Do we want to go ahead with the landfill, or do we want to go with a transfer station?” Bhasker said.
Bhasker said in the long run, a landfill would be preferable, financially.
“A transfer station would be easier to get permitted, but we would have to make the 85-mile trip to Belen’s landfill three times every day,” he said. “But if the city continues to progress with economic development, who knows? My feeling was that the public wanted a landfill, and the council wanted a landfill.”
He said representatives from the New Mexico Environment Department and Magee and Associates will both attend the next city council meeting to discuss what improvements would be required to get a Socorro landfill permitted.
SOCORRO – The Socorro City Council got a chance to get a look at a proposed ordinance creating a Police Oversight Committee Monday night.
Councilor Mary Ann Chavez-Lopez said the document was ready to turn over to the council for a reading.
According to the ordinance, the Police Oversight Committee will have five members “who broadly represent the diversity of this community.” People interested in becoming committee members should provide a written request, along with a resume, to at least two city councilors. Those names will then be forwarded to the mayor, who will choose specific candidates for approval by the city council.
Minimum qualifications for prospective committee members and other information on responsibilities of the Police Oversight Committee will be available at the public library or at city hall.
A public hearing on the ordinance will be during the next council meeting, at 6 p.m. Monday, July 20.
In other business, the council gave its approval to name Magee and Associates for landfill general engineering and consulting services. Mayor Dr. Ravi Bhasker said the state Environment Department told him it would not issue a permit, based on previous violations concerning litter, methane monitoring and groundwater monitoring. A report from the NMED indicated that an extra person would need to be hired specifically to oversee the landfill’s operation – a position under city Utilities Director Jay Santillanes. “The question is, and has always been, Do we want to go ahead with the landfill, or do we want to go with a transfer station?” Bhasker said.
Bhasker said in the long run, a landfill would be preferable, financially.
“A transfer station would be easier to get permitted, but we would have to make the 85-mile trip to Belen’s landfill three times every day,” he said. “But if the city continues to progress with economic development, who knows? My feeling was that the public wanted a landfill, and the council wanted a landfill.”
He said representatives from the New Mexico Environment Department and Magee and Associates will both attend the next city council meeting to discuss what improvements would be required to get a Socorro landfill permitted.
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