OTHER COUNCIL ACTION

◆ The council unanimously approved an agreement to buy 23 acres of land from the New Mexico Game and Fish Commission for $2.1 million. The land would be used for an extension of Richards Avenue, among other uses. The commission approved the city’s offer last month after initially rejecting it at the same price in January.

◆ Councilors voted to pass an ordinance updating the city’s metropolitan redevelopment code to be consistent with state law. They also OK’d an ordinance increasing the city manager’s contract approval authority from $60,000 to $150,000 now and up to $200,000 beginning in July 2024. The ordinance also requires the city manager to publish a monthly list of all approved contracts.

◆ The average median income in Santa Fe increased 6% in 2023, according to a presentation of Department of Housing and Urban Development data from Alexandra Ladd, director of affordable housing. However, a spike in interest rates from 2.9% to 5.14% led to a loss in buying power for the median resident.

◆ A resolution proposing a ballot question limiting the mayor’s voting authority sponsored by Councilor Michael Garcia had its first introduction. The measure would ask voters to decide whether the charter should be amended to allow the mayor to vote only in the case of a tie among the eight city councilors. The measure will be voted on at a special meeting Aug.

22. The council will vote on several other proposed ballot initiatives, including a proposed 3% tax on sales of homes worth more than $1 million that would be used to fund affordable housing programs.

◆ Jennifer Romero was reappointed to the city’s Children and Youth Commission and John DiRuggiero was appointed to the Sister Cities Committee.

◆ The city has successfully transitioned onto the Statewide Digital Trunked Radio Communications System, the state’s new unified public safety radio communication network, Blair said.

◆ Blair also asked for patience “on what are very complicated arrangements around water policy law and a whole litany of other things” in relation to Two Mile Pond. He said the city is in process of trying to find a long-term solution. He said the city is looking into ways to solicit more public input on how to move forward after the pond was drained of about half of its volume through recent maintenance.