Village Insider | Vol. XVII | January 2023

Happy New Year to you all - I hope you all are enjoying the holidays with your families and friends.

When we look back on 2022, many of us will always remember the McBride Fire that destroyed so many homes and took the lives of two people from our community. As terrible and scary as that was, it also shined a light on the resiliency of our Village and the generosity of not only this community, but of our whole state. The outpouring of donations of non-perishables, water, and money still blows me away when I think about it. I am in awe of how quickly we were able to help those affected thanks in large part to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County. Let’s not forget that we still have families in our community that are trying to recover, and let’s make sure that we continue to take care of our own.

I want to give a big shout-out to the Ruidoso Warrior football team who won the 3A State Championship when they soundly defeated St. Michael’s Horsemen 12-0. The game was awesome, and we are so proud of these young men. Congratulations to the Warrior players, the coaching staff, the cheerleaders, and all of the parents who undoubtedly have spent many hours on the road and sitting on stadium benches over the years. It’s great to be a Warrior!

As we move into 2023, please be confident in knowing that Village finances and our water resources are in a good place. We never forget that we have to be good stewards of your trust. Make a note on your calendar to join us on January 23, 2023, for the State of the Village address. We will go over a lot of good information that it is important for our residents to know.

Don’t forget to tune-in to Mondays with the Mayor every Monday morning from 8:00 – 10:00 AM. You can listen on KRUI 1490 AM – The Mountain or stream it online at 1490KRUI.com.

Happy New Year!

Mayor Lynn Crawford

Mayor Lynn Crawford

Ruidoso Warriors, 2022 3A State Champions

At the December Village Council Meeting, Mayor Crawford issued a proclamation that 2022 is “The Year of the Warriors”

VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETINGS Recent Actions

At the December 13, 2022, Regular Council meeting, the Governing Body:

» Mayor Lynn D. Crawford Recognized by Proclamation 2022 as “The Year of the Warriors.”

» Mayor Lynn D. Crawford read a Proclamation Recognizing Edward Roy Tinsley, III.

» Rifle Salas - Mayor Pro Tem

»

» Joe Eby

»

»

» Darren Hooker

» Approved Agreement with CUTLER Repaving, Inc. through the New Mexico Statewide Price Agreement No. 90-805-19-16759 for Pavement Resurfacing and CurbLine Milling on Hull Road, Service Road, and Reese Drive, in the Amount of $1,584,741.41, Including Gross Receipts Tax.

» Approved Award of RFP #2023-005P to The Agency for Marketing Services for the Village of Ruidoso Authorizing Mayor Crawford to Execute Contract.

» Approved State Grants-In-Aid for Public Libraries Agreement with the New Mexico State Library for Fiscal Year 2023, in the Amount of $10,254.72.

» Approved Recommendation from Lodgers Tax Committee at their Regular Meeting on November 22, 2022 to Award the Village of Ruidoso Recreation Department, in the Total Amount of $335,000.00 in Special Event Funding for the Special Events for the Remainder of the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year.

» Approved Ruidoso Midtown Association Professional Service Agreement with the Village of Ruidoso for “Junior Bill Funds” Designated for Operating Funds of $80,000.00.

» Adopted Resolution 2022-55, a Resolution Establishing Rules and Regulations of The Mechem Meadows Housing Development & 99 Sunny Slope Drive.

Ruidoso Village Council Members

Susan Lutterman

Gary Jackson

Tim Coughlin

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Fiber Optic Coming to

Ruidoso

Public- Private Partnership to Bring Fiber Optic to the Village

Some 8,000 homes and businesses in Ruidoso will soon, for the first time, be equipped with high-speed fiber, a result of a public-private partnership between the Village of Ruidoso and internet provider Kinetic. Ruidoso leaders and Kinetic representatives are excited to mark the milestone.

The Village committed up to $2 million of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 stimulus funds it received to the project, and Kinetic will pay $4.8 million. The project is currently in the outsourcing and permitting phase, with a start date sometime in the new year. Kinetic has pledged to complete the project by the end of the first quarter of 2024.

The Village of Ruidoso is on track to being able to market its high-speed broadband for economic development prospects. I look forward to working with community leaders to promote not only our beautiful village but now our access to fiber.

Mayor Lynn Crawford

The super-fast, reliable fiber connections in the Village of Ruidoso will empower residential customers gig speeds to navigate the internet safely from home with no lag times while they work, participate in virtual classrooms, or stream entertainment services. All sized business can take advantage of the fiber-backed network to deploy solutions that make their companies more efficient and profitable.

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Ruidoso Police Department gets in the Holiday Spirit

One of the best holiday events in the Village is the Ruidoso Police Department’s annual Shop with a Cop. Each year, the RPD works with Santa’s Helpers to identify local youth to participate in the program, which pairs each kid with a cop. That is when the fun begins!

This year, 24 kids were taken to Walmart in patrol cars with sirens blaring. Once they got to Walmart, they were able to pick out presents for themselves and for members of their family. Next, the crew moved on to Adventure Mountain, where they spent time playing games and having lunch with the officers.

“This is one of the best days we have as police officers,” said Chief Lawrence Chavez. “We are grateful for all of the generosity in this community that allows us to keep this tradition going.”

New Mexico 2022 Legislative Session Priorities –Status Report

2022 Legislative Capital Outlay Requests: Below are the 2022 Legislative Capital Outlay projects for the Village of Ruidoso that received the Governor’s final approval on March 9, 2022.

» Bridge Replacement Projects - $200,000 – Grant Agreement executed.

» Sewer System Improvements - $1,563,000 – Grant Agreement executed.

» Wingfield House Museum Construction - $750,000 – Grant Agreement executed.

» Senate Bill 48 “Junior Bill”

• $80,000 for the Main Street Program in Ruidoso – Grant Agreement executed.

• $230,000 for Façade Grant Improvements in the Ruidoso Main Street Businesses.

New Mexico 2023 Legislative Session Priorities

Legislative Capital Outlay Requests: As approved by the Council in the ICIP, the Village has submitted a total of five 2023 Capital Outlay request forms for project funding consideration. The list of projects include:

» Workforce Housing ($1,000,000)

» Broadband Fiber Connectivity ($1,000,000)

» Bridge Replacement Construction ($6,000,000)

» Sewer Infrastructure Construction Improvements ($913,363)

» Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Development ($500,000)

New Mexico Capitol Building

Addressing Project

The Request for Proposals (2023-004P) E911 Address Planning and Implementation was advertised on September 28, 2022, and one bid was received. The Evaluation Committee found the proposal was missing required information and deemed it as non-responsive.

The proposal was rejected, and the Request for Proposals was re-issued the last week of November. If the proposals are rejected a second time, the Village will have the option to procure the project directly with a company of our choice.

Financial Stability of the VOR

During the fiscal year, revenue sources are monitored very closely to determine whether items cut out of the initial budget can be added or if budgeted expenditures need to be reduced or postponed. Since the Village has completed five months of FY 2023, revenue received should be around 42%, as a simple rule of thumb.

In years past, Ruidoso’s tourist season included only the summer months and the winter months. However, as events have been added and tourism advertising has increased, the season is now year-round. Below is a snapshot of actual revenue receipts received compared to the budget. All segments exceeded the base percentage except for Intergovernmental. This segment is comprised of reimbursement-based grants in which the Village expends the funds and then applies to the funding agency for reimbursement. As we progress through the fiscal year and receive reimbursements, this percentage will rise. Also, the portion of GRT that the state reverts will be recorded in the segment.

RUIDOSO MIDTOWN ASSOCIATION UPDATE

From the Desk of Executive Director Kendra King

The Ruidoso Midtown Association is proud of the work we did in 2022! We maintained our Nationally Accredited Main Street Program status and our Board of Volunteers generated more than a thousand volunteer hours to benefit the community, focusing on board and organization education efforts, along with stronger communication with the public.

In June, we partnered with the Parks and Rec Department along with Team Tourism, to upgrade the Brewdoso festival to Party in the Pines - bigger and better than ever before! We also hosted the State Main Street Conference over the summer, recognizing and highlighting the success of our program at the state level among 30 of our peer programs across the state. In September, we helped sponsor the Pin-up Pageant at Ride Ruidoso, and in October, we helped throw the annual Trick-or-Treat event in Midtown with our community partners. This annual event included the always entertaining coffin race and a pumpkin roll down Eagle Drive. We gave away $1000 in cash prizes to the participants.

In addition to these events, we assisted the Village of Ruidoso Façade Improvement Grant with New Mexico Main Street technical assistance. We helped facilitate public improvement projects throughout the district, including: new light poles with speakers and new sidewalks up to Wingfield Park. Our year ended with the annual Ugly Sweater Business Mixer, where we raffled off thousands of dollars in prizes to raise funds for our mission. We look forward to what 2023 will bring!

The RMA board recently celebrated at the annual Boards and Commissions Mixer hosted by the Village of Ruidoso.

Pictured from left to right are James and Claudia Rupley, Chase and Jennie Tanner, Anthony Sanchez and Frankie Leigh Reynolds, Michelle O’Brien, Dakota and Andee Montes, Jazmin and Lance Roe, Stephanie Leland and Joey Garcia, Thomas Row and Kendra King (missing from the photo are Michael O’Brien, Chris and Joni Stettheimer, Elliott and Jamie Taylor)

Please feel free to contact me or any board member.

Kendra King, Executive Director 575-973-0967 | director@ruidosomidtownassociation.com

Follow the Ruidoso Midtown Association on Facebook for regular posts and updates.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE UPDATE

From the Desk of Executive Director Deborah Douds

Wow! I can’t believe 2022 is over. It has been a very busy year for the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce. We started off our year in February at our Santa Fe Legislative Reception with a great turnout, despite COVID restrictions. I encourage you to attend this year’s event, which will be held on February 1, 2023, at the Drury Plaza Inn.

After our reception, we jumped right in with the Vines in the Pines Wine Festival on President’s Day Weekend. Unfortunately, two months later, the Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County were devastated by two wildfires, the McBride and Nogal Fires. The chamber collaborated with the Village of Ruidoso and the Community Foundation of Lincoln County to coordinate donations and distributions.

During our Annual Banquet in June, we honored our Volunteer of the Year, John Cornelius; our Business of the Year, Ruidoso Parks and Recreation; and our Beautification Award went to the Humane Society of Lincoln County for their new building. Then, the 51st Annual Ruidoso Art Festival was held in July. Over 100 fine artists participated, and we raised $1600 from the silent auction to contribute to art programs at the Ruidoso Municipal Schools.

Each year, October brings two of our favorite events: the AspenFest Parade and Festival and Midtown Trick-or-Treat. Both events grew this year with an amazing line-up of bands during the AspenFest Festival and the expansion of the Halloween event to include a pumpkin roll, coffin races, a costume contest, and TONS of trick-or-treaters. Also in October, I was honored to be appointed to the VOR’s Workforce Housing Advisory Board by the Village Council.

Our Ruidoso Valley Greeters hosted the Christmas Jubilee in November, and we ended the year with one of our community’s favorite events: the Parade and Festival of Lights. The parade theme this year was Star Wars, and it was a hit. Here are the results of our float judging:

» 1st Place Float: Ruidoso Animal Clinic - “Return to the Bark Side”

» 2nd Place Float: Lincoln County Medical - “AT-AT Walker” (we loved Grogu riding on top!)

We are so blessed with the way this community comes together. Here at the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce, we work hard every day to make this community a better place to live, work, and play.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Festival of Lights Parade Midtown Trick-or-Treat

WORKFORCE HOUSING Hazard Mitigation

Hazard Mitigation has been broken down into nine sites from the original 40 due to funding constraints. The nine sites identified include:

» Six locations in Upper Canyon

» 100 Mechem Drive

» Two locations between Fern Trail and Leach Drive

An Invitation for Bids was issued, and AUI was selected to complete the construction. AUI has mobilized and set-up construction parameters for each site, and the Village has been working to acquire all easements needed.

Update

Mechem Meadows, located at 1114 Mechem Drive, is almost move-in ready. The homes are all placed, and utilities are being connected. Once utilities are connected, skirting will be added to the homes and inspected by the New Mexico Manufacturing Division.

The Village has also re-zoned 99 Sunny Slope Drive to Manufacturing-1 low density. A new home will be added to this lot and made available for rent as workforce housing. It is expected that the project will be completed in February 2023.

WATER PRODUCTION

Alto/Grindstone Dam Projects

The Grindstone Canyon Dam Drain Cleaning Project was completed in May 2022. This project included the cleaning and labeling of 55 vertical floor drains, 35 vertical ceiling drains, six horizontal drains on the north (left) abutment gallery wall, and seven horizontal drains on the south (right) abutment gallery wall. The project also included grading the gallery and portal entrance to improve drainage from the gallery. The grading work exposed the original concrete floor and an approximately 2-inch drainage trench. A removable weir at the portal entrance was installed to measure seepage flow rates for long-term monitoring. The Village started measuring weir flow on March 30, 2022.

The Yeh and Associates team completed condition assessment for the Grindstone Canyon Dam Spillway and North Dam Crest Concrete Repairs in October. The team reviewed assessment findings and discussed repair options with the Village and New Mexico Office of State Engineer (NMOSE) Dam Safety in late November. Specifications and 60% plans for the proposed repairs are currently underway.

The Grindstone Canyon and Alto Lake Dams Outlet Works Video Surveys were performed in October, although sediment was found in the Grindstone Canyon Dam 48-inch outlet conduit that prevented the completion of the video survey. NMOSE requested the removal of the sediment so the video can be completed as soon as possible. All teams are currently working on the sediment removal plan and schedule.

DEPARTMENTS & PHONE NUMBERS

Airport 575-336-8111

Convention Center 575-258-5445

Judicial 575-257-9055

Library 575-258-3704

Parks & Recreation 575-257-5030

Police 575-258-7365

Fire 575-257-3473

Solid Waste 575-257-1502 Street Works 575-257-6023

FIRE RECOVERY

Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant (RWWTP) 575-378-8417

Senior Center 575-257-4565 Water Distribution and Sewer Collections 575-257-2386 Water Production 575-257-5525

Water Rights/Watershed (RJU) 575-258-6913

www.Ruidoso-NM.gov

VILLAGE HALL: 575-258-4343

• Capital Projects and Purchasing

• Executive

• Finance

• Forestry

• Human Resources

• Planning and Zoning

• Utility Billing

Community Rallies Around McBride Fire Response

Since the McBride Fire erupted on April 12, 2022, the greater Ruidoso community has truly rallied in support of those most affected by the disaster. With the coordinated help of the Village of Ruidoso, the Ruidoso Municipal Schools, Lincoln County, area churches, various nonprofits, and community fundraising events, hundreds of financial donations were collected for the Lincoln County Shelter Fund.

The Shelter Fund was created in 2012 after the Little Bear Fire to help residents in need of shelter due to the loss of their primary home to a disaster such as a flood or fire. It is run by the all-volunteer board of directors of the Community Foundation of Lincoln County (CFLC). After years of guardianship, the Shelter Fund was ready to immediately facilitate donations and provide assistance for those in need after the McBride Fire.

Five rounds of grants were awarded to those who lost their residences. The first checks went out within one week of the fire, with 103 households receiving help. Subsequent grants were distributed as more donations poured in. These grants were unrestricted, used for the recipients’ most urgent needs, and at their discretion.

A generous child addressed this envelope and sent five $1 bills to the Shelter Fund.

The response to help was nothing short of amazing. As the money came in, checks went out. Not a single dollar was spent on operating expenses or processing fees — every penny was placed into the hands of those affected by the fire. A total of $617,145 was awarded.

The Village of Ruidoso contributed $18,265 from the Ride Ruidoso concert proceeds. In addition, Governor Lujan Grisham recommended that state-wide donations be directed to the Shelter Fund, which resulted in many gifts coming from outside Lincoln County. Over 400 gifts, in amounts ranging from five $1 bills from a child to an anonymous $100,000 gift, were deposited and distributed by the CFLC.

Ruidoso is an amazing community, and the Shelter Fund stands ready to help those who have lost their homes in a disaster. More information can be found at www.cfolc.org.

PARKS & RECREATION Parks and Facilities Infrastructure Improvements –Status Update

The VOR Parks & Recreation Department consistently goes above and beyond in working to ensure local facilities are maintained to the highest degree so that visitors and locals alike can utilize and enjoy them. Here is a brief update on the infrastructure improvements that were completed in 2022:

Alto Kids Pond

» Boat Dock (Paddle Boats Only)

» Pedestrian Bridge

» Picnic Tables

» Signage

» Split Rail Fence

» Trail

Cree Meadows Trail

» Mechem to the Links Running/Walking Trail

Grindstone Lake

» Additional Signage

» Expansion of Wibit Infrastructure (Slide, Climbing Wall)

» Concrete Boat Ramp

Recreation and Events

The Recreation and Events arm of the department had a record year full of special events and community activities. The department focuses on promoting tourism and outdoor recreation when planning their programming, with the goal of benefiting the local economy.

The recreation team hosted many sports activities for both youth and adults, including: Smart Start Basketball, disc golf camp, basketball, and volleyball. They also hosted four archery shoots, the Wingfield Market, Wilderness Camps, a youth fishing tournament, the kite festival, holiday drone shows, and managed the Ruidoso Adventure Tours. They ran the Wibit, the public pool, and helped coordinate Music in Midtown. In addition, they played a key role in bringing many new events to the Village, including: Party in the Pines, Ride Ruidoso Week, Cinco de Mayo Celebration, and the Three Kings of Comedy Tour. These are only a few of the many events made possible by this hard-working team.

AspenFest Parade

It will be fun to see what great activities they have in store for 2023!

Sierra Blanca PowWow