City takes look at graffiti problem By Jun 25, 2004, 09:04 pm

CARLSBAD — Graffiti damage to trees, trash bins, picnic tables, bridges and buildings was shown in a presentation to the City Council this week.

Next month, the council plans to vote on an ordinance to make more types of paint illegal for underage residents to buy or possess.

“I just want to show you what your ordinances will take care of and hopefully slow down,” said Richard Van Dyk, a member of a subcommittee under the Carlsbad Community Coalition Drug/Crime Task Force, which is backing the changes to the graffiti ordinances.

Van Dyk went through the slide show pictures, which included a few obscenities and gang markings. Van Dyk said James B. Williams, a school board member and former police officer, would be able to give more information about the meanings behind the markings.

“Some of those words, I can understand,” Mayor Bob Forrest
said.

The graffiti appeared to be all over town on commercial buildings and in parks and highway bridges. Van Dyk said a cleanup blitz is planned for July 17.

“July 17, we should have a pretty good hold on the graffiti,” Van Dyk said.

The council took no action on the graffiti ordinance this week.

In other business, the council approved the 2004-05 budget for the coming year.

The city plans $17.9 million in general fund expenditures in the coming year, with almost $15.2 million of that consisting of personal services. Revenues are expected to
be $17.6 million.

“This (budget) is one of the easiest ones I ever saw, and maybe that’s because I didn’t have anything to do with it,” Forrest said before the council voted 7-0 to approve the budget. Councilman Bob Murray was absent from the meeting.

Councilwoman Louise Tracy asked if the budget included money for maintenance at the youth sports complex, which has not yet been built. She said she was concerned about how the city is planning to use city workers for in-kind labor to help build the complex when Public Works Director Luis Camero’s budget only includes $467,700 worth of labor expenses.

City Administrator Jon Tully said the city will have to consider maintenance costs after the first of the year.


Council members also approved the following items:

Extending a moratorium on the acceptance, review and issuance of permits for drilling by oil and gas companies;

A request from New Mexico State University-Carlsbad to use a section of city property for heavy construction equipment training;

A resolution making budgetary adjustments to the 2003-04 fiscal year budget;

The second renewal of an agreement with Durham and Associates for general architectural services;

An agreement with John A. Heaton Jr. for golf professional services;

Second renewal of an agreement with Carlsbad MainStreet Project Inc.;

Renewal of an agreement with Carlsbad Industrial Action Inc., or Carlsbad Department of Development;

An agreement with Carlsbad Character Counts;

An agreement with Eddy County Safehouse Inc. for victim and witness interviewing services;

An agreement with the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration for Community Development Block Grant program funds of $300,000 for street and drainage improvements to Hillcrest, Seventh and Hudson Streets;

An agreement with the National Parks Service regarding the National Cave and Karst Research Institute;

An agreement with Kevin Harris for management and maintenance services at Will Merchant Softball Complex;

An agreement with the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce;

An agreement with Georgia Pitman for personal services for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program assistant coordinator;

An agreement with the Interstate Stream Commission for irrigation improvements at all city-owned cemeteries;

An amendment to the Municipal Arterial Program agreement for Park Drive construction;

An amendment to the Cooperative Project Agreement for safety lighting along National Parks Highway;

A grant award from the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department for the RSVP program in the amount of $3,918;

A resolution setting requirements for notice of public meetings of the governing body, boards, commissions, committees, agencies or other policy-making bodies of the city;

Two resolutions authorizing filing of 2005 application to the state Highway and Transportation Department for funding assistance;

A resolution supporting the Keep Carlsbad Beautiful program and expenditure of litter control and beautification grant funds;

A resolution adopting an Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan;

A liquor license renewal for 2004-05 subject to receipt of state license and payment of city license fee;

Setting a date to consider a protest hearing date for water, sewer and garbage assessment rolls and for an ordinance amending certain sections of the Carlsbad Code of Ordinances regarding the adoption of the New Mexico Uniform Traffic Ordinance.