GRANTS - Following are notes of interest from the regular Grants City Council meeting on Jan. 26.

Airport receives upgrade

The Grants Municipal Airport is getting a new AWOS-II - the system allows planes to radio in for wind speed, gust and direction, temperature, dew point, altimeter setting, density altitude, visibility and sky condition. Armstrong Consultants was awarded the contract in the amount of $35,000 plus tax. The project is contingent on receiving additional funding from the state and federal level. The upgrade was unanimously approved by the council.

Nimitz Street to receive new lighting

Councilors approved a re-worked proposal from Wilson and Company for engineering services in order to comply with ARRA regulations. From the city workshop the week previous, the amount changed from $20,952 to $27,972. The project will now include lighting from Santa Fe Avenue to Washington Street if TPE funds are received. The adjustment was made to qualify for TPE funds.

The reworked proposal was unanimously approved by the council.

Audit report approved

The council unanimously approved the 2008-2009 audit report as submitted by City of Grants Manager Bob Horacek. According to Horacek, there were few issues during the audit such as paying summer help five days after the last day worked and the beautification committee exceeding its amount of budgeted funds spent. Horacek said the issues were minor and some action had already been taken in order to correct the issues.

“The financial and accounting department do an excellent job,” Horacek said.

The manager noted that the city is a substantial employer of the area with 100 full time employees.

Committee members

The council approved new members for the Cemetery Board, Beautification Committee and Animal Committee, recommended by Mayor Joe Murrietta. Members for the Cemetery Board took a brief discussion as the council received letters from members Fred Padilla and Wiley Austin. Final was the reappointment of Austin and Lita Rodarte to the Cemetery Board: reappointment of Jamie Holton and Darlene Lear and appointment of Sally Zamora, Randy and Ina Hoffman to the Beautification Committee: and appointment of Melanie Ukarwa and Wanda Jaramillo to the Animal Committee. Councilor Jaramillo abstained from voting for members Animal Committee as Wanda Jaramillo is a relation.

Other items

of interest:

• Councilor's approved the precinct board for the upcoming March 2 regular municipal election.

• The council approved four Home Occupancy Conditional Use permits: 621 Inwood by Tony Aragon; 1217 Seville Loop by Karen Marez; 908 Washington by Linda Coulson; and 901 Gunnison by Evelyn Seigman.

• The council approved liens to be filed against properties at 116 Lava Rd. and 1648 Gabaldon St. The lien for the property (emergency abatement) on Lava Road is $9,481 and for the property (emergency abatement) on Gabaldon Street, it is $3,370.

The next Grants workshop is scheduled for Feb. 17 and the regular meeting will be on Feb. 23. For more information of the meeting, call city hall at 287-7927.