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Mesilla trustees conduct first Skype meeting
MESILLA, Feb 14, 2012 (Las Cruces Sun-News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Mesilla ushered in the 21st century Monday, becoming what is at least arguably New Mexico's first municipality ever to conduct a public meeting of its elected government body using Skype. The software is often used by soldiers on deployment to communicate online with family and friends via video conferencing.
The Mesilla board of trustees did just that. Trustee Sam Bernal, a New Mexico National Guard sergeant who is on a nine-month deployment, participated in Monday's meeting through Skype. Bernal appeared on a large overhead screen typically used instead for the public to read information being considered by trustees.
It was immediately noticeable Bernal was on active duty. He was dressed in Army khaki, perhaps more commonly known as his battle dress uniform.
He could hear, and for the most part see, what his elected counterparts were saying and doing, and they likewise of him.
"Hi everybody out there," said Bernal, during a portion of the meeting typically reserved for his comments. "Being able to do this, it means a lot, it really does. Hopefully, we can continue this."
Knowing that Monday's meeting was likely precedent-setting in New Mexico, board members were a bit in awe of what had and was happening.
"Modern technology is just fantastic," Mayor Nora Barraza said. "I have a daughter who works for Microsoft and they do this type of teleconferencing all the time; from London, Brazil, Japan, wherever they're from or need to be."
Taking
into account Mesilla's constant efforts to preserve the past, from its days as the territorial capital during the Civil War to its time when Billy the Kid was jailed and tried for murder in Mesilla, Barraza reflected aloud just how much things have changed in Mesilla.
"Twenty years ago we never had cell phones and now we're doing this," she said. "What would do without computers, and now we have Skype. ... We're in the 21st century. It's about time we got in the 21st century."
The meeting, itself, could have almost been considered anti-climatic. Trustees, with Bernal voting to constitute a full board, opted not to grant a complete waiver of rental fees for the Mesilla Community Center, to the Border Book Festival. The 17th annual festival will be conducted April 19 through April 22 at several venues in the Mesilla.
Trustees said it would be difficult for the town to waive all of the rental fees because the town's budget is extremely tight. But they did limit charges to a prorated share of electricity that would be used at the community center during the book festival and a $100 a day assessment to have a town staff member there to oversee that operations at the center ran smoothly.
Denise Chavez, director of the Border Book Festival said her organization was willing to pay its fair share of expenses, and would try to seek sponsorships to help overwrite any costs that couldn't be waived.
There was also preliminary discussion by the board about a proposed arts and music festival. Ashley Echavarria, special events coordinator for the town of Mesilla, told trustees the proposed festival wouldn't happen for about another 13 months.
The event, called Half X Half West would include various entertainers and artists who would be headed to the South by Southwest music and entertainment festival in Austin, Texas. Echavarria said hundreds of people would probably attend the event.
But trustees agreed they need more information about the event and further discussions before a final decision could be made. Barraza said trustees would need to discuss the public safety aspects of Mesilla staging such an event.
Town Clerk Nicholas Eckert also reminded trustees that early voting, by machine, for Mesilla's March 6 municipal elections and bond election begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday, at Mesilla Town Hall, 2231 Avenida de Mesilla. Eligible voters in Mesilla will be able to cast ballots during early voting from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays at Town Hall.
However, Town Hall will be closed -- and no early voting will be conducted -- on Feb. 20, because that's Presidents' Day, a federal holiday.
Early voting in Mesilla will continue through March 2.
Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452. Also follow him on Twitter: @SteveRamirez6.
___ (c)2012 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces
Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by MCT Information
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