Mayor Ken Miyagishima declared the state of the city strong Wednesday—opening his annual address by commending the work of city staff for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Clearly COVID was a challenge to manage,” Miyagishima said. “The virus and how to respond to it were moving targets. Our response happened in real-time, without a rehearsal, or a script, where our commitment and adaptability were constantly being tested.”
Miyagishima also touched on increased public safety efforts. He says the city is seeking to implement a much more comprehensive approach to public health and safety, noting the Las Cruces Police Department is working to recruit individuals with advanced degrees in psychology and sociology.
“Our hope is that personnel trained in social intervention will soon be taking the lead on calls to assist people suffering from mental illness, addiction or homelessness and to respond for child welfare checks and threats to commit suicide,” Miyagishima said.
He noted the complicated dynamics between police officers and residents, stressing the Las Cruces Police Department is continually working to ensure situations are de-escalated as quickly as possible.
“We are learning to see not just how differently things may look to each of us, but how much more productively, through proactive recruiting, careful training, expanded awareness and the structure of our initial approach, highly charged situations can turn out,” Miyagishima said.
Ongoing climate initiatives are also underway. Miyagishima stressed a commitment to addressing the effects of climate change, noting the city is working on a code requiring all new buildings within the city to be electric ready, including wiring for electric vehicle chargers.
"This will take time, so there’s little time to lose, as we seek to avoid new gas furnaces and other appliances that will lock in carbon emissions for decades," Miyagishima said. "It's difficult to overstate how much these things will change in response to climate in the coming years, and we want our city and residents well positioned to take advantage of those changes as they come.”
Ultimately, Miyagishima credited the strength of Las Cruces to city staff, emphasizing their commitment and shared vision for the future.
