The Las Cruces City Council passed a resolution renewing the mayor’s emergency proclamation and clarifying mask requirements within council chambers, despite resistance from some members of the public.
Mayor Ken Miyagishima addressed residents concerned about a requirement mandating those without a COVID-19 vaccine wear a mask in council chambers.
“Nowhere did we expect you to be vaccinated,” Miyagishima said. “We just say, hey, if you're not vaccinated or you’re not willing to show us, then just wear a mask…I think it's incumbent on me, or the council, to make sure that this council chambers is as free as possible from COVID, from the variant.”
Las Cruces Resident Tracy Hollister spoke out against the resolution, saying an emergency proclamation isn’t necessary.
“So, I want to say that when you find out someone's unvaccinated you cannot make the assumption that they are unsafe and they are dangerous,” Hollister said. “Nor should you require them to do anything else.”
While proof of vaccination is currently required to enter the chambers without a mask, some unvaccinated residents were able to attend the city council meeting maskless, something Councilor Tessa Abeyta-Stuve warned others about.
“I was also notified that there are people in the room that are unvaccinated as well,” Abeyta-Stuve said. “I would just say if people are at risk, high risk or have those that they love, that they should please take the appropriate cautions as you see fit.”
The emergency proclamation, extended only by three days with the passing of this resolution, is now set to expire on July 23, 2021—the same day the governor’s executive order declaring a state of public health emergency expires.
The city council also unanimously adopted the Las Cruces Innovation and Industrial Park Master Plan, establishing strategic goals with the hopes of improving the image and visibility of the park. City Manager Ifo Pili says his goal is to attract more businesses to the area.
“The next step is not to bring forward a plan for infrastructure for me,” Pili said. “I don't plan to fund that with city dollars at this time, that's not what I'm going to propose. The plan is to take that plan that's been created and go out and get businesses...Once we get the businesses attracted, they'll spend money. They'll build the infrastructure they need. They have everything they need right now. And I want to drive in that point publicly—they have the infrastructure in place.”
Currently, 19 businesses occupy space in the industrial park—taking up 340 of the park’s 1,820 acres. Urban Planner William Gleason says that demand for industrial space in New Mexico is high.
“Nationally and statewide the trend for the demand for industrial and warehouse space is like it has not been in decades,” Gleason said. “You have this confluence of the demand for additional space due to onshoring, due to the demand for data centers, the demand for logistics and also the spaceport. You're at a great location on the border that really can take advantage of some national and regional trends and create more jobs here in Las Cruces.”
Detailed specifics on the plan, specifically regarding the regulatory framework, are expected to be given to the council in August.
