Taos Main Street urges Taos County to accept $1 million capital outlay for plaza improvements

Charles Whitson, director for Taos Main Street, told the Taos County Commission and Taos Town Council that New Mexico Main Street awarded $1,000,000 in capital outlay funding for phase 2 of plaza improvements and urged the two governments to finalize a joint approach so the money is spent as intended.

The award, Whitson said, was made after an application filed in July 2023 and officially granted in December 2023. “That award was for $1,000,000 and it was based on phase 2 of the plaza improvements,” he said, adding the town completed phase 1 in October 2024. Whitson said the grant’s reversion date is June 2027.

The money was awarded to the town, Whitson and officials said; a county official noted no grant agreement was signed because ownership issues for the plaza arose, and that a town resolution would allow the state to enter into a grant agreement with the county so the county could receive the funds. Whitson said New Mexico Main Street’s guidance is to exhaust options to invest the money on the plaza before the state would consider reappropriating it to a different project.

Why it matters: the grant would fund above‑ground public improvements that the planning documents described as a gazebo refurbishment, electrical work, ADA ramp and sidewalk improvements, lighting and some changes to the Veterans Memorial footprint. Whitson said the program generally does not fund underground infrastructure and that the Town had already completed the subsurface work in phase 1.

County and town officials at the joint meeting repeatedly endorsed moving forward to spend the appropriation as originally intended rather than seeking reauthorization, citing the difficulty and delay of reappropriating funds through the legislature. Commissioner Romero and others pressed for clarity on logistics — including whether the $1,000,000 plus match would be sufficient and who owns pieces of the plaza such as sidewalks and electrical infrastructure — before transferring funds or authorizing work.

Charles Whitson said New Mexico Main Street told him the county likely would not need to provide an additional $250,000 match because the town’s phase‑1 investment could be accepted as the match. He said, “they would be willing to honor the town's investment, which is far beyond the matching requirement.”

Town and county elected members discussed phasing the work so construction does not conflict with events (the town’s July 4 programming and Plaza Live events were cited). County staff said plans and cost estimates are in development and that the county has price agreements with contractors the town uses.

Several council and commission members asked for additional checks before any transfer: verification of property ownership or recent surveys for sidewalks; confirmation of who owns plaza electrical systems; and planning for a potential phase 3 (alley and peripheral plaza areas) so the central plaza does not become attractive while surrounding areas remain undeveloped.

Officials also discussed financing options for longer‑term investments (bonding paid from non‑promotional lodgers tax was mentioned as a possible county contribution over multiple years) and asked staff to prepare the simple town resolution that Whitson said the state requires to transfer the grant to the county.

Looking ahead: commissioners and councilors encouraged staff to draft the resolution and logistical steps to allow the grant agreement to be executed so the county can receive funds and begin work on the phase‑2 scope. Several speakers urged prompt action to avoid returning the appropriation to the state.

No formal motion or vote on a transfer appeared in the transcript; officials asked staff to clarify legal ownership, matching treatment and contracting timelines before a legal transfer or grant agreement is executed.