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Taos MRA board debates whether to call itself a commission and who should provide staff support
Summary
At its Feb. 18 meeting the Taos Metropolitan Redevelopment Area board agreed to clarify ordinance language about whether the body is an "agency" or a "commission" and to draft bylaws addressing roles and any staff support; Chair Donald Wood will seek consultant guidance and present revisions in March.
The Taos Metropolitan Redevelopment Area convened Feb. 18 and spent a substantial portion of the meeting discussing how the body should be named in its ordinance and whether the board should have authority to provide staff support.
"This is Donald Wood, the chair," Wood said after calling the meeting to order, and he told commissioners he would follow up with consultants to settle wording in the ordinance that he said currently uses inconsistent terms. A resident had earlier pointed to the New Mexico statute titled "Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency," and commissioners flagged language in the draft town ordinance that some read as authorizing the board to provide staff.
Commissioners said that phrasing raised practical concerns. "It does sound like to me that we would have the authority to to hire that position, which doesn't make any sense to me as a volunteer board," Wood said, arguing the town’s human-resources policies would control any hiring. Wayne Rutherford added that the board needs regular administrative support for tasks such as minute-taking and grant follow-up.
The board agreed Wood and Rutherford will clarify the statutory language with consultants Amy and Maren (from the consulting firm referenced in the packet) and will present proposed revisions, including recommended bylaw language, at the March meeting. Wood said he will prepare suggested bylaw language setting out roles, responsibilities and expectations for chair and vice chair.
Commissioners emphasized transparency. Rutherford described preparatory meetings he and Wood have held and said they will document chair and vice-chair duties so the board can "set the agenda, make sure that we understand what questions...are popping up" and provide clearer public guidance on who is responsible for administrative tasks.
The board did not adopt any ordinance change at the meeting. Instead, it recorded a follow-up assignment to obtain written clarification from consultants and to bring revised wording for a possible vote in March.
