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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-26 KCPRC Regular Meeting OFFICIAL ,a1.4 of 9 * • •* • 1934 •• O �r��M V GAS MINUTES Kit Carson Park Renaming Committee Meeting Hybrid Meeting Town Council Chambers - 120 Civic Plaza Drive Thursday, June 26, 2025 3:30 p.m. 1. Opening Items A. Call to Order The Kit Carson Park Renaming Committee Meeting was called to order by the Committee Chair, Genevieve Oswald, at 3:34 pm. B. Roll Call Deputy Town Clerk Miquela Mangum called roll, and a quorum was present. Those present were: Committee Chair Genevieve Oswald Committee Member George 'Fritz' Hahn Committee Member Peggy Nelson Committee Member Sylvia Rodriguez Committee Member Jesse Winters Also Present: Town Clerk Denise Martinez Deputy Town Clerk Miquela Mangum Absent/Excused: Committee Member Horacio Trujillo C. Pledge of Allegiance Committee Member Hahn led the Pledge of Allegiance. D.Approval of Agenda Committee Member Hahn motioned to approve the agenda. Committee Member Nelson seconded the motion. The motion passed. The Committee members voted as follows: Ayes: Hahn, Nelson, Rodriguez, and Winters.Absent: Trujillo E. Introduction of Items for the Committee Committee Chair Oswald shared with the committee that she had proposed to the Town Council during the regular meeting on Tuesday June 24th, forming a subcommittee in collaboration with the Historic Preservation Commission and local organizations to better steward historic sites and possibly recommend funding for a town historian. These suggestions were well received by the council. She also suggested using elements of the current renaming process as a model for the subcommittee's work. 2. Citizens Forum A letter from Carol Crosby Yanagitsubo was read into the record by Councilor Oswald. 3. Consent Agenda -The items in the Consent Agenda have been reviewed by the Committee Chair, and the Chair has placed these items on the Consent Agenda for the purpose of voting on all items with one vote. The items listed are for the Committee's consideration and approval. A. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of May 22, 2025, Kit Carson Park Renaming Committee Meeting Minutes. (Town Clerk Denise Martinez) Committee Member Hahn motioned to approve the agenda. Committee Member Nelson seconded the motion. The motion passed. The Committee members voted as follows: Ayes: Hahn, Nelson, Rodriguez, and Winters.Absent: Trujillo. 4. Presentations A. Town Authority and Legal Process for Renaming Public Spaces -Town Attorney Nathan Mulvihill Town Attorney Nathan Mulvihill, associate with Robles, Rael &Anaya, presented an overview of the Town of Taos' legal authority to rename the park. He explained that while there was no explicit state law granting municipalities the power to rename public spaces, there were also no prohibitions. Instead, this authority fell under the town's inherent administrative powers. He clarified that Taos, although not a home rule municipality, still had broad statutory authority to manage public property, including renaming parks. Mr. Mulvihill then reviewed two relevant state statutes: one that gave municipalities general powers and another that specifically addressed park management, confirming the town's authority to take administrative actions over park property it owns. Mr. Mulvihill noted that the town could create its own ordinance to establish a formal renaming process. Next, Mr. Mulvihill examined the quitclaim deed and Joint Powers Agreement (JPA)from 1990, which transferred the park from the state to the town. These documents required the property to be maintained as a park; otherwise, ownership would revert to the state. He pointed out that the JPA originally required a one-time name change from "Kit Carson Memorial State Park" to "Kit Carson Memorial Park" but imposed no requirement to keep the name permanently, leaving the town free to rename it again. Mulvihill also explained that the park and the cemetery were part of the same property parcel, covering about 20.5 acres. Legally, separating them would likely violate the deed's condition to maintain the land as a park, possibly triggering reversion to state ownership without a new agreement. Finally, he outlined the process and criteria for applying to the National Historic Landmark Program, which includes evaluating national significance and integrity. He detailed the multi-step application process and noted the town's responsibility would primarily involve submitting a letter of inquiry. He concluded by listing other National Historic Landmarks in Taos County, such as the Kit Carson House and Mabel Dodge Luhan House. B. Panel - "Mapping Meaning: How We Use, Remember, and Imagine the Park" - Panelists: Carter Reeves, Abe Balsamo, and Ted Wiard. The panel discussion, moderated by Committee Chair Oswald, brought together Dr. Ted Wiard, Mr.Abe Balsamo, and Mr. Carter Reeves to reflect on memories of Kit Carson Park and discuss its future as a vital community space. The conversation centered on restoring accessibility, safety, and inclusivity, particularly for youth and families. Reflections and Personal Memories . Dr. Ted Wiard recalled decades of experiences at the park—from childhood play and early dating to student protests, teaching, and therapeutic work. He viewed the park as a historically safe, welcoming place and believed restoring that atmosphere was key to its future role. . Mr.Abe Balsamo shared vivid memories of growing up in the park, enjoying skateboarding, sports, and unstructured play. He expressed frustration with current restrictions like locked fields and declining access for youth. He called for renewed commitment to open, well-maintained, youth-friendly spaces. . Mr. Carter Reeves, the youngest panelist, recalled joyful events like Fourth of July celebrations but noted that the park had become less active and engaging for his generation. He observed that events had shifted toward older adults, leaving few opportunities for kids and teens. What Would Make the Park More Inviting? . Abe pushed for removing locks from fields, building more basketball courts, upgrading barbecue areas, and replacing portable toilets with clean, permanent bathrooms. • Carter emphasized the need for youth- and family-oriented events, like outdoor movies and recreational activities, which had largely disappeared. • Ted echoed these ideas and added that safety and basic amenities—such as clean water, grass, and functioning bathrooms—were critical. He highlighted past issues like meth-related crime but felt that balanced security could restore the park's role as a multigenerational gathering place. What Would Draw More of the Community In? • Carter noted that youth felt excluded due to the removal of popular amenities and events geared mostly toward adults. He advocated for programming that included younger interests. . Ted reflected on the loss of shared space for both youth and adults, contrasting the current commercial focus of the plaza and park with their formerly inclusive spirit. He stressed the need for cultural diversity and multigenerational involvement. . Abe criticized the commercialization of public space, arguing that expensive events and lack of children's facilities alienated families. He called for restoring sports areas and creating affordable, community-driven programming. What Should Be Preserved or Restored? • Ted advocated for restoring the cemetery, once used for Dia de los Muertos walks and historical education. He emphasized honoring heritage while expanding youth space. • Abe called for rebuilding the skating rink, baseball fields, tennis and basketball courts, and other long-lost features. He recounted being run off the field by police, describing a larger sense of exclusion and overregulation. . Carter urged a comprehensive restoration, saying he had fond memories tied to nearly every part of the park and was disheartened by its decline. Committee Reflections • Committee Member Rodriguez thanked the panel and reflected on how both the park and the plaza had been lost to commercialization, reducing their roles as community spaces. She questioned whether women might have responded differently. • Ted responded that his late wife likely would have agreed with much of what was said. He admitted he wouldn't let his daughters or wife walk the park alone today, underscoring current safety concerns. . Committee Member Winters echoed concerns about safety, mentioning homelessness, neglected spaces, and the need for permanent, clean restrooms for caregivers and children. He expressed appreciation for the community dialogue and emphasized the importance of broader participation. . Committee Chair Oswald acknowledged the lack of female voices on the panel and proposed hosting a future session with women. She closed by thanking the panelists for their honesty and contributions to the community. Key Themes: • Safety and accessibility . Youth and family engagement . Restoration of lost amenities • Cultural inclusivity . Resisting over-commercialization The discussion revealed a strong desire to return Kit Carson Park to its roots as a vibrant, inclusive, and family- friendly public space that serves all generations and cultures. 5. Matters from the Committee A. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of draft land acknowledgement language, including a proposed call to action and consideration of publication on the KCPRC webpage. Committee Chair Oswald reminded the group that they had been reviewing the same draft over several meetings and had hoped that Committee Member Winters would discuss it with his tribal government to provide feedback on whether it should be posted. Committee Member Winters reported that although he had brought the draft to his staff and mentioned it to some tribal council members, the tribal council had not yet placed the land acknowledgement on their agenda due to limited meeting times. He expressed hope that it would be discussed at an upcoming council meeting within the next month. Committee Chair Oswald acknowledged the challenges of scheduling agenda items and offered Committee Member Winters as much time as needed to pursue the matter. The discussion ended with mutual understanding of the process and no final decision made at that meeting. Committee Member Hahn motioned to table agenda item 5A. until a future meeting. Committee Member Nelson seconded the motion. The motion passed. The Committee members voted as follows: Ayes: Hahn, Nelson, Rodriguez, and Winters.Absent: Trujillo. B. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of the report and recommendation from the engagement subcommittee outlining a detailed plan for community outreach and engagement-Committee Members Peggy Nelson, Jesse Winters, and Arcenio Trujillo of Taos MainStreet. Committee Members Nelson and Winters, along with Mr.Arsenio Trujillo presented a report from the engagement subcommittee, which outlined a detailed plan for community outreach and engagement. They explained that although they had not held official meetings, they met several times to develop a transparent strategy. The plan included several community forums aimed at broad engagement: a well-publicized meeting in July open to everyone, focused meetings at Taos Pueblo and the Talpa Community Center, a youth-focused meeting during the school year, and a culminating event at Kit Carson Park in September. These forums would include a historical framing of the park's naming controversy and invite community members to discuss values and possible new names for the park. Facilitation was proposed to be provided by Taos Main Street, with activities designed to encourage consensus- building and gather community input on park values and renaming suggestions. The group emphasized flexibility in the schedule and format. The committee also highlighted the importance of presenting all findings, including community desires for park improvements, to the council at the end of the process. They expressed enthusiasm about the timeline and engagement strategy and moved toward formally accepting the broad outreach plan with the understanding it would remain organic and adaptable. Committee Member Nelson motioned to approve the report and recommendation from the engagement subcommittee outlining a detailed plan for community outreach and engagement. Committee Member Rodriguez seconded the motion. The motion passed. The Committee members voted as follows: Ayes: Nelson, Rodriguez, Hahn, and Winters.Absent: Trujillo. C. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of a change to the July regular meeting date. A change to the July regular meeting date was discussed, due to a scheduling conflict expressed by Committee Member Winters. Committee Chair Oswald explained that a previously delayed special presentation by Jim Kristofic and Edison Eskeets was tentatively planned for the July meeting. They also discussed whether to combine the presentation with community engagement or hold two separate sessions: a regular meeting and a community forum outside official meeting hours for public interaction without formal business. The committee generally agreed to hold the regular meeting on Wednesday, July 23rd, at 3:30 pm, as it did not conflict with other scheduled meetings, and to follow it with a community engagement session later that evening. Committee Member Winters motioned to approve the change to the July regular meeting date to Wednesday, July 23, at 3:30 pm with a Community Meeting to follow at 5:30 pm. Committee Member Hahn seconded the motion. The motion passed. The Committee members voted as follows: Ayes: Hahn, Nelson, Rodriguez, and Winters.Absent: Trujillo. D. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of a refined survey strategy and corresponding engagement approach. The committee moved on to discuss a refined survey strategy and engagement approach. Committee Chair Oswald reviewed the previous meeting's survey that was set to close on the 17th and proposed opening a second survey to collect community name suggestions based on values identified in the first survey. The plan included processing the data, creating a shortlist of names, and then allowing the community to participate in a ranked- choice vote to influence the committee's final decision. Various weighting options for community input versus committee votes were suggested. Committee members raised questions about how to ensure broad and fair public participation, particularly concerns about digital access and self-selection bias. Committee Chair Oswald suggested possible outreach strategies, including social media, radio, and press coverage, to publicize the voting. It was noted that the town council would ultimately make the final decision, possibly based on names presented by the committee. Several members expressed the need for more time to consider the approach and for Committee Chair Oswald to research tools for conducting ranked-choice voting in a cost-effective way. The group agreed to table the discussion until the next meeting to allow further consideration and investigation. Committee Member Nelson motioned to table agenda item 5D. until the next meeting. Committee Member Winters seconded the motion. The motion passed. The Committee members voted as follows: Ayes: Hahn, Nelson, Rodriguez, and Winters.Absent: Trujillo. 6. Updates A. Introduction of KCPRC intern Paxton Henry, including presentation of initial social media content produced with TK1, promoting the public engagement survey on the KCPRC webpage. Paxton Henry was introduced as the new intern for the Kit Carson Park renaming committee. She is an upcoming junior at Taos High School and had previously worked with True Kids 1. Miss Henry was tasked primarily with helping social media engagement to promote community involvement. She had already created and uploaded a social media video to YouTube to encourage participation without sparking controversy. The committee appreciated the video, especially how it highlighted the park as the heart of the community. Miss Henry was scheduled to work with the committee through October and would assist with outreach, data processing, and other tasks while being directly supervised. Her internship is being paid through the Department of Workforce Solutions. 7.Adjourn Committee Member Nelson motioned to adjourn the meeting, which Committee Member Winters seconded. The motion was carried unanimously, and the meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m. APPROVED: Genevieve Oswald, Committee Chair ATTEST: ' ))/2)1"---S-- - .'Mlc.„ela Mangum, Deputy Town Clerk • ff: t '- LI ••;f ATTENDANCE SIGN-IN SHEET =' Kit Carson Park Renaming Committee Meeting - Town Council Chambers Thursday, June 26, 2025 3:30 p.m. PRINT Name Clearly Residence (Not Mailing Address) CITIZENS FORUM SIGN-IN SHEET * : ` : t (5 MINUTE TIME LIMIT) Kit Carson Park Renaming Committee Meeting 'I ua• � `� Town Council Chambers sir : Thursday,June 26, 2025 3:30 p.m. PRINT Name Clearly Residence (NOTmailing address) TOPIC 4 b e 6a1Sa tic - °I} fl J?p I lie . P. el,t k Co K cc,• 2 14 ovv i Cv-,..a.k. gaw f 6�1//�).4,4• �w�' ' p , j v iL 2 1 4' iJ1 1 Ctre e_.L c k 1'(- ( v-/5G L. 1 (q J._ f� I 1 CITIZENS FORUM SIGN-IN SHEET (5 MINUTE TIME LIMIT) KCPRC Meeting Town Council Chambers Name Residence TOPIC I am not a resident of Taos so I am aware that I have no vote in the issue of"The Renaming of Kit Carson Park". However, I will attempt to explain why this is such a personal and painful issue for me and my family. I am the great, great, great granddaughter of the first Territorial Governor of New Mexico, Charles Bent. Charles Bent was married to Maria Ignacia Jaramillo, the older sister of Kit Carson's wife,Josefa Jaramillo. My husband Jim and I have been driving from California to Taos for the past 35 years which began as an attempt to explore my Bent/Carson family history. We began by visiting the Governor Bent and Kit Carson museums. We then visited the Kit Carson Park and Cemetery to view the gravesites of Governor Bent's wife and family and the graves of Kit Carson and family. Governor Bent is buried in the National Cemetery in Santa Fe. We would also attend the Wool Festivals and various entertainment venues held at Kit Carson Park. My son and family accompanied us on a couple of our earliest trips. My grandson's middle name is Carson, due to the family connection. That same grandson has just written an essay for a college course on his Bent/Carson family ancestry. Our trip to Taos quickly became more than about my family history. It became a love of the place and the people; the spirituality,the churches, tradition, family, the land, the mountain, the beauty. It is about the art and the artists we have met, many who became dear friends. And, most of all,The Taos Pueblo and all that it represents. It is the heart and soul of Taos. In 1996 we were introduced to Carlos and Sandy Hall. Carlos was raised by the Bent/Scheurich family. He and Sandy welcomed us into their home where we were able to view many of his special paintings. They took us to the Taos Open and to the Taos Pueblo San Geronimo Celebration the next day. There we met many of the residents who were his friends and enjoyed the festivities of the day. In 1997 we brought my 85 year old mother with us to view her family history that she had known about for her whole life, but had never got to experience. We took her to the Governor Bent and the Kit Carson Museums and all of the other places with a Bent/Carson connection. She also attended the Wool Festival which was held in Kit Carson Park. She was in awe of all that Taos represents. She especially enjoyed her trip to Taos Pueblo. The thought of renaming Kit Carson Park is painful to me. I have been wondering what would be the repercussions of this name change. Already I am concerned about the Charles Bent home and museum. It needs to be continued and brought up to date. There are items that belonged to the Bents that have been brought there by some of my family members. And what about the Kit Carson Gallery and Museum? There is so much history there. And what about Bent Street and Kit Carson Road? Would these names have to be changed too? Over the past year I have been writing my own memoir entitled "Tears for Taos". It came about due to my coming aware of all of the changes occurring in Taos since COVID. I wondered what it would be like when we are able to return. It is about our travels to Taos for the past 35 years, the family members we brought with us on those journeys, and the special memories for all of us. I was writing this story before I became aware of the renaming of Kit Carson Park. I am extremely saddened by this news. Cannot we remember the past, as we look toward the future. Please don't let the beautiful and spiritual land of Taos become a place with no history or soul. Removing all of this history would lead to us forgetting what has happened in the past, all with lessons to be learned. There were many good people doing the will of a government that was not in the interests of all of the people. We need to remember what happened in the past as a reminder to never let these types of events happen again. Carol Crosby Yanagitsubo 6/24/25, 1:44 PM BoardDocs®Plus tip ofp Tli I''J 0 Thursday, June 26, 2025 Kit Carson Park Renaming Committee Meeting The meeting will be held at the Town Council Chambers at 120 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos, NM 3:30 p.m. 1. Opening Items A. Call to Order B. Roll Call C. Pledge of Allegiance D. Approval of Agenda E. Introduction of Items for the Committee 2. Citizens Forum A. Citizens wishing to speak shall limit their comments to 5 minutes. Citizens may submit comments to Committee Chair Genevieve Oswald at goswald@taosnm.gov. No action may be taken. 3. Consent Agenda - The items in the Consent Agenda have been reviewed by the Committee Chair, and the Chair has placed these items on the Consent Agenda for the purpose of voting on all items with one vote. The items listed are for the Committee's consideration and approval. A. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of May 22, 2025 Kit Carson Park Renaming Committee Meeting Minutes. (Town Clerk Denise Martinez) 4. Presentations A. Town Authority and Legal Process for Renaming Public Spaces - Town Attorney Nathan Mulvihill B. Panel - "Mapping Meaning: How We Use, Remember, and Imagine the Park" - Panelists: Carter Reeves, Abe Balsamo, Ted Wiard 5. Matters from the Committee A. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of draft land acknowledgement language, including a proposed call to action and consideration of publication on the KCPRC webpage. B. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of the report and recommendation from the engagement subcommittee outlining a detailed plan for community outreach and engagement - Committee Members Peggy Nelson, Committee Member Jesse Winters, and Arcenio Trujillo of Taos MainStreet. C. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of a change to the July regular meeting date. D. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of a refined survey strategy and corresponding engagement approach. 6. Updates A. Introduction of KCPRC intern Paxton Henry, including presentation of initial social media content produced with TK1, promoting the public engagement survey on the KCPRC webpage. 7. Adjourn https://go.boarddocs.com/nm/taosgov/Board.nsf/Private?open&login# 1/1