The Las Cruces City Council met on Monday, January 5, 2026, at approximately 1 p.m., with Mayor Eric Enriquez presiding. The meeting included a proclamation for Youth Mentoring Month, a presentation on the upcoming Balloon Rally, multiple public comments on lead pipes, animal services, parks and recreation, public safety, and surveillance cameras. Council unanimously approved several resolutions, including a memorandum of understanding with the police union, acceptance of 22 grant awards, and a park reimbursement agreement. The organizational ceremony featured the election of Councilor John Munoz as the new Mayor Pro Tem.
You're live. Sorry. Good afternoon. Welcome to a city council meeting. Happy New Year to everyone. Today is Monday, January 5th, 2026. It's approximately 1 p.m. I am Mayor Eric Enriquez. Before we start, I want to mention that we have an ASL, American Sign Language Interpreters up front. And if you all stand, please and join me in a moment of silence for the brave men and women of our armed forces and also for our local Las Cruces police and fire department, the courageous men and women that protect our city 247 365. Mayor Pro Tem, if you lead us in the pledge. One nation under time. Hi everyone, good afternoon. Today's proclamation is for Youth Mentoring Month presented to Cassandra Gandara and whoever else came with you. Come on down. Hello. Hi everyone. You can sit over here. Awesome. Love it. Come on down. Okay. Whereas January is National Youth Mentoring Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness of and celebrate the powerful impact of mentoring relationships, recruit new mentors, and encouraging encourage institutions to integrate quality mentoring into their policies and practices. And whereas the City of Las Cruces, New Mexico recognizes the contributions of volunteer mentors in the following programs. Success, which can lead to outcomes such as improved attendance, academic achievement, and classroom behavior. And whereas mentors can help young people set career goals and can help connect mentees to industry professionals to train for and find jobs, and whereas effective mentoring of underserved and vulnerable populations of young people help them confront challenges and enjoy improved mental health and social emotional well-being, and whereas young people with mentors are more likely to enroll in college, to participate in sports or extracurricular activities, to hold a leadership position in a club or sports team, and to volunteer regularly and less likely to start using drugs. And whereas mentoring is an innovative evidence-based practice and uniquely is both a prevention and intervention strategy that can support young people of all demographics and backgrounds in all aspects of their lives. We have some chocolate kisses for you all. Red. Red is the identified color for youth mentoring month. So good. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem, Bingoma and Council. On behalf of our community partners and the Doniana Youth Collective, thank you for recognizing Youth Mentoring Month and affirming your commitment to the well-being of our young people. Mentoring is just not a program. It is a relationship rooted in trust, consistency, and care. For many youth, especially those navigating adverse or adversity, a mentor can be the protective factor that changes the trajectory of their lives. Research and lived experience show us that when young people feel seen and supported and connected to a caring adult, they are more likely to stay engaged in school, develop healthy coping skills, and remain safe and drug-free. Through the Doniana Collective, mentors are helping build resilience by creating spaces where youth feel emotionally and physically safe. Using trauma-informed approaches, mentors meet young people where they are, honor their experiences, and focus on strengths rather than deficits. The approach helps restore a sense of agency, belonging, and hope. Critical foundations for healthy development. Thank you so much for lifting up our youth. We really appreciate you. We have a number of agencies here that work tirelessly on the daily with our youth and doing some really exciting things with our youth. So if you have a youth that needs a mentor, please reach out to us so we can connect them. Hello, my name is April Christensen, and I'm the founder of Kids Can. I work alongside these amazing individuals to brighten the futures of our local youth. I wanted to say a quick thank you for all that you do as a community to put your arms around our youth and to guide them and to mentor. I know that there's amazing things that are already happening in our community, but I did want to challenge each of us to, as we're looking at our new year, uh, the new year that's that's here, um, and you and you're looking at goals and trying to uh to better your lives, your families' lives, and the the lives of the community um community members just to look at um do you have a few hours? Do you have some an expertise that you can share with our rising generation?