To read a copy of a resolution that would allow city administration to reorganize, click here.

To read a copy of City Council information on a proposed resolution that would allow a major amendment to the Sierra Norte master plan, click here.

LAS CRUCES - A resolution to approve a reorganization of city government's administration will be discussed and could be voted on by City Council at 1 p.m. Monday at City Hall. City Manager Robert Garza will propose taking the vacated position of city Finance Director and evolving it into an assistant city manager's position where the person eventually hired would serve as chief administrative officer for the city.

By doing that, only eight people - Garza's executive assistant; the to-be-named city attorney; assistant city managers who serve as chief operating officer and chief administrative officer; the chiefs of police and fire; and Utilities Director Jorge Garcia - would directly answer to Garza. In the current organizational chart of city government, as many as 20 people can answer directly to the city manager.

But Garza, who was named city manager in early July, believes the reorganization will work well.

"City managers all have different managerial

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styles," Garza said. "(Former city manager) Terrence Moore's managerial style is a bit different from mine. Where he could handle as many as 20 persons answering to him, this proposed reorganization would still achieve that, but without so many people directly answering to me. Those seven who would interact directly with me are the key positions I believe I need to have the most interaction with.

"I plan to rely heavily on the two assistant city managers who will have differing but extremely important positions within our organization. The chief operating officer is a position I actually had during the time I served as assistant city manager, so I know the value of that position. But I also recognize the significance of having a chief administrative officer, who can be responsible for the day-to-day inner dealings and workings of city government. All of the other city departments that heretofore answered directly to the city manager would either interact with the chief operating officer or the chief administrative officer, depending on the nature of those departments."

Garza added that additional efficiencies in city government could be achieved through the proposed realignment. The chief operating officer would be delegated oversight over the city departments of Public Works, Facilities, Community Development and Public Services.

The chief administrative officer would have authority over the city's Finance, Information Technology, Public Information, and Human Resources departments. Both assistant city manager positions would be responsible in assisting Garza with the development, interpretation, and establishment and implementation of short- and long-term goals for each of those departments. They would also help in the development and implementation of management objectives, policies and operating procedures.

Mayor Ken Miyagishima said the proposal has his initial blessings.

"What most important about this to me, is that this change would be a financial wash for the city," Miyagishima said. "There would be absolutely no financial impact to the city to do this."

Sierra Norte

Also at Monday's meeting, the council will consider approval of an ordinance granting what city documents describe as "a major amendment" to the master plan for the proposed Sierra Norte subdivision, in northeast Las Cruces, off of U.S. Highway 70, near what is supposed to become the new Las Cruces Country Club. Las Cruces developer John Moscato is requesting a zone change from multiple zoning districts in the proposed subdivision to a Planned Unit Development. If approved by the council, 892 acres of the 1,964 acres in Sierra Norte would be affected.

According to city documents, the amendment would allow for the development of mixed-use areas that would include residential, commercial, office, retail and manufacturing.

But the proposed amendment has already raised general concerns among some council members. At the council's last meeting, on Jan. 17, plans for a presentation to them about the proposal were abruptly halted after interim City Attorney Harry "Pete" Connelly advised them that the presentation could have had the potential of affecting the council's ability to make a fair and impartial decision on the proposed amendment before it could be formally presented for consideration. Connelly suggested the council review the information provided to them from the city's Community Development Department before publicly asking questions about the proposal.

Some of the council members responded by asking city staff members to be sure to provide plenty of information, because the proposal had apparently raised eyebrows, and concerns, of some residents.

Sierra Norte was annexed into the city in late 2006, and the action created some controversy because of the large size of the annexation. Some residents said they were worried the then-seated council was acting too fast in approving the annexation.

But Moscato had no involvement in Sierra Norte when the annexation was improved. He has taken over development of the subdivision in the past two years or so.

Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452.

If you go

•What: Las Cruces City Council meeting.

•When: 1 p.m. Monday.

•Where: Council Chambers at City Hall, 700 N. Main St.

•TV/Internet: The meeting will be televised live at 1 p.m. Monday on CLC-TV, Comcast Cable channel 20. The meeting will also be webcast live at 1 p.m. at www.clctv.com. People watching the webcast should click on the "Meetings" link to access the Web page that will have a link to watch the meeting.