ANTHONY, N.M. - The new City Hall here is modest by most standards.

It's comprised of two offices and a meeting room in former classroom space of a St. Anthony's Catholic Church Parish Hall annex building. But city officials point to the new space as a major step forward for a fledgling city, birthed exactly one year ago today.

Voters on Jan. 5, 2010, opted to incorporate the New Mexico portion of Anthony. (Its counterpart, Anthony, Texas, has been a city since the early '50s.)

Tonight, the facility will hold its second city meeting. Previously, the board of trustees met in borrowed space at the Anthony Water & Sanitation District.

The new office space is being rented for $1,000 per month, said Trustee James Scott on Tuesday.

"So far, I'm pleased with the building," he said. "I wish we were making more progress, but, everything we do, we have to research and find out if we're doing the right thing."

Mayor Ramon Gonzalez said that learning curve and a desire to move cautiously are part of the reason progress might seem slow to those not directly involved in city government. But he said city trustees haven't been inactive. So far, 19 ordinances and about 16 resolutions have been approved, he said, including measures aimed at combating graffiti, loud noise and rubbish on property.

Fast enough?

However, some residents, including Lupe Oliver, 70, don't feel officials have done enough so far. Oliver said she's concerned the mayor "hasn't done anything of

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the things the citizens of Anthony elected him to do," including hiring a police chief and treasurer-clerk and tackling infrastructure needs.

"A lot of the residents are frustrated because nothing is moving," said Oliver, a lifelong Anthony resident.

Oliver said she's also upset that Gonzalez and two other councilors have so strongly backed a proposed American Indian casino for Anthony.

Gonzalez said the city attempted in recent weeks to hire a clerk-treasurer and the city's first police chief. However, a woman who accepted the clerk-treasurer job decided she wasn't qualified for the role, and the county sheriff, who was interviewing police chief candidates as an adviser to the city, didn't find a qualified applicant. So both positions must be advertised again, he said.

Gonzalez said the city has a volunteer codes officer, who'll begin soon. Still, he said expectations are set too high.

Six months in

Though the election took place a year ago, the city government, by law, couldn't form until July 1.

The city is about 2.7 square miles in size, and, according to a 2009 estimate, contained about 8,600 people.

Finances have been a hurdle because government had to start with no revenue and then wait on the state to redirect sales tax dollars, officials have said previously.

Scott said the city's revenue picture is good right now, but he noted that it has only spent about $120 to date. The city has received four months' worth of sales tax revenue, with the smallest check being $22,000 and the largest being $96,000, thanks to an unexpected boost from taxes on Interstate 10 construction.

"That puts us in great shape," he said.

But Scott acknowledged that recurring spending soon will come, once the clerk-treasurer and police chief are hired.

Challenges remain

Trustee Betty Gonzalez, a sister-in-law to the mayor, said the infrastructure needs remain great, but state and federal funding is limited these days. She said she's hoping Gov. Susana Martinez, former Do-a Ana County district attorney, will remember the community in her funding priorities.

"Because of our small area, we don't have the number of commercial areas that are needed to get our city going," she said. "Seventy-five percent of a city's budget are usually based on (gross receipts) taxes. Because of that, it's going to be difficult."

Betty Gonzalez said the proposed casino, if it's ever approved, would improve the community's tax base.

Ramon Gonzalez said the board of trustees has OK'd sales taxes that will funnel new revenue to the city.

Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443.

If you go

•What: Anthony, N.M. board of trustee meeting

•When: 6 p.m. today

•Where: 320 Lincoln St., Anthony, N.M.

•Info: The board of trustees meets at 6 p.m. every first, second and third Wednesday of the month.

Want to apply?

•Interested in applying for the clerk-treasurer or police chief vacancies in the city of Anthony, N.M.?

•Contact Mayor Ramon Gonzalez: ramongonzalez4mayor@yahoo.com