TIMBERON DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, INC.
MINUTES OF MARCH 09, 2013

Attendance:  
	Everett Putney,	Rick Merrick, Nan Thorell, Fran Trendler, Sally Watkins, 
	Joe Watkins, Keith Jobe, Norma Jobe, Jane Huisingh, Kent Huisingh and 
	Jackie Fioretti by conference call.

The meeting was called to order by President, Everett Putney at approximately 10:00 am.  The pledge of 
allegiance was given by all and a prayer was offered by Everett Putney.

Everett asked if anyone would like the minutes to the February, 2013 meeting be read?  Fran Trendler 
made a motion for the Secretary’s minutes to be accepted as submitted.  Joe Watkins seconded the motion
and it was approved.

Fran Trendler gave the Treasurer’s report.  Rick Merrick made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report.  
Nan Thorell seconded the motion and it was approved.

Fran Trendler gave the Bills report which totaled $1,826.72.  Rick Merrick made a motion to pay our bills 
which was seconded by Sally Watkins and it passed.  

Old Business:   Rick Merrick gave an office report.  Two meetings were held at the office, the Timberon 
Farmers Market meeting and the Timberon Blues Festival Meeting.  After discussion, Rick Merrick made a 
motion to spend $250.00 for Welcome Center supplies and items to sell.  The motion was seconded by Nan 
Thorell and it was approved.  Including the $250.00 approved last month this will give him a total of 
$500.00.  Rick advised he has been working with John Pacheco in Ruidoso, NM on art work for coffee mugs, 
water bottles, patches, stickers for cars etc. and art work for Blues Festival banners, t-shirts, 
posters etc.      

Rick Merrick gave a report on the Otero Planning Group meeting held in Cloudcroft at the Forest Service 
Building on February 27th which he attended.  This meeting is for all of the agencies in Otero County 
(Otero County, Forest Service,  Bureau of Land Management, Fire Departments etc.) to meet and share 
information about what is going on in the county.  There was discussion on the CWFPP (County Wild Fire 
Protection Plan) and Mike Caggiano was asked to work on a map of all fire mitigation in Otero County.  
This map would be included in all future CWFPP grants.  Rick mentioned Timberon is included in the Otero 
County’s CWFPP along with Holloman and the flat lands.  

Everett Putney gave an update on the Timberon Airstrip.  He spoke with the Otero County Manager and 
requested the airstrip be reclassified from private to public, compact the airstrip and get rid of 
the weeds on the airstrip.  The county Manager assigned an assistant to submit the required forms to the 
FAA for the reclassification.  Everett gave some history on the requirements of FAA for the classification, 
past requests for improvements and the cost to control the weeds on the airstrip.  It has been six years 
since the airstrip was resurfaced and the county will not do anything prior to this time.  Everett will 
contact the County Manager and request the county to apply a coating to the airstrip surface and do 
something with the weeds on the airstrip prior to our annual Fly-In in May.

Fran Trendler advised the grant for a Timberon Farmers Market was submitted and approved.  This is a 
$395.00 reimbursement grant.  The Timberon Farmers Market will tentatively open Memorial Day.  The Market 
Manager is Harvey English Jr. who lives in Timberon.  You can learn more about this on the Farmers Market 
Facebook.  Nan Thorell has also provided a link from timberon.org web page.  Rick advised TDC is an official
member of the New Mexico Farmers Market Association which provides us liability for up to 19 farmers.  
Each farmer can pay an annual fee of $40.00 or $4.00 for each Saturday they participate.  Rick Merrick made 
a motion for TDC to spend the $395.00 for banners etc. and submit the bills for reimbursement.  Sally Watkins
seconded the motion and it passed.
   
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Rick Merrick advised the Timberon Blues Festival committee met and Mike McAfee came from El Paso.  
The schedule for the bands to play on July 27th and July 28th were finalized.  You can go to the Timberon 
Blues Festival site for vendor information and applications.  The deadline for vendor applications is March
31st.    Letters for sponsors will be mailed next week.  Rick advised TDC has received a letter from Sesac 
who owns copy rights for about 85% of the musicians worldwide.  The fee for these copy writes is $118.00 
per day.  Rick will check further into this for the Timberon Blues Festival.

Everett Putney reported he and Rick Merrick attended the monthly SCMRC&D (South Central Mountain Rural 
Conservation & Development) meeting in Ruidoso on February28th.  Rick Merrick was appointed as one of the 
Board of Directors.  Everett mentioned the Rails to Trails Organization merged with the SCMRC&D and their 
members meet after the RC&D meeting.  

Rick Merrick thanked Fran Trendler for all her work in writing the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) grant 
and submitting it to the New Mexico Association of Counties.  The grant is for $37,000.00 to thin a block 
of 21.5 acres.  We are waiting approval.  He also thanked Fran for putting together the $2,500.00 Otero 
Electric Medical Assistant Grant for prescription glasses and doctors exam expense.  We are also waiting 
for approval on this grant.

Rick Merrick gave a report on the timberon.org website provided by Nan Thorell.  Some of the statistics 
were 358 visitors and most favorite sites were Webcam, Land for Sale and Weather Station.  Last month we 
requested donations to provide a Weather Web Cam which would cost about $745.00.  As of today we have 
received $570.00 for this project.  Rick Merrick made a motion for TDC to go ahead and pay for the rest 
of the expense with the hopes we will receive more donations to cover the cost.  Joe Watkins seconded the 
motion and it passed.  Rick will get Jerry Epkea working on this.  We will pursue local advertising on this 
project later.

Everett Putney advised representatives from the Ft Bliss Armored Aviation plan to hold a community meeting 
in Timberon on April 26th.  They will be bringing one Blackhawk Helicopter to Timberon and will provide a 
BBQ luncheon at the Fire Department.  Rick Merrick requested to Capt. Ariba that we receive confirmation 
on the date and time no later than March 25th.

There was discussion on our Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce dues and membership which will be due for 
renewal shortly.  Fran Trendler made a motion not to renew our membership and don’t pay the dues in the 
Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce.  Joe Watkins seconded the motion and it passed.

New Business:  Rick Merrick talked to someone from the County Film Office which is a branch of the New 
Mexico Film Office concerning using Timberon for film making.  He was advised Timberon is already a 
filming location and Timberon was used as a backdrop for a movie.  They were pleased to talk to someone 
from TDC who is promoting Timberon.

TDC received a land bid on Unit T3, Block 52, Lot 19 in the amount of $2,500.00.  The last Full Tax Value 
we have from the county for this property was $3,080.00.  After discussion Rick Merrick made a motion to 
send a letter with a counter offer of $3,000.00 for the property.  Nan Thorell seconded the motion and it 
passed.  Everett Putney will send the letter.

Memorial weekend activities were discussed.  A timeline of activities was discussed.  TDC will encourage 
businesses on the Timberon main street to put out a flag on Memorial Day weekend.  TDC would like to line 
the street with flags and Kent Huisingh will contact VFW for extra flags.

There was discussion for TDC to open a Pay Pal account.  Nan Thorell advised there isn’t an annual fee but 
there is a small transaction fee.  Jane Huisingh made a motion for TDC to open a Pay Pal account.  Sally 
Watkins seconded the motion and it passed.        

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Jackie Fioretti advised TDC needs to purchase an I-Pad for use in the welcome center and Timberon Blues 
Festival.  After discussion Sally Watkins made a motion for TDC to purchase an I-Pad and case up to $500.00.  
Jane Huisingh seconded the motion and it passed.

One of the windsocks needs to be replaced and Everett Putney advised he had a replacement.

Fran Trendler made a motion to adjourn and Jane Huisingh seconded the motion and it passed.  
The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:56 am.  The next meeting will be at 10:00 am on April 13, 2013 
in the Community Lodge.  These are open meetings and everyone is invited to attend.

Respectfully submitted,
Jackie Fioretti