In an update at the latest Winslow City Council meeting, City Manager David Coolidge reported that the city’s finances are on a stable path, even with it being reported from that last meeting that at the end of February, the city was left with a $1.2 million deficit. Coolidge explained, the City of Winslow operates with an annual budget of $12 million and aims to maintain about three months of operational costs in reserve, equivalent to approximately $3 million. At the conclusion of the previous fiscal year in June 2023, the reserves stood at $3.8 million. The city budgeted a deficit of $500,000 for this fiscal year to address specific one-time operational needs and is not indicative of ongoing financial issues.
Coolidge explained for the public the lopsidedness of Winslow’s revenue and expenditures. The city spends most of its money in the first half of its fiscal year because of annual costs that are paid at the beginning. The majority of the city’s revenue, however, predominantly derived from tourism taxes, is collected in the last quarter, from April to June, which accounts for 40% of the annual budget. For the fiscal year 2022-2023, the city faced a $1.1 million deficit in January but ended the year with a surplus of $500,000. Currently, the deficit stands at $770,000, which is only $270,000 above the planned $500,000 deficit for this year’s one-time costs. The city manager expects that the actual year-end deficit will be below this half a million budgeted amount.
Councilmember Melissa Nelson piggybacked off the budget discussion to address concerns raised on social media regarding the council’s recent trip to Washington D.C., which cost the city approximately $15,000. She defended the expenditure as a necessary investment, explaining that successful funding from any of the projects discussed during the trip would more than cover the initial costs.
Economic Development Director Jack Fitchett gave a presentation to the council where he spoke about his use of detailed analytics to examine consumer behavior in Winslow, specifically focusing on “retail leakage”—the tendency of residents to shop outside the city. This data is crucial for helping local businesses understand and capture the existing market in Winslow.
The council also went into executive session to discuss the city’s invocation policy and negotiations related to the New Mexico Environmental Department and the I-40 Transport Corridor Coalition. Afterwards, they passed a resolution to continue opening meetings with an invocation but took no formal actions on the negotiations, opting instead to direct staff to continue discussions.
During the city council meeting, the call to the public session provided a platform for community members to voice their concerns and suggestions, with several residents making notable contributions.
Ann Schmidt expressed frustration over the lack of transparency in the meeting’s agenda. She highlighted her concern that a significant item—a presentation about a grant application for EPA funding in partnership with New Mexico—was not clearly flagged as a major agenda point during the last meeting of the council. This led to confusion among attendees, many of whom had shown up for the meeting on the general plan but were left unaware of the importance of the subsequent presentation.
Navajo County Supervisor Alberto Peshlakai provided an update on the Winslow Levee project during call to the public, informing the council and attendees that the project had received the last $5 million from the state as of April 4, which is what they went to the state capital to lobby for. He also took the opportunity to promote an upcoming 5K run series, encouraging community participation.
Heather Pruett, who is running for mayor of Winslow, called for greater transparency and more detailed information regarding the general plan. She stressed the importance of keeping the community well-informed and involved in city planning processes to ensure that decisions reflect the residents’ needs and priorities.
Julia Sells echoed Pruett’s sentiments, advocating for a stronger focus on incorporating local businesses into the city’s economic development strategies. She also suggested that the city should consider hosting more local festivals to boost economic activity and enhance community engagement.
Councilmember Daniel Tafoya, temporarily stepping down from his role to participate as a civilian, used his time to express gratitude to the community members who supported the Catholic Church’s walking procession on Good Friday. His heartfelt thanks underscored the strong ties and community spirit within Winslow.
In other business the council:
* Approved a lease agreement with Little League for use of the city baseball fields for the 2024 season.
* Approved a liquor license application for Mi Pueblo located at 1942 W. Third St.
* Approved a $1,000 donation to the Winslow Pride Event to be held June 28-29.
The next meeting of the Winslow City Council will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, in the meeting room located at 523 West Second St.
