Silver Sage Bulletin for September 16, 2025 (Sep. 18, 2025)

Tuesday, September 16, 2025:

President Ray Goellner presided.
Ray led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Tom Bates gave the invocation.
Dorothy Moore led the recitation of the Four-Way Test.

Guests: Bob Manbeck, Adriana J. Lindsey, honorary member Sunny Kellerman, Glenn Ouzts, Matthew Stephens, Roger Tree

Announcements:
Ray thanked Maggie Callaway for the very successful bake sale for the Indian Springs Ranch. Maggie thanked everyone for their participation and said that approximately $1500 was made. Ray reminded everyone of the fundraiser for the polio project at the Geisler Gallery with an opening reception on September 27 at 6 pm, which is an exhibit and sale of Mark Richard’s artwork. The exhibition and sale will continue through the month of October, but the Gallery will be open only on weekends.
Sunny Kellerman reminded us of the International Project Fair which is October 10-11 in El Paso with lodging at the Doubletree Hotel. This is a good way to find a global project the club would
like to support. Peter Falley asked if the club should have a delegate. Tom Bates volunteered and Rosie Higgs said she may also be able to go. Further discussion regarding an amount to
be committed to a project was to be discussed by the Foundation board. Sunny also encouraged us to attend the Zone Institute conference which will be in Albuquerque on October 24-26. More information is on the district website.
Jim Callender passed around a printout of the proposed plaque to be presented to Taylor McWhorter. Some changes to the wording were discussed and it will be looked at further at the Foundation board meeting afterwards.

Program:

Raul Turrieta gave a brief talk about the increase in property tax, which was approved by voters. He gave examples of the increase: a home appraised at $100,000, which was assessed $608 last year will be taxed $756 for this year; a $250,000 home, which was taxed $1500 last year will be taxed at $1800.

Will Hawkins, superintendent of Silver City Consolidated Schools, then began his talk on the school closings that will take place in 2026. He said this decision had been based on an in-depth
master plan and feasibility study. These studies reviewed the right size of elementary schools, whether to rebuild Cliff (which is ranked as one of the worst schools in the state), safety and security upgrades, upgrades to Ben Altamirano sports complex, and $22 million to be spent for priority repairs. Mr. Hawkins said the feasibility study had gone into great detail supporting the need to close the Sixth Street School and Jose Barrios. The closure of these schools will result in an 82% utilization rate of the remaining elementary schools, Harrison Schmitt and G.W. Stout. The end result is that in August 2026 Sixth Street Elementary and Jose Barrios Elementary will close. Students from those schools will be going to Harrison Schmidt or G.W. Stout. In 2028 a decision will most likely need to me made about whether or or not to combine La Plata Middle School and Silver High School for grades 6-12.
Mr. Hawkins said there are three entities interested in designing another use for the Jose Barrios school building. He said there will be meetings on September 22 and 23 discussing the schools’ closures if anyone is interested in continuing this discussion.

After a question and answer period, Ray adjourned the meeting at 1:10 pm.