New Silver City mayor pushes downtown revitalization and police oversight

At his final meeting as chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission on January 7, newly elected Mayor Simon Wheaton-Smith set a clear agenda for his first months in office: revitalize downtown Silver City and press for greater public scrutiny of policing and public-safety concerns. The priorities he outlined signal possible policy shifts on zoning, enforcement transparency, and the handling of neighborhood complaints that residents say affect daily life around the Big Ditch and Main Street corridors.

Wheaton-Smith said he will make it routine to question the police chief during Town Council meetings about patrol activity, traffic stops, citations, public-safety issues, and complaints related to noise, odors, and property damage. That emphasis on regular oversight is intended to give councilors and residents clearer information about enforcement patterns and problem hotspots, including the Big Ditch area that has seen recurring complaints. The mayor also identified zoning updates as a lever to increase foot traffic, improve safety, and boost downtown economic vitality — a plan that could reshape storefront uses, pedestrian access, and hours of operation in Silver City’s core.

Those moves matter locally because downtown merchants, residents, and visitors depend on both a safe environment and policies that encourage people to linger and shop. Changes to zoning could invite more sidewalk activity, mixed-use projects, and events that bring customers to small businesses, while routine council-level scrutiny of police operations may affect how complaints are prioritized and addressed.

Nearby municipal activity offers additional steps residents can follow. The Village of Santa Clara held its regular council meeting on January 8 at Santa Clara City Hall, where officials considered approval or disapproval of several items, including the American Ramp Company Sourcewell design-build agreement, a 2025 non-exclusive franchise agreement with Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC, and Resolution 2026-01 about participation in the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Transportation Project Fund Program. These agenda items could influence local infrastructure, broadband franchising, and transportation funding for Santa Clara.

In Grant County, LGBTQ Grant County secured two grants to strengthen its work: a $2,000 award from the Rainbow Fund of the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico and a $9,000 grant from the Santa Fe Community Foundation’s Envision Fund. The funds will support ongoing advocacy, community education, programs that foster connection and belonging, and improvements to organizational infrastructure.

Luna County’s Village of Columbus is alerting residents to ongoing construction on Taft Street, including work at the Taft and Blair intersection that will extend slightly into North Boundary Avenue. Barricades will be installed as a safety measure; motorists and pedestrians are advised to exercise caution and plan alternate routes while crews work.

Our two cents? Show up to meetings, follow council agendas, and keep talking to your neighbors and small-business owners. If you care about downtown vibrancy and day-to-day safety, your attendance and voices at public hearings are the practical tools that turn these plans into real change.