Deming Parks Commission lists maintenance needs and requests cemetery appraisal

At its July 8 meeting the City of Deming Parks Commission reviewed a broad list of maintenance and improvement items for the city’s park system and recorded a request to appraise property for cemetery expansion.

Commissioners and staff said crews had painted trash barrels, replaced missing shade canopies and planned to replace swing equipment across parks. Staff reported cattail spraying at Trees Lake and requested a new budget to complete fountains there. The minutes note graffiti cleanup efforts and several community requests, including a merry-go-round, basketball hoops at an unspecified park, and solar lighting or other lighting at the dog park near EJ Hooten Park. Commissioners asked staff to post signs stating when parks close “according to city ordinance.”

The minutes also note cemetery work: gopher holes are being maintained, a new lot has been added, and an appraisal has been requested to evaluate property for cemetery expansion. Staff said they will investigate standing water in the splash pad parking lot and fill a pothole at the cemetery entrance. In old business staff reported that plans and designs are in the works for walking paths at Trees Lake and that staff are trying to determine who has been locking Centennial Park without permission.

Procedural notes: The minutes record two formal motions: approval of the May 13, 2026 minutes (moved by Commissioner Silas Wilson and seconded by Commissioner Delia Turner; the motion "passed unanimously" in the minutes) and a motion to adjourn (moved by Commissioner Delia Turner and seconded by Commissioner Margie Villegas; the meeting adjourned at 6:09 p.m.). The minutes do not list individual vote tallies or funding sources for the maintenance items.

What’s next: Staff will follow up with budget and scheduling details and return to the commission with additional information.