New Mexico Central

Edgewood Politics – My, How You Haven’t Grown

by John Weckerle

Well, it’s silly election season in Edgewood, and things are gearing up in the usual, sad fashion. We found ourselves shaking our heads while reading this article in the Mountain View Telegraph about the Town of Edgewood’s last council meeting.  The festivities apparently included Mayor Robert Stearley interrupting public comment and seeming to attempt a bit of smearing against Town Councilors Brad Hill and John Abrams; we won’t run through the details here but encourage our readers to read the MVT article.

The former is a rather inappropriate and unfortunately habitual behavior of Mr. Stearley’s – your editor has actually personally run into it – and we agree with Councilors Hill, Abrams, and Chuck Ring that members of the public should be allowed to provide input when it is solicited without being interrupted and/or having their motivations and character questioned.  Mr. Stearley has plenty of opportunity to make his voice heard, and he should do speakers the courtesy of having theirs heard, as well.  The latter behavior is all-too-typical of Edgewood politics, and we take exception to it as we have in the past.  Some years ago, when people supporting Mr. Stearley attempted character attacks against those with whom Mr. Stearley disagreed (former Mayor Howard Calkins and former Town Councilor Paul Hoffman are two examples), your editor publicly denounced those actions as inappropriate, cheap political tricks.  We do so again now.  While we don’t always agree with Mr. Hill and Mr. Abrams (that’s not to say we disagree with them most of the time, by the way), we have no doubt that they have been acting ethically in their elected roles and thoroughly reject Mr. Stearley’s suggestion that they are using their positions for personal gain.

»» Edgewood Politics – My, How You Haven’t Grown

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Woofstock A Doggone Good Time

by John Weckerle

Senior Animal Events Correspondent Wilson takes a crack at lure coursing...

Yesterday’s first annual Woofstock festival – a fundraiser for a new animal shelter sponsored by the Town of Edgewood, Petco, and the Estancia Valley Friends of Animals – in Edgewood brought pets, people, and vendors together for a fun-filled outdoor experience.  The weather cooperated, with partly cloudy skies and reasonable temperatures, although it was beginning to heat up just a bit by about 11 a.m.  Senior Animal Events Correspondent Wilson attended with your editor, ensuring that the day’s offerings got an expert assessment.  He gave the lure coursing a try, and made numerous friends as we moseyed through the booths and attractions.   Your editor stopped for a very well-executed chair massage by local massage therapist Beth Dennis, with proceeds donated to the shelter’s construction fund, and then purchased some raffle tickets from Edgewood Town Councilor Chuck Ring.  We did not participate in the Dunk the Dogcatcher activities, although we did spy a rather wet-looking Vicky Murphy in the vicinity of the tank.

»» Woofstock A Doggone Good Time

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Coyote Killer Strikes

by John Weckerle

In the March 9 edition of The Independent, local resident Peter Dolny laments the passage of a coyote pack native to the Edgewood, New Mexico area.  New Mexico Central is seeking information on this incident, including the identity of the individual allegedly responsible for the extermination, time at (or over) which it occurs, and the means of how it was perpetrated.  We ask that our readers send us any information they may have on this issue.

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Deceased Bovine Recognition?

by John Weckerle

We received an e-mail today from one of our readers asking what had happened to Edgewood’s Community On The Way (COW) Awards, typically (and, as it turns out, formerly) held in February each year.  The COW Awards were jointly sponsored by the Town of Edgewood and the Edgewood Chamber of Commerce.  Curious as to what happened to the annual celebration of community involvement, we contacted the Edgewood municipal offices and talked with Town Clerk Estefanie Muller.  According to Ms. Muller, the COW and other nonessential functions were not funded by the Town this year due to financial restraints resulting from State budget cuts and reduced tax revenue.  Edgewood, one of the few New Mexico municipalities that imposes no property or other taxes directly on its citizens, has seen reduced gross receipts tax revenues in some months and fears that proposed elimination of the “hold harmless” funds (which compensate local governments for the loss of gross receipts revenues tax on food sales) may pass the Legislature this year, further decreasing funds.  We took a quick look at the Town budget presented to the Council on February 16, noting that Clean and Beautiful was funded, but most other “discretionary” programs had bitten the dust. 

We also peered behind the cobwebs on the Edgewood Chamber of Commerce web site, which seems not to have been updated for some time.  The COW awards are no longer listed under the Events, and the only reference to the celebration is an obscure one listing it as an opportunity for serving on a committee/task force.  The Chamber, beset in recent times with troubles both financial and “other,” appears to have abandoned the event as well. 

With the event’s two sponsors broke, defunct, absent, or whatever may be the case, and with no other organization with the combination of ability and interest necessary to keep the tradition alive, it appears as if the last plaque has been bestowed and the last cow joke told.  We will leave it to our readers to decide what this says to them about Edgewood in terms of its government and its community spirit, but we can say this: Edgewood’s not what it used to be, even just a year or two ago – and may never be again.

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Authorized Vehicles Only

by John Weckerle

These photos depict what appears to be a growing problem not just in our area, but throughout many parts of the nation.  It seems that more and more frequently, parking spaces designated for use by those with handicap permits are occupied by vehicles that lack such authorization.  Such was the case at the Edgewood Subway sandwich shop last Tuesday, when two cars not displaying the required permit – and whose drivers certainly seemed able when they exited the restaurant – were parked in the only two parking spaces designated for use by handicapped occupants at the restaurant.  The situation seemed especially inappropriate given that there were plenty of spaces along the east side of the building, just a few feet further from the door than the designated spaces.

Let’s remember that those spaces are designated for handicapped use for a reason.  Some people need easy access to ramps, some are at risk if they try to navigate parking lots in wheelchairs, and some simply have difficulty walking any substantial distance for any of a variety of reasons.  Parking spaces designated for such people should be occupied only by those who have the required permits, and those should be displayed as required by law.  Here’s hoping we can all have a little compassion for those who need it, and that we’ll all be willing to take a few extra steps to help them out.

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