Archive for October, 2008

A Grinch Or A Temporary Glitch

by Chuck Ring

According to an article in today’s (October 7, 2008) Albuquerque Journal and word on the street, “The Connection” call center will “disconnect” operations in Moriarty on December 6, 2008.

As is often the case when operations are shuttered, the action comes at a most inopportune time. The state of the economy and this loss of 150 area jobs serves as a double dose of sadness for our area and our citizens.  As a former employee at the facility, I know that some  employees at The Connection have been employed there since the facility opened in 2000. The jobs offered a foot in the door of their future life for many young people who were looking for a way station before embarking on an academic career or a higher salaried job. Other employees, such as single mothers, were offered a job that allowed the opportunity to better feed and clothe their children and themselves. Most of the employees have been decent and loyal employees who thought of their fellow employees as family.

I know that Moriarty Mayor Adan Encinias, the Moriarty Town Councilors and others who have a stake in seeing that the facility and loss of jobs will be replaced as soon as possible are already working diligently toward those ends. Hopefully it will not be overlong before solutions are found.

In the meantime, the area service organizations, churches and others able to offer help should jump in with both feet and with all the resources they can spare. Let us do all we are able toward making this coming season as comfortable and joyous as possible given the dire prospects for immediate recovery.

I’m confident that the good folks in this valley will not forget their fellow citizens in their time of need and financial discomfort.

Who will be the first to step forward? This can be a temporary glitch if we work together.

Something Weedy This Way Comes

by John Weckerle

Our correspondent, Chuck Ring, has provided us with several entries describing his attempts to convince the current administration in Edgewood to get cracking on weed control over the brand new (nearly) landscaping along NM 344.  Thus far, Mr. Ring has been unsuccessful in convincing the Town to take responsibility for removing the weeds, which include, among other species, a significant amount of tumbleweed.

Purportedly, there is some amount of finger-pointing between the Town and the New Mexico Department of Transportation with respect to the question “Who is responsible for the situation?”  Certainly, blame may be assigned to both parties – NMDOT for poor design and execution, and Edgewood for failing to maintain the right-of-way.  While this supposed argument proceeds, weeds along parts of the road are growing out of control (see photos below).   Regardless of what long-term solution emerges, it is time for the Town of Edgewood to get its act together and remove the weeds.  The condition of the roadside is a disgrace, and the people of Edgewood deserve better. It would certainly be a feather in Mayor Stearley’s cap if the weeds were to disappear forthwith, never to return. »» Something Weedy This Way Comes

Do It Right Or Do It Twice

by Chuck Ring

At Wednesday’s (October 1, 2008) Edgewood Town Council meeting, the mayor’s zeal to accomplish got in the way of accomplishment in a legal manner.

On a vote of 3 to 2, with the mayor voting to break a tie, the council voted to adjust the budget. I say they voted, but they really did not, because they did so in an illegal manner.

How did this happen? In addition to the mayor’s obvious desire to ignore any reasoned opposition to his hasty need to get his way on the adjustments and the lease for the library; a series of actions by the mayor and his supporters on these issues led to improper action in an attempt to give the mayor his way.

To add clarity to what happened, it must be explained that Resolution 2008-58 was on the agenda to pass or not pass town budget adjustment items. There was both opposition to the some of the adjustments and support for some changes to the overall resolution. An initial round of voting saw a portion of the resolution pass. What followed was a misguided and slippery-slope attempt to renumber the remainder of the adjustments to arbitrarily form Resolution 2008-59 (a completely new resolution). Such action is clearly outside the proper bounds of town government as there was no such resolution appearing on the agenda. Basic elementary town government will tell the mayor and the councilors voting for the illegal action that the action taken by them was both improper and unnecessary. »» Do It Right Or Do It Twice