Time To Pack Up And Go Home
by John Weckerle
Like many area residents and business owners, I find myself making several trips a week to Albuquerque. For what seems to be about sixty years, but is probably somewhat less, I have been driving through a reduced speed zone (45 mph) associated with the I-40 Sedillo Hill construction. The work appears to be essentially complete, and there is little or no activity, especially in the westbound direction. While the new pavement and especially the long-awaited third lane in the eastbound direction are greatly appreciated, it is time now for the NMDOT to have their contractor pack up the equipment, pick up the barrels, and let us enjoy the new highway at the speeds for which it was designed.
A call made Wednesday to New Mexico Department of Transportation official Phil Gallegos to check on the status of the project has not been returned. However, we checked NMRoads.com, and find that the projected completion date is Tuesday, November 18.
A Meeting Was Held, Yet No One Came.
By Bob Steiner
At 3:00 P.M. last Wednesday the town of Edgewood hosted a meeting for our elected legislators from the local legislative districts. The purpose of the gathering held at the Community Center, was to brief our representatives on projects(“Capital Outlay Requests”) that the town would like to see funded during the forthcoming January legislative session. The ladies representing our area, King, McCoy, and Beffort-Wilson, were present and in good form. They readily answered the questions asked of them and did their best to clarify how they believed the legislature will respond to the projects requested. It was unfortunate that Mr. Campos could not make the trip to Edgewood and be in attendance. I would like to have heard his input.
Perhaps the most important points raised by our representatives was the issue of fewer tax dollars being available to finance our requests and that the Governor is already exhorting the various state agencies to drastically cut back on spending. In view of this situation the town council was advised to insure the town’s expeditious participation in any of the projects they could, the rationale being any project in progress would be less likey to be curtailed if a funding shortfall were to occur.
For the information of those not in attendance, The council , wisely,  seems to be giving the public works facility its highest priority. We really need to have a facility with a roof for our road crews to maintain their equipment out of the weather. Finally, it looks like something will be started in Section#16. If the reader desires more information on other potential projects, please contact Ms. Mahalick at the town headquarters.
Karen Mahalick, Roger Holden, and the rest of the town staff are to be commended for the professional manner in which the town conducted its briefing of the legislators. The charts and written handouts were especially well-done. Any questions raised by the representatives were quickly answered.
It was unfortunate, though, other than the actual participants, only four members of the public, including this writer, were present. In fairness to the town staff, this meeting had been announced at the last council meeting. I suspect though,  the local print media didn’t find it worthy of mention?
First, Do No Harm (Part Two)
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote Freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
This Is Part Two Of A Two Part Article
Click Here For Part One Of This Article
Next to be examined are two big water projects known as the San Juan – Chama Diversion Project and the Buckman Well Field Project. The scope of these two projects alone demonstrates the shear gall of those who have planned these projects with their use of taxes from Edgewood to fund a large portion of the projects. Whether the projects prove to be viable and cost effective at this juncture is speculative, but it can be said that in the eyes of many Southern Santa Fe County and Torrance County citizens, the deal or deals, smell of selfishness and disregard. Memories of the City of Santa Fe’s attempt to import some 7500 acre feet of salty water from mid-Torrance County to Santa Fe still leaves a brackish taste in their mouths. One of our Santa Fe County commissioners seems so enamored of the tax and the straws that could be placed in the rivers and aquifers that he wrote a letter extolling the virtues of the project to the Santa Fe City governing body. Here is an excerpt from the February 6, 2003 letter:
“….Santa Fe County government and the public took a big step toward dealing with the water shortage last year with the approval of a ¼% gross receipts tax increase, 75% of which will be used for water system and supply improvements. Fully one half of the total county tax proceeds will go to projects that are in the City or that serve City residents. City projects are reviewed and recommended for funding by the Regional Planning Authority (RPA). Already the RPA will go to projects that are in the City or that serve City residents. City projects are reviewed and recommended for funding by the Regional Planning Authority (RPA). Already the RPA earmarked $1.25 million, or one half of the total expected gross receipts tax for the current fiscal year for the construction of Buckman wells 10 through 13 to supplement the existing Buckman well field during drought conditions , and to rest existing wells during normal years….”
The entire letter can be accessed here by clicking Santa Fe Twins Water And Other Projects Deal The excerpt above is just a very small sample of the revelations to be found in the letter.Â
If the letter and the ordinance are studied with a clear head and sharp eyes, it can be determined that most of the funds accrued or accruing from the tax will be spent by and for the County and City. Reading the entire letter, the mind of the reader can be transported to the Los Angeles of the Owens Valley era and its erstwhile superintendent of the Los Angeles Water and Power Department, William Mulholland. Visions of the movie, Chinatown, which is loosely based on Los Angeles’ rape of Owens Valley and Los Angeles’ hand in the final demise of the water once to be found there, Maps,Photos And General Information About Owens Valley also rise to the mind’s surface. But, a read of he book or a look at the PBS series of the same name, The Cadillac Desert, The American West And Its Disappearing Water, will perhaps meld the Santa Fe events with those revealed in the book and tell a much broader story of how big money and bad politics often destroy those with whom they play fast and loose. A Google © search can provide links to suppliers of the book and video.
Has anyone in the Edgewood area heard of the Top Of The World Farms (TOW). If not, be assured that folks in Taos County have heard about Santa Fe County and their purchase of at least 588 acre feet per year (afy) of water rights from TOW. I say at least, because it is not clear when and exactly how much water was actually purchased by Santa Fe County. An article from the La Jicarita Times of Northern New Mexico has indicated the transfer, if approved, will be for a minimum of 588 afy
The entity created by Santa Fe City and County that handles the disbursement of most of the many millions of dollars generated by the tax is known as the Regional Planning Authority (RPA). The RPA has an executive director and five additional staff; though to be fair some staff members serve through their regular employment with the City or County. A board consisting of four county commissioners and four city councilors governs the RPA. Conspicuously and suspiciously, there are no board members from the other taxed entities that contribute to the pie. Other disbursements of money can occur outside the purview of the RPA should individual County commissioners put forth projects for funding. There have been several such projects, but none have been finalized for Edgewood. At one point, over two years ago, there was to have been a $400,000 allotment for Edgewood to assist with the completion of the Edgewood wastewater treatment facility, but the County insisted on an ownership scheme in the facility and no funds were ever forthcoming.
Goings-On In Mountainair This Weekend
by John Weckerle
Our friend Vanessa Vaile at the Mountainair Arts Blog has given us the heads-up that there are things to do in Mountainair this Saturday, including a fundraiser for the Mountainair Shelter Project, a sidwalk sale, and the first anniversary party for Alpine Alley – a coffee house that, according to Vanessa, “has become the popular hangout among resettlers and visitors.” For more information, check out Mountainair Announcements. Weather forecasts are for a beautiful day Saturday, and there’s plenty of daylight to visit both the Mountainar events and Wildlife West’s Community Appreciation Day.  Better get out and about, readers; winter’s coming!
Community Appreciation Day At Wildlife West This Saturday
by John Weckerle
This Saturday, November 15th, Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood will be holding a day of appreciation for the support shown by the regional community. From 12 to 4 p.m., admission will be free, as will be hot dogs and drinks. Any business that wants a free 1/2 table booth space in the bean barn (heated!) should call 281-7655. NM-Central will be sharing a booth space with your editor’s commercial enterprise, WeckTech. Both I and Senior Staff Writer Chuck Ring plan to attend and hope to see you there!
First, Do No Harm (Part One)
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote Freely From The Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
This Is Part One Of A Two Part Article
“First, do no harm.” A phrase many believe to be a part of the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians. Actually, it has been adopted by some in the medical field, particularly in emergency medical services, as a credo of sorts, but it is not in the Hippocratic Oath. Perhaps though, some of our elected representatives, whether state, county or local might consider adopting the same or similar sentiments as they go about passing legislation.
There is a history of the New Mexico State Legislature (legislature) passing statutes that allow counties to place taxation issues on a county wide referendum. It appears that such legislation has been passed as a result of strong lobbying by the Association Of Counties (AOC), larger municipalities within those counties and influential individuals. These referendums are allowed with seemingly little thought and certainly no thorough consideration by many of the involved parties as to the impact that such legislation has on small municipalities in counties where such legislation is allowed. That is, unless the consensus among legislators is that other entities are more important than small villages, towns and cities. In any case, it is unlikely that a small town can prevent the passing of a county wide referendum, no matter the effort or monies expended by its governing body and citizens.
Edgewood, New Mexico has experienced the impact of two such gross receipts tax referendums and the taking of taxes from Edgewood as a result, has served to dampen economic development, infrastructure development and citizen services for Edgewood citizens and area residents. By far the most egregious of taxes passed through an almost bilateral process by Santa Fe County and its partner, the City of Santa Fe (county and city), is the ¼ of one cent tax passed as Santa Fe County Ordinance 2002-5 or the Santa Fe County Capital Gross Receipts Tax. Posted below are some of the more telling portions of the ordinance. Notice how the county and city have crafted the ordinance so that benefits from the tax fall heavily on the county and city … not only in total money dedicated to them, but also in percentage of the overall proceeds: »» First, Do No Harm (Part One)
Support Your Local Mayor
By Bob Steiner
  It has now been more than six months since Bob Stearley took over the reins  of local government in Edgewood. Under his leadership the town continues to move  forward and prosper.  The Mayor is devoted to our community and handles his duties in a positive manner. Unfortunately, the town has been without a town administrator since a few days after he began his term of office. While the mayor has tried to hire a person to fill that position,  he has thus far been unable to find an applicant who is qualified and could gain the approval of the town council . Consequently, while passing off some of the “administrator”duties to other members of the town staff, he has taken on most of the work, himself. In all fairness, while he doesn’t complain, he is faced with a very heavy workload and still tries to maintain a “can do”attitude. With other members of the community, as well as staff, trying to assist him, there may, at times, be some duplication of effort in getting the business of the town done. Regrettably, this results in confusion for all parties involved. An example of such disorder came to light last Wednesday night during the most recent town council meeting.
Apparently, the town of Edgewood has few, if any, guidelines governing the purchase of goods and services for the community. There also seems to be no designated employee charged with the responsibility of performing the duties of “purchasing agent”. This is evidenced by the fact that several “well-meaning persons “associated with the town have contacted “East Mountain Flooring” at different times regarding carpet for the new Library location. While it appears that these parties were only seeking information and did not enter into any sales contract, the fact that multiple persons were making contact with the merchant has created some confusion regarding this matter. It would seem that no promises of purchase were made to the firm but they were left with the impression that they would at least be allowed to bid on the project. In view of this, “East Mountain Flooring”,  an Edgewood Business, did expend several hours of effort taking measurements of the location and answering many questions presented by these”well-meaning” persons. It is further noted that Mr.Giovenco, the owner, even brought rug samples to the council meeting to address any additional questions town staff or councilors might have had. »» Support Your Local Mayor
Good On You, Edgewood Councilors
by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
The Edgewood Town Council meetings have been conspicuous with the absence of the town attorney for several meetings. This, after at least one citizen and some council members have pointed out the foolishness of not having legal representation for the governing body during quasi-judicial hearings and legislative deliberations. Ostensibly, according to the initial reason first posited by Mayor Robert Stearley, the reason the mayor did not favor the attorney’s attendance was budgetary in nature.
Mayor Stearley, during the town council meeting of Wednesday, November 5, 2008, repeated that his concern was for monetary reasons. When further discussion, initiated by Councilor Brad Hill and supported by Councilor Rita-Loy Simmons pursued the issue, the Mayor opined that when attorneys appear at town meetings they tend to act like council persons and ask too many questions. This observation or statement coming from the mayor might cause one to wonder what is underneath the surface that may have caused him to make such an unusual statement. Whatever the reason, as a former Edgewood councilman of almost nine years who sometimes did not completely concur with a town attorney’s advice, I can’t recall ever believing that any of the four I observed, rendered advice that was entirely inappropriate. One can only speculate that perhaps the mayor has not agreed with opinions or advice given by the town attorney and unilaterally decided not to have the attorney present during governing body meetings.
The mayor’s statement served to open up the issue for discussion of the matter by the remaining councilmen (Abrams and Felton) and they too, expressed their concern for the lack of an attorney during quasi-judicial hearings and legislative deliberations. The mayor, to his credit, finally acquiesced and the governing body came to the consensus that a system will be worked out to have the attorney present during the aforementioned proceedings and at other times when it is determined such attendance is necessary.
This was a wise decision on the part of the governing body. The town, whether through the mayor acting alone or with the consent of the council, should never act as its own attorney. It has been said that a person (read town) that act’s as their/its own lawyer has a fool for a client and an idiot for an attorney. Hopefully, it is settled that Edgewood doesn’t and isn’t. Sometimes we have to spend money to save money. Money spent on legal representation happens to be one of those times.
GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008
Quote freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Yes, They Have No Bananas — No Lemons Either (Not From New Mexico)
 by Chuck Ring (GadAbout-BlogAlot ©2008)
Quote freely From the Article — Leave The Pseudonym Alone
Yes, We Got No Bananas (click to hear)
Some might ask if I have turned daft, or as others might ask, more daft. What the heck is the significance of the song. Fair question and the answer will come in due time.
I picked up the most recent issue of The Independent (The I) and became enthralled by an article which I assumed to be satire until I realized that The I doesn’t do satire, but they are good at silly and
inane. And, inside their boiling vats of criticism floats the Edgewood Wal-Mart; the target of repeated slam articles and diatribes at the dripping pens of The I. The article turns out to be sour and nonsensical to the extreme. How? Let us see the ways.
The title of the article is, Wal-Mart fails to keep local buying pledge by Robert Raffone and if the reader did not read past the title, he or she might be inclined to negatively shake their head or tsk-tsk at the very least. Mr. Raffone tells us that on a “recent” walk-through of the Edgewood Wal-Mart and more particularly, the produce section, not a single item of produce from East Mountain growers poked their leafy little heads, eyes or ears from the produce bins. Mr. Raffone enumerates a list of produce and fruits that he did find. His list included strawberries, pumpkins, corn and grapes from California along with lemons from Chile and apples from Washington. Mr. Raffone goes on to list oranges from South Africa, as well as bell peppers from Canada and tomatoes from Mexico as being present among the United Nations of produce. But, all locally grown produce was absent without leave from Edgewood’s Wal-Mart. »» Yes, They Have No Bananas — No Lemons Either (Not From New Mexico)
Not Quite Over For The Political Junkies
by Chuck Ring
For those who are political junkies or just feel like a junk heap after the election, here’s something you can play with to see trends and results statewide and countywide.
After you arrive at the page you will see that you are on the results page for Santa Fe County. If you wish to dig down to individual precincts you will find a precinct select window next to the county window in the upper left corner of the page. Of course you can also select another county to examine if you want to spend all day and night on the site.
In Santa Fe County precincts 15, 16, 18, 73, 84 and 85 the transit tax was voted down. The total vote was 2755 against to 1515 for, which seems to verify that most folks in those precincts (which is mostly Edgewood do not see a train track or any other real overall transportation benefit to the citizens in our future. But, the bad news is that the rest of the Santa Fe County portion of transit district citizens felt differently and voted for the tax, so that the totals were 34934 for to 28,501 opposed.
So, what will happen as a result of the transit tax passing? On January 1, 2009, you will see the gross receipts tax for the incorporated area of Edgewood (inside Santa Fe County) rise from 7.625 to 7.750. This tax, joins other taxes that have been foisted on us because we cannot overcome the votes from the rest of the county when it comes to tax referendums. One answer to the perpetual problem is the possibility of forming a county out of portions of Santa Fe, Bernalillo and perhaps Torrance counties. This is not the first time that this possibility has been mentioned, but it might be more viable now, because it is difficult to walk much less run, with Santa Fe County’s hand in our back pocket.
It could be worse. Santa Fe City joins Española, and Taos to have gross receipts tax rates above eight cents on the dollar.
It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over – And It’s Over.
by John Weckerle
We wake up today to a very different world than that in which we lived yesterday. Despite the clouds currently scudding over our region, and the blustery winds buffeting us, we can all breathe a little easier, step a little lighter, and look forward to a better time.
The political ads are gone.
They will be replaced quickly, of course, with the usual barrage of holiday advertisements seeking to entice us into borrowing money and sending it to foreign factories as a way of showing our friends and families that we’re thinking of them. For once, this will be a relief (although it probably won’t seem so after a week or so). Target, Walmart, Kmart, and Sears will not likely be lying about each others’ philosophy, ancestry, or upbringing, and I’m betting that Hasbro and Mattel will not be showing grainy and unflattering pictures of each other’s products. Tickle Me Elmo will not be attempting to link Ken to the Cookie Monster, and nobody is going to be attacking Barbie over the price of her wardrobe. Toys will be toys (which, in this day and age, means most of them will probably break before Valentine’s day), and come January, we will all be back to wondering just how we’re going to make ends meet in what promises to be – from an economic standpoint – a very difficult year for many of us.
Now that this is all over, I’d like to thank our correspondents for not dragging NM-Central into the mess, as we agreed that this was not the place for the seasonal diatribes. Only one slip occurred, and it was minor enough that the only likely repercussions might be having one’s head Photoshopped onto a scantily-clad Madonna and posted on YouTube.  It is my hope that the intense emotions of the election season will quickly give way to some of the better sentiments associated with our upcoming holidays, and that we will all remember that – while we may disagree strongly on some things – we really agree on most things. After being reminded of our differences every six minutes for the past year and a half, I look forward to all of us remembering what we have in common.
Public Service Announcement – Veterans and Military Appreciation Day
by John Weckerle
The Estancia Masonic Lodge (#33) will hold their annual Veterans and Military Appreciation Day on Sunday, November 9, 2008. A Thanksgiving Dinner will be held at 2:00 p.m. (Veterans eat free; other guests pay $5.00) and a veterans’ program will be held at 4:00 p.m., with dessert to follow. For more information or to RSVP, contact:
- Tommy Crosswhite: 384-2579
- Steve Balke: 730-7189
- Kim Hoggat: 263- 2787
What? A 36″ Giant Sucking Sound!
by Chuck Ring
Just when you thought that the City Different, AKA Santa Fe or Disneyland, was through being outrageous, comes the story that they want to add to their water supply. Maybe not bad on the surface, but this deal involves sucking or pushing water through a 36″ pipeline from Ft. Sumner. Such sucking and/or pushing would be over a distance of 145 miles and a lift in elevation from 4049 feet altitude to an elevation of 7320 feet altitude. A lift of 3271 feet through a 36 inch pipeline will require enormous energy, materials and “mucho dinero.” Similar problems did not deter Santa Fe City several years ago when they hatched a similar scheme to import water from the Estancia Basin in Torrance County to Santa Fe. A very vocal Estancia Basin contingency and a well-attended Santa Fe City Council meeting put a dam up to halt that particular project.
I am preparing a series of articles that will shed light on some of the two Santa Fes’ (The Twins) water deals and gimmicks. The articles will be published here and will be utilized elsewhere in an attempt to halt the craziness of The Twins and their like, especially as their actions apply to taxing entities that will not see benefit of such taxation and similar actions. Until I post the first article in the series, you can slake your thirst by accessing and reading an article on the subject which appears in today’s (Sunday, November 2, 2008) Santa Fe New Mexican:
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Private-water-pipeline-proposed-for-S-F-
That’s it for now.
GadAbout-BlogAlot
Isn’t There Good News Anymore?
by J.A. Ueckert
This is usually a time of year when it seems especially relevant to talk, discuss or openly rant about what is wrong, who is wrong or who is to blame for everything that is wrong about our community and our country.
In the midst of all this, I’d just like to take a moment to reflect on the things that are right about our little community and why I’m especially proud to live in Edgewood.
Every time I see a patrol car with “Edgewood Police” written on the side, I remember what a long, uphill grind it was to get here. I would have never imagined that I would be as proud of a Police Department as I am of Edgewood’s own.
I remember when nobody would respond to calls in Edgewood, and many folks around today still recall the line, “That’s not in our jurisdiction”, an excuse used so often, it was as if the same script had been delivered to all dispatch centers. »» Isn’t There Good News Anymore?
Not Your Normal Thrift Store!
By Bob Steiner
Over the past several years many of us have taken used clothing and other donations to  the Bethel Community Storehouse in Moriarty.  The “Storehouse” has an impeccable reputation for assisting those valley residents who number among the “less fortunate” and has been around for some twenty two years. In the past I had always noticed how  clean and orderly the store appeared. The used clothing for sale was always neatly hung. The used book section was organized and the furniture on display always appeared to be freshly-dusted. No matter when I was there, it always seemed to be a “well-run” operation (What more can a person say about a thrift “retailer”?) and up until now I had no reason to give this activity any more thought.
Last Monday, with friends in the car, I  wanted to stop by the store and drop a donation off. Unfortunately, arriving at the store parking lot we found the store to be closed.  We had forgotten to check the operating hours and on Mondays, it seems, this is when a lot of the “behind the scenes ” work gets done.  Nonetheless, seeing a young man coming out of a side door, we approached him and asked if there wasn’t some way we could go inside. He smiled and escorted us in. We soon were talking to Linda Smith, a pleasant lady, who happens to be the facility director. We gave her our donation and were on the verge of leaving, when she proceeded to give us a guided tour of the building.
She first brought us to a large  processing area where some twenty or thirty volunteers were sorting clothing and other donations. The workers seemed to be in a jovial mood and were laughing and joking among themselves as they worked. We were then shown a “warehouse area” where we found shelves of dried foods and canned goods neatly stored in family sized boxes, ready to hand out to those in need. She pointed towards a massive refridgerator for fresh foods and then led us to the administrative area. Here, persons requesting assistance can be interviewed in an “office” environment while other family members wait in a large lounge area. »» Not Your Normal Thrift Store!