Rate increases require more explanation than “we need more money for the money pit”
Are you alarmed by rate increases in your city bill? Wait until you see the new ones proposed.
Kathleen Sloan
Kathleen Sloan has been a local-government reporter for 17 years, covering counties and cities in three states—New Mexico, Iowa and Florida. She has also covered the arts for various publications in Virginia, New Mexico and Iowa. Sloan worked for the Truth or Consequences Herald newspaper from 2006 to 2013; it closed December 2019. She returned to T or C in 2019 and founded the online newspaper, the Sierra County Sun, with Diana Tittle taking the helm as editor during the last year and a half of operation. The Sun closed December 2021, concurrent with Sloan retiring. SierraCountySun.org is still an open website, with hundreds of past articles still available. Sloan is now a board member of the not-for-profit organization, the Sierra County Public-Interest Journalism Project, which supported the Sun and is currently sponsoring the Sierra County Citizen, another free and open website. Sloan is volunteering as a citizen journalist, covering the T or C beat. She can be reached at kathleen.sloan@gmail.com or 575-297-4146.
USDA bridge-loan requirement siphons off T or C’s construction money and adds financing costs
Different government agencies' grants/loans come with different requirements and costs/rewards that the city commission doesn't consider--at least not in public--which is the only place that counts.
Police building renovation short of funds for completion, city looking for grants
A grant application for the parking lot renovation and solar-panel-covered parking canopy has been submitted, but more money is needed for the interior renovation.
No Kings protest should be aimed at local government
T or C Mayor Rolf Hechler claimed it was morally if not legally right to break a law and he'd do it again in response to a pending ruling from the court. The divine right of kings is resurgent for this local leader voted in three times so far.
Fear and favor applied to strays in new animal control ordinance
The larger issue is the city commission's disregard for the democratic principal of equality under the law.
City receives $3.03 million from state and U.S. legislators this year
Capital outlay money from state legislators or the governor comes with the least oversight and strings. Grants from U.S. legislators are nearly as hassle free. The city manager and more city commissioners participated in lobbying this year, receiving about one-third of what was requested from state legislators.
T or C’s electric facility in fairly good shape, but “redundancy” needed
The city's electric system was milked of its excess cash for many years, but proved to be better maintained than the water and wastewater systems, a recent study showed.
Minor oil spill, but still . . .
The following description of an oil spill by a guest contributor is submitted anonymously by me, Kathleen Sloan, because this person fears retribution and violence, which has already been threatened.
T or C residents make it clear–they don’t want Sierra Gateway Alliance
T or C residents were clear, but city commissioners left it open whether the city will join the proposed private business/government alliance.
T or C has $70M in funded capital projects–more than Las Cruces’ $53M
In addressing many years of neglect of its infrastructure, the City of Truth or Consequences is faced with a herculean task not unlike building the pyramids. The capital projects pipeline is long, with big projects taking five years or so…
Talking sh*t—T or C gives Talon Septic 30 year lease
Talon Septic, owned by Mark Shipley, has a discharge permit to dispose of 600 gallons a day of "domestic septage" on city land at the municipal airport, which the NMED will re-permit every five years. The city's 30-year lease will also be reviewed every five years.
Could a bunch of 700 square-foot houses crammed three feet apart be coming to your R-3 neighborhood?
Where land use and government authority collide, especially if its an infill development that shakes up an existing neighborhood, sparks fly. It's hard to fight city hall on your own, but Diane Gunning is giving it a try.