Trash rates are going up. Will they be fair?
Polycart customers way overpay and commercial-dumpster and drive-in customers at the scale house way underpay. “Free” recycling is paid for, really, by the polycart customers.
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.
Switcheroo: police department’s gross receipts tax revenue will pay off new police building debt
More wheeling and dealing behind closed doors by the T or C city commission concerning the purchase of the PNC Bank building for the police department. The purchase and purchase price was done in secret and a switch in how to pay for the building's renovation was too.
T or C’s “Central Park” is safe for the moment
The city commission approved the recording of a survey map of city land at the Aug. 14 meeting, a first step in offering the land for sale. Mayor Rolf Hechler said they are still gathering information and they won't sell "until we know what we are selling it for."
Splitting the baby: question on ballot, candidates not
The district court will decide who our flood control directors will be over the next year IF the people decide we need a flood control district and another passel of local elected officials--we have a flood commissioner--or the additional tax and debt such a district will bring.
Good deal, bad democracy—T or C City Commission purchases PNC Bank building for $430,000
Whether you agree or not with the purchase, the lack of transparency in the process should give you pause, if you care about democracy.
Wastewater treatment plant upgrades is number one on T or C’s Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan for 2026-2030
It would seem we already upgraded the wastewater treatment plant, spending $11 million between 2016 and 2020. Now we need another $10 million in upgrades?
New police building rammed down public’s throat again—third time is the charm
The people have pushed this issue to referendum twice, about five years ago and again March 19. Why bother doing it again when the T or C City Commission turns around and does it again, ignoring the people's will and election results?
Flood Commissioner Sandy Jones caught the county commission with its hand in the cookie jar and now we all have to pay for it?
Could the Sierra County Commission be pushing for a second flood-control taxing district because Jones stopped them from using the current pot of flood-control tax money on road equipment and employee salaries and benefits? So we might have to pay two sets of taxes for flood control?
Grudge match or good government?
Let's examine the Sierra County Commission's supposed reasons for wanting a flood district in addition to having a flood commissioner. It doesn't add up, it doesn't ring true, it doesn't pass the smell test.
Cantrell Dam costs swell to nearly $8 million
The city commission blithely and without question accepted a $7.8 million estimate to not fix Cantrell Dam, but to "breach" it, as well as to increase downstream channel capacity. Two years ago the estimate was $1.7 million.
Question of whether to form a flood control taxing district will be on Nov. ballot—along with candidates for board of directors
This idea of a flood control district is being rushed through with no public discussion by the Sierra County Commission. Will you vote for it in November? And who's running to be a flood-control director? Favorites with county commissioners? Who else would know to run?
Vets home occupancy delayed due to lack of city water pressure
Truth or Consequences has provided insufficient water pressure to the hospital, elementary schools and the vets home. What other businesses or facilities are suffering? The hospital and vets home paid for and fixed the problem on their own. Your public funds at work--double time.