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.
Category Analyses
What you need to know, March 4, 2024: Water in Sierra County
I link to an article by two very long-term observers of water in New Mexico. They are factual, detailed, informed, careful, persistent, intelligent, public-minded people not motivated by private interests, money, power, or any ideology except public service. You need to hear what they say about your water.
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 to fund, design, bid and build. Of course the people’s…
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.
Water/wastewater study is scary and confusing
The city's neglect of our water and wastewater systems is resulting in exponentially increasing rate fees. The study doesn't explicitly quantify emergency repair costs, which may be what is precipitating even higher fees. Rates have risen each year but they are about to go supersonic.
City Commission’s goals for City Manager Whitehead show their unfitness to evaluate him
Truth or Consequences City Manager Gary Whitehead has been doing a stellar job. If city commissioners gave him a "satisfactory" on his yearly evaluation, it shows how little they know about government.
Citizen resolving nearly year-long ordeal over unwitting use of copyrighted photo of governor
Swiss firm, AP and Nevada lawyers threatened to sue the Sierra County Citizen over its use of a photo plucked from governor's website. Now that we're settling, we can explain and ask for donations again.
New animal control ordinance favors ranchers
"Laws for me but not thee," someone pointed out at the last public hearing on the animal control ordinance. A final public hearing will be held in about a month.
Muni golf course subsidy and even higher water and sewer fees make for odd bedfellows at city commission meeting
Sometimes the city commission meeting is like watching commissioners fiddle while Rome burns.
Faster than a speeding bullet
In this detailed analysis of a sample of our President’s writing, we can see the thought process that determines national and international policies on our behalf. The transparency is to be applauded.
Texas v. NM, going forward
The resolution to Texas’s suit against New Mexico for failure to deliver Elephant Butte water will depend on New Mexico curtailing its overuse. What we, as a whole, agree to do is laid out in non-technical language in a linked article.