Following the downtown water project from inception to the conclusion of its attendant financing is relayed to you, dear reader and rate payer, to illustrate this project's opaque and non-transparent process, which is, unfortunately typical for all of the city's capital projects.
The decay of democracy and the rule of law in Truth or Consequences is nearly complete, as seen in Fenn's recent scapegoating. Beware, you could be next.
Three seats are up on the Truth or Consequences city commission. We need serious, fresh, hardworking candidates. The city is facing failing water, wastewater and electric infrastructure. Current commissioners have failed to lead or inform the public what is to be done.
A quick overview of the electric department's main purchases over the last four years explains why it and other departments are in bad shape. Management is the problem, caused by a leadership vacuum at the elected-official level.
Amidst massive water leaks and water repairs and with water and sewer pipes being the same 80 years or so old and often running parallel, I often wonder why there are no boil orders when pipes break. The "consumer confidence report" doesn't begin to allay water-purity concerns.
The people should not sign the petition to get the question of a special hospital district and five hospital trustees on the ballot. The elected officials on the hospital owners' board haven't reported to us over the years and another passel of them won't fix that.
Today's intelligence: cautiously optimistic predictions of the impact of the end of Title 42 on New Mexico's Mesilla Valley
City commissioners breezed through budget talks scheduled for two days but cut to one day. Nevertheless, its an insane amount of money to be spent for a city with a population of 6,042.
Today's intelligence: Can New Mexico's new bill granting the state permitting control over nuclear waste storage facilities survive a court challenge from the federal government? What will it take to get the feds to clean up a water pollution problem at Kirtland Air Force Base?
A check and balance on the TorC city commission and city staff is erased with the elimination of the municipal court. The people's and Judge Beatrice Sanders's voice were quashed in the process.
Today's intelligence: Last spring's Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon disaster has exposed the shortcomings of FEMA's response to wildfires.
As the Wizard of Oz said when Toto revealed him pulling levers behind the scenes, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." The public hearing on the general obligation bonds was just theater, the decisions made beforehand and behind closed doors.