MAGDALENA – The Village Board Monday night delayed making a decision on the purchase of a new master water flow meter.
Joint Utilities Director Steve Bailey had requested the purchase of a new meter - costing between $1,300 and $1,500 – because, according to him, the current master meter is so old it may be misreading the amount of water pumped from the well.
“Accurate readings can show water loss, which translates to dollars being lost,” Bailey told the board. “Water is our main business, our main source of revenue from village residents. The current meter is old, and may show [a few million gallons] low.”
Bailey said the 20 year old unit is the master water meter for measuring how much water is being pumped from the wells and going into the water tanks.
“Quality is the most important thing, and when your readings may be off as much as 50 percent, when someone has to figure out the proper dosage of chlorine, the formula for chlorine may be off,” he said. “Either over or under the safe amount is a bad thing.”
Chlorine is added to public water supplies to kill disease-causing bacteria that the water or its transport pipes might contain.
“The old meter has turned over five times since I’ve been here,” he said. “A meter this old will start reading low, and that’s what seems to be happening.
Bailey said that when individual water bill readings are compared with the master on what’s been pumped, “we’re seeing a loss.”
Trustee Diane Allen wondered how long it would take a new meter “to pay for itself.”
Bailey said a new meter would help in leak detection, “for example with individual residential meters. With an accurate master reading we would be able to fix the problems over time, but we need accurate and reliable measurements.”
Trustee Barbara Baca said she would like more information on the need for the expenditure, since the current meter is still working. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Baca said. “I just want to get a better understanding of the problem. I need to get a better picture in my head that it’s really needed if I’m going to approve spending this money.”
Bailey said he would be glad to enlighten the trustees on the village’s water system.
“Let me know what time is convenient for you and I will take you around and show you what we’re doing,” he said. “But not more than two at a time. More than that would be a quorum. And that’s all my truck can hold anyway.”
The board voted unanimously to table the issue.
In other business:
• Mayor Sandy Julian said there was a good chance of the village getting grant money to pave the south portion of Pine Street. “I went to the CDBG meeting in Las Vegas at the end of March and it looks good,” she said. “We will know for sure on April 22 when Rita and I go to the final meeting in Albuquerque.”
• The board rejected a request by Marshal Larry Cearley to pay $45 plus per diem and mileage for EMT Jana Harding to attend Critical Incident Management training in Albuquerque. Cearley said the training was important for the well being of fellow EMTs involved in traumatic emergencies, such as automobile accidents or other stressful calls that an EMT would experience. “At some point it’s going to affect you,” he said. He said counseling for EMTs could be provided on the scene or within two or three days afterward. Trustee Tommy Torres objected because he said it already exists. “I’ve seen it. They already have it,” he said. The motion failed for lack of a second.
• The board tabled a decision for the second meeting in a row on Trustee Diane Allen’s proposal of the establishment of a youth advisory council. She said the passage of Senate Memorial Bill 34 during the last legislative session encouraged communities to form councils that would create activities for young people. Allen said she spoke again, at Trustee Baca’s request, with Rep. Don Tripp who said that “we could set up a youth council the way we need to for our community.” She said she also approached School Superintendent Mike Chambers on the concept. Allen and Trustee Carmen Torres are both teachers at the school. “Maybe one person each from the board, the school, some of the young people should all be involved.” Allen said. “Primarily for the issues of providing activities for our youth. They would make a plan, and take part in the decision making. We would be there to guide them and to direct them.” Baca said she objected to Allen making inquiries (to the school superintendent) on her own. “I don’t like the idea of you going over and getting two, or just one of the board members to get information, where the others don’t know what’s going on,” Baca said. “[It’s like] you talked to them and left Tommy and me out.” Allen said the goal of the youth council was to be able to create options and activities for the youth in the community, and that she would go with what the board decided. Julian said she would insure that all four members of the board would be involved in the decision making. To that end, she recommended scheduling a trustee workshop to further work out further details. “Since there will be a quorum this will be a public meeting, and I’ll need 48 hours to give advance notice to the public,” Clerk Rita Broaddus said.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Village Board Delays Decision On Water Flow Meter
County Passes An Illegal Tire Dumping Ordinance
SOCORRO – Tires and trash were the two main topics of conversation at the Socorro County Commission meeting Tuesday night at the County Annex Building.
The commission passed an ordinance prohibiting illegal tire dumpsites, the importation of scrap tires into the county and providing for the abatement of illegal tire dumpsites.
Fire Marshal Fred Hollis and Solid Waste Authority’s Michael Jojola fully endorsed the ordinance during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Hollis was asked by county attorney Adren Nance how easy was it to put out a tire fire.
“You used the wrong word,” Hollis said. “It’s extremely difficult. Tires are made of petroleum and that is hard to put out. You can’t use water. You have to use foam. And sometimes, they just burn for years.”
Hollis said when there is a tire fire, it is considered to be a hazard response. “You bring everybody in and it gets costly,” he said.
Jojola said, “I am for this ordinance. If people from Valencia County bring tires in, we can stop them dead in their tracks.”
After public comment, the commissioners voted unanimously to pass the ordinance.
A lot of time also was spent on solid waste billing.
At the beginning of the month, solid waste bills were sent to all consumers in the county. Some, though, got more than one bill. In 2009, county manager Delilah Walsh said that 1,600 bills were left out because of Applogix software conversion issues. Those bills also were mailed out at the beginning of the month.
Commissioners, Jojola and Walsh have fielded some angry calls from consumers.
“Every household is liable for the bill,” Jojola said. “I have had some calls and I have explained to them the situation and about 95 percent were OK with it.”
In other business
• Commission chair Rosie Tripp made a plea for everybody in Socorro County to fill out their census forms. Forms can be picked up at the County Annex building and the deadline is April 19.
• The commission approved an infrastructure permitting ordinance and resolutions pertaining to copy fees, and a Pitney Bowes lease.
• Sheriff Philip Montoya said there is a deputy on duty at Socorro High School because of recent trouble.
‘T’ Mountain At Tech?
One of the most prominent identifiers for New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology – and possibly for the general Socorro area – is the ‘M’ painted on Socorro Peak. The ‘M’ referring to ‘mining.’
But, according to a press release from the university, consideration is underway to replace the ‘M’ with a ‘T.’ Van Romero, vice president of research and economic development at New Mexico Tech, thinks it may be time for a change.
This year marks the 100th year anniversary of the ‘M.’
“Maybe 100 years of the ‘M’ is long enough?” questioned Romero in the press release. “This is the perfect time to rally together and bring Socorro Peak into the 21st century. Since the university is associated with technology, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to have a ‘T’ instead of an ‘M’?”
Romero was a student at Tech in the late 1970s, is now in charge of the ‘M.’ He approves requests to light the ‘M’ – or the ‘W’ when the high school athletic teams, the Warriors, have home games. His office is also in charge of maintenance of the ‘M’ and the site surrounding the peak.
“We’re getting ready to light the ‘M’ for the end of semester,” he said. “As I do that, I am wondering about where we go in the future. This seems like the perfect time to put a new look on Socorro Peak and change the ‘M’ to better fit New Mexico Tech culture.”
Socorro Tourism Director Deborah Dean said changing the ‘M’ would entail spending money on changing text and photographs in tourist brochures and other documents.
“It’s an image that has been a part of Socorro for a long time, the ‘M’ on the mountain,” Dean said. “For years and years people have asked, ‘what does the ‘M’ stand for? But [if this happens] will they ask what does the ‘T’ stand for?”
Random interviews with Socorro residents garnered the same general response: “don’t do it.”
“They better not do it,” a woman in Supermart parking lot said. “It’s been the ‘M’ Mountain and that’s the way it is, and I’ve lived here all my life.”
The painting of the ‘M’ on Socorro Peak is the oldest Tech tradition, dating to 1910, according to Paige Christiansen’s history of Tech, College on the Rio Grande. He wrote that the event was sporadic and unorganized until 1916 when then-President Fayette Jones organized the annual event and Paint the ‘M.’
Cash prizes were awarded to the team of two who first arrived at the ‘M’ with a 90 pound bag of lime. The event continues as a 49er’s Weekend activity, and promotes considerable spirit amongst the students.
In 2009, more than 100 people – students, faculty, alumni and community members – made the hike. Also, prizes are awarded to the first 20 students or teams of students who carry 50-pound bags of crushed marble.
Romero certainly wants to keep the traditional climb, but he feels that the mountain is ready for a facelift and a bit of modernization. He said Socorro Peak and the ‘M’ have undergone many changes over the years. Lights were added to the ‘M’ several decades ago but were not hard-wired until 2000.
A project to change the ‘M’ to a ‘T’ would also give the university an opportunity to improve access to the peak, Romero said.
“Currently, it’s very difficult to get from the parking area to the ‘M’,” he said. “It’s a pain. If we got enough of a production going, we could use that workforce to improve access so more people could enjoy Socorro Peak.”
A Facebook group, Miners Against Changing the "M" to a "T," has been formed to solicit comments on the controversy.
Voting At SEC Annual Meeting Will Be By Hand
SOCORRO -- The Socorro Electric Cooperative will hold its annual members meeting Saturday at 7 p.m. at Finley Gym and voting will be done by a show of hands. Registration begins at 5 p.m.
The annual meeting committee met Tuesday and that was its recommendation. The board, which met Wednesday night, voted 8-1 to accept the recommendation with trustee Charlie Wagner voting no.
Wagner read a statement, saying it was his opinion that the SEC Trustees had exceeded its authority and failed in its fiduciary duty to present the vote for the members. Wagner also wrote that the board failed to provide proper notice and to provide for voting members with a secret ballot on which to vote either yes or no to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws. He also said the notice contained false or misleading comments and contrary propositions which the Board has no authority to propose.
“We need a legal opinion on this,” said trustee Don Wolberg, who spent about 15 minutes earlier in the meeting criticizing Wagner and his tactics.
“Mr Wagner’s protest is noted,” attorney Dennis Francish said.
Wolberg, then asked if anything has been done against state law.
Francish replied, “No.”
Leroy Anaya, the new head of the annual meeting committee replacing Manny Marquez who resigned effective April 1, said Robert’s Rules of Order will be followed and judges will be assisted by SEC employees. Wagner then stood up and asked the board to consider an expert in parliamentarian procedure to run the meeting, saying he had little faith in Trustee president Paul Bustamante’s ability to do just that.
“I totally object,” Wolberg said. “I resent the way Mr. Wagner uses innuendo to get his point across.”
Francish told Bustamante, “You have handled meetings regularly just fine. You don’t need a parliamentarian.”
Wagner made one last comment. “He doesn’t know parliamentarian procedure,” Wagner said of Bustamante.
“I’m not afraid of Mr. Wagner and his tactics,” Bustamante said. “Maybe we can get things done around here.”
Members will vote on resolutions involving number of trustees on the board, redistricting, compensation, term limits, voting by mail, open records, open meetings, Capital Credits and the number of meetings per month. In order for voting to take place, three percent of the membership has to go to the meeting and vote. If there is no quorum, there will be no changes to the SEC bylaws.
Reform group member Audrie Clifford handed out a petition stating the propositions passed by members of District 3 and 5 should be listed separately and presented in its entirety without Trustee comment. Clifford said there were 173 signatures.
Two Men Arrested In Amber Alert Case
Two Quemado men have been arrested in connection with a disappearance of a minor female in Gillette, Wyoming.
According to an Amber Alert update released Sunday, Apr. 11, Jesse E. Calhoun, 22, and his father Barry E. Calhoun, 69, had driven from Quemado to Gillette, Wyo., where they met the 14 year-old Thursday, Apr. 8.
Gillette Police Det. Sgt. Chuck Deaton said the girl’s parents reported her missing Friday morning. She was last seen at about 10 p.m. the night before.
“Through our investigation, we became aware through comments from her friends that she had been communicating with Jesse Calhoun on a social networking site on the Internet,” Deaton told the Mountain Mail. “We decided to check out the motels here and found that the two had checked into one using Barry Calhoun’s identification. The motel registration listed the men driving a white 1989 Toyota Camry with a New Mexico license plate number.”
After the original Amber Alert went out, the car was located by Trinidad, Colo. police at a motel in Trinidad, and the teenager was found safe. She was turned over to the Colorado Department of Human Services and has been returned to her family in Gillette.
Jesse Calhoun was arrested and taken into custody just after 3 a.m. by Trinidad police on a felony charge of interfering with the custody of a child. He is awaiting extradition back to Campbell County in Wyoming.
Deaton said Barry Calhoun had apparently taken a bus back to Quemado after his Camry broke down in Trinidad.
Catron County Sheriff Ian Fletcher was alerted by New Mexico State Police of Barry Calhoun’s whereabouts. He was arrested in Quemado on a fugitive warrant Sunday and taken to the jail at the Sheriff’s office in Reserve.
As of press time Wednesday, Barry Calhoun is remains incarcerated at the Catron County jail.
“Right now we’re waiting for the extradition order to come in,” Fletcher said.
Fite Recalls Marriage, The Caboose, Tokay
She was interviewed by BLM Archaeologist Brenda Wilkinson in 2009. This is the second part of that interview.
Evelyn: “Well I married Dean and moved to the ranch in 1937, and we lived in a caboose down on - his father had a homestead down there by the sandhill. Even in the little caboose I had a little radio. Mr. Fite won it in a punchboard in Datil, and it had a six volt battery, and we got a little wind charger and put it up on top of the caboose. And it would blow in the wind and charge that battery and I could have radio
That was my connection with the world. It was wonderful!”
Evelyn: “To me, I wouldn’t even consider, building, living, any where that there wasn’t decent water. I lived with all that - not having water, it’s awful. It was just awful to do laundry. We caught cistern water, you bet. I drank cistern water. We had an old barn when we lived at the caboose and that’s all the drinking water we had, was what we caught off the roof of the barn. And we had a pit in the ground, caught it off the roof and it ran down into that concrete. Before I was married Dean dug a hole and plastered it and covered it, caught rain water. And you had to be very careful with it. It didn’t rain that much. But it was wonderful. But most of the ranchers in that country used cistern water, ‘cause the water’s so bad. But now they got water softeners and things like that. But still, the water on the ranch is terrible, except for that one well at the house and that well under the hill there on the highway. He has that good water. That’s the only good water I know from there to El Paso. It’s terrible water!”
Evelyn: “Well it (Tokay) had, you know - in the 1800s and the twenties there were about 3,000 people lived out there. Because there was Tokay and Carthage and Farley, and they lived in those little canyons, and all mined coal. Then out on the open flat country were ranches. But Tokay was a big coal mining operation. And those mines were operated before we even became a state. And they were underground mines and small - and these Mexican men would have to go down and bend down to go in there and it was dangerous mining, ‘cause it was small veins and they had to tunnel down, way down in there. And it was the coal that they used for smelters. And there was a railroad up there and they hauled coal to El Paso to the smelter, and they used that coal in Socorro to heat the public buildings. All the public buildings, the courthouse and the schoolhouses and Tech. were heated with that coal from Tokay. And it was real black, smoky. You’d see it run down the adobe walls. It was ugly.
And the people that ran that mine then was B. H. Kinney. And they had a brick plant in Albuquerque, and they hauled this coal to Albuquerque. They were still hauling coal to make bricks. Anyway, Tokay was pretty busy in the early - all the twenties and much of the thirties. And then in 1948 they were totally closed down and we bought the area. In 1948 we moved to Tokay. In 1948 we bought the old Kinney house. Mr. and Mrs. Kinney lived there and that’s where their children were born. They had four boys. They still have a Kinney brick plant in Albuquerque.”
Evelyn: “There was a company store and a school. There were several houses, rows of houses. And then under the hill they had a little - there’s just nothing but ruins there when I went there. But Tokay still had several houses there. And that long concrete house was a rooming house that we used mainly for storage and things, because it was just a concrete - 16 rooms with 16 windows and a chimney outlet in every fourth room. That’s the building that’s the Bed and Breakfast now. When I first heard about it they said it had bachelor guys, they had one room with one faucet in it, and that the end room they had a place where they could take baths. So I think it probably was a rooming house.”
Evelyn: “Anyhow, we moved to Tokay and had good, nice soft, water. And I had trees, and I could have a garden, and I had chickens and a milk cow, and…. And we had a little more country, so we could buy more cattle and….. We had to have more country so we could make a living. So that’s how we spent our lifetime, getting little pieces of land together and trying to create a big enough area to raise cattle. Then we leased the Fish and Wildlife for several years and we had lots of cattle on the river. But years later they fenced it, decided they didn’t want cattle down there. Then we had to cut down. And ultimately we lived there ‘til Dean died (Tokay). It was 22 years ago.
He was buried twenty two years ago the day before yesterday [1987]…. But he was born and raised in this country. Worked on ranches and did…..they’re an old family. They were here in the 1800s.”
Street Fight
Officers from the Socorro Police Department and County Sheriff’s Department responded to a fight between four men Wednesday at about 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of El Camino Plaza on California Street. The Mountain Mail was on the scene and spoke with the owner of Tom’s Barber Shop, who said the altercation began when one of the men spit in the face of another in the barber shop. After they left the business, the men paired off and two of them took their fight into the southbound lane of California, forcing drivers to veer around them before police arrived, Tom Sarate said. As of press time Wednesday, the names of the subjects had not been released.Photo by Gary Jaramillo
OBITUARY: Tom Cassady
Tom Cassady
Jan. 25, 1972-April 7, 2010
Tom “Butch” Cassady was born on Jan. 25, 1972 in Socorro. After finishing high school in Tucumcari, he joined the Navy. Tom enjoyed his time in the Navy, where he worked as a Jet Engine Mechanic on F-18 jets. After leaving the Navy in 1999, Tom continued his career as an Aviation Mechanic working on helicopters for Turbomeca. Later, he returned to working on F-18 and F-135 jets in Civil Service.
When not at work, Tom loved spending time with his “girls” - Patty, Ciera, Hunter and Bryar. He was an avid duck hunter and was always on the look out for unique items to add to his dragon, kachina, knife and gun collections. Tom was also a student of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and competed in tournaments. After valiantly battling cancer for more than a year, Tom took his final walk home on the morning of April 7, 2010.
Tom is survived by his wife Patty, daughters Ciera, Hunter and Bryar, his mother Millie “Hanna” Bauler, his sister Jeanie Cooper and his nieces and nephews Greg Tacker, Hanna Cooper, Meghan Tacker, Jake Thissen, and Cole Knutson.
A celebration of his life took place on April 11, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church, Azle, Texas.
OBITUARY: Nelson Michael Zamora
Nelson Michael Zamora
Oct. 29-1960-April 10, 2010
Nelson Michael Zamora, 49, passed away on Saturday, April 10, 2010, in Socorro. Nelson was born in Albuquerque, on October 28, 1960. He is survived by his mother, Vivian (Aragon) Armijo and step-father, Bennie Armijo of Socorro; his sister, Josie Pino and partner, Ruben Padilla,also of Socorro; niece, Miranda Martinez; nephew, Andrew Martinez Jr.; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Nelson was very proud of being on the 1977 Socorro Warrior State Champion Football Team and still was a dedicated Socorro Warrior fan of all sports. He was an avid Chicago Bears fan.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Juan and Juanita Aragon, and his niece Pamela Martinez.
A Rosary will be recited at San Miguel Catholic Chuch in Socorro, on Saturday, April 17, 2010, at 10 a.m. with a Communion Service immediately following with Deacon Mike Ybarra officiating. Inurnment will take place in the San Miguel Catholic Cemetery in Socorro. Pallbearers are Josie Pino, Mikayla Craddick, and Alisha Pino-Lucero.
Honorary Pallbearers are Edmundo Soto Jr., Willie Lucero, Valentin Anaya Jr., Daniel Chavez, Ruben Padilla, Andrew Martinez Jr., Rob Lopez, Lawrence Valenzuela Jr., and David Chavez.
Cremation arrangements are under the care of Steadman-Hall Funeral Home, 309 Garfield, Socorro, 87801. (575) 835-1530.
OBITUARY: Eluvie T. Peralta
Eluvie T. Peralta
Sept. 18, 1928-April 12, 2010
Eluvie T. (Louie) Peralta, 81, passed away on Monday, April 12, 2010 at home in Socorro.
Louie was born in La Joya, on September 18, 1928 to Cornelio and Paublita (Tafoya) Peralta. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Virginia (Torres) Peralta of Socorro; his sons, James L. Peralta and wife, Andrea of Socorro; Norbert Peralta and wife, Isabel of Socorro; Ruben Peralta and wife, Lisa also of Socorro; and Richard A. Peralta and wife, Jenna of Espanola; his daughter, Concie Buck and husband, Philip of Parker, CO; his sisters, Vitalia Peralta of Socorro; and Lorraine Peralta of Socorro; and his grandchildren, Sharon Buck; Jack Buck; Jerryk Jacquez-Jaramillo;Julia Ann Aguilar and husband, Steven; Stephanie Vega and husband, Mark; Norbert Peralta Jr. and wife, Rachel; James Peralta Jr.; Jetty Sears; Jeremy Peralta and wife, Kimberly; Aubrey Peralta; Sandra Gonzales and husband, Dwayne; Tiffany Peralta; and Tristen Peralta; and his 8 great grandchildren.
Louie was a cook at NM Tech for 17 years and also worked for the City of Socorro for 33 years.
Louie is preceded in death by daughter, Julia Ann Peralta; his brother, Theodoro Peralta; and his sisters, Valentina Burke, and Rosela Peralta.
A Visitation was held at Steadman-Hall Funeral Home on Apr. 14. A Rosary will be recited on Thursday, April 15, at 7 p.m. at San Miguel Catholic Church in Socorro. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated on Friday, April 16, 2010 at 9 a.m., at San Miguel Catholic Church with Father Andy Pavlak as Celebrant. Burial will take place in the San Miguel Cemetery. Pallbearers are Jeremy Peralta, James Peralta Jr., Jack Buck, Norbert Peralta Jr., Albert Savedra; and Benny Anaya.
Honorary Pallbearers are Jaryrn Gonzales, Steven Aguilar, and Mark Vega.
Arrangements are under the care of Steadman-Hall Funeral Home, 309 Garfield, Socorro, 87801. (575) 835-1530.
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