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POSTAL PATRON ENMU-Ruidoso 2011 U.S. POSTAGE Summer PAID MAILED FROM Schedule RUIDOSO, NM 88345 of Classes PERMIT NO. 9 PRESORT STANDARD CHECK 50 cents IT OUT For more photos and the latest ONLINE! stories updated daily, visit www.ruidosofreepress.com A property of www.ruidosofreepress.com TuesdAY, MAY 17, 2011 • www.ruidosofreepress.com • VOL. 3, NO. 20 Golden Aspen rally moves to IMG Child abuse By Patrick Jason Rodriguez people coming to the event are still going to ride, which requires registration. Registrants hotline makes stay in hotels in Ruidoso, are still going to eat may choose which days they wish to ride. Reporter at restaurants in Ruidoso.” There’s also a trade show, held inside the huge impact When the annual AspenCash Motorcycle That sentiment is shared by at least a convention center during all four days of the By Patrick Jason Rally kicks into gear at the Ruidoso Conven- couple of members of the village of Ruidoso event. Rodriguez tion center on Thursday, it will mark the only Lodgers Tax Committee, which recommend- The Golden Aspen Rally was named the event organized by the Golden Aspen Motor- ed $9,500 total disbursement for both events highest occupancy generated event annually Reporter cycle Association that still remains in Lincoln ($5,000 for AspenCash; $4,500 for Golden by Lincoln County Lodgers Association. The The number to report child County. The more popular Golden Aspen Aspen). AspenCash Rally was named the third high- abuse and neglect in New Mexico Motorcycle Rally held annually in September “I can understand the logic behind the est occupancy generated even annually by has already made a huge impact on is moving to the Inn of the Mountain Gods move, because defi nitely room for growth the Lincoln County Lodgers Association. juvenile safety, says Children, Youth in Mescalero starting this year, after having potential,” said Cindi Clayton-Davis, chair of For more information about either the and Families Department Secretary been held previously at the Ruidoso Downs the village’s Lodgers Tax Committee, adding Golden Aspen Motorcycle Association Yolanda Deines. This news couldn’t Race Track. that she didn’t see the relocation of the event events, call 800-452-8045 have come at a better time, as the While both motorcycle events bring in negatively affect- state was ranked 48th in overall a considerable amount of tourism dollars to ing local busi- child vulnerability, according to a help lift the economy, as local lodgings and nesses. Imagination Iris report released last month by the Ev- eateries see an increase in customer spend- Meanwhile, ery Child Matters Education Fund, ing, the larger Golden Aspen Rally typically although Lodg- a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofi t draws about 30,000 spectators annually. This ers Tax Com- group. has left some people complaining about the mittee member In the fi rst week of April, CYFD loss of revenue for the city and county gener- Lynn Crawford put into service #SAFE (#7233), a ated from gross receipts taxes, which in New backed Pear- direct call telephone number to the Mexico the rate is anywhere between 5.125 son’s decision to Statewide Central Intake Unit in Al- and 7.875 percent, due to the event moving move the Golden buquerque. The goal, according to to nearby Otero County. Aspen Rally, he Deines, is to reduce the amount of Patric Pearson of CP6 Solutions, orga- was wary of how time a caller stays on the telephone nizers of both motorcycle rally events, said vendors wouldn’t from up to 10 minutes to anywhere he understands that there are some who feel have to pay gross between a few minutes and 15 sec- frustrated with the Golden Aspen Rally mov- receipts taxes. onds. The convenience and shorter ing to Mescalero, but he insisted that there The four-day wait time have garnered more state- were many factors that came into play when AspenCash Mo- ments, as CYFD has reported an the decision to move the event was made. torcycle Rally, increase of about 300 calls per day During a telephone interview, he cited a lita- which, accord- reporting child abuse and neglect ny of reasons for the move: ing to Pearson, since the new number went into ef- Weather issues in Ruidoso Downs. More usually draws fect, according to Deines. covered pavement at the Inn of the Mountain about 10,000 “This program already has Gods. A chance to bring in more vendors. annually, runs done so much to raise awareness “I knew people were going to have ques- through Sunday. of child abuse,” said Deines. “The tions about the move,” said Pearson. “But the The highlight of worse thing we can have happen is goal I have with the (Golden Aspen Rally) the event is the that adults look the other way when is to increase attendance and bring in better $10,000 Poker abuse happens. This new number vendors. It won’t change the dynamics. The Run half-day will make it easier for them to report abuse anonymously.” Calls may be made from any- where in the state. Once a call is Downs Council received, a caseworker will ask the caller questions to determine the type of support that is needed. Infor- crunches numbers mation is then reviewed by a super- By Todd Fuqua ments to North Central, River visor, assigned a priority level and Reporter Lane and Nevada Lane were then turned over to the county offi ce rejected because – accord- Kori Lorick/Ruidoso Free Press where the case is located. Finances topped the items ing to Public Works Direc- of discussion at the May 9 Ru- Kathy Seeley and David Hall have painstakingly Some calls have been screened tor Cleatus Richards – the out for various reasons, including idoso Downs City Council, as bids left several Community cultivated more than 550 varieties of Iris, which can budget season is looming, calls that are not allegations of child Block Development Grant be visited all throughout May at the Hondo Valley Iris abuse. Calls are also rerouted to the To start off, the council and coop funds untapped. Festival. (See story page 5) voted to rescind a motion the “Badly underutilizing the See HOTLINE, pg. 4 council voted on at its last funds we have is a bad start meeting regarding billing of for us,” Richards said. “If we water and sewer customers don’t use these funds, we lose due to a procedural snag. Village to get tough on water these funds.” At the April 25 meeting, By Eddie Farrell project was “way too big to hurry through.” Virden added underusing the council ended up tied 2-2 According to Camp and Village Manager Debi funds already awarded to the Editor when voting to approve the Lee, the liner purchase was before the council in an ef- city could hamper any future The Village of Ruidoso is poised to address press- proposal, and Mayor Tom fort to meet a deadline set by the Offi ce of the State En- applications. ing water issues on several fronts, including updating Armstrong did not cast the gineer, Dam Safety Bureau, in which the village stood “If we don’t use the rest its Water Drought Contingency Plan and address seri- tie-breaker on the advice of to be reimbursed between $500,000 to $650,000 if the of these funds, we’ll lose ous needs on how to capture and distribute water to City Clerk Carol Virden. liner was purchased prior to June 10. about 40 percent of the funds residents and businesses. Virden later admitted Following the council action, Camp told the Ru- for which we’ve been ap- Likewise, the Village Council appears ready to she was at fault when she idoso Free Press that he “fully understood and agreed proved,” Virden said. “If we fi nalize measures to enforce compliance among busi- said state law required a with” the council’s decision, but said he would con- give that money back, we nesses related to FOG – fats, oils and grease – that super-majority for such an tinue to recommend the village purchase the liner, even harbor potential and costly dangers to the new $36 ordinance to be approved, probably won’t get the same if no state or federal assistance were available. million-plus Ruidoso Regional Wastewater Treatment and that a vote by the mayor funding we did before when According to Camp, utilizing Grindstone at its Plant. would not have mattered. we apply next year.” maximum capacity is critical for the village to fi nally At its May 10 meeting, the council removed from “I’m sorry about that, but The bids will go back get control over water consumption. its agenda discussion for the purchase of a $1 million I’m human,” Virden said. out for bid with new param- The dam, built in 1986, has been plagued with liner that would, according to Public Works Director The proposed billing re- eters to use the full funds, and leaks since the fi rst time the reservoir was fi lled. Randy Camp, allow for maximum utilization of the vil- quirements will be discussed Richards assured the council According to Camp and Village Engineer Bob lage’s reservoir at Grindstone Lake. at a special budget workshop, the construction work would Decker, legal challenges prevented the reservoir from Mayor Pro-tem Jim Stoddard asked that the item which the council set for next start on the projects near the being fi lled for nearly two years, a delay which irrepa- be pulled from the agenda, stating that he wanted more Wednesday and Thursday at beginning of July.

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