A Troubling Report By Chuck Wentworth SENTINEL ©Copyright 2015 Sierra County Sentinel Prior to their June 9 regular meeting, Truth or Consequences City Commissioners convened a joint workshop with members of the Public Utility Advisory Board (PUAB) to discuss a recently completed study of the city’s water infrastructure and to review a resultant Water System Asset Management Plan recommended by (‘WATER’ Continued On Page A2) (SENTINEL Photo/Cuck Wentworth) BAD PIPES - Some examples of the aging, rusted and many would likely say all-but useless, components of T-or- C's water infrastructure were on display for City Commissioners and citizens, during a special workshop Tuesday evening, June 9. During their subsequent regular meeting, commissioners accepted a formal Asset Management Plan prepared by contractors with Smith Engineering. The study identified the need for an approxi - mate $25.6 million in necessary water system upgrades and recommended City leaders consider significant fee increases to aid in funding the improvements. JUNE 12, 2015 Your Hometown Newspaper 20 pagEs • 2 INsERTs • 50¢ Capital Outlay Socorro OH, S.N.A.P.: Vacates Doubling Your Money Approvals Monticello At The Farmer’s Market Benefit Area Sierra County learned this By Colleen Davis week it could receive state Road Beginning June 1, people who participate in the funding for some important local projects after legislators, By Chuck Wentworth Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), sometimes called EBT, are now able to stretch their pur - during a special session, voted SENTINEL to fund the requests. ©Copyright 2015 Sierra County Sentinel chasing power for New Mexico-grown fresh fruits and veg - etables at more than 30 farmers’ markets across the state, A contentious legislative During their regular including at the Sierra County Farmers’ Market. session that ended in April meeting earlier this week, The SNAP Double Up Food Bucks program provides without approving these proj - Socorro County Commis- SNAP customers a one-to-one match for their food pur - ects left many local govern - sioners approved a motion chases. For example, when a customer scans $20 from a mental bodies scrambling to to vacate what county offi - SNAP EBT card at a participating farmers’ market, they will find funding. But this week’s cials there are referring to as receive an additional $20 to spend at the market on locally action brings much relief for the Monticello Road, which grown fresh produce. those who are trying to build provides access to the much- A program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food an animal shelter, expand discussed Monticello Box and Nutrition Services, SNAP helps low-income families sewer systems, provide area in Sierra County. purchase food at SNAP-authorized retailers, such as gro - upgrades and expansion of County officials this week cery stores and farmers’ markets. hospital and veteran’s services, confirmed the commission's “Incentive programs like Double Up Food Bucks are a provide a permanent structure 3-2 majority decision, which win for everyone; low-income families bring home health - for the Vietnam Veteran’s Wall supported a unanimous rec - ier foods, local farmers sell their fresh produce, and com - here, and to provide crucially ommendation from the des - munities see food dollars go back into the local economy,” needed vehicles for sheriff ignated freeholders commit - said Denise Miller, executive director of the New Mexico department patrols of this vast tee that had been assigned Farmers’ Marketing Association. county. to review conditions sur - SNAP incentive programs at New Mexico farmers’ mar - As the Sentinel went to rounding the roadway. (‘MARKET’ Continued On Page A10) press, the legislation was on As of Wednesday morn - (‘OUTLAY’ Continued On Page A3) ing, June 10, officials in So- corro could not provide de- tails about where the Monti- cello road would be specifi - cally terminated, but did say that with the commission's vote, a decision would be forthcoming. Visitors Center Issues Reviewed The Socorro County Com- mission's action aligns with By Chuck Wentworth the city. perspectives and began by Experience. to future tourism dollars. last month's decision by the SENTINEL The presentation also sug - questioning if Fenn and Green continued, saying He explained how one Sierra County Commission ©Copyright 2015 Sierra County Sentinel gested that city leaders failed to Dougherty were valid repre - how the ad hoc committee's recent "comp" event hosted a to vacate approximately one In a straightforward presen - properly evaluate alternative sentatives of the ad hoc citizens statements regarding past visi - large number of travel writers and a half miles of the same tation during the June 9 meet - retail space in the downtown committee. tor numbers at the spaceport from many prominent and roadway (County Road 33), ing of the Truth or Consequen- community, questioned lease Both Dougherty and Fenn did not include the number of worldwide publications. Green which lies within Sierra ces City Commission, members agreements in regards to acknowledged that the ad hoc "comp" tours provided, and said the potential economic County. of a loosely defined ad hoc citi - assessed property values and citizens committee was a loose added that it undervalued the impact from future community zen’s committee outlined their further accused the city leaders association of similar minded effect to-date tours of the visitors through subsequent reasoning behind a petition, of violating a number of state community residents, which spaceport’s promise in relation (‘CENTER’ Continued On Page A8) which seeks the commission's regulations and municipal has established no formal QUIET MOMENTS reversal of a previous decision codes in leasing the proposed organization and has no elected to utilize the Lee Belle Johnson visitors center. leaders. While agreeing they Father, we rely on the Senior Recreation Center as an Dougherty told how the ad did not formally represent resi - power of Your Holy Spirit interim spaceport and commu - hoc committee felt the adminis - dents who oppose the present to enable us to give a clear nity visitor center. tration's lease agreement with visitor center plans, Dougherty witness of Biblical truth Committee representatives Follow the Sun Tours was said the presentation did and the Gospel message. Ariel Dougherty and Ron Fenn made in direct violation of state reflect the opinions of the We recognize that we must provided board members with statute NMSA 3-54-1. She said approximately 260 citizens do this not only by what a PowerPoint-like video review the absence of a formal ap- who signed petition. we say verbally, or display of concerns and details sur - praisal and a required munici - Green explained that his ini - in our apparel, plaques, rounding the issue. pal ordinance were evidence of tial query pertained to a recent screensavers, or other Leading the presentation, the violation, regardless of the letter to the editor, penned by means of witness. We must Dougherty emphasized the administration's position that Fenn and published in a local also present Your Gospel committee's belief that the the Follow the Sun Tours paper. In that letter, Green message by the way we city's projections regarding agreement was a "partial lease" noted a comment citing the live our lives. May our future visitor numbers are and therefore exempt from the New Mexico Spaceport words complement our unrealistic. She suggested pres - related statute. Authority's (NMSA) plans to actions as we seek to reach ent estimates are much higher After concurring with curtail introductory "preview" this lost and dying world. than future operation of the Dougherty's assertion that the tours of Spaceport America In the name of Jesus we interim visitors center might ad hoc citizens committee next month and suggested pray. Amen. actually realize. would support development of Fenn utilized this statement to Noting the commission's an interim spaceport visitors unfairly raise concerns and past concerns over costs asso - center in the "right spot," Ron question the city's promises of ciated with operating the build - Fenn stated that city leaders future spaceport tours. INSERT INSIDE: ing as a Senior Center, could save an estimated $6,500 The Mayor Pro-tem said a Dougherty said such concerns (in costs associated with a spe - further check of this statement Bullocks Grocery were unwarranted. She stress- cial public referendum), by revealed NMSA authorities ed that the municipal swim - supporting the "peoples ordi - would indeed be curtailing the Hatch Valley ming pool, golf course, parks, nance" outlined in the petition. introductory program on June and other facilities similarly Following the presentation, 24, only to unveil a new supple - Sentinel operate at an overall loss for Mayor Pro-tem Steve Green mental tourism program enti - (SENTINEL Photos/Chuck Wentworth) shared a number of alternative tled the Spaceport America DATA REBUFFED – T-or-C Mayor Pro-tem Steve Green questioned the composition of the Ad Hoc Citizens committee behind a petition seeking to HIGH LOW Elephant Extended Forecast halt the City's planned development of an interim June 05 93 66 Butte Lake Tuesday, June 19 Levels Friday, June 12 spaceport visitors' center during the City June 06 91 65 Sunny - high 92 , low 67 P. Cloudy - high 93 , low 69 June 07 89 65 Lake Elevation Commission's June 9 regular meeting. Green Wednesday, June 20 June 08 91 67 (6-12-15): Saturday, June 13 went on to raise concerns about the validity of data Sunny - high 93 , low 66 P. Cloudy - high 94, low 70 June 09 92 68 4,330.69 ft. being put forward by the group and detailed rea - Thursday, June 21 June 10 94 68 Elevation Sunday, June 14 sons why he felt the City's decision to re-purpose (1 Year ago): Sunny - high 93 , low 69 Sunny - high 93 , low 70 June 11 97 67 the former Lee Belle Johnson Senior Recreation AVGS .