Manager and Mayor Clarify Plans and Policies

On Tuesday night, September 15, the Mayor and Manager of the Town of Taos explained a number of “plans” for roadway improvement in the historic district, plans for an extended Christmas shopping season, as well as the establishment of a new committee to evaluate the sign code ordinance. About forty interested citizens attended though officials lamented the lack of merchants. Councilor Fritz Hahn has said to me that he Town is making progress but doesn’t get the message out. Here’s my “understanding” of the town’s plans.

Roads

French Espinosa, Director of Public Works noted that work in the Historic District, including Civic Plaza Drive, the Plaza, Placita, and Don Fernando (I believe) would take place as soon as final plans were completed and contractors hired though he implied that this was also a “five-year plan.” The Mayor asked the audience about the least disruptive time of the year for construction. A representative sampling of merchants and landlords said that from mid-Oct. to mid-May was best. Both Espinosa and Barrone pointed out that the Town was dependent on contractors, who were available to do the “milling” and “repaving” projects but needed to get the job done when the temperature accommodated the asphalt makers. The Mayor and Public Works Department also said they consider the “road improvement projects” a temporary solution until the town has more money to invest in infrastructure and paving that lasts.

The Mayor pointed out that Gov. Martinez had allocated $11.5 million for road improvements from Highway 518 and 68 on the south side to Cervantes and 68, across from Albertson’s, then, a year or so later, from Cervantes to Placita and 68. The Mayor said the Governor’s decision to spend money in Taos was because the Town has become a statewide model of “progress” for promoting “special events.”

Manager Bellis said during the last five months gross receipts had gone up 11 to 13%, all of which was done without having a marketing agency on board. Bellis pointed out that the recent “Barn Dance” had tripled in attendance. Musicians and tourists for the event had spilled over into private clubs during and prior to the event. Bellis particularly  thanked the Town’s special events coordinator, Mitch Miller.

The Mayor and Manager will present the council and community with a schedule for the repaving projects when plans are complete. That is my “understanding.”

Winter Fiesta

According to Manager Bellis, the Town will try to coordinate special events at Christmas to create a more vital shopping experience to benefit Taos merchants prior to Christmas by doubling the number of early Dec. weekends devoted to ceremonies like the “Lighting of Ledoux,” the Bent St. Bonfires,” and the Christmas Tree lighting spectacle. Bellis said that a “committee” would be appointed, to include Fiesta Council members and representatives of the Farmer’s Market. The creative director, Paul Cross, for the winter market, said a large tent would be erected over South Plaza and, possibly East Plaza in order to present enticing art events, magical lights, and representative cultural activities. Apparently the organizers have taken their cue from the “Chicago” winter market that draws thousands of people from all over the world.

Bellis said the Town wanted to achieve the kind of media coverage it had achieved in the past when national and international magazines focused on local Christmas traditions associated with farolitos and luminarios in Taos. In part, Bellis mentioned that Taos Pueblo might not be open to non-Natives during the Christmas season so the Town should pick up the opportunity.  He also said that the Town’s association with their new marketing firm and emphasis on “special events” could turn Taos into a “world class” destination. That is my understanding.

Code Enforcement

Most merchants violate the current sign code, according to Bellis. The code was signed off on by the Council and previous Mayor two years ago, basically in response to the Sign Man’s picketing. The gadfly, aka Jeff Northrup, played a role in the ouster of the previous administration. Now, due to the violations of the code in the historic district especially, the new Planning Director said he has been urged to call for a committee to analyze the code and make suggestions. He himself called the document a fairly modest document in terms of its requirements.

In response to a question about “enforcement,” the new Planning Director said the Town did not have a sign code enforcement official. According to Bellis, the Town decided to ignore violations, due to the struggle of marginal businesses, whose owners apparently believe that signs are the difference between solvency and insolvency. Several audience members had difficulty understanding why the Town wanted to draw up a new sign code while they weren’t enforcing the current one. They didn’t “understand” the paradox as I understand it.

Bellis also said the Town couldn’t afford to hire a qualified building official or code enforcement officer in the Planning Department because of new and onerous requirements by the state and the cost of paying “$100,000” for a qualified official.

Asked about the county building officials, the Manager engaged in what sounded like double talk and implied that he himself had trained or coordinated the building officials when he worked at the County. Then he said that Taos County was “grandfathered” in by the state. Since I couldn’t “understand” the answer, I asked the Manager a follow-up about a potential relationship with the County and the qualified employees on their staff. Bellis then said, due to a change in administration (county managers) the Town would ask for the County’s assistance at an Oct. 8 meeting.

Currently, projects in need of “plan checking” are sent, as I understand it to the state’s “Construction Industries Division” in Santa Fe or Albuquerque, a policy that some property owners say imposes a hardship on local builders and entrepreneurs. In a decided change in policy from previous administrations, the current Town is emphasizing “tourism” not “building.”

I want to thank the Mayor, who, like previous mayors, tutored me last night and suggested I needed to gain more “understanding” of local government and the community. The Mayor said “we” (all of us) need to work together as a community. As Mr. Hahn suggested, the Town needs to get its “message” out. Both the community and the Councilors themselves tell me they are not always privy to the Bellis-Barrone doings.

According to my “understanding” now, the Town is focused on coordinating special events in order to increase gross receipts taxes and in order to become a “world-class” destination by incorporating the artifacts of the historic culture and creating new events, as envisioned by the Mayor and Manager. As a matter of policy, the Town will continue to ignore code violations and enforcement issues until a change in policy occurs. The current road projects are meant to provide temporary solutions. That is my understanding.