Contrived Fiscal Crisis Threat to Public Safety

Where did the Town’s Money Go?

The Memorial Day weekend kicks off the season in Red River “as 20,000 bikers from all different backgrounds line Main Street for one crazy party,” says the mountain town’s website. But, a fiscal crisis, contrived by the Town of Taos, poses a threat to public safety, according to reports at Tuesday’s Taos County Commission meeting on May 21.

A Friction observer reports that Commissioner Larry Sanchez of the Questa area excused himself during the meeting when word was relayed that his first cousin died due to a heart attack. Further details revealed that attempts to contact E911 emergency services were stymied by two non-functioning repeaters on towers in the Questa area. Though word of the emergency was eventually relayed via radio, the party died in a situation where he might have lived had emergency services been timelier.

According to the 911—dispatch contract, awarded by the state’s Local Government Division’s Department of Finance Administration (DFA), the town is fiscal agent and administrator of the public safety contract. But the town has neglected maintenance responsibilities for the towers and repeaters that provide countywide communication resources. The county and other members of the Joint Powers Agreement are asking for an audit of the E911-Dispatch operator in order to ascertain why the town wishes to double the charges from $600,000 to $1.2 million even as the town seeks to relocate from a facility that costs nothing to the so-called Command Center at an estimated cost of $300,000 plus an additional $5000 a month.

Why this profligate spending?

A draft letter, addressed to LGD-DFA by the county, obtained by Taos Friction yet to be signed by all the JPA partners, addressed to DFA, says “The failure to maintain the repeaters is aggravated by the mismanagement by the Town of $75,000 in State of New Mexico Homeland Security money intended to address this work in which they failed to follow procurement procedures required…” The Town apparently neglected to apply for reimbursement on a grant, costing local taxpayers some $75,000.

The draft mentions the Town’s “need to address financial issues,” evidenced by selling the convention center, gutting the planning department, as well as recreation and library departments, and other services. Yet the town engages on expensive ventures–searching for money to fund the annexation of the airport and the relocation of E911-dispatch operations to the Command Center—despite more prudent alternatives proposed by Taos County.

The draft continues: “We ask that through its Local Government Division, DFA perform an audit of the last three years of the income and expenses of the PSAP (Public Service Access Point) operated as fiscal agent by the Town of Taos. In light of learning that the JPA partners (County, Questa, TSV) have been charged for an operation that handled 88,000 calls, only 18,000 of which are E-911 calls, it is important to understand what the JPA partners have been paying for.”

Apparently, the Cordova administration has spent the $7 million in reserves left in the treasury by the Duran administration and is heading willy-nilly into a nightmare dimension—airport dreams and the world of the traveling trustees at the KCEC Coop. In reality, the Town is sacrificing their own mandate to protect the health, safety, and public welfare of the community at large.

Years ago, the Town of Taos, under the aegis of 19-year manager Gus Cordova, annexed the commercial corridor for the sake of gross receipts taxes all along the Paseo. Since county residents shop largely in the Town of Taos, the Town, in turn, should adhere to the social and political contract. The revenue stream is meant to insure services whether for the library, recreation, or safety for all residents.

The County provides and maintains ambulance services but if the repeaters don’t work, nobody will get a timely message. Given that 20,000 bikers have been invited to town and the recent murders, south of Town, it’s the season to remember the old saying: “Safety first.” In 2004 two bikers were killed and their passengers crippled—run down like dogs in the Red River Canyon. (The ambulances arrived but the perps vanished like “good people” into the night.)

In 2003, the spring season began with murderous acts, eerily similar to this last couple of weeks, culminating in the fiesta weekend Mustang Murders—four murders—and before the year was out a total of 9 homicides were counted against the balance sheets of life and death in Taos County.

Reminder: In The Albuquerque Journal, a report says, “Suazo was booked into the Taos County Adult Detention Center on a $900,000 cash-only bond, facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery, tampering with evidence and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, according to The (Taos) News.
“The sheriff’s office confirmed that Suazo is the brother of Daniel Suazo, who was killed in a shooting on Gusdorf Road in Taos on May 4, the paper reported.”

Can you say retaliation? We’re only asking.

We suggest the Town of Taos (and TCSO, DA, and the Courts) like the County, pay attention: put the health of the citizens first—not political payoffs to cronies for airport annexation and command centers. Focus people, focus. The Town has been following in the footsteps of the Coop, which has set a poor example of safety for its employees and the stewardship of its funds.

Who robbed the Coop, anyway?

Vigilance is the price of freedom and safety. The social contract demands no less. An aroused citizenry can easily replace the current Mayor and Council. Maybe the sign man is right about the corruption. We don’t need a Tow Truck Gang running city hall.