T.C. Regular Meeting Summary October 1, 2013

From the Desk of Tom Blankenhorn

Water Advisory Board

The meeting began with a presentation from Kay Matthews, who is the President of the Water Advisory Board. The Water Board was established by County Ordinance to make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding filing formal oppositions to applications to the State Engineer for water transfers. Ms. Matthews requested clarification from the Board on our willingness to consider future recommendations to oppose water transfers within Taos County under the Abeyta Settlement.

In the past year, the Board has recommended opposition to the first two applications for transfers under Abeyta, primarily because both seek to transfer rights from the Questa Water Basin, one to the El Prado Water and Sanitation District, and the other to the Arroyo Seco Acequia Association. The transfer would allow the El Prado Water and Sanitation District and the Arroyo-Seco Acequia Association to take water from the aquifer to serve their clients and it would prevent the acreage in Questa from using the aquifer to irrigate their lands for agricultural purposes. The transfer will not affect the actual sources of water currently being used by the Questa community.

Although we did not take a vote, discussions indicate that the Board is divided on this issue, and it will be further addressed at a future meeting. I have consistently supported the transfers because they are in accordance with the Abeyta Settlement, which I believe is an important and necessary step for our community to manage our water, and because I do not believe that they will harm the water usage capabilities of the Village of Questa.

Emergency Communications

Capital Improvements for Dispatch

The Board approved by a 3-1 vote (Commissioner Sanchez was absent and I was the dissenting vote) to go forward with contract proposals to invest $375,500 into the old Planning and Zoning building. The investment will enable the County Office of Emergency Management, BLM and USFS to operate a radio dispatch out of that building. Staff convinced the majority of the Board that the investment should be made now. I voted against the proposal because I think that we should not invest any money into dispatch until the new governing Board under the proposed Joint Powers Agreement with the Town, Taos Ski Valley, and the Village of Questa has an opportunity to assess our current assets.

JPA negotiations

County Attorney Bob Malone asked the Board for guidance regarding his upcoming negotiations with the Town Attorney on drafting a Joint Powers Agreement to operate E-911 Dispatch. The Board directed Mr. Malone to require voting rights proportional to payment obligations. This would give the County the greatest share of the voting rights under the JPA because the County would have the highest payments based on call volume. However, the County would not have more than 50% of the vote, and therefore, would need the support of one other entity to pass a contested proposal. The most obvious potential contested proposal will be to move the operations from the Kit Carson building to the County’s Planning Building. Mr. Malone informed the Board that it would probably take a month or more for him to come back to us with a proposed draft of the Agreement.

Road Work Needed Here

Public Works

The Board unanimously approved several contracts for small paving projects throughout the County, including Callejon Road , a portion of C-110 which accesses UNM, a portion of B-005 in Lower Arroyo Hondo, and a portion of C-046, which accesses a school in Penasco.

The Board also unanimously approved the installation of a set of speed humps in Arroyo Hondo near the Church, and the purchase of a F-350 truck for the District 5 Crew.

Proposed Land Use Regulations

Deputy Manager, Rick Bellis informed the Board that a red lined version of the proposed changes to the LUR has been posted on the County website so that the public and neighborhood associations can review it prior to a set of scheduled work study meetings which will be announced.