Community and Commitment

“No baloney, vote for Barrone”

Speaking to a crowd of cross-cultural and cross-community supporters on Saturday, Taos mayoral candidate Dan Barrone emphasized his commitment to community. By way of commitment, he referred to his own longtime marriage and family, his business, and the few jobs he’s had in has life. Dan didn’t say, “do a few things and do them well” but that’s the impression one has of Mr. Work Gloves. The Barrones are well known for being active Tiger Boosters just as they embody the principles of active service at their church. As opposed to competing political entities, Barrone discussed what one might interpret as a “holistic vision” of community, inclusive of Town and County.

For example, Barrone mentioned the construction of the $43 million “Complex,” which he said couldn’t be done without his fellow commissioners and “you the community.” (In a light-hearted moment, he mentioned “Nobody went to jail over it.”) From the beginning of his term as county commissioner, Barrone and his colleagues were determined to replace the former courthouse, jail, and administration building with the new “Complex.” As Dan never tired of repeating, “We’ve got to take care of our own,” he used to say about our hometown inmates, who, due to a lack of space at the Inn, used to be shipped out of town.

The Complex came in on time and slightly under budget with some money left over unlike similar projects in Santa Fe and Mora. Today the county is still solvent and the commissioners and staff members, who work in the Complex, continue taking pride in refining the maintenance and management of the facility. The final design of the parking lot, acquisition of art and artifacts for the enhancement of the Complex, continue.

Despite the town’s rejection of financial aid and cooperation at the airport or the creation of a safer and more fiscally sound E911—Dispatch operation, the County continues to extend an olive branch to the mayor and council. The County has agreed to take over the troubled Arts and Cultural District, Mainstreet Program, and work with the Town on a scheme for the old County Courthouse on the Plaza. Due to neglect and tighter budgets the state level, the County is lending oversight to the Ancianos program. And Commissioners and staff are working toward a new paradigm of management at the Taos County Housing Authority. At one County meeting, a Commissioner addressed the board and executives of Holy Cross Hospital, reminding them gently that the County held the cards and expected better and more responsible service for residents.

The Taos News has recently taken to task alleged infractions of the Open Meetings Act, criticizing Commissioners for going to lunch together and the Town council and mayor for rolling quorums, pursuing phone records, etc. In a small community where everybody knows everybody and “everybody is related” as Mayor Bobby Duran used to say, this issue is nonsense. Besides, if you’re attune to community and “politics,” the favorite pastime of many Taosenos, there are plenty of watchdogs out there, whether they use the telephone tree, meet at McDonalds, the Quality Inn, or Walmart. There are few if any secrets. But there are important issues to be reported and resolved.

For the last few years the Town of Taos has engaged in a number of aggressive acts against its own taxpayers and citizens: annexation and the airport, E911-Dispatch, Library charges, ignoring the maintenance of roads, sidewalks, water wells and fire hydrants, decimated the planning department, and exhibited a callous disregard for acequia parciantes within town limits, while out-sourcing sign code enforcement to a local tow truck operator. The latest act of aggression against community concerns the nonsensical issue of parking meters.

According to a Friction source and simple observation, the Town has neglected parking meter maintenance and enforcement. Revenue has dropped radically from meter income in comparison to previous years. Now new meters and doubled fines have been instituted as if to anger residents and scare off visitors. Given all the free parking lots around town and the chance to refresh the façade of the historic district, parking meters, a financial and public relations fiasco, should be removed.

Despite what many say, “Taos will never change,” it has changed. At UNM’s Bachelor’s and Graduate Program on Ledoux St. I teach a course about 20th Century Taos. Among other highlights, Taos Pueblo emerged as if a second time and by taping into a sympathetic community and nation of supporters got Blue Lake back in one of the more astounding tales ever told. During the first decade of the 21st Century, the signatories to the Abeyta—Taos Water Settlement Agreement basically resolved a 40-year lawsuit and got a commitment of some $150 million from the state and federal governments. As Mr. Work Gloves, Dan Barrone mentioned, the County managed to build a scandal free $43 million “Complex” in the 21st Century.

Given the desultory performance of the national government and an underperforming economy, Taosenos can find hope, due to the record of past accomplishments and in the demonstration of good intentions. If we fix up the community in terms of management and create a friendlier atmosphere for ourselves, folks will enjoy visiting. Residents and visitors find much that is attractive about the community of Taos. But that promise is more observed in the breach than in the practice. We need a mayor who works and with whom we can work, a mayor with a straightforward vision of community, someone like Dan Barrone.

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