Elitism at Town and Confusion at County

Water Issues

In the current issue of La Jicarita, editor Kay Matthews has explained
(https://lajicarita.wordpress.com/2015/05/21/mutially-beneficial-management-of-water-is-it-possible/) has explained how the western United States drought is challenging river compacts and will ultimately haunt water sources right here in Taos County. Although Taos County Commissioners voted to protest the transfer of water rights from “Top of the World” to Santa Fe County, previously the commissioners voted to drop a transfer protest against the transfer of water rights from the Gallagher Ranch up by Sunshine to El Prado Water and Sanitation District. The Red River adjudication allocated water rights to Gallagher, a rarely farmed farm, due to Donald Rumsfeld’s investment and intervention. Once adjudicated he, allegedly, sold same to El Prado. We don’t know if he tortured John Painter. (Painter may have erased the history of the venture with his handy wite-out.)

County Commissioners ignored the transfer of Questa area water rights to the Acequia Madre Rio del Lucero, due to the credibility of the now discredited guru of the Abeyta settlement, one Palemon Martinez. Parciantes recently voted Martinez off the ditch and forced him to retire. While Commissioners said the Office of the State Engineer had the final say and their efforts would be fruitless in protesting, now they act as if their protest against the United States Government’s transfer of water rights to Santa Fe to satisfy the Aamodt makes sense and does if you believe in “inconsistency.” The former state engineer, Scott Verhines, Mr. Conflict of Interest (see Ute Pipeline project), was forced out and the new state engineer is untried and unknowledgeable.

In the Town of Taos, where the Spring Ditch has been the object of exploitation by the Town and a long legal tussle, parciantes fought the good fight, even refusing to sign the Abeyta agreement. Now comes a settlement, we’ve been told as the Town buys water rights from a majority of the parciantes, parciantes, who have been forced to sell by the destruction of the Spring Ditch water sources due, in turn, to the Town’s untrammeled development. Parciantes are being asked to withdraw objections to the Abeyta agreement as part of the settlement. In an era of “food security” and drought, the acequia systems can be seen as the ultimate local resource but not to The Town of Taos.

Elites at Town Hall

We’re told by a Councilor that three councilors have filed a request for a special meeting concerning the Farmer’s Market but the Mayor and Manager have yet to respond. Another Councilor says he’d like to see the Plaza ultimately closed to traffic just as he’d like to see the name “Kit Carson” changed at the Town Park.

The recent firing of a marketing coordinator, a coordinator selected by two members of the LTAB, two councilors, and hired by the Town Manager, allegedly failed a background check, a check done ex post facto by an inexperienced Human Resource officer, who, like the Procurement Code Officer, was elevated from receptionist or secretary to a position of responsibility.

If you’re a secretary from here you get a promotion. But if you’re a professional from here you don’t get an interview. Bellis and Barrone want control, not competence or independent thinking. Local pros need not apply.

In response to former Town Councilor Gene Sanchez’s question on why a forensic audit was never done upon last year’s election, Councilor Hahn referred to the “law of unintended consequences.”  He, the social engineer, said La Familia would suffer because “somebody might lose a job.” So the “cover-up” of petty crimes and misdemeanors continues. Incompetence is fast becoming a hallmark of this administration.

The elitist attitude presented to the community by Barrone, Bellis, and Hahn suggests that “they” i.e. “we’’ decide the future of the Plaza and who’s guilty of “corruption.” But a public official who ignores his fiscal stewardship and fails to report crimes is guilty of violating his “fiduciary duty.”  According to the DFA, the State Auditor, and the Attorney General such officials violate their oath of office.

We’re not suggesting the Town send folks to jail like they did at Taos County where the embezzlers at the Housing Authority went to prison (Many got away clean, I’m told). At the Town the offenders are promoted and given raises.

In response to a lack of oversight by elected and appointed officials at Town Hall, Taos Friction has made a request for public records to the Town (see sidebar). Somebody has to keep an eye on these rascals.