Let's Agree About the Broken Arm. (Part Two) (Original posting April 19)

Let's agree. This author and you "Fugettaboutit" let's agree.

So lets pretend that the lady was walking through the park with a loaf of bread for her grandmother and a broken arm. Lets pretend that you and this author agree, the broken arm this lady had was not due to an officer's conduct. And no need to point out this ONE case was dropped and he was exhonerated on this one case. That has been mentioned. (It has also been mentioned that there was a very short time span from when the incident began to when the lady was handcuffed.)

But the problem is not one broken arm arresting the bad guy (or in this case the gal who was walking in the park after it was closed). The problem is that this specific officer has repeatedly put himself in a position of being sued for inappropriate behavior. As demonstrated by the links included in a previous post:

http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2006/04/and-there-is-more-original-post-on.html
http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2006/04/second-chances-original-post-march-24.html

And don't forget to scroll down in the court documents and read this paragraph:
"Plaintiffs' brief supplies the only information in the record regarding the remaining two incidents. The first incident involved a warrantless entry into a home followed by a "forceful[] arrest." Aplt. Br. 56­57. Plaintiffs indicate that a federal district judge has entered an order in a civil suit arising from this incident "finding that Defendant Sholtis had violated the homeowners' Fourth Amendment rights." Id. at 57. The order is not included in the record, nor is there any indication of which of the homeowners' Fourth Amendment rights was affected." Once again, some information that something went wrong during an arrest when this officer was present and involved.
http://www.kscourts.org/ca10/cases/2005/03/03-2231.htm

Can you not agree that Bosque Farms deserves better? That those of us who live here want to feel safe and want to know that if we are stopped for doing something wrong we won't be hurt during the process? Can you agree that there are officers out there that do not have questionable backgrounds and that they might come work here at Bosque Farms?

By the Numbers

The official Bosque Farms Blog Counter has provided this author with some interesting numbers you may enjoy hearing about. The Counter wishes to be clear that these are 'rough' numbers because several times the counter was distracted while counting. This author will personally correct any mistakes made by the Official Counter if you want to take the time to recount and post a comment about it.

Having said that, here is some trivia information about this blog.

By The Numbers

THE BLOG AND ORIGINAL POSTS

Posts that have generated responses: 100

Total number of quotes: 29

Recipes: 2 (both for dog biscuits)

Some of the posts that have generated the most responses:

Police Dept. and Other Employees: 38 Responses

And there is more... : 16 Responses

Untitled: 18 Responses.

THE COMMENTS AND THE RESPONDERS

Total Number of Responders: 27

Total Number of comments for each person:

Bosque Gal 101 (not counting the original posts)

Just Here 81

Land Lady 67

Been Around 43

Dizzy 38

Eye Care 35

Fugettaboutit 22

Spotman1 16

Fatboy5595 15

Chili Chick 11

Claremont 11

Sadie 11

Howie 10

YesACop 5

Eld0rado 4

Jay R 4

The names of those that have made one comment:

Concerned Bystander

US Military Man

IP Cowboy

Ev

Sloranme

I Hate Trash Talk

Horse Driver

Rooster

horsin Around

Cocodragon

Hello

Several Posts Moved

Due to the discussion in the comment and in an attempt to make it easier to find the posts and ongoing discussion, several posts have been moved from the original post date. They are not dated today to sit near the top of the site.

Postive Trivia

It is time to think about the positive and see how much everyone knows about Bosque Farms.

???? CAN YOU ????

• Name the Fire Chief, the one who volunteers his time and energy into keeping the department trained, equipped and ready for service.
  
• Name the men and women that have been Mayor of Bosque Farms.
  
• Name the men and women who mortgaged their homes in order to buy the building now known as rodeo hall.
  
• Which employee has been working at the Village Hall the longest.
  
• Name the man whose home served as the first fire department.
  
• Name the longest serving Fire Chief.
  
• Explain who named the roads.
  
• Name the year that year was Bosque Farms encorporated.
  
• Explain why Bosque Farms was originally encorporated.
  
• Name at least three officers on the police department currently.
  
• List one person on the volunteer fire department right now.
  
• Name the reporter that is usually in attendence for Council meetings.
  
• Explain why was Bosque Farms encorporated, the original reason given by the first Mayor.
  
• Explain the significance of the letters WPA and why it is important to Bosque Farms.
  
• Name the person who organized the first Bosque Farms Fair.
  
• Name the first dog catcher.
  
• Explain, if everyone was elected at the same time for the first Mayor and Council, how was it set up so that now elections are held every two years with each person having a four year term.
  
• List at least three historic buildings in Bosque Farms.
  
• Name one person on the first Council.
  
• Tell who took the pictures hanging in the Village Offices Meeting Chambers.
  
• Name the person who wrote the grant for Keep Bosque Farms or Keep New Mexico Beautiful. Tell how the funds from these grants are used.
  
• Repeat the Village motto as listed on all the Bosque Farms logos.
  
• Name the police officer who served the longest and truly practiced community policing.
  
• Explain how the design on the Bosque Farms plaque was made.
  
• List the three largest land owners in Bosque Farms today.
  
• State which resident donated money for many of the things in the library.
  
• Name at least three of the normal audience members of the Village Council meetings.
  

Empty Lots and Businesses for Sale

There are quite a few empty lots that are for sale and several business places that are for sale. That is the land and buildings are for sale not the business itself.

In the interest of helping those who are trying to sell their property along main street, lets brainstorm a list of types of businesses that might be successful here. Even knowing that 9 out of 10 small businesses typically fail within the first two to four years, there are some that might have a better chance than the others.

Some that might NOT be successful right from the start

• Garbage truck sales
  
• All night rattan furniture sales
  
• A used car lot with four cars.
  
• A midnight Movie Theater
  
• 
  

A reason for background checks.

From this website. http://www.infolinkscreening.com/InfoLink/Background/BackgroundScreening.aspx
Which is an advertisement for a company who will do a background search. (Maybe the Mayor will read this and take note). This website claims the following:

Courts throughout the U.S. declared "prior to the time the employee is actually hired, the employer ... should have known of the employee's unfitness" and is liable if they did not perform an adequate background investigation.

Negligent hiring litigation is a growing problem! Employers lose 79% of all negligent hiring suits and the average jury plaintiff award in employment law cases continues to be in excess of $1.6 million! (Public Personnel Management - USA Today - Nov. 21, 2003)

If this is true, is the Village of Bosque Farms open to a lawsuit because they have obviously not done complete background checks. Or are they doing complete background checks and deciding to hire some of these guys anyways? If so, and they hiring these guys (and gals) with some of the background information that has easily been found, why?

Councilor Wallace, Twisting in the Wind

It has been several days since the Council meeting and this blog feels it is time to comment on the inconsistencies of the Councilor Dolly Wallace, AGAIN. This time the local newspaper even published her wishy washy comments.

The Council previously would not vote for a transportation plan that had large busses driving through the neighborhood. Councilor Wallace spoke at length in the previous Council meeting about how she did not approve of a park and ride spot within the community.

And now- as listed in the newspaper.
http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/61081-04-22-06.html

"Tollefson said that the planned bus route and the park-and-ride lot were taken off the plan for the Bosque Farms area.

Councilor Dolly Wallace raised her concern that, once they were omitted from the plan, there would be no services available for those in the community who wanted or needed transportation"

So Poor Confused Councilor Wallace.

She wants no bus route and she wants to park and ride

BUT

She wants to have those services for those who might need them.

Speed Signs

Has anyone noticed the new speed signs, the ones that the cops can put out under the speed limit signs? They track how fast you are going and flash the speed up on the screen.

In theory it seems this might be a good thing. In reality it only works if they work.

Was this paid for by our tax paying money? Stupid question. Of course it was.
Maybe next year our taxes can buy batteries for them?

Well Said

It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.

-- United States Supreme Court in American Communications Association v. Douds

Clean Up Day

On April 29 at 8am if you show up and volunteer to help clean your community you will be awarded. Last year there were donuts, t-shirts for the first 50 or so, garbage bags, gloves, and more. After clean up a truck will come by and pick up the garbage bags you fill up and leave on the side of the road. And then you can join everyone in the park for hot dogs cooked by Mayor Ake.

The Council Meeting

Wouldn't it be nice if Bosque Farms had a website? Then you could look up the agenda and see if you wanted to attend the meeting. After the meeting you could read the minutes or see a record of who voted which way. You could email the Councilors with problems or suggestions and voice your concerns.

Ah, but that might make sense, to invest in current technology.

Maybe they don't invest in technology because they don't want to hear your opinion. The former Councilor Eldridge told me one time that she had a volunteer to do a webpage but no one wanted to have a web page done, particularly the Mayor Baldwin.

It was a short meeting. Over almost before it began.
They passed a resolution saying there was more GRT that came in than was anticipated. How nice is that? Do you think it is already spent?

They are advertising some ordinances and changing some ordinances.
This is why everyone should attend a meeting. Ordinances are laws. They are changing the laws. Laws that impact our daily lives. One of the laws they are changing will impact the look of the main street. The main street that everyone posting here has agreed looks ugly.

An economic development ordinance. Everyone will have to read it and see if it has tax breaks for businesses, free sewer, lower water rates? Pick it up at the Village Office and see what you think.

Our Police in Peralta?? (Original Post on April 14)

Several nights in a row the police of Bosque Farms have been in Peralta stopping people, sitting with a radar and helping with an accident. It is not uncommon to see police of Bosque Farms in Isleta. While they might be driving home or to work it appears they are patrolling and stopping speeders.

Knowing that some officers or retired officers read this here are the questions this behavior on the part of the police brings up in the minds of the authors of this blog.

Is this normal?
Is it normal for police to help each other? This author would believe it is normal. The problem is Los Lunas police are not seen in Peralta helping. Los Lunas police are not seen in Peralta working the radar and stopping speeders. Los Lunas police and even the County is not taking care of Peralta, why should we do it all by ourselves? Peralta should be patrolled by the County. Accidents in Peralta should be taken care of by the County. Why is Bosque Farms, the smallest community with the smallest budget, taking care of the communities around us with little or no return?

What is happening to Bosque Farms while the police are taking care of the other communities?

One commentator asked the response rate of the police. Good question. What is the response rate and how much faster would it be if the police didn't have to drive through two communities to ge to any one house in Bosque Farms?

How much are the tax payers paying for this service? Gas prices are high, insurance rates for police cars can not be small and it seems if Bosque Farms is covering Peralta and sometimes Isleta then maybe there are other cops who are working in Bosque Farms? Are we paying to have three cops on duty to cover these surrounding communities so two can be in Bosque Farms or are we paying for three cops on duty and two are just touring surrounding areas when maybe we wouldn't need to pay so many cops if they only coverd Bosque Farms?

It is More Than That. (part Three)

So while the discussion seems to have centered on this one officer, the real
problem is more that Bosque Farms repeatedly chooses to hire officers that have
questionable backgrounds with the words "everyone deserves a second chance".

And while some one might believe that 'everyone deserves a second
chance', do they deserve a second,third and fourth chance? And while
everyone might deserve a second chance it should an individual
choice to give a second chance. Those of us who live here do not have
the chance to make that decision. Instead we elect people to represent
us and think of our best interests. And this blog says that either a
quality background check is NOT being done or it is being done and the
Councilors and Mayors don't care about any problems a background check
might show up. (Which is worse?)

It seems to be a case of who you know rather than what is best for
the Villagepopulation. You know the chief, he knows the Councilors

What this blog has said repeatedly is this: WHY hire anyone who has
a historysuch of repeated lawsuits and problems such as this officer
has in his background? If one author of this blog can find the
problems as posted earlierwith little effort, what else is there in
his background? And why would the Mayor and Council settle for hiring
someone with this type of background?

This blog has repeatedly stated that those of us who live here
deserve better.The people who live in Bosque Farms deserve to
feel safe when they are arrested. We deserve to know that the
officers on the police department are the solution to unsafe
and drunk drivers and criminals and not part of the problem in society.

What is Councilor Wallace Doing?

Is she not working on a law for the property upkeep of properties in the Village of Bosque Farms?
This author seems to remember that the property upkeep law was supposed to be turned into the previous Council. That is it was due several months ago. And here it is two months into the current Council's term and nothing.

If this is an example of what Councilor Wallace can accomplish this community need not worry she will work to take out speed humps or take away property. If she can't write a simple law when most of the work had already been done, she won't get anything else completed.

Using a Sunset Clause

Why didn't Bosque Farms Mayor and Council use a sunset clause to get rid of the ugliness?
A Sunset Clause is a concession to ameloriate the negative costly impacts of a zoning change.

For Example:
If a business invests in a sign that is legal under one zoning law and then the law changes there are two ways to handle this type of event.

First the zoning can just make everything that was in compliance of the previous law grandfathered. In this instance the sign could stay where it is the way it is until something changes. When something changes (like the sign is moved or the sign is changed significantly) then the sign is no longer grandfathered and must be fixed to match the current law.

Second, the zoning can provide a sunset clause. This says that the sign will be fine until a set date and by the date set the sign must then come into compliance with current laws. This is a good compromise, particularly with signs.

A sunset clause provides the owner time to follow the law without getting into legal trouble for not immediately obeying the law. It provides the owner the time to get maximum use out of the item in question. This is particularly true of signs. Signs typically lose their effectiveness impact after some amount of time.

Why didn't Bosque Farms Government set up some sunset clauses on these types of things?
Signs, metal fences that were legal many many years ago that have been grandfathered should be sunsetted, and with some thought it is easy to come up with other types of ugliness that could be sunsetted (unpaved parking lots for example).

Will the current Councilors do this?
Councilor Wallace is working on a property maitaining law. Maybe she will take this on.

Grandfather so much Ugliness?

There is a grandfathering ordinance that says if what you had on your property was legal and then the law changed what was legal and is no longer legal is grandfathered.

BUT what was illegal under the old ordinance is not grandfathered. If you were breaking the law before it does not all of a sudden become legal because the law changed, unless the law changed in your favor.

Why has Bosque Farms not stopped the law breakers?

What are some of the laws that are being broken as they pertain to planning and zoning?

• Fences. Pro panel fences are not allowed. They were not legal before the last ordinance change. They are not legal under the current law. Yet they are sprouting like weeds. We cite people for growing weeds too high, why not cite them for building a fence?
  
• Signs. Signs for businesses that are closed are not legal. Why is the Planning and Zoning Officer not demanding they be taken down? Why is the Village not taking down the signs and putting a lein on the property for the cost?
  
• Signs in poor repair. They are not legal now. They were not legal previously. They are not grandfathered in, yet the Mayor is not demanding these businesses clean their signs and repaint them.
  

There are three examples. Look around, you will find more examples.

This blog and many readers of this blog have commented on the ugliness along the Boulevard and yet the Mayor and the Council is doing NOTHING to fix this problem. Why?

Visual Clutter

Visual Clutter makes it hard to see the place you are looking for and makes it harder for elderly eyes to watch the road. Visual clutter in the form of too many signs will cause blood pressure to raise and stress to increase.

This is not wild speculation but a fact based on many many studies easily available for your own reading enjoyment.

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/08/stories/2004090800940400.htm

This Bosque Farms Business Association has fought for the right to have more signs, bigger signs, signs painted on the side of a building as big as the building, unlimited penants flying in the breeze and so on.

This can only lead to the question What are they thinking??

It is obvious they are not thinking about what is best for Bosque Farms. If so they would demand and contribute to a cleaner Bosque Farms. Nor do they seem to care about their own best interests. If this were the case they would clean up their own personal space and demand others do the same. They would demand the excess signs be taken down and the ugly ones cleaned up. A pretty Bosque Farms is in everyone's best interest.

(And a side bonus of meeting the letter and the spirit of the law would be that the Councilors could trust the businesses and provide them more room to wiggle) What is this author thinking? They already get it their way, they break the rules of the community and nothing gets done to make them conform.

Off Site Signs

What are off site signs?

Signs that are advertising a business but they are not on the land the business is on. For example, you might see a billboard advertising that at the next exit Isleta Casino is there to entertain you. That is an off site sign.

These are legal in Bosque Farms.

The official Bosque Farms Sign Counter found some however that should be cleaned up.
Smart Start Day Care. The Rodeo Arena has one that sits in the Wells Fargo Bank Lot.

The sign for the Rodeo Arena is ugly. It is old and yellowed and faded.
Sometimes the letters have blown off and don't read well.

Why would anyone think that this type of advertising helps? Does it help?

There is an ordinance that says signs shall be in good repair. Watch for yourself.
What do you think? Does a sign that has holes where the lights should be look nice?
Does an old yellowing reading board sign that is sometimes illegible look nice?

Used Car Lots and Sign

How many car sales lots are there in Bosque Farms?

A quick count might lead you to believe there are 7 or 8. Here are the list of signs the official Bosque Farms Counter was able to find.

Augue's
Larry's
RJ Auto
Sam Car Inc.
B and M Auto Sales
U Park and Sell It
Hargroves
Ford Enterprises has cars and vans for sale on its lot.
Sisson's Garbage Trucks

And you can not forget the ever lovely Enchanted Cottage.
Yes. It used to seel antiques and pretty things and now it sells trailers.

This doesn't count the mobile home dealers nor does it count the travel trailer sales lots.

So there are signs for ten businesses on the Bosque Farms Boulevard. Check them out next time you are driving down the main road.

They are not pretty. Most of the signs are old, faded, paint peeling, and ugly. Some of them are advertising car sales lots that are no longer there.

Why isn't the Village of Bosque Farms demanding new signs?
Why aren't the other businesses demanding that signs that are for non existent businesses be taken down so the valid businesses are easier found and the Main Road looks nicer?
Is it because one of the Councilors owns at least two of these lots? Or at least owns the land that two of these used car lots are sitting on?

Business Signs

Did you know??

Business Signs lose their effectiveness?
When they are old or unkempt they lose their effectiveness.

When there are too many signs along a road the driver can not find the business.
This phenomonon can be likened to not being able to see the forest for the trees.

Take a look next time you drive through Bosque Farms. How many signs are there for non existent businessnes? (Jimni Crickets for one) How many signs are ugly and need to be repainted? (Larry's Used Car Lot for instance). How many businesses have more than one sign? A sign that does not provide additional information (such as where to enter, about an upcoming sale, or other pertinant information)?

Then take a drive down South Broadway. Bosque Farms has often been compared to South Broadway in terms of looks and used car lots. Watch closely. How many of the signs on South Broadway are repetitive? old? Cluttering up the view? for non exisent businesses?

A Special Post

HAPPY EASTER TO EVERYONE

http://www.marvelcreations.com/easter.html

Helpful Information

http://www.ago.state.nm.us/know/know_hdcs.htm

Used Car Lots Ideas

This community has the right idea.
They were going to declare a moratorium on used car lots for six months. The six months would then be used to research licencing standards and set some higher standards. They also require used car lots to get licenced yearly. This means if they add some new requirements the used car lot would have to comply with the new regulations and would not be grandfathered in. (Councilor Proctor's favorite word when talking about his land, grandfathered).

http://www.cheektowagatimes.com/News/2002/0425/Front_Page/003.html

Bosque Farms doesn't even require that the used car lots sales lots be paved. Why not? Councilor Proctor (who wasn't even Councilor then) said it was too cost prohibitive and would put some of the used car dealers out of business.

Here is another one, scroll down and look at bill 16-45. Here there is a moratorium on just about anything car related (except car repairs) until the Mayor can conduct a study to see if the car dealers and used car dealers are following the laws.

http://www.grahamwone.com/archive/2005_05_15_archive.html

Used Car Lots

Councilor Proctor has two of these used car lots on his own property. While one is somewhat nice the other is pure trash. There is more than one used car lot per block on the main street.

Why? Why does Bosque Farms has so many when other communities have fewer used car sales lots?

Many years ago other communities made it difficult for used car lots to set up in business. They made more requirements of the used car lots than Bosque Farms did. Bosque Farms essentially threw open the doors and said "we'll take all the garbage the other communities don't want". And that is what we got Garbage.

There are some solutions to stop more used car lots from setting up business in Bosque Farms. And with some work Bosque Farms might even be able to get rid of a few of the used car lots.

Will it happen?
Of course not.

Some residents and realtors have spoken on behalf of the used car lots saying they should be able to fly penants as long as they want (even if they do look like garbage) and that the used car lots bring people to Bosque Farms. People who shop here, buy gas here and eat here. So even if used car lots don't bring in reciept taxes who cares, those same people who buy a car here will spend some money here. So used car lots are good.

Councilor Proctor has argued long and hard on behalf of the men who rent from him and run used car lots. He has pushed and lobbied to make it easier for businesses to set up shop here in Bosque Farms. Councilor Wallace and Councilor Knowlton have made decisions just to be "business friendly". Councilor Kennedy collects old junky cars on his property and even sells them off of his property. Will he stop the used car lots?

Of course not. Not one of these Councilors will , unless Councilor Proctor decides he would rather not have the competition.

The Backwards School District

Colorado looks like it is making a push for smaller schools, Chicago is studying the benefits of smaller schools and all the documentations points to smaller schools as being a viable option that benefits everyone in the communit. And what is the Los Lunas School Board doing? Going to larger schools?! Duh!

http://www.coloradosmallschools.org/resources/research.html

http://www.consortium-chicago.org/

http://www.nwrel.org/nwreport/may96/small.html

Are they being contrary to be contrary? Are they only thinking about what is easiest for them? Or is this because they don't care enough to do the search for information that this author was eaily able to find?

Elementary Schools and the Size of The School

http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/10/c020.html

Another interesting site about size and the elementary school.

After reading this the reader should ask one question at least. Is this indicative of the type of research and voting Councilor Knowlton does on the Council today? Is this just more proof that he does what interests him and benefits him and his family only?

What does Councilor Knowlton have to do with the size of the elementary school? Not much now but he did in the not too distant past. Several years ago there was a push by some parents to have Bosque Farms Elementary School be a school that kept the students through grades. The argument for this was mainly that the many transitions from one school to the next to the next resulted in a high drop out rate by the time children reached high school.

This blog author questioned that and searched long and hard for proof that this was the case. There is NO documentation or research or studies that backs up this belief. BUT there have been plenty of studies that provides a good argument for NOT combining several schools into one large school. This blog has provided two links to two different articles that have demonstrated by studies and documentation that it is NOT in the best interest of the student, the child, to combine schools.

Maybe if enough parents read this information they will complain and raise the same sort of stink that was raised by not yet then Councilor Knowlton and his cohorts several years ago. And maybe if a big enough stink is raised this won't happen to our children in this community.

After all, truth is on the side of the parents this time.

Bosque Farms Elementary and large schools.

http://www.smallschoolsworkshop.org/info3.html

Here is an interesting website that is directly related to the ongoing discussion about the Bosque Farms Elementay School. Councilor Knowlton, before he was Councilor, wanted to have Bosque Farms have more students in the school. He wanted it to have grades K through 5 or even K
through 6. And now he is getting his wish. Bosque Farms Elementary, and the other primary schools will be K-6.

But is this in the best interest of our students? Is this a good thing?

This group would tell you no.

The larger the school the more chance the child will get lost in the system and slip through the cracks. Small Schools allow teachers to know students and students to know principals and allows everyone to develop a sense of community and self worth within that community.
They have the research to back up their premise that says Small Schools are just as cost effective as larger schools and the long term benefits far outweigh the larger schools many communities are going to.

Will these same people that are so willing to fight for raises for cops fight for the children of Bosque Farms and demand that this not be done in our school?

Why Live in Bosque Farms??

Not too long ago one commentator made the point that the reason people move to Bosque Farms is the low crime rate because of the great police department.

Really? Seriously?

This author did an impromptu survey and a very unscientific one also. This author called up ten people who live in Bosque Farms and have moved here within the last five years. This author asked them to give a sentence or two about why they live in Bosque Farms. Following is a brief synopsis of their comments.

To protect these neighbors and friends no names will be included here.

Person One: (Person Five, Six and Ten also mentioned family nearby)
- My mother and father lived here a long time ago. I lived here with them as a little girl. I always liked it here.

Person Two: (Also mentioned property value like Person Eight)
- The home I wanted to live in was in Bosque Farms. If it had been in Los Lunas, I'd be a Los Lunasite now. I like that the new homes are all different.

Person Three: (Person Six and Eight and Nine all mentioned horses as well)
- I wanted to have a horse. It just got so I could think of nothing else and so I decided to buy some land and this is where it was.

Person Four: (Person Six and Nine also mentioned the drive)
- I have lived up in Las Maravillas and that is a long way to drive to get to work. I wanted something closer to work.

Person Five:
- My husband's family is getting older and he wanted to live closer to them.

Person Six:
- It is so green here. Los Lunas is too big and Belen is too far away from my work. I didn't want to drive an hour to work. I didn't want to fight the high school traffic in Los Lunas.

Person Seven: (Person Nine also mentioned large lots)
- I used to live in Sante Fe and it was too expensive and too crowded. I liked the large lots. I hate all the construction but if they keep the lots big it will be ok.

Person Eight: (Person Nine also mentioned Property Value)
- I wanted a home that was an investment in a community that would protect my property and that the values would grow more so I can retire and sell the home and live off of the money.

Person Nine:
- We move every three years in the Air Force so we look for homes that we can easily sell and are an investment. We move up each time we move and buy a new home. I used to live on a home and like the large lots and wanted chickens for once. It also had to be close to the base so my husband could commute.

Person Ten:
- We like the area and the home we found we could afford.

So out of the ten people there were ten different reasons people moved to Bosque Farms.
Large Lots, Horses, Less Commute Time, Investment, Family. Not One mentioned the low crime rate or the police force.

Eminent Domain and Senior Living Communities

Is there any doubt that there can be a nice gated community for seniors only the size of Bosque Farms?

Look at some of these lovely places. They are retirement communities and some of them have ongoing care included with an eventual move to a home for those who might need extra care.

Here is one right here in New Mexico. Right down the road from Bosque Farms.
http://www.sunrisebluffs.com/

They include pools, community centers, golfing, and more.

http://www.retirenet.com/listings/283/

If an argument can be made to take away the homes of people who have lived for years because a community will get more gross reciepts or more property taxes for the same land that people have lived for years on and paid low taxes on then eminent domain might happen. How will you get more gross reciepts? One belief is that seniors are younger, living longer and have a higher disposable income than American's in their middle ages or younger.

The Councilors sitting now, Councilor Proctor, Councilor Kennedy ran on a promise of brining in a senior living area. One Councilor voted No to the master plan goals of the Village because it wouldn't make room for APARTMENTS for seniors only.

Where are they going to put tbis senior living area? Will they take property away for it? If a big developer came in and wanted to build a big senior living area how many homes would they willingly take away for the change to have more money in Village coffiers and a senior living area?

It does happen. Eminent Domain happens here in Valencia County as demonstrated on the front page of the news paper about people losing their homes in Belen. Will Bosque Farms be next?

Eminent Domain and You.

http://www.castlecoalition.org/CastleWatch/articles/12_09_05.html

A community about the size of Bosque Farms is being kicked out of their homes in Florida.
About 1,700 homes may soon be taken. Almost 5,000 people being moved out.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/specialreport/20060402-123440-8537r.htm

What if a developer decides to take advantage of the lovely feel of Bosque Farms and make a community here like that? Maybe the casino on Isleta will grow so big some developer will want to set up here?

Or maybe the push some Councilors and their supporters have for a retirement community right here in Bosque Farms will result in eminent domain being used on everyone in order to make the biggest best most fantastic senior living community. Why not? There is already a community center here that isn't (isn't it called a senior center by many who live here)?

Will there have to be more than one mil levy tax?

Bosque Farms has some aging equipment. The Community Center (senior center) is older, the library is older, the Village office itself is one of the original buildings here in this community. The waste water plant is older. And if you have been sitting in Council meetings you would know one well is about to fall apart and gush water and flood Bosque Farms (or is it fixed yet) and the second well is not far behind.

Prepare yourself now for a Mil Levy Election in order to pay for some of these aging facilities.

But wait!? Here is an idea! Bosque Farms Council should be saving money to pay for these aging facilities and the needed repairs. That makes sense? Are they doing it? Well, surely they must be saving. They are pinching pennies so hard the cop cars are no longer painted and the glass is so dark from not being cleaned you can't see the cop sitting in the car. They are saving by not doing any activities for youth in any serious manner. No library story reading, no game night for teens at the senior center. That must generate some savings right?

Now if they will save by not giving an $8,000 dollar raise to one employee (especially one who is here only two or three years) that might help.

Property Tax and A Mil Levy

Here is an interesting website with information about property taxes.

http://www.cas.sc.edu/poli/courses/scgov/Articles/Proptax.htm

While it might not be directly from New Mexico the information is still relevent. This gives a basic explanation of property taxes and the types of taxes that might impact property taxes.
Well worth the read.

In this article it discusses Mil Levy taxes.

A Mil levy is an agreement by the voters to pick up the extra cost of doing business incurred by the government or a governmental entity. In New Mexico it seems most often the Mil Levy taxes are passed for the school districts in order to build new schools, improve older schools, and bring supplies up to date. But a Mil Levy can be passed by the voters to build a new fire station, an ambulance building or to bring old failing equipment up to date. Belen is a prime example of this, as demonstrated in the article linked to in a different post, Belen has already reached their limit of Mil Levies that can be passed.

Each state has it's own laws about mil levies how they are passed, how many can be passed, what the money can be spent on and New Mexico is no different.

But here is an idea! Why not put it to the voters. How important is it to have arsenic removed from the water? If it is important to those of us who live here we will vote to pass the mil levy. If the voters are willing to pay more on their property tax in order to have the arsenic removed then they will pass the mil levy tax. And if not, Bosque Farms can continue as if nothing has happened and quit worrying about water. It seems like a good idea to this author.

And maybe if we are lucky those of us will vote no and the water won't be in compliance and the Councilors and Mayor will have to pay the price. (what will happen? Jail? Fines? Nothing?)

Do the abusers ever stop?

There is no way anyone can tell what the recidivism rate is for wife abuse or husband abuse for that matter.

This report, while it is from Canada, still offers some interesting thoughts about spousal abuse and the abuser and the ability to truly change the actions of the abuser.

http://www.mincava.umn.edu/documents/limits/limits.html

It is typical that a person who likes to be the dominating one, in control, will be the one that is abusive at home, justifying the abuse as a means of taking control or being in charge. The following link has this quote:
"The generally violent/antisocial batterer represents the most aggressive, impulsive and antisocial behavior." http://www.agnr.umd.edu/nnfr/research/pv/pv_ch1.html

This is the type of person who believes violence is an appropriate action when provoked. This is the type of person that will get into bar fights. Not showing remorse is common among all types of batterers.

Abuse is a horrible cycle that is often passed down from father to son, from batterer to child. The long term impacts of abuse are so many and so large that not nearly enough can be mentioned here except to say they exist.

Alcohol and Wife (or Husband) abuse

While there are people who can drink responsibly there are others who can not. They will drink and drive and they will be abusive to their partners. This is not a guess on the part of this author but a real documented fact.

Alcohol consumption has commonly been associated with incidents of spousal abuse. In reviews of the literature, Gelles and Cornell (1990) and Leonard (1993) note that virtually every study of aggression in families shows that alcohol consumption is a strong correlate of violence. In nationally representative samples, alcohol use is frequently found to accompany violence (Straus, Gelles, and Steinmetz 1980; Kantor and Straus 1987). Studies of violent families also find a similar association (Wolfgang 1958; Byles 1978). For example, in a sample of violent families, Gelles (1974) found that drinking accompanied violence in almost half of the cases. In samples of battered women, many different studies also find that the husbands had frequently been drinking prior to the assault (Walker 1979, 1984; Fagan, Stewart, and Hansen 1983).

Taken from the following:
http://www.allbusiness.com/periodicals/article/661389-1.html

But look here as well
http://www.agingincanada.ca/Seniors%20Alcohol/1e6.htm

A Smart Idea

This is an idea that Bosque Farms should consider, should have considered a long time ago.
New homes being built should be tied to the response times of the police.

This article would say providing police and fire service is an obligation by the community. And while that may be true, the police and fire station wasn't built with a full build out of Bosque Farms in mind (was it?). And untill there is proof that Bosque Farms can take care of those of us who live here why should Bosque Farms be allowed to encourage builders to build new homes and thus bring in more property tax?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A938-2004Nov20.html

As many women with restraining orders are aware, being in a rural area often has it's own set of problems. The police should be able to respond quickly to all callers.

http://www.womenslaw.org/safety6.htm

The Dirt Road

http://www.othalaacres.com/dirtroads/

FROM Paul Harvey: DIRT ROADS

What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many dirt roads have
been paved. There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs,
education, and divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we
just had more dirt roads, because dirt roads give character.

People that live at the end of dirt roads learn early on that life is a
bumpy ride. That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes,
but it's worth it, if at the end is home . . . a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.

We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our
kids got their exercise walking a dirt road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along.

There was less crime in our streets before they were paved. Criminals
didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew 5 barking dogs
and a double barrel shotgun welcomed them. And there was no drive by shootings.

Our values were better when our roads were worse! People did not worship their cars

more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with rocks.

Dirt roads taught patience. Dirt roads were environmentally friendly;
you didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk you walked to the barn for your milk.

For your mail, you walked to the mailbox. What if it rained and the dirt road got washed out?

That was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony road on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody.

At the end of dirt roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted
like soap. Most paved roads lead to trouble, dirt roads more likely lead
to a fishing creek or a swimming hole. At the end of a dirt road, the
only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't, some
neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini or any other fruit or vegetable he/she wanted to share.

At the end of a dirt road, there was always extra springtime income,
from when city dudes would get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and
pull them out. Usually you got a dollar . . . always you got a new
friend….. at the end of a dirt road.

--Paul Harvey

For the dogs

For the person who accused this author of feed her children oh so delicious home cooked dinners. The three dogs that live with this author just gobble up these dog treats. They are not vegetarian but they are ok for a once in a while treat. It is possible to make these as vegetarian,
replace the turkey with an increase in the other dry ingredients or add cornmeal, dry milk, rye flour and bulgar.

Turkey Gobblers
4 cups cooked turkey, cut up or shredded
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 tsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 T. parsley , finely chopped (fresh of course)
4 eggs, beaten
4 cups whole wheat flour
4 T. brewers yeast
4 T. vegetable oil

Combine the first 4 ingredients. Mix well. Add beaten eggs; mix again. Add flour, brewers yeast, and oil and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well-blended. Drop by rounded teaspoons full onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven at 350º for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Move to wire racks to cool and harden. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Arsenic in your water???

Why is the Council not doing research right now? The best that this author can tell (and the wife agrees) is that the ONLY thing the Council and Mayor has done is hope that the law is changed by the Federal Government and beg for an extension.

This blog has posted several options about water and arsenic. There are plants that are specially grown to suck up arsenic out of the ground. There is the option that Laramie is considering:

"Several treatment technologies exist for removing arsenic from water. Graham didn’t favor a process of reverse osmosis because the process removes everything from the water, leaving it hard and unpalatable. Shoemaker added that reverse osmosis produces a large amount of wastewater.

A second treatment option is absorption technology. Iron attracts a type of arsenic. Absorption technology uses this attraction to pull arsenic out of the water. "

http://www.laramieboomerang.com/news/more.asp?StoryID=104466

And they hope to fix their arsenic levels without raising taxes.

Did you know that Sandia Labs here in New Mexico has a solution?
http://www.acfnewsource.org/environment/arsenic_away.html

And why is the Councilor who also happens to work at Sandia Labs not begging them to try it out on the Bosque Farms water?

Some links about arsenic

http://phys4.harvard.edu/~wilson/arsenic/arsenic_project_introduction.html

This above link has pictures of what arsenic poisoning can look like and a map that shows where arsenic poisoning is a problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenic_poisoning

The authors would support the idea that everyone in Bosque Farms goes back to a well on their own property. Of course, then there will be well digging tax and if it is possible the government will find a way to tax the water from your own well. But it's worth a try.

Water Water Water (for Fatboy5595)

This blog has addressed water in previous posts. However, as it has made the front page it is timely to discuss water yet again.

http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/60520-04-05-06.html

The EPA thinks that arsenic is a problem and says a build up of arsenic in your body may result in death. The authors of this blog think that the $5.5 million it would take to bring the water system into compliance is horrible. This would most likely mean an increase in your water rates and sewer rates and gross reciept taxes and any other tax, unless Bosque Farms got money from the state or the federal government.

How likely is it that Bosque Farms will get money from an outside agency?

The problem is that even if Bosque Farms gets money from the government, it is a good possibility your rates will be raised.

It will be worth watching and attending Council meetings for this reason alone.

A thought about the Boss

Who has not gone to work and complained about a boss or a supervisor?

“A good boss makes his men realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could”

~Charles Erwin Wilson

__________________

As a supervisor you are not well liked if you are doing your job.

~Anon.

Bosque Farms Elementary

The authors of this blog have some concerns about the new push to make all the elementary schools go from grades K-5 and eventually to grade 6.

What is that about? What was wrong with the way it was done before?

This author hopes that the best interest of the children are being kept in mind and that this will be a positive move for the district.

Will there be grades K-6 on the busses? That seems like a fairly large spread of ages to be grouped together in one bus. Too many things happen to 6th grades that even 1st graders could not understand. Will parents have to now talk to their children about drugs and smoking and sex at an even younger age?

It will be interesting to the authors of this blog to see the responses of the cops and teachers who are reading this blog. Maybe they can shed more light on the situation.

There was a push for this several years ago.
Councilor Knowlton (who was not yet a Councilor) was part of the big push to make this happen. He spoke about the drop out rate at the high school and stated that the more students transitioned (or changed schools) the higher the chances of them dropping out. The authors of this blog were unable to find anything to back up this belief. There was plenty of information available that demonstrates that if students are not transitioned on to the next grade, not given even a social promotion the chances are higher of them dropping out. But will eliminating changes from school to school result in fewer drop outs?

What are you?

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

It is an interesting quiz that takes about one minute to take.
Are you a liberal? A conservative? A Centrist?

The Police Departments and other employees

What is even worse about this thought of "Spotman1" that the police need more pay is that it completely overlooks the other employees and their low pay.

Did you know that last year the other employees recieved a minimal cost of living pay increase? That is it.

Cliff who comes to your home when you have water problems or sewer problems has been a model employee it seems. He certainly shows up when I call with problems with my sewer grinder pump. His men and women are prompt, polite, on call and do not have a history of breaking laws. His raise? 3% raise. That is it.

Ms. Baker the Planning and Zoning Officer that has made sure the weeds are controlled at your neighbors and answered questions for one author of this blog when considering a home occupation permit. She doesn't have a dubious background. Her raise? 3%.

The employee that was here for 25 years? (Mentioned by Councilor Eldridge as quoted in the article linked below.) 3%.

Not the 8%, 10% or 18% the police officers recieved.

IMPORTANT POINT!
The Village can find a good person to manage our sewer plant, pay the bills, answer the phones, fix your grinder pump and yet it can't or won't find twelve or thirteen men and women with a clean background to be police officers?

And now you "Spotman1" want to pinpoint the reason the Village can't or won't find quality people to be officers on the fact that they don't get paid enough?

Yet it is the police officers who get the raise.


http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/52890-07-23-05.html

Spotman1 had this to say:
"Next time you are burglarized, assaulted or need to report a crime call your sewer guy or your village secretary or your dog catcher or anyone else that makes the village works except the police."

It is the opinion of at least one author of this blog that this might be good advice.

As one commentor has recently pointed out there seems to be a lot about the cops on this blog recently and there are any number of other equally important points to be made about Bosque Farms.

Let's chat about a great gal.

I didn't know her but my neighbor's did and they say she was a great little girl and a lovely young lady.

Holly Holm.
Boxing is not a traditional sport for young ladies to go into but she is a demonstration of doing what you love and doing it well and you can make money.

Take a look at the pictures of her boxing. That is a tough sport for a little girl to go into. Of course, not so little, she's an adult now.

Bosque Farms should be sure to attend any local fight she has and support the sport of Women's Boxing.

http://www.hollyholm.com/

Domestic Violence and Guns

It appears that "Claremont" isn't the only one who needs to get his or her facts straight. "Spotman1" had this to say: "If BosGal had any clue as to what she is talking about she would know that a police officer cannot carry a gun IF THEY ARE CONVICTED of domestic violence"

So this author of this post did some research and found the following information.
http://www.abuseofpower.info/GunLaw.htm

And what it says is this. There is this great law that prevents people who have a domestic violence protection order from carrying a gun UNLESS you are a cop. If you are a cop you are allowed to carry your service fire arm while on duty. And sometimes a cop will even get a restraining order that will stop him or her from carrying a gun period.

And so "BosGal" will stand corrected. The Domestic Violence Restraining Order is of concern to this author. But the writer of the post was wrong, you can carry your service gun if you are cop and have a restraining order against you for reasons of domestic violence.

Let this author refer you to the following sites and information:

Domestic Violence Protective Order Gun Ban
The Domestic Violence Protective Order Gun Ban is designed to keep firearms away from those who have been restrained by court order from threatening or harming others. It prohibits people who are the subjects of protection orders from purchasing or carrying firearms. In 1996, despite fierce and continuing opposition from the pro-gun lobby, Congress extended the 1968 Gun Control Act to deny firearm purchases to those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or those subject to domestic violence protection orders.
http://www.westchesternow.org/sum03DomViol.html

Unfortunately, if you read here it says that New Mexico doesn't always keep the database up to date about who has a restraining order on him or her for domestic violence.
http://www.americansforgunsafety.com/the_issues_state_initiatives.asp?stateid=32

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/domestic/index.htm

"Claremont" needs to learn the facts.

"Claremont" can't seem to maintain a discussion based on facts and changes his or her opinions very quickly. See the post titled Piano Concert and the resulting comments. First he or she disagrees with the Council but then later in the same day agrees and that is one example.

This blog has repeatedly asked that readers look up the facts and look for their own information. It appears "Claremont" hasn't done that.

Yes. The incident of the arm breaking was dropped. Although one reader mentioned the arm breaking incident this author and this blog has not. This blog has said however that the same officer has had several lawsuits settled on him for similar reasons all violent and all during the time of arrest.

So "Claremont" seems to think that because Officer Sholtis was exhonerated one time it is all ok and all the other lawsuits should be ignored. Does this sound right?

And "Claremont" accuses this author of being a politician??

To see information and links about the officer that "Claremont" is so willing to dismiss as just no big deal see below. The two original posts that began the discussion on police and the types of officers that Bosque Farms hires will be moved up. They are titled "Second Chances" and "There is more.."

As readers will notice it does not mention any arm breaking incident and provides the links to the information this author was able to pull up with very little effort.

And "Claremont" says she or he has done her homework and wants to be educated about she is arguing about? It certainly doesn't appear that way.

And there is more... (original post on March 24)

There is more information available with a quick search

From another website you can find this quote:

"As a side not, Officer Sholtis is no longer one of Albuquerque's finest. This blogger successfully sued Officer Sholtis twice to judgment. After the Tanberg incident, Officer Sholtis apparently decided that he would try some other line of work. This was a case of a bad cop who got away with one." (sic)
http://www.searchandseizurelaw.com/-42-false-arrest-claim-against-the-city-of-albuquerque-dismissed-.html

Hiring men and women who are not the quality that Bosque Farms deserves will cost all of us money as well as pain and problems in the future.

This same officer, the one that Mr. Warden thought should be hired, the one the two Councilors he claimed were cop friendly councilors hired, Officer Sholtis has been involved in lawsuits that forced APD to pay out money for him. If this happens enough times or is a lawsuit large enough Bosque Farms will have no options but to raise taxes in order to cover the lawsuits.

http://www.morelaw.com/verdicts/case.asp?n=Unknown&s=NM%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&d=24519

And still more- go two page three on the left.

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:8nMhBHePrD8J:tvitimes.tvi.cc.nm.us/Volume10/Issue16/issue16.pdf+%22Tom+Sholtis%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=18

I would hope that all of us raise up and complain and ask our Councilors to not hire officers who have a history of acting this way. Of course, maybe the rest of the people who live in Bosque Farms would like to see these types of officers in Bosque Farms carrying a gun, working, driving in our neighborhoods.

It leaves one to wonder because it was Councilor Wallace and Councilor Knowlton who voted him in and who voted in the chief. And Mr. Warden seemed to think it was cop friendly to hire a person such as this.

This blog says that Bosque Farms and those of us who live here deserve better.

Second Chances (original post March 24)

Here is some information about a cop that is getting a second chance.
His name? This is the same cop mentioned in Mr. Warden's letter dated February 2006.

Quoted from the same letter:
"December 1, 2005. Special meeting to appoint Thomas Sholtis to the police deparment. W and K for E and L against."
And as noted in this same letter Mayor Ake had to vote to break the tie. And what did he vote? Of course. He voted for this cop because everyone deserves a second chance.

A second chance?
What did he do that says he needs a second chance?
Why would a cop vote no to a cop? (L stands for Linthicum and he is a cop.)
Why would two councilors vote no?

Look it up here for yourself:
http://164.64.40.11/caselookup/jsp/CaseLookupSearch.jsp

00 he and the city of Albuquerque were sued
TO RECOVER DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A DEPRIVATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, VIOLATION OF THE NEW MEXICO TORT CLAIMS ACT, AND PERSONAL INJURY

And also in 00
COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES, DECLARATORY & INJUNCTIVE RELIEF FOR VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE CIVIL RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

And if that isn't enough Also in 00 with the same defendents a law suit for
FILING COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM PERSONAL INJURY
AND FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY TRAIN AND SUPERVISE

02 he and the city of Albuquerqe were sued
"TO RECOVER TO DAMAGES DUE TO DEPRIVATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND VIOLATIONS OF THE NEW MEXICO TORT CLAIMS ACT"

In other words he did something wrong when he arrested someone not once, twice or three times but many times. What else did a background check show up that we are not privy to?

Is this the type of men the police department hires?
Is this tye type of man you want stopping your daughter on the streets?
Is this type of man you want driving through your neighborhoods?
Is this the best Bosque Farms can afford? A cop that puts you in danger any time you get stopped?

It seems so. "Just Here" included a link in one of her/his (?) comments on this blog that was an article about a different Bosque Farms cop holding a gun on his wife. See that here: http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2006/02/unfinished-business.html
And then there is the chief himself who has admitted on tv to driving drunk.

Be careful out there when driving. Of course, Mr. Warden and other residents voted for the Councilors who voted these types of cops in...

A thought.

Complaisance renders a superior amiable, an equal agreeable,

and an inferior acceptable.

~Joseph Addison

_________________________________

We shall have no better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all those we have at present.

~ Thomas Alva Edison

The Police Department of Bosque Farms

This blog has had some interesting discussion about the Bosque Farms police department and police men.

Here is something that bothers both authors of this blog. Not everyone thinks Bosque Farms deserves the best it can get. And despite some comments to the contrary the good ole boy network is in place and functioning well.

To quote another reader.... This is SAD sad sad.

AND while not all police men in Bosque Farms have issues in their background, the ones that do have issues have big issues. Domestic Violence, Drinking and Driving and so on. And while there may have been changes in the department since the Chief is hired, the cops WANTED him. They wanted someone who had domestic violence issues that were ongoing, someone who should not even be carrying a gun, someone who drives while drunk and admits it. The cops themselves did not demand better.

"Detective Greg Jones said the decision was a "slap in the face" to Stidham and to the department. " And this: "Some of the officers were so frustrated with the council's decision that they were ready to interrupt Thursday's meeting and hand in their badges. They said their loyalty to Stidham stems from his loyalty to the officers" And this: I received letters from virtually every officer in the department supporting Joe as chief," Baldwin said. "I feel he is capable, and that's why I decided to make him chief.
http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/34601-08-23-03.html

Ask yourself, is there better our there? And does Bosque Farms deserve better? You bet.
This article points out that fact- there were 16 applicants. And an earlier comment pointed out some of the applicants were probably better qualified and had clean background checks.

The new Fire and Police Station

Having been out of town for business it was a pleasure to drive by and see the new Fire Station and Police Station. And isn't that wall lovely? It hides the old building behind that had the rotting wood vigas sticking out of the side of the wall. Those three flagpoles up against that wall look sharp.

Maybe the Council and Mayor will decide to use the space in front of the office for community events. They don't use the community center like it should be. Maybe this will be used. What could done here? Maybe if the readers of this blog brainstorm some ideas the Council and Mayor will use some of them?

a farmers market
a craft fair
a bike safety class for young kids (good police community police idea)
a safety fair for the whole family

The Piano Concert

A famous pianist gave a concert one time. His playing and timing was perfect. He played beautifully during the whole concert. Except there was one section where he made several mistakes, noticable mistakes. Many in the audience winced as he missed notes, hit wrong notes and generally did not play well. This lasted maybe all of three or four minutes from the hours long concert. The start was lovely, the ending was superb and much of the middle was perfect. He simply made a few mistakes.

What do you suppose the critics said in the paper the next day? What do you suppose those that attended the concert remembered the most about the piano playing?

The five minutes (or less) where he made mistakes.

The same holds true for the Bosque Farms Police Department. They do good work and many of them are good men who have not made mistakes or who have worked to overcome their poor decisions of the past. They have learned their lessons and earned the trust of those of us in the community. But there are a few who have been mistakingly hired. They have made mistakes before they were hired and they haven't demonstrated they have learned their lesson and earned the trust of John Q. Public yet.

This blog is just like the critic. It appreciates the employees and volunteers who provide a quality service for little appreciation and little, if any, pay. However, it is the few with problems that this author was able to find with minimal searching that stand out.

The tax payers have paid for a quality service and have settled for less than the best. This blog is merely asking why? Why would the Council and Mayor not represent us as they were hired to do? Why would they not hire the highest quality possible? Doesn't Bosque Farms and those of us who live here deserve better?

Response to "Claremont" Part Two

"Claremont" said "You say that the whole department is bad, then you say there are only a couple of bad apples in the bunch. Which is it? Look into the back ground of the cops in your town..."

This blog has not said the whole department is bad, nor has it said there is only a couple of bad apples in the bunch. But using your language do not forget "One bad apple ruins the bunch".

The problem is that this "the bad apple" (or two or three) is what people remember and this is what people know about the Police Department of Bosque Farms.

You expect others to look into the back ground of the cops in Bosque Farms. And that is exactly what this author has done with two or three of the cops. It should not be the job of this blog to do background checks but of the Village Council and Mayor.

Are they doing background checks? It seems doubtful. With minimal effort a background check on two or three of the cops hired, including the chief himself, showed many problems. Are they doing their job? Protecting those of us who live here? If so they must simply not care about the same types of things many people do care about.

A Response to "Claremont"

"Claremont" had a lot to say and the author of this blog post does too.

Clarement said: "These officers that you complain about, how many of them have been in trouble since coming to Bosque Farms?'

Who knows?? When drinking and driving and admitting it on television isn't a problem, when a judge finds your wife has reason to have a domestic violence restraining order against you, when you can break someones arm when they are arrested and when you can have lawsuits that there is enough reason to settle out of court on you is not considered a problem; Who Knows?

Have they done something that needs be 'swept under the rug'? Who knows? The chief might. But what he considers a problem and what others consider a problem is different it seems. And the question you need to ask yourself is do you trust him to do the right thing if there is a problem? You can only hope.

Claremont said: " When they constantly get bashed, they will have the thoughts to leave their police department to move on. You have pushed that move."
Really? This blog? This blog would push someone to go to a different department? It seems that having 50% of the Council vote against them would be a big clue that some people want better in this Village. Many of the commentators on this blog "Spotman1" and "land lady" and yourself have defended the police so maybe it all evens out.

Furthermore, What you say and what "Spotman1" says are two different things and "Spotman1" claims to be a policeman. (or woman) Here is what "Spotman1" says "why do you think those "young guys" that get trained and certified here, leave??? Because of better benefits, better equipment and MORE PAY." Which is it? They leave because someone is watching and unhappy? Or they leave because they want better benefits, equipment and pay? Of course, benefits includes training and according to you they have lots of that.

In fact, a quick phone call to the state police department shows they have more openings than Bosque Farms does right now. And before you rush to say 'of course they are a bigger department' they have more openings by percentage than Bosque Farms. The pay is good, probably better than Bosque Farms, the benefits fine, training included and yet they can't seem to hire enough men. Why is that? Do they require more work for the pay? Do they have high standards and the cops here can't get hired on there?

Claremont also said "Next time you see that ex-council member, ask him how many Deputies have been given a second chance at BCSO, and how many of those incidents were pushed under a rug. " What that has to do with Bosque Farms is NOTHING. It seems you are trying to confuse the issue. What? BCSO gives someone a second chance so Bosque Farms should give someone a second, third or fourth chance? The real problem is as, "Been Around" has stated, the Council is hiring cops who ALREADY have problems. They are not looking at a clean record and hiring someone and giving him or her a second chance after they have been hired. They are hiring someone who already has a problem and who knows how many second or third or fourth chances they were given in their previous department.

The key points of the dialogue in the posts made by this author are this:

• Bosque Farms officials are elected and are expected to take care of the residents. NOT the cops. They are expected to represent US, those of us who live here. The Mayor and the Council's primary responsibility is to the Village residents and secondary to that the Village employees.
• That means hiring the best people they can hire for all departments.
• Some of the cops working now have questionable backgrounds that a novice can find with minimal searching. This is unacceptable.

What happens when....?

???????

• What happens when a cop who has a domestic violence restraining order placed on him goes on a call for domestic violence?

Does he turn a blind eye to the horror? Does he let the man take a walk around the block before going back in the house to beat his wife some more?

• What happens when a cop who has admitted to driving drunk on tv pulls someone over for driving drunk?

Does he garner the respect of the person being stopped? Does he let the drunk driver go to drive again?

• What is supposed to happen if you are driving drunk and a cop?

APD recently fired not only the cop who was driving drunk but the cop who covered it up. Hey! Maybe they will be Bosque Farms next officers?! Mayor Ake can give them a second chance.

• What is supposed to happen if you are a cop with a domestic violence restraining order on your record?

You can't carry a gun. How do you have a cop that can not carry a gun? As long as the restraining order is current you can not carry a gun. You are breaking a federal law if you do carry a gun. But come to Bosque Farms if you are a cop that can't carry a gun, the Councilors and Mayor Ake will overlook that and put you in a position of power.

http://www.prisoners.com/copguns.html

So if a city or a county can make every toilet a pay toilet what else can they tax?

It is hard to think of anything isn't it?
But here are some things other communities make you do that Bosque Farms hasn't taken advantage of yet.

• Register your pet and pay a fee to do so.
  
• Register your bike and pay a fee to do so.
  
• Pay to be a member of a Fire Protection Area.
  
• Charge more tax for soda fountain drinks (coke in a glass) than bottled drinks.
  

And all of this could occur on top of increasing water rates (and some readers of this blog applaud that idea), increasing gross reciept taxes, increasing sewer rates and so on.

If you don't think that will happen in Bosque Farms, ask yourself what will happen if the Village Councilors spend all the money in the bank. Ask the residents in Charles County MD if they expected the toilets in their own home would be taxed?

If you don't think that the money will run out listen to Councilor Wallace. In defence of spending money on some minor thing Councilor Wallace once listed the day end total of cash on hand from one year and from one year later and used this as a defence for spending money. Not once taking into account the checks that hadn't been cleared, the money that was marked for spending (such as the money for the Fire Department that could ONLY be spent on the Fire Station.) Her complete lack of understanding of the budget and willingness to spend tax payer money is reason to worry.

This blog hopes that Councilor Proctor will continue to be an independent voice and stand strong and convince other Councilors that

More information about little known taxes here:

http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/31/pf/taxes/strangetaxes/index.htm?cnn=yes

In Honor of April Fool's Day

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/

The top ten April Fool's Day Hoaxes.