Here is hoping...

This author will admit it but when the former Mayor Baldwin walked into a local eatery here in town with his pet pig, and the waiters and waitresses fawned over the pigs this author walked out and hasn't gone back.

Here is hoping this link works. More importantly this author is hoping that Mr. Baldwin will consider getting one of these cute mini pigs. At least he can put these in his pocket if he decides to bring it in to a place to eat.

http://abcnews.go.com/international/popup?id=3737833&contentIndex=1&page=9&start=false

Sorry

This blog has been updated spottily at best lately. This author apologizes. This author has been very busy with the lovely spring weather, helping neighbors get their yard going again, and generally being busy.

This author apologizes and will try to get back to daily thoughts and updates.

This author has been thinking about who to vote for in the County elections. As readers will no doubt guess, this author is not going to vote for Councilor Wallace.

Is there anyone that is going to vote for her?

Looking for Clarification.

We were having a discussion about Non Profits and Grants and Councilor Wallace lobbying for these non profits to recieve gifts of cash from the state representatitves.

This author is of the opinion that it probably shouldn't be Councilor Wallace's place to lobby for funding for non profits when there are too many of our own needs. The conversation ended with "El Tigre" stating that any money given to a non profit group helps us.

What difference does it make? A grant to them is good for the Village

And that is where it has sat, until now. So this author is asking for more clarification. Expand on your brief sentence and tell us what you mean. Change our minds, tell us how how it is good for Councilor Wallace to lobby on behalf of a non- profit group.

http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2008/04/another-thought-about-raising-funds.html

Trigo Fire

This author is sending wet wishes to the fire fighters. Thanks to the fire fighters who are up there doing that hot sweaty work.

http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/79512-04-19-08.html

http://www.koat.com/news/15940936/detail.html

To Do List Updated

This list has been ongoing for a long time now. In other words, the current Councilors should be aware of these problems and they either don't care, don't see them as a problem, or they don't know how to take care of these problems.

________________________

--- The police chief needs to be fired.

http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2008/03/police.html



--- Wi-Fi Service needs to be set up and provided to those who live in the Village.



--- An emergency evacuation plan needs to be developed.



--- The library needs to be open more: longer hours, later nights, weekends.



--- A plan for animals in case of emergency needs to be developed.



--- The take home car policy needs to be evaluated and the numbers and facts need to be considered before continuing this program.



--- A Master Calendar needs to be developed and important dates need to be noted and planned for ahead of time. (for National Night Out, Yearly Garage Sale Day..)



--- The park bathrooms need to be available and vandalism limiting methods considered.



--- The Community Center needs to be used for everyone in the community- ALL year long.(Credit for the Council for budgeting for and keeping it going a limited summer recreation program. This needs to be improved and expanded.)



--- The Horse Path Committee is doing what? The public needs to be updated.



--- Arsenic needs to be taken out of our water. *In blue because based on testing it is done* This author will note though that the next rounding of testing may put this Village back in the position of needing to do this again.



--- The levees need to be evaluated. The Corp. of Engineers, the MRGCD, and the Village need to work together to make this occur and to possibly prevent flooding.



--- An adopt a road or adopt a neighborhood program needs to be developed.



--- The Property Law needs to be completed and passed.



--- FEMA needs to be petitioned to take Bosque Farms OUT of the flood plain.



--- The Current hiring and background check policy needs to be rewritten and clarified.



--- The Fireworks Ordinance needs to be considered now (Not in July!)



--- 911 Service needs to be considered and some method of insuring that those calling from cell phones will get service as soon as possible.



--- A policy needs to be developed about who can use this Community Center for free or fee and when. (Such as 4H getting free use for picking up trash, why can't other groups?)



--- The results of the pay comparison have been turned in, now a pay raise policy needs to be developed. This is back to black. The pay comparison is finished but the employees need to see the results and a policy needs to be developed.



--- The librarian needs to be told to not bring her dog to the library. The general public would not be allowed to do the same, it is not a seeing or hearing helping dog so it needs to be out.



--- The Economic Development Committee needs to start developing economics and they need to start talking to people who want to talk to them.



--- The budget needs to include items for the fire department: training, equipment, a new truck. (Not an old new to us truck).



--- A balanced budget needs to be developed with incentives to employees to save money (by providing ideas for saving water, energy etc), to work within their department budget, and to write grants for other funds.

Water Plan

This author was interested to read an article and learn that there is a Valencia County Water plan. Just sharing it with you for information sake.



http://www.valenciawaterplan.org/



The one thing this author particularly likes about the water plan here is that you can comment online. There haven't been many comments though.

New Mexico

http://www.newmexico.gov/


Here is a quick link for you. If you are interested in seeing what the state of New Mexico is doing and our 'illustrious' governor has to say then visit this site.

Transportation Plans

This author read the article about the new/updated transportation plan. This would be the same group that tried to put a bridge in Bosque Farms at one point. A bridge on paper, a plan for a bridge, eventually a bridge.



You can read an overview of the plan and presentation in this article:



http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/79114-04-05-08.html



Or you can go visit the Council of Governments website and read the whole plan. You can also find out when and where the plan can be reviewed and public comment can be made. And Look! There is one in the next few days.



http://www.mrcog-nm.gov/content/view/186/210/

Power LInes Overhead

One of the authors saw this article and wondered...

Cows are dying and some farmers (in another state) say it is overhead power lines.

It's a slow, painful tortuous death, is what it is for them," said Siewert, who with his father, Harlan, owns Siewert Holsteins in Zumbro Falls. "It's like watching someone die of AIDS."
But Siewert contends it's not disease that's killing his cows. It's electricity. Specifically, it's something called "stray voltage" from a nearby Xcel power line. He has filed a $4 million lawsuit in Wabasha County District Court against Xcel.



And there is this one sentence that made the author wonder- is this something Bosque Farms should worry about?




Stray voltage is a real phenomenon. New York City, with its aging infrastructure and growing electrical needs, sees the problem often. Consolidated Edison recorded 1,214 incidents of stray voltage in 2005. Among the deaths attributed to it was a woman stepping on a metal plate...

http://www.startribune.com/business/13489261.html







It sure would be nice to get rid of overhead power lines. They are ugly and do nothing for economic development and now it seems they cause health issues.

Of course, there are these articles as well
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s175.htm

Low Voter Turn Out

This author got curious. "El Tigre" made the comment that low voter turn out typically means people are happy with the way things are going and with the current elected officials.

This author has mulled this over and thought about this comment and has decided that this comment is not necessarily so.

Why was voter turn out low during this last election? Who knows. But here are some reasons why the turn out might have been low:

• It seemed, based on the Council's campainging, there were no contentious issues to be worried about in the near future.



• The current Council has done nothing to upset anyone in the near past.
  

These two things may have resulted in a general sense of malais, a sense of not much to worry about so why bother.

Other reasons:

• Not many people were running so it didn't matter if you voted. This is particularly true as no one was opposing the Mayor. Based on a quick look at past elections in the News-Bullitin, Mayoral elections seem to bring in more voters.



• Voter turn out is low period. All elections are bringing in fewer voters and there is no reason to think it is because everyone is happy with public officials across the board.

Here are other articles that give other reasons for why voter turn out might be low in different elections. This author particularly wants to point out that the article below suggests that an increase in consumerism, television, etc results in lower civic pride and a sense of doing one's civic duty.

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/06/get.out.the.vote/index.html

"Really" Lays it on the line.

Well said "Really". It is dissapointing that more didn't run for Mayor this last election. This is the type of thing that this author has been screaming about. Those of us who live here deserve better.



... He also mentioned that the marked cars were a deterent to criminals who might be in the Village.

NOW, has anyone seen the NEW police vehicle that the chief drives? The new Dodge Charger, which is UNMARKED, (except for the government license plate) and has really dark windows. As a senior, if I was in trouble and I called for the police, and an unmarked car with an un-uniformed person showed up, I'll be damned if I would let such a person in my house. And that folks, is the kind of "police chief" the Village has and has had now going into his fifth year as chief.

The current mayor had his chance to eliminate Joe Stidham from the Village force over four years ago, but instead, made Joe Stidham "chief". This was a man who had had two(2) domestic abuse charges filed against him; driving while intoxicated charges filed against him; and last but not least, charges of brawling in a bar charges filed against him. Instead of terminating Joe Stidham, Mayor Ake promoted him to "chief".

....



http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2008/03/police.html

Another Thought About Raising Funds

El Tigre" said

Boy are you screwed up on this one. The Rodeo Association is a non profit. Seems to me I have heard of Gov money that benefits non profits. In fact, most non profits get more than 50% of their funding from the Gov. (a five second Google search will reveal the truth of that statement) She is only doing her job on behalf of a Bosque Farms entity that contributes greatly to our quality of life. Legal, above board, beneficial and wise. GO DOLLY!!



http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2008/03/two-offices.html



Maybe "El Tigre" has a point. Maybe the Council, and maybe Councilor Wallace specifically should lobby for non profits.

But let's be clear, what she does for one, she should do for all. That would be the fair thing to do. It was also be the equitable thing. Surely she can't say 'this one is good, I like horses so I'll support the Rodeo Association, but I don't like (insert your own name here) and I don't like the athiest religion so I won't lobby for that. ' If she were to pick and choose like that when all non profits need the help, then it would look like favoritism.

Remember, Councilor Wallace was chosen to represent everyone. She should represent everyone. If she chooses to do that through helping special interest groups, then by all means, do so, but do it so that everyone is represented. That is her job.

So here are just a few of the non profits she can lobby for:

http://mill-valley.freemasonry.biz/marin_knights_pythias.htm



Yes, look carefully, this article is not from Bosque Farms. However, this is one group that is in Bosque Farms. There are others. In fact there are some right down by Councilor Wallace's place. Maybe she'd like to see those expand...

Maybe she'd like to see the Village compete with all of these special interests for the few for the limited funds available?

What the heck maybe Councilor Wallace can lobby for more non profits to move into Bosque Farms so she has more to lobby for?

Non Profits and Councilor Wallace

"El Tigre" said
Boy are you screwed up on this one. The Rodeo Association is a non profit. Seems to me I have heard of Gov money that benefits non profits. In fact, most non profits get more than 50% of their funding from the Gov. (a five second Google search will reveal the truth of that statement) She is only doing her job on behalf of a Bosque Farms entity that contributes greatly to our quality of life. Legal, above board, beneficial and wise. GO DOLLY!!

To clarify, "El Tigre" believes that this author screwed up by complaining that Councilor Wallace was chasing funding for a non profit group, the rodeo association. Really?

1. Councilor Wallace is supposed to represent those of us who live here. Not everyone who lives here is a member of the Rodeo Association.
2. By using time at a dinner put on by Bosque Farms with the elected state representatives to lobby for funds for a different group rather than the group she is supposed to be lobbying fund for, she's not doing her job.
3. If Councilor Wallace wants to lobby for the Rodeo Association, she should do so when she's not representing us specifically. Even better, the Rodeo Association can lobby for themselves.

Non Profit Organizations

This should give some of you, those who grasp the implications, a chill.

Did you know there are non profit organizations in your area? Many are probably right on your street.

That is not so bad right? The Rodeo Arena is a non profit organization, it's a good place. Girl Scouts are cute, they are a non profit organization.

Ahh. But so are churches. Mega Churches, small churches, even medium sized churches. A church can buy a house and make it a drug recovery home and that is non profit. A church can be ok or it can then open up a day care center, have midnight dances for teens to keep them out of trouble and so on.

You can go to this website and look up nonprofits by zip, name, etc. Recognize that this author is not sure how these are tracked and there are some obvious ones missing from this list but it will give you an idea of the ones that are out there.

http://www.melissa.com/lookups/np.asp?zip=bf