Blast Proof Communications Center

Wasting Time with P&Zers

Tax Receipts UP UP UP

April 03, 2008

Last night’s Wed. April 2 monthly meeting of the Town’s P&Zers was remarkable for presenting incomplete packages and could have been called “The Lost Detail.� The commission asked for a variety of paperwork, which was unavailable, forcing it to make what appeared to be knee-jerk decisions.

On item no 5.A.; there was a demolition and building permit missing from the packet.

On item 6.A. not only was the packet missing, due to the item having been tabled from Oct. 2007, but the application was incomplete in its request for a variance, due to incomplete history of prior use. Commissioners kindly advised the applicant, an alleged lawbreaker, who had built a structure without a permit—on a piece of property of about .02 acres—how to possibly remedy the problem. We'll help you manipulate the regs, buddy. We're pros.

On Item 6.B. the applicant for a change of use for an office within a commercial building—call it molehill regs—was told the application form was incomplete and didn’t include a “stated use.� From the discussion, it appeared that some sort of “healer� (practicing medicine without a license?) operation with special machines needed to use a portion of an historically commercial building with plenty of parking but hadn’t submitted a “parking plan.� Put a desk in your building and ask permission to have an office. Say what?

These three tiny applications took about two hours.

Then the really big project came up: The so-called E911 Command Center, which took hardly anytime at all in comparison to the tiny projects above.

Architect Don May presented the project as a fortress with wall architecture to be built south of the Masonic Hall, north of the rock-lined drainage channel, east of the Don Fernando Hotel, and west of Gusdorf—with a 128-foot setback for a parking lot to accommodate the press in the event of an emergency. In appearance the architect described it as a Pueblo style 25-foot earthen structure, which will have 8-12 foot high walls surrounding it for “functional security� reasons in the event terrorists and vandals attack the dispatch center.

Sold to the community by KCE CEO Luis Reyes as a public safety facility for combined communication, the architect ominously said the material of the walls will possess special force-hardened material and will have surveillance cameras to warn of encroaching raiders. Due to its earth-like mottled appearance or camouflage exterior, as described by the architect, the facility will hardly be visible and would be tucked away into the earth. He also said it would be “blast proof� and able to withstand a 200 ton TNT bomb.

And the architect asked for a number of variances: parking, architecture, height, etc. P&Zer Chair Jim Thompson asked if there was a federal “site criteria� available for the commission to study. Commissioner Fred Robbins noted that “Taos is an art colony� and the walls might present an opportunity for graffiti creativity. Certainly, the vast walls would present an opportunity for competing artists from local gangs like BST and VCA. You can protest the variances at the next hearing. The P&Zers appeared to swallow the project whole.

While improving communication and possibly housing 17 local, state, and federal agencies, the fortress-like nature of the facility and the deep sonorous tones of the architect reminded me of the way the national government is selling fear to the local populace—now for the sake of P&Z variances. As I watched the polite but bemused faces of Commissioners like Zeke Tapia, Josepha Cruz, and Fred Robbins, I think I detected a bit of the "are you kidding me?"

A parking lot for the press? Blast walls? Terrorists in Taos? Were they thinking about elected officials who terrorize constituents with bad decisions or gang bangers who shoot each other? Or maybe Coop trustees, whose discussions can turn the boardroom into a hostile work environment and force members to take it out to the parking lot?

Apparently Homeland Security’s concern for Taosenos isn’t limited to the Crypto-Arab Chicano Barber from El Prado.


From the Desk of Cathy Connelly

1) Monday, April 7, 2008, the expansion of Town Hall will begin in earnest. This is the construction related to the Town Hall expansion – work that should take approximately a year to complete and will approximately double useable Town Hall space. This effort will restrict parking in the Town Hall parking lot, and at least initially will require the movement of Town Hall’s main public entrance to its side entrance (on the Taos Public Library side). Signage will be evident to assist the public. The Farmer’s Market (Saturday mornings starting in May) will be accommodated either in Parr Field (the School District’s field across from Town Hall’s parking) and/or in the remaining Town Hall and Library parking areas. Landscaping, as it is disturbed, will be relocated (given that it is mature and can survive) and reused, and/or new plantings will occur at the conclusion to construction. Any additional information required about this construction effort should be directed to Mauro Rosales, Director, Town of Taos Buildings Department, 751-2044, mrosales@taosgov.com. Mr. Rosales is overseeing the construction effort and its general contractor. Patricia Trujillo, Special Projects, is also assisting with the coordination and communication effort, 737-2630, ptrujillo@taosgov.com.


2) A new Fiscal Agency Policy for the Town of Taos and the nonprofits who ask for the Town to function as their fiscal agent for State appropriations, grants and other funding has been approved. Nonprofits will be required to apply with the Town for this status during the month of May (rather than in an as-needed fashion throughout the year). So, if you’re connected to a nonprofit who may request this of the Town anytime during the coming fiscal year, July through June of 2008-09, contact Francella Garcia, Grants Administrator, Finance Department, 751-2029, fgarcia@taosgov.com about application. Details and a copy of the new policy will be available in the next couple of weeks per the Town of Taos Legal Department. The policy will be advertised/communicated in a variety of ways, but this is an early ‘heads up’ for members of the media, nonprofits, and the public.


3) Town of Taos Lodger’s Tax Receipts: Yesterday, Town of Taos Finance Department reported at the Council Briefing Meeting that as of February 29, 2008, its Lodger’s Tax Year-To-Date revenues, based on actual occupancy when compared to the same period last year were up by 19.34%. This represents $743,198 in revenues paid to the Town by Lodger’s Tax from the first of July, 2007 through the end of February 2008 (The Town’s fiscal year is July through June).

Lodger’s Tax revenues are usually reported a month after they occur – i.e., January revenues are reported in February. However, in reference to the number cited, these are indeed year to date revenues through February, based on February occupancy. Moving forward, the Town of Taos is working with area stakeholders to prepare monthly reports on Lodger’s Tax and Gross Receipts Tax revenues/reports that will be available to the public and help everyone examine consistently what is happening in these areas. This statistic is provided as the beginning to that ongoing reporting process.


4) Town of Taos calendar highlights as of April 2, 2008 (Changes/additions may occur to this schedule; check with this office or Town Clerk Renee Lucero, 75102995, rlucero@taosgov.com).

Council Special Meeting 9 a.m., Thursday, April 3, Council Chambers – Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) proposed by Departments for 08-09; Council priorities and goals. Agenda already distributed. 11 a.m., Groundbreaking for Town Hall construction by Mayor/Council at Town Hall – photo opportunity.


Council Special/Workshop Meeting 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 8, Council Chambers (agenda to follow)

Council Special Meeting 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Wednesday, April 10, Council Chambers – Focus is briefing by Griffin & Associates re: Taos Marketing

Special Joint Town/County Meeting, Monday, 9 a.m., April 14, Council Chambers – Primary focus is recycling. Landfill Board meeting (tour for officials, media; RSVPs essential due to limited transportation space – call Janice at 751-4459; public tours available throughout the year – just call to be placed on the tour list), 9 a.m., Quail Ridge Inn parking lot; meeting to follow at Quail Ridge at approximately 11 a.m. to 12 noon; Intergovernmental Committee Meeting (IGC) of Enchanted Circle stakeholders same place at 1 p.m. These organizations are not agendized by the Town of Taos, although we participate.

Regular Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 15, Council Chambers (agenda to follow).

Joint Town/County Regular Meeting, 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 30, Taos County Commission Chambers. Among other topics, the North Central Regional Transit District (RTD) will be discussed and their proposed item on the November 2008 election ballot to increase Taos County taxation to pay for increased transportation services in a four county area; update on renovation, potential new uses, and provision of new public restrooms in Taos County’s Old County Courthouse, etc. (agenda to follow).
Preliminary May, 2008 dates –

Council/Staff Budget Retreats in Council Chambers -- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 5, and 9 a.m. to 12 noon May 7

Management Team Meeting/Agenda Meeting, 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 7 (check on location)

Council Workshop Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 13, Council Chambers
Regular Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 20, Council Chambers

5) 8 a.m. to 12 noon, Saturday, April 19th is the Annual Town of Taos ‘Trek for Trash’ Clean Up, headed by Parks Division Supervisor Dennis Martinez. Town staff work with nonprofit groups, which receive a small grant contribution to assist, on this Town-wide trash clean up effort, and the public is welcome to participate – just contact Dennis Martinez at 751-2020, dmartinez@taosgov.com. As part of this clean up effort, Town residents are also encouraged to bring their trash, yard waste, old appliances, and other items to dispose of for free from 8 a.m. to 12 noon that day to the Town of Taos Public Works yard, 1030 Dea St. (near Walmart).

6) The Town of Taos Municipal Court is now able to take online payments via the internet for penalty assessments (including parking tickets). The web site is http://www.citepayuse.com. Payers need to enter their date of birth, ordinance number/citation number or case number, and correct payment amounts when paying in this fashion.

7) The Youth & Family Center ice skating rink is closed for the season. This came after a great end of the Taos Ice Hockey season – with two weekends of the Taos Coyote Classic Hockey Invitational bringing literally 3,000+ visitors to the Taos area.


8)Taos Public Library’s May activities will include a planned ‘hands on’ demonstration to be organized in conjunction with the New Mexico Archaeological Society – a new and different type of program. Details to follow. As May approaches, contact Library staff and Director George Jaramillo for further details, 737-2391, and check the Library’s web site, http://www.taoslibrary.org.


9) A few weeks ago, the Town of Taos Public Works department set up a special phone number, 575-751-2042, and email address, pothole@taosgov.com, for reporting area potholes. Staff has recorded 4 calls and 7 emails – only two of which were potholes on streets under Town of Taos jurisdiction. The other reports have been relayed to Taos County and the State of New Mexico Department of Transportation for action. As soon as the weather changes consistently enough, the potholes within the Town’s jurisdiction will be repaired in a more permanent fashion. This also goes for striping the applicable areas on the 57 miles of Town streets. The Town’s Public Works Department is also pointedly communicating with the State about the need to expedite their schedule for ‘spring repair’ of their street sections within the Town, such as Paseo del Pueblo Norte and Sur, Kit Carson, etc.