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From the day I was sworn in I've been sworn at but this time it's warranted. I made a statement that liberals "don't believe in God..." To my liberal friends I'm apologetic. I painted with a broad brush and was wrong. Cowboys wear hats, beggars pass hats, and politicians talk through their hats. My hat was not on my head that time. The statement was mean as humor but if you hurt someone it's not funny. I'm sorry and ask you to forgive me?

Lincoln County Solid Waste Authority (LCSWA) is still an issue, Before I kick this door down, I'll go on record saying, the employees of LCSWA are doing a good job. However, if you read "the little paper" from our neighboring town, you'd think the only thing happening in our community is the grand work of the LCSWA. Anytime I'm on any agenda, anywhere, and dare mention that they be restructured under state law, an outcry arises from the official LCSWA cheerleaders, droning "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Have they noticed Ruidoso has pulled out? Do they not hear the Carrizozo Mayor saying he's not happy? "The little paper" points an accusing finger at Chief Vega of Carrizozo, like he's a heretic for asking questions, for which he can't get answers. Tiring of this, Carrizozo is also talking of pulling out, thus weakening the authority. When your customers are leaving a city at a time, it might be "broke".

Yesterday the village received a legal opnion from Steve Bell, an attorney we hired to answer two important questions on this issue, (1) the legality of LCSWA's rate-making authority; and (2) the conflict between the rates and the Village ordinance. Mr. Bell says (1) the board of LCSWA cannot legally set rates unless they are elected officials as the state law sets forth.; and (2) LCSWA cannot legally charge a rate in excess of that set by Village ordinance.

I 've said publicly I have a proplem with the administration and rate-setting procedures of LCSWA, and their conflict with the duly enacted ordinance of this Village. The rate set by LCSWA is at odds with the Village ordinance. This leaves me to wonder why we continue to enact laws when we already have more then we can break?

Now, I feel I'm left with no recourse and have to enforce a law I am handed. On July 24. 2002, 1 sent a letter to Capitan Trustees, and the chairman of LCSWA advising them in August I shall order our billing clerk to set the rate for trash pickup at $9.25, bring the billing in line with the law, This cowboy will bet you his hat this issue will resurface like a top water minnow.

Government needs help sometimes. In July of 1957, the young village of Capitan had an eye toward the future. With hat in hand, they asked the folks on Cora Dutton Road for help. For one dollar and the promise of a water tap they allowed Capitan to run a much needed pipeline through their land. At a time we were in need, those people outside the village helped. Now their water is being threatened. Since March I've asked the Trustees for policy on this issue. Not seeing any movement I wrote a letter to the board, stating our inability to make a decision is about to constitute an emergency. If the pump is not ordered by that date these people on the hill with have their water shut off. We have blown through three deadlines with no decision and there'll not be another. I advised the board on August 16, 2002 at 2 pm, I shall be forced, for the protection of the Village, to declare those people "grand fathered" in as customers of the Village water system, Last night during a special meeting on this issue I again asked the board for policy on rather to order the pump. I asked for policy in the form of a vote since they are a policy making board. I got no vote and no decision. If I don't receive direction in the form of a policy from the policy making board before August 16, I'll order the village water superintendent Terry Cox to place an emergency order and install the pump. I do not want to be forced into that decision.

Mayor and Trustees alike have felt the heat of this issue. We fight over a six thousand dollar pump, and the cost of running that pump, Buckley Zumwalt of Otero Electric estimates the cost to be a maximum of $30 a month. To put the numbers in perspective I cut $12,000 a year worth of cell phones my first month in office. According to figures Trustee Tipton has laboriously computed, the village has made a 103% profit on the Bonita pipeline. I can't see the problem, but as a Trustee they must have a consensus on the issue. I feel their combined wisdom will soon have a solution to this problem. Let them know what you think.

Our village and school continue to work on the flashing school zone light. It'll not be in on the first day of school. We're having trouble getting parts but this project will happen.

Now that our water project is winding down and our road crews are about to retake control, I thank you. I know it has been very inconvenient, and you have taken it in stride.

Know that I received a complaint for writing about those pesky "flying monkeys" last month. The offended party jokingly admitted to being a card carrying member of the flying monkey squad. They thought the title of "flying monkey", was funny and said they wore it proudly. A flying monkey made me smile and I must be in Oz.

Everything I write is not official policy, it's what's rattling in my head at the time. It's this cowboy's way of letting you know while you're at work we're down here greasing the skids, It's a fun, throw open the door, see the warts, Mr. Toad's wild ride on paper. I write to break up the seriousness of receiving a water and a much talked about trash bill (sorry, I couldn't help myself). If you know me, you know I believe life is too short to stay mad, too funny to be sad, and begs to have fun poked at it. I poke fun at the Trustees, but respect their office, I poke fun at politicians, but I don't understand them. I poke fun at "the little paper", laughing with and at them. I poke fun at the flying monkeys, they're too easy, I poke fun at myself, I'm too easy. I'll poke fun at anything that crosses my radar. That's who I am, I'd rather laugh then cry. If you don't believe life's funny, just look at who's sitting next to you. So now, after much thought, and with a smile I say to the flying monkeys, "Call WHINE- 1 - 1, you little winged-rodents".

You should know about another humorous thing that made me smile. If you lift "the little paper" read Ruth's column called "thoughts". Then take the first letter of every paragraph putting them together, it always spells something. It's funny and takes some thought. I wondered who would be smart enough to do that? Does it just work that way? Could I make it happen in the Mayors Report? No way, it would take a pure genius to pull that off?

Smiling in the face of trouble denotes either you're nuts or covered by insurance, so smile.

Steven M. Sederwall; Mayor