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Mayor’s Report

February 2006

Stinkin’ Thinkin’, it could be what kills us in the end.     

 

Last week one of our regular malcontents came into Village Hall, climbed up on his soapbox to proclaimed, “We had a deficit when he got here and now we’re in the red.”  He was talking about me and you have to smile at that one.  My Grandpa said an argument can never surpass the intelligences of the dumbest guy in the argument.  I wasn’t there when this happened and my staff saw no need to explain to the malcontent the word “deficit” means “an excess of debt” or that you’re in “the red”. It was obvious this guy’s threshold of intelligence was being crowded if not surpassed and there was no need to argue.  Here are the facts.    

 

Four years ago we cut nearly $1,200 a month just in cell phone bills; we switched from a .35 cent a minute long distance plan to a 5 cent plan.  Since no one has traveled to Washington D.C. or Vegas this board had money to fund more gravel for the roads, and began a much needed “dust abatement program”.   The Trustees found funding for a storm drainage system to put water in the creek rather then in the living rooms of those that live in the core.  A flashing light was installed warning drivers they are approaching a school zone, something not achieved in 10 years of trying.  A bulk water station is being built beside Village Hall for those who buy bulk water from us. 

 

There was a $950,000 waste treatment plant recently finished at the edge of town.  Main, Valley View and Long Road are now chip seal, at a cost of $440,000.  In 2003 this village received $64,941, in 2004, $73,700, and 2005 we received $81,864 all for road improvements plus $50,000 for a community center.  For the first time since man walked upright, the Village of Capitan and the School are working together for the good of all and brought back nearly $500,000 from Santa Fe to build the baseball complex you see on highway 380.  That was all grant money, it DID NOT put us in the red.

 

Your staff at Village Hall has worked long hours and is requesting $392,000 for 2006-07 from the Legislators for a water line loop.  They’ve applied for $465,000 to drill a new water well on the other end of town.  We’ve asked for $625,000 for drainage improvements, $1,200,000 for road improvements and $775,000 to finish off the Community Center project.  We have also applied for a CDBG grant for March that is in the amount of $500,000 earmarked for a water project.

 

A previous board borrowed $1,400,000 for a water line but did not allow any new water taps to be connected, meaning the existing customers (that would be you)  must make the $39,318 a year payment.   Ruidoso leases 600 acre feet of water rights from Capitan for $60,000 a year.  Last week I wrote their Mayor saying we want that payment to come in line with the going rates for leased water, $560,000 per year, they were only ½ mill short on this deal. 

 

This past year, normal operations and an aging water system cost the Village $494,077.  The problem is we only brought in $455,718.  We would’ve been $38,359 in the red (that’s a deficit for the malcontent) but we cut a sweet deal with the Forest Service during the fire and sold water for .10 cents a gallon.  That deal made this village $175,534 in a few weeks.  So we came out $137,175 to the good.  A little footnote; we pumped water 24/7 for those weeks.  I’m told the water level rose 3 inches in that well. 

 

Let me break it down for you, this village is left with two choices for the future as it pertains to water; raise water rates or add more customers.    

 

<>We’re looking into what we’re calling the “Dawson Road Water Project”.   We’re working with an engineer to see if it’s feasible to build a water loop into the Coalera subdivision that would be from Dawson Road west.  There are about 110 homes out there with 40 more in a proposed subdivision to the north that we could sell water to at a rate of 150% of the normal rate.  Here are some of the questions we have already answered.    
 

• We have more then enough water rights to complete the project.   
• There is no discussion of annexation of the subdivision.  One reason is we do not want to maintain the roads out there. 

·        Those outside the village pay 150% of the water rate.

• The line would only require about 1,000 feet of easements.
• We are working up a plan with an engineer to present to you.   
• The project proposes an additional well for the Village.  If something happens to the one we now use we’d have a back-up system.
• We are now searching for the money.

<> Ruidoso is trying to annex into your backyard.  Their Mayor wants to take in everything he sees and everything next to it.  He’s using your water rights, paying little to nothing for them and that’s your water coming out of the ground but the money goes into their coffers, not yours.  Why aren’t we doing that?  

 

This village is not in the red, we have never been in the red or had a deficit, we’re not allowed by state law.  Because of an aging system it’s costing us more.  The question is do you want the Village to raise water rates or add customers?  Do you want a back up well or just risk it?  We have a meeting on February 7^th at 6:30 PM at the School on this issue.  We are open for good ideas but don’t bring any Stinkin’ Thinkin’.