The City of Truth or Consequences’ pamphlets, distributed throughout the area to encourage residents to recycle, has a long list of materials it claims it recycles, but doesn’t. Metals are the only recycling market the City has hit upon, but the return is insignificant. According to City documents, last fiscal year, from July 1, 2018 […]
Truth or Consequences’ recycling program is mostly a sham Read More »
Last month the City of Truth or Consequences City Commission decided to change how it calculates the “pass-through” or “energy cost adjustment” portion of its 4,300 customers’ bills, without passing an ordinance or even a motion, the change to be handled “administratively” by City Manager Morris Madrid. But Madrid revealed he doesn’t understand the new
Electric-rate calculation a mystery to TorC officials Read More »
The New Mexico Copper Corporation has all the approvals it needs to start mining at Copper Flat Mine, located outside of Hillsboro, but it lacks water to process the metal. NMCC has found a company that has agreed to lease it 2,400 acre feet a year of water for 10 years, beginning June 1, 2019
The City of Truth or Consequences has long used its utility-fee revenue to pay for city-wide expenses instead of churning that money back into the various utilities, but that practice is about to change, at least for the water and sewer departments, due to oversight that comes with loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Using utility-fee revenue as city cash machine will stop as requirement of USDA loan Read More »
As if the City’s $1-million purchase of smart meters is a forgone conclusion, the Truth or Consequences Public Utility Advisory Board took no notice of local residents’ push to ban them while discussing if utility-bill payers should be allowed to opt-out of having one. “Discussion related to AMI Smart Meters and option for customer to
A lobbyist won’t have a sheaf of resolutions proclaiming that a united front of local governments want a Spaceport America Welcome Center—the location unnamed—somewhere in Truth or Consequences. John Mulcahy, once mayor of Truth or Consequences and head of the Sierra County Economic Development Organization, recently returned to the area. He resigned his position as
Local lobbyist wanted, but didn’t get, support for Spaceport Welcome Center Read More »
The Sierra County Commission amended a resolution, getting rid of statements against Holloman Air Force Base dropping flares and chaff over National Forests and ranches, but maintained its position in favor of limiting flight-training and war games from expanding into Sierra County and the Gila National Forest. Holloman Air Force Base is taking public comment
Sierra County Commission supports limiting Holloman AFB airspace expansion Read More »
In an unexpected move the Truth or Consequences City Commission did not accept or reject the people’s initiative ordinance that seeks to put a 10-year moratorium on smart meters within the City’s utilities service area at the Dec. 11 meeting. The City Commission approved a $1-million purchase of smart meters for its 4,300 electric utility
The most important items on Sierra County Commission’s Dec. 17 meeting are a contract hiring a company to assess how to improve broadband service throughout the county, a resolution seeking to change pronghorn hunting to October, a resolution stating disfavor with Holloman Air Force Base’s plans to extend airspace over the Gila National Forest, and
Preview: Sierra County Commission’s Dec. 17 meeting Read More »
Sandra Whitehead was voted mayor again by four of the five Truth or Consequences City Commissioners, with only new Commissioner Amanda Forrister voting nay. The meeting was difficult to attend. It was broadcast on local radio station KCHS, with reception going in and out. The City agenda did not state how the meeting would be
Whitehead remains Truth or Consequences’ mayor Read More »
The Sierra County Commission unanimously passed a resolution that will go straight to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office asking her to give special consideration to Sierra County—which has no corona virus cases—allowing it to open up businesses while exercising precautions. Commissioners Travis Day and Frances Luna made it clear the County does not have the
Sierra County Commission passes resolution urging Governor to open all businesses Read More »
The City of Elephant Butte joined the ranks of local governments declaring an emergency over the corona virus pandemic at its April 15 meeting. Mayor Edna Trager said the declaration of emergency is necessary to seek reimbursement of emergency expenditures for the City and helps Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in seeking federal reimbursements. The emergency
Elephant Butte declares emergency Read More »
The Sierra County Commission meeting on April 21 is not open to physical attendance, but can be attended through live streaming and radio at 10 a.m at the following media locations: –Facebook: SCEmergency Services –Facebook: Sierra County Sentinel, KCHS Radio —YouTube.com: KCHS Radio –Twitter: KCHS Radio –Dish Network: Channel 371 on YouTube –Local radio station
Preview: Sierra County Commission April 21 meeting; Mexican wolf, opening up businesses Read More »
After nearly two months since the last regular meeting, the blankness of the Truth or Consequences City Commission’s April 22 agenda is further testament to the dearth of information being relayed to the public about the workings of its government. The agenda, unlike all other local governmental entities, doesn’t state what methods will be used
Unlike the City of Truth or Consequences’ yearly audit, the City of Elephant Butte’s was a deep-dive, the auditing firm handing out findings left and right for fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, and as a result the City has righted or is righting its practices. Ashley Tierney of Beasley Mitchell & Company gave the
Elephant Butte audit findings are bad, but financial position improved Read More »
Truth or Consequences turned its audit into the State late, so it wasn’t published until late March, about two months later than usual. The recent audit is for fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018 and ending June 30, 2019, so the information is more than nine months old. This is the third and last year,
Truth or Consequences audit for year ending June 30, 2019: five findings Read More »
The State’s Mining and Minerals Division has such strong doubts the New Mexico Copper Corporation won’t get the water rights needed to operate the mine, to reclaim the land and to offset water depletion in the Rio Grande and Caballo Reservoir, it has cancelled its prior approval of the company’s mining plan. Losing that approval
The Truth or Consequences City Manager Morris Madrid and Mayor Sandra Whitehead have known for many months the new board would be seated by April 1. They have known prior to the last City Commission meeting March 24 that only five people may congregate in a room. Yet no planning or provision was made to
New Truth or Consequences City Commissioners in the dark, Mayor oblivious Read More »
The Truth or Consequences City Commission’s three new members took their positions April 1, but their first meeting, which was to be held April 8, has been cancelled because of the “President’s and Governor’s stay-at-home orders,” according to City Clerk Angela Torres. Kathy Clark, who is no longer mayor pro tem, but daily stays
Truth or Consequences City Commission meeting cancelled Read More »
As of March 30, Sierra County still had no positive-test cases, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. According to Sierra Vista Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Tom Ismond, who is overseeing and coordinating the hospital’s COVID-19 efforts, “between 25 to 35” people have been tested in Sierra County. Some of those results are still
Sierra Vista Hospital: COVID-19 tests “all negative” so far Read More »