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Thursday, July 10, 2008

Torrance Debates 4-Day Week

By Lee Ross
Mountain View Telegraph
      Torrance County is looking at shaving a day off the work week to save workers a little green on their fuel costs.
    A discussion on Wednesday about the idea of going to a 10-hour work day, four days a week was met with mostly supportive comments.
    “I've always been in favor of the four-day work week,” said Commission Chairman LeRoy Candelaria. “I'm in favor of anything that we can be productive and happy with what we do.”
    He said that in his experience, even before gas prices brought the issue to the forefront, a longer day may even be more productive for completing involved projects.
    County Comptroller Tracy Sedillo said that as a mother, having another day on the weekend may help her get some housekeeping done as well. She cautioned that there may be problems if the county tries to keep the county offices open five days a week, however.
    That would require staggering the days employees had off, and Sedillo said that might make it difficult to work with other offices or other employees.
    Project Office Coordinator Pat Lincoln added that a staggered work-week could also be a headache for customers needing to work with multiple departments. She said the transportation provided by TCPO To Go can't shut down like other departments may be able to.
    “Transportation is a different fish,” she said.
    As far as closing the building for an extra day each week, County Clerk Linda Kayser said it could save the county money on heating and cooling bills, which she said would be “astronomical” in the coming winter.
    No action on the item was taken at the meeting.
    The commission, however, did approve a zoning amendment for a special-use district to accommodate an RV park inside the Tajique Land Grant.
    Leo Padilla made the request, which was not without controversy.
    County Planning and Zoning Coordinator Arthur Foust recommended the commission not approve the agenda item.
    He said, as the request was discussed, concerns were raised about the increase in road use and the site for dumping. Those concerns were addressed, but Foust said there was an overwhelming negative opinion expressed by the public. He added that the planning and zoning department isn't generally swayed because of the opposition of just a few people.
    Lincoln added that a major concern expressed by those who weighed in was the potential difficulty of evacuating the vehicles in an emergency, such as a fire, and the potential for contaminating a nearby water source.
    “It's 400 feet from one of the most fragile watersheds in the Manzano Mountains and it (the watershed) is down slope,” she said.
    Padilla said his business would ensure that everyone who checked in to the RV park emptied their tank in his septic system and that the park would be monitored nearly 24 hours a day all week long.
    Foust said the septic system appeared to be “substantial.”
    Padilla also indicated that having a facility for RV drivers to use may actually mitigate pollution because if a site is available, some drivers will likely choose to use it rather than dumping on the side of the road. And Padilla presented a petition, signed by 17 nearby residents, in favor of park.
    Candelaria said, in that area, he believed 17 signatures to be a majority.
    The agenda item was approved, with commissioners Jim Frost and Paul “Tito” Chavez both voting in favor.
   

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