By Lee Ross
Mountain View Telegraph
Some of the effect Wal-Mart has had on Edgewood is now known.
According to Mayor Robert Stearley, the town's portion of gross receipts taxes for retail businesses was about $105,000. Stearley said the town had budgeted for only $65,000 in retail sales.
The additional $40,000 sales were generally credited to the town's new Wal-Mart.
Yeah, Wal-Mart, was the comment of an audience member when Stearley gave the report at the June 18 town council meeting.
In light of the additional funding, Councilor Rita-Loy Simmons said some money might be contributed to events such as the Music Festival at Wildlife West Nature Park.
Until a few months ago, the town had a line-item in its budget to fund the Music Festival set for Aug. 1-3 to the tune of about $20,000, but it was not bound by contract.
In May, the town's attorney, Marcus Rael, said the town's previous donations to Wildlife West Nature Park likely violated New Mexico's anti-donation clause, but he indicated there may be some other way to fund the event.
I think the attorney needs to be charged with that task, Simmons said. Being a man of your word, I'm sure you'll help us find a way.
Stearley said he'd have the attorney look into the matter.
Another hurdle was recently cleared up regarding the town's sewer system.
According to the town's development manager, Karen Mahalick, the New Mexico Environment Department awarded a discharge permit, which means the town can move forward with the final phases of construction, including a collection pond for the system. It may be completed late this year or early 2009.
Police Chief Paul Welch has also made progress in forming the town's first police department.
He said by June 30 the department will have seven officers to work alongside the chief, and that there could be patrols on a regular basis before then. Welch said he was working on getting all the officers cross-commissioned with Santa Fe and Torrance County sheriff's departments, and they will likely also work with the New Mexico State Police.
Having the officers cross-commissioned with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department which is on a completely different radio spectrum might not be worthwhile, he said.
I don't envision us doing anything on our own outside Campbell Ranch, he said, referring to an area in Bernalillo County incorporated to the town in 2001.
Sgt. Florian Chavez, who heads the Edgewood office of the New Mexico State Police, congratulated Welch on his improved department.
He hired some really professional officers, he said.
He said he is down to seven officers in Edgewood. Around this time last year the office had combined its Edgewood and Moriarty branches and had 11 officers and two sergeants.
To take care of another safety issue, the town declared a parcel on Rainbow Road, east of N.M. 344 and north of Dinkle Road, a public nuisance due to its dilapidated condition and trash left on the property.
Starting early this year, code compliance officer Wayne Schoeber began leaving notices of various code violations for the owner, but he has not gotten a response.
We have no assurances that this will get better, he said.
The council discussed the next steps, which will likely include paying to clean it up and placing a lien on the property.
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