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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Letters to the Editor

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    Traffic Circles
    Are Way To Go
    THANK YOU to Rep. Kathy McCoy for an excellent job representing us in the New Mexico Legislature. Her priorities are those items that serve the most people in the best possible way.
    One of the items that Rep. McCoy has worked diligently on is transportation, especially as the number of households and cars increase in the East Mountains. She has proposed traffic circles (or roundabouts) for our busier intersections. These are literally circles in the middle of a intersection that require cars to slow down. Cars can either turn either direction or go straight; there is no traffic light. You simply yield to anyone coming into the circle at the same time as you.
    Most of us drive and all of us want safe, easy to use roads. It is our tax dollars that will be used, so please consider this. Traffic circles are less expensive to install and less expensive to maintain than traffic lights. They last longer and don't need electricity to function. Research shows they are more effective than lights, with fewer accidents. They can be nicely landscaped. So ... they are cheaper, easier, safer, last longer and look nicer.
    If you agree, please take the time to contact Rep. McCoy. If you see a petition supporting traffic circles, sigh it. You can also contact the New Mexico Department of Transportation at (505) 827-5100 or for more information, an excellent Web site is www.roundaboutusa.com.
    CHERI TILLMAN-ANDERSON
    East Mountains
    Get Slant Out Of
    Mayoral Coverage
    AFTER READING the front page article in your Jan. 17 edition titled "Edgewood's Mayoral Race Begins Heating Up" I felt compelled to write my first letter to a newspaper. It seems to me that the reporter took Bob Stearley's comments directly from Stearley's campaign "propaganda" and Mayor (Howard) Calkins and Councilor (Chuck) Ring's were edited unfairly in favor of Stearley. It looks to me that 50 percent of the article was about Stearley and 25 percent about Mayor Calkins and 25 percent about Councilor Ring.
    Stearley seems to take credit for the sewer plant. The land for the sewer plant was donated to the town through the efforts of sitting Mayor Howard Calkins. When Calkins left office after his first term, the cost for Edgewood's sewer system was about $2.5 million. Then Stearley took over as mayor and with his "no growth," obstructionist tactics, he dragged his feet long enough for the price to rise to $7.2 million. Edgewood can't afford this type of procrastination. And as far as Stearley's personal response to local citizen concerns while he was our "acting mayor," I personally called him on many occasions and he still has not called me back. And I think it would be easier to get a meeting with the pope than with Bob Stearley.
    I don't think Edgewood needs a mayor with a "closed door policy" to the average taxpayer. But I'm sure he did meet with those people (who) agreed with his "no growth policies."
    Since Howard Calkins drew the lucky card a little over a year ago, more good common sense changes have happened in Edgewood. With Mayor Calkins' leadership we seem to be moving forward in a very positive direction. The mayor seems to want healthy controlled economic development, a more common sense density requirement on new subdivisions that will allow for entry level housing for our young people, and townhouses or condos for our seniors who can't take care of two to five acres. Once the sewer is up and operating, we will be able to have much needed hotels and more restaurants so we will not have to send all of our friends from S.A.S. (Single Action Shooting Society) all the way to Moriarty.
    As for the "conceptual" plan for the Town Center in Section 16, at least we have a plan thanks to Mayor Calkins. I have never seen a town that went out and purchased retail space and called it City Hall. We need a nice town complex for our City Hall, road maintenance department, police department, fire department, parks and recreation department and a sports complex. When the Town Center is complete, Edgewood will finally have a HEART. It will be something that we can all be proud of, and our kids and grandkids will not have to go to Moriarty to play ball.
    We already have one newspaper in the East Mountains that has a "no growth" slant, I would hope that The Telegraph could give non-biased local news in the future.
    JOHN E. BAILLIO
    Baillio's United Country Real Estate
    Edgewood
    Family of Luis
    Grateful for Care
    THE FAMILY OF LUIS PEREA of Estancia would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to everyone for everything they did for us during our time of loss. Thanks for the calls, prayers, food, hugs and support.
    We also give our sincere appreciation to Torrance County Sheriff Clarence Gibson and his entire staff, along with Richard Ness, for the beautiful services rendered to our husband and father.
    Thanks to all.
    THE LUIS PEREA FAMILY
    Estancia