The League of Women Voters of New Mexico launched its statewide voter guide on September 15.  Vote411.org  provides information on national and statewide candidates, much of it in English and Spanish.  This will be in addition to the league’s regular four area printed editions, which will be published later this month. The league successfully launched an earlier version of Vote411.org for the primary election in June.

“This is an ambitious project for us but aligns with our goals of providing excellent, non-partisan voter education and information about the election process,” said state LWV President Hannah Burling. “Now that many people are voting by mail, we wanted to get pertinent information out to them as early as possible.” “We have reached out to candidates all over the state.  We have sent them questionnaires to provide voter information. We want this to be an easy to use way for voters to make good decisions about the candidates they want to support,” said Voter Services Chair Diane Goldfarb.

“It is a user-friendly program. Just click on Vote411.org and enter your street address.   And Vote411.org will show you everything on your ballot, including all candidates plus explanations of constitutional amendments and state and county bond questions,” Goldfarb explained. Vote411.org is a free service provided by the League of Women Voters of New Mexico.

Former Corrales Comment summer intern Stella Asmerom was praised by U.S. Senator Tom Udall earlier this month when she completed an internship with his Washington DC office. During her tenure working virtually with Udall’s D.C. office, Asmerom worked closely with the legislative team.

 She is the daughter of Yemane Asmerom and Lisa Gerber of Corrales, and is a graduate of Albuquerque Academy. She is a rising sophomore at Harvard University where she is studying economics with a minor in government. “U.S. Senate interns gain invaluable experience as they learn to navigate our nation’s legislative process,” Senator Udal said. “I applaud all of our interns who, despite having an unconventional, ‘virtual’ internship due to the global pandemic, found many ways to contribute to my office.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Stella this summer. I hope she finds her experiences during this internship rewarding, and I wish her the best of luck as she continues her studies at Harvard and embarks on a successful career.” Asmerom also issued a statement. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to work for Senator Udall’s office this summer. Despite the virtual format, I was still able to learn and become involved with every aspect of the legislative process.”

“I’m leaving this internship with a strong appreciation for the work done by Senator Udall’s office and a renewed commitment to remaining involved in my community. I want to thank everyone on staff for being so welcoming and supportive throughout my internship.” Outside the classroom, she is involved in mock trials, swimming and is an active community volunteer.

Work is expected to continue on the Upper Meadowlark project in the months ahead, starting with curbing and landscaping along the north side of the road. Originally, that is where a paved bike lane and pedestrian path were envisioned. Now, both an equestrian trail and a multi-use bike-pedestrian path are under consideration for the south side of the roadway.

The long-delayed project was discussed at the September 8 Village Council meeting. In recapping, Councillor Dave Dornburg told Corrales Comment, “We are looking at costing the work that remains, and then determining what funding we have available. First will be curbing and landscaping to hold the hillside. The second part is a pathway, w hich will include villager input for alternatives.

“I am currently envisioning a single multi-use path on the south side of the road. Original plan proved unworkable, so simpler probably is better, and still meets the aim of a safe pedestrian trail offset from the road and traffic.

“We are not planning on re-pursuing federal Department of Transportation funds. We think we have options to fund these phases, but time will tell.

“Stay tuned; there is much to be learned and decided in the near future,” Dornburg said September 9. During the council meeting discussion on the annual update of a Infrastructure Capital Improvment Plan, he suggested the Village’s right-of-way along the south side of the road could accommodate the paths. “Back in the day, the whole project was to have been constructed including the road, the paths, the curbing and all the other stuff, we had all the money we needed with the exception of the part [that required Americans With Disabilities Act approval along the north side of the road], so the decision was made to do the road as you see constructed with the understanding that if we could get [the north side bike trail] back into ADA compliance, it’s likely we would be able to get that funding back.

“But we’re not going to be able to go down that road, so that’s why we have to fund the rest of the project separately.” Mayor Jo Anne Roake suggested the Village may be able to get funding for the remainder of the project through the state highway department. “The project was split up into parts, so we’ll just have to go with it that way. We do have a plan, and we’ve been very successful in getting Municipal Arterial Project and road co-op funding, so when we get to that last portion with the path, I think we’ll be okay.”

The mayor said the Village is unlikely to get any capital project funding from the state legislature next session. “I did ask the director of the N.M. Municipal League what our chances were of getting any money this year for capital improvement projects, and he said ‘zero.’

“That doesn’t mean we are not going to be at the ready, and we’ll keep re-sorting this list [ICIP] to be ready to take advanage of funding that is available.” Earlier this year, Village Administrator Ron Curry said he anticipated that another round of public comment and brainstorming will be needed to begin a new plan for the bike and horse trails.

When the proposal began more than a decade ago, its primary goal was to construct a bike path connecting Corrales to Rio Rancho along upper Meadowlark. That was funded by the Mid-Region Council of Governments, but Village officials turned the money back when upper Meadowlark residents objected that funding was insufficient to address anticipated stormwater drainage problems into their adjacent property.

In 2016, the Village was ready to hire an engineer to design the over all project including trails from Loma Larga to the Rio Rancho boundary. The project funded through the Mid-Region Council of Governments and the N.M. Department of Transportation (NMDOT) was to realign and rebuild upper Meadowlark to include bicycle paths and horse trails as well as improved drainage and traffic safety features. (See Corrales Comment, Vol.XXXIII, No.3, March 22, 2014 “Upper Meadowlark To Get Improved Drainage.”)

But only the driving lanes and drainage features actually got underway, since the engineering work ran into a problem with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The N.M. Department of Transportation refused to approve Corrales; design for the bicycle-pedestrian path along the north side of the road because the terrain was so steep at the top of Corrales portion of Meadowlark.

That design obstacle was never overcome. So that’s where prospects for the bike trail and horse path stalled. Curry has said the Village probably would have to find its own funds to complete the project, bypassing the need to comply with ADA. (See Corrales Comment Vol.XXXIX No.7 June 6, 2020 “Upper Meadowlark Project Dispute Nears Resolution.”)

In September 2013, the consulting firm hired to suggest ways to improve upper Meadowlark Lane, Architectural Research Consultants, called for bike riders to use the same downhill driving lane as autos, or divert to the future pedestrian path along the south side of the re-configured roadway. Appearing before the mayor and Village Council at their September 10, 2013 meeting, the firm’s Steve Burstein presented a revised “Option A” that showed a five-foot wide bike lane adjacent to the westbound driving lane, while eastbound bike riders would be expected to come down in the same regular traffic lane used by motor vehicles.

If cyclists did not want to “take the lane” with regular traffic coming down hill, they would be encouraged to bike along the proposed pedestrian path along the south side of Meadowlark. Among the advantages of that revised plan, cyclists using the bike paths along the Rio Rancho section of Meadowlark Lane would have a continuous connection to designated routes coming down into Corrales. Downhill bike riders would be informed to merge with regular vehicle traffic, or veer off onto the pedestrian trail.

Then-Mayor Phil Gasteyer said he thought the revised recommendation would be “much more acceptable to the whole neighborhood.” Some residents along the north side of upper Meadowlark had objected to routing both uphill and downhill bike riders to a future path on the north side of the road. They said they feared pulling into the path of fast bike riders as they left their driveways and tried to enter traffic.

In that plan, downhill cyclists would use the eastbound driving lane or use the proposed pedestrian path along the south side of the road. The change was endorsed by the Corrales Bicycle, Pedestrian Advisory Commission as well, following communications with Burstein and his planners.

At that point, the plans were almost purely hypothetical since no funds had been allocated to tackle the re-make of upper Meadowlark, estimated subsequently at $1.18 million. The most costly part, presumably, has already been constructed and paid for.

Construction of a large “casita” next to a new home underway at 489 West Ella Drive last month riled neighbors, including the mother of former Mayor Scott Kominiak. The former mayor says the current administration is playing favorites for what some villagers consider violations of the Village’s net one-acre subdivision rules. “This is about administrations and building inspectors signing off on things that do not comply with our code, unless you jump through three or four loopholes, while they hold long-term residents hostage to strict interpretation of the code as they see it,” Kominiak explained in an email to Corrales Comment August 17.

“If you are a high-dollar builder who knows how to skirt the rules and get approvals, you get a permit. If you inherit or buy a piece of land that was subdivided in 1955 and filed with the County —sorry! You cannot get a building permit.” The new home construction site on West Ella Drive is at least the third project in recent years where a house and “casita” have been built simultaneously in seeming contravention of the one-dwelling-per-acre regulations.

Corrales’ laws allow “casitas,” or guesthouses, on a one-acre lot, as long as the secondary residence does not have a full kitchen. And the builder at 489 West Ella, Wade Wingfield, assured Corrales Comment that the “casita” complies with that rule. “You can have a separate living quarters as long as it doesn’t have a fully-functioning kitchen,” Wingfield said August 11. “You can have a refrigerator, a microwave, a sink and anything else, but you just can’t have a stove and oven.”  Wingfield said the project underway obtained all the permits and approvals through the Corrales Planning and Zoning Department.

But the resignation of Corrales Building Inspector Lee Brammeier last month may have exacerbated the controversy. His departure in early August left some projects in limbo. Brammeier was hired here in July 2018. His more than 14 years of building code enforcement included the City of Rio Rancho; City of Albuquerque; Los Alamos County and Sandia Pueblo.

Brammeier served as president of the Central N.M. Chapter of Building Officials and served on the International Code Council’s committee, updating standards for residential green building. He has training as a licensed general contractor, as an electrical inspector, plumbing inspector, mechanical inspector and energy plan examiner.

The former mayor’s mother, Patricia Kominiak, was one of six villagers who wrote to Mayor Jo Anne Roake August 13 protesting the project at 489 West Ella. Others were Charlotte Anderson, Dan and Estelle Metz, and Joe and Meryl Hancock. “Secondary dwellings, guest houses or ‘casitas’ are simply not allowed in our land use codes, and it is therefore a mystery to us how the Village would issue a permit for such development, yet you appear to be doing so,” they wrote.

“Multiple inquiries to the building inspector about this question have been effectively ignored. No information has been made available about the project in question, and it was not until construction was well underway that the problem became apparent to us and our fears were confirmed.

“There is no building permit posted on the property, which we understand is required by law.” Since the earliest days of Corrales’ incorporation as a municipality in 1971, a bedrock policy has been adherence to low-density housing. Candidates for elective office here have always vowed to protect the one-acre minimum lot size rule.

But even going back to the early 1970s, many Corrales properties already had “casitas” which were often rented for extra income. Commonly, property owners would seek permission for secondary dwellings so that a relative or other caregiver could assist an ailing or aged resident in the big house. But even such hardship cases were often denied.

Still, for many Corraleños, it has been a truism that sooner or later the one-acre minimum rule would fall. If and when that day comes, the quality of Corrales’ drinking water will become an unavoidable issue. Corrales Planning and Zoning Administrator Laurie Stout explained how the casita on West Ella gained approval, and suggested the Village Council may re-visit the rules in the months ahead. “In Section 18-29, the definition of dwelling unit in Village Code states: dwelling unit means any building or part of a building intended for human occupancy and containing one or more connected rooms and a single kitchen, designed for one family for living and sleeping purposes.”

The definition of kitchen, she added, “means any room principally used, intended or designed to be used for cooking or the preparation of food. The presence of a range or oven, or utility connections suitable for servicing a range or oven, shall be considered as establishing a kitchen.

“This means a second structure on a lot, as long as there is no range or oven (or utility connections for such) meets the letter of the law in Village of Corrales Code. Contractors can and will exploit this loophole if their clients request.” Stout said the mayor and council may try to tighten up relevant regulations.

“Potential options in Corrales could be looking into limiting the size of the accessory unit, requiring that it merely be an addition to the home, etc. The intent of the N.M. Statute is to allow family members, such as elderly parents, to live on-property with their relatives. “The reality is that often at some point the separate structure ends up having a kitchen added retroactively, and that structure eventually becomes a long-term rental with a tenant —thus becoming a zoning violation.”

A U.S. Senate resolution written by Senator Tom Udall calls for concerted and sustained action to halt destruction of natural ecosystems, establishing a national goal of conserving at least 30 percent of the land and ocean of the United States by the year 2030. Referred to as the “30 by 30 Resolution,” it notes that “conserving and restoring nature is one of the most efficient and cost-effective strategies for fighting climate change.”

The resolution’s preamble asserts that “to confront the deterioration of natural systems and the loss of biodiversity around the world, and to remain below a 1.5 degrees Celsius increase in average global temperature, scientists recommend that roughly one-half of the planet be conserved. “Whereas, as a step toward achieving that goal, some scientists have recommended that all countries commit to conserving and protecting at least 30 percent of the land and 30 percent of the ocean in each country by 2030, with a long-term goal of conserving one-half of the planet.”

The senate resolution was initially co-sponsored by Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Dick Durbin, Michael Bennet, Cory Booker, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, Richard Blumenthal and Dianne Feinstein. It is sponsored by Representative Deb Haaland in the House.

“Just over 50 years ago, my father, Stewart Udall, sounded the alarm about the quiet loss of nature,” Senator Tom Udall said in introducing the resolution. “Back then in just a few short years, our nation drastically deepened its commitment to the land and waters that sustain us by creating some of our most successful conservation programs.

“But today, the crisis is even more dire, and we need to meet it with the urgency it requires.” Udall emphasized that “humans are destroying nature at a devastating rate. Only reversing the Trump Administration’s wreckage would be like applying a band-aid to a life-threatening wound. We must write a new playbook to address the climate and nature crises.”

The wide-ranging document sets out policies including “increasing public incentives for private landowners to voluntarily conserve and protect areas of demonstrated conservation value and with a high capacity to sequester carbon and greenhouse gas emissions,” as well as “preventing extinction by recovering and restoring animal and plant species.”

Udall participated in an online panel discussion with the Aspen Institute and The Wilderness Society July 29 on the topic “Connecting the Continent: conservation that unites people, lands and wildlife.” He was joined by Zuni conservationist Jim Enote, president of the Colorado Plateau Foundation; Jodi Hilty, chief scientist for the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative; Rae Wynn-Grant, ecologist with the National Geographic Society; and Jamie Williams, president of The Wilderness Society.

Corrales is almost a second hometown for Senator Udall; more often than not, he has joined Corrales’ Fourth of July Parade over several decades. To explain the need for the “30 by 30” campaign, Udall notes that “from 2001 to 2017, a quantity of natural areas equal to the size of a football field disappeared to development every 30 seconds in the United States, constituting more than 1,500,000 acres per year;  “A finding, published in the journal Science, that the United States and Canada have lost 2,900,000,000 birds since 1970, representing a decline of 29 percent;

“The identification by State fish and game agencies of approximately 12,000 animal and plant species in the United States that require proactive conservation efforts to avoid extinction, of which approximately one-third will be lost in the next decades; “A finding by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service that the United States has lost more than one-half of all freshwater and saltwater wetlands in the contiguous 48 states; and “The 2019 findings by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services [reveal] that—
• human activities are damaging 2⁄3 of ocean areas;
• only 3 percent of ocean areas remain pristine;
• 15 percent of mangroves remain;
• 50 percent of coral reefs remain; and
• at the current rate of losses, less than 10 percent of the Earth will be free of substantial human impact by 2050….”

Udal pointed out that the Third National Climate Assessment found that climate change:
• is reducing the ability of ecosystems to provide clean water and regulate water flows;
• is limiting the ability of nature to buffer communities against disasters such as fires, storms and floods, which disproportionately impacts communities of color and indigenous populations; and
• is having far-reaching effects on marine and terrestrial wildlife, including by altering habitats, forcing changes to migratory patterns, and altering the timing of biological events….”

Earlier this month, the World Wildlife Fund documented that the world has lost two-thirds of global animal, bird and fish populations over the past 50 years. Udall highlighted that assessment when he issued the following statement to renew his call for bold action to protect 30 percent of our land and waters by 2030. “This new report brings the consequences of habitat destruction and species exploitation into stark relief: human actions have accelerated the loss of two-thirds of our planet’s wildlife in the blink of an evolutionary eye. This is an unsustainable and self-destructive crisis for humanity.

“Our collective survival depends on the global ecosystems of plants, animals, birds and fish that sustain the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. We must urgently prioritize policies that repair our planet’s life support system, which is why I have introduced the ‘30x30 Resolution to Save Nature’ to set a national goal of conserving 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.

 “We must also change our pattern of unsustainable consumption and waste that wreaks havoc on land and marine ecosystems if we want to pass a livable planet on to our children and grandchildren. We need to look no further than our streets and streams littered with plastic trash and marine life tangled in plastic waste, which are only the most visible parts of an avalanche of plastic pollution that is harming humans and wildlife at the most microscopic level and disrupting natural food patterns. The senate should pass the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act to finally make corporations pay their fair share of cleanup costs.

“Today’s report marks an urgent call to action for every one of us. While we confront the intersecting crises of the current pandemic and economic recession, we must chart a sustainable path forward that seizes the economic and public health benefits of nature protection and climate action. The rapid loss of nature and unchecked global warming make each crisis worse —but action on climate and conservation reinforce each other and are both necessary to ensure the prosperity of future generations. The American people are calling out for action and we have the power to help the natural world recover. We have no more time to waste to save our planet, and ourselves.”

The “30 by 30 Resolution” states that “the decline of natural areas and wildlife in the United States follows global patterns, as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services found that approximately 1,000,000 plant and animal species are threatened by extinction over the coming decades as a result of land conversion, development, climate change, invasive species, pollution and other stressors…. “Nature, like the climate, is nearing a tipping point where the continued loss and degradation of the natural environment will:

(1) push many ecosystems and wildlife species past the point of no return;
(2) threaten the health and economic prosperity of the United States; and
(3) increase the costs of natural disasters, for which the Federal Government spent about $91,000,000,000 in 2018.”

Udall pointed out that “the federal government, the private sector, civil society, farmers, ranchers, fishing communities and sportsmen have a history of working together to conserve the land and ocean of the United States.” The policies emphasize protection of “private property rights and traditional land uses, and enable landowners to pass down the working land of those landowners to the next generations because private land accounts for approximately 60 percent of the land area in the contiguous states.”

Udall said July 5 he was pleased that his resolution has been incorporated into the U.S. House of Representatives’ Climate Crisis Action Plan which calls for the United States to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050. In its Summer 2020 newsletter, the Center for Biological Diversity’s public lands director, Randi Spivak, noted that “We’re at a crossroads. We can preserve and restore our lands and waters, and prevent mass extinction, or see the ecosystems of our planet unravel past a point of no return.”

His article advocated the “30 by 30” campaign, warning that “wildlife populations are crashing around the world. Scientists predict that more than one million species are on track for extinction in the coming decades.” Spivak wrote that “Achieving 30x30 will take local, state and tribal government actions, too, but Congress and the next president will need to do the heavy lifting.”

Corrales Fire Department sent one brush truck with four personnel to help battle wildfires in California recently, according to Commander Tanya Lattin. They returned safely. “One person is paid fire department staff, and the other three are volunteers,” Lattin said.  They are on duty through September 4, but that could be extended. All expenses incurred by the department will be reimbursed. Assigned first to the Moc fire in Tuolumne County, the Corrales crew was demobilized from that at 79 percent containment, and then on the CZU Complex fire outside of Santa Cruz.  This fire, which began via lightning August 16, had consumed over 83,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, as of August 29.

Forty-five thousand people had been evacuated by then, and hot conditions were expected in upcoming days. Should you wish to follow this particular fire in which Corrales firefighters were engaged, visit http://www.facebook.com/CALFIRECZUSanMateoSantaCruz.

You’d think that everyone running for office is a dim-witted scoundrel —or worse. But you’re probably not swayed by all the negative TV commercials because… well, you’ve likely already made up your mind. In the 2016 elections, 65 percent of voters in New Mexico cast their ballots before election day.

This year, even more citizens voting early are expected, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Whether voting by mail or in person, early voting begins October 6.

To vote early in Sandoval County, you can do so from October 6 to October 31, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 to 7, at the Sandoval County Administration Building D, 1500 Idalia Road, just west of Highway 528. You can vote early right here in Corrales from October 17 to October 31, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Corrales Community Center, 4326 Corrales Road, east of the Corrales Road-East La Entrada intersection behind the Senior Center.

Application forms for absentee ballots were mailed to all Corrales residents in early September by the Center for Voter Information, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization.  An absentee ballot can be requested online.

Below is a quick review of who’s running in local elections. As usual, this newspaper will publish candidate profiles in October.

• Vying for the presidency, of course, are Republican incumbent Donald Trump, Democrat Joe Biden and Libertarian Jo Jorgenson.
• U.S. Senate: Democrat Ben Ray Lujan and Republican Mark Ronchetti.
• U.S. Representative: Republican Michelle Garcia Holmes and Democrat Deb Haaland
• N.M. Senate District 9: Democrat Brenda McKenna and Republican John Clark
• N.M. House District 23: Republican Ellis McMath and Democrat Daymon Ely
• N.M. House District 44: Democrat Gary Tripp, Republican Jane Powdrell-Culbert and Libertarian Jeremy Myers
• N.M. Supreme Court Justice, Position 1: Republican Ned Fuller and Democrat Shannon Bacon
• N.M. Supreme Court Justice Position 2: Democrat David Thomson and Republican Kerry Morris
• N.M. Court of Appeals: Zach Ives (D), Barbara Johnson (R), Shammara Henderson (D); Gertrude Lee (R), Stephen Curtis (L); Jane Yohalem (D)
• District Judge, 13th Judicial District (retention): George Eichwald
• N.M. Public Regulation Commission: Republican Janice Arnold Jones and Democrat Cynthia Hall
• District Attorney, 13th Judicial District: Democrat Barbara Romo and Republican Joshua Joe Jimenez
• Sandoval County Clerk: Republican Lawrence Griego and Democrat Anne Brady Romero
• Sandoval County Treasurer: Democrat Jennifer Taylor and Republican Benay Ward
• Sandoval County Commission: Republican Jay Block and Democrat Leah Michelle Ahkee-Baczkiewicz

Candidate profiles for most of these can be found in the May 23, 2020 issue of Corrales Comment which reported on the June party primary elections.
Judges seeking reelection in the Thirteen Judicial District have been deemed worthy of retention by the N.M. Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission. Those are George Eichwald, Cheryl Johnston, Cindy Mercer, James Lawrence Sanchez and Allen Smith.

It’s been more than five years since any complaint has been filed about a Corrales police officer using excessive force. Police Chief Vic Mangiacapra told Corrales Comment September 10 that his officers have worn lapel cameras since July 2015; “all patrol personnel are required to wear and operate them in accordance with department policy.” That policy received scrutiny from the mayor and Village Council at the September 8 meeting when revisions were enacted, primarily regarding the length of time such video recording should be retained.

“The body-worn camera recordings are used for prosecutions, field and internal investigations, officer evaluation and training and providing accurate documentation of police-public contacts in general,” Mangiacapra explained. “The main revision from the former policy is the addition of the requirement to retain all body-worn camera recordings for a minimum 120-day period in order to comply with the mandates set forth in Senate Bill 8. Previously, we only retained recordings which were deemed to possess evidentiary value.”

He said the last excessive force complaint received by the Corrales Police Department concerned an incident which took place on June 23, 2015. The chief said the incident “involved no injury to any involved parties and the investigation resulted in a finding of ‘not sustained.’

“I don’t recall any instances during which a CPD member has been disciplined for the use of excessive force, nor was I able to locate any such records in our internal affairs files.” But the Police Department has been embroiled in a lawsuit filed by a former Corrales officer regarding a disciplinary action. (See Corrales Comment Vol.XXXIX No.10 August 8, 2020 “Ex-Corrales Cop Sues When He’s Investigated.”)

The mayor and council held a closed session at the end of the September 8 meeting to discuss the lawsuit. Former Corrales Officer Daniel Parsons sued the Village and former Village Clerk Fresquez over an alleged violation of a request for inspection of public records. His attorney, Tom Grover, contacted Corrales Comment by email July 22 implying that the newspaper was remiss in not reporting on the police officer’s complaint. “Silent from the June 6, 2020 article is any reference to the fact that Ms. Fresquez and the Village are being sued by a former Corrales police officer concerning a public records request violation. That’s odd given the circumstances.”

The attorney cited the lawsuit D-1329-CV-2019-01756, Parsons v Village of Corrales and Shannon Fresquez. Corrales Comment was not aware of that court action and explained that to attorney Grover, asking for a copy of his filing and an opportunity to interview his client.  Grover replied August 3, forwarding a copy of his suit filed in the Thirteenth Judicial District Court.

In that email, the attorney added he would soon file a “whistleblower’s” suit on behalf of the former officer. “Daniel Parsons has a whistleblower suit that is probably about a month out from filing,” Grover wrote. That second lawsuit had not been received at Corrales Comment by press time for this issue. The attorney’s first lawsuit clarifies that Fresquez is named as defendant because she was the statutory custodian of the Village’s official documents and responsible for responding to requests for inspection of public records.

The court filing partially explains that  Parsons wants to know what is in an investigator’s report ordered by the Village. A key clause in the suit reads: “A copy of the Robert Caswell Investigations (“RCI”) report concerning Village of Corrales employee Daniel Parsons, including, but not limited to: exhibits, summaries, synopsis, exhibits, audio and video recordings, table of contents and conclusions.”

Later in the suit, Grover noted that Parsons was apparently under investigation while he was “facing disciplinary action upon him by Village of Corrales Chief Mangiacapra.” Contacted by Corrales Comment, Mayor Roake said she could not comment on the matter. “It’s ongoing, so the Village can’t comment. The Village always strives to comply with Inspection of Public Records Act requests.”

In a Corrales police activity report September 1, officers here made 231 traffic stops during the previous month and responded to two incidents of shots fired. The report said police had responded to one attempted suicide and 37 welfare checks, as well as 28 reports of suspicious activity and one stolen vehicle. Among other responses were four neighbor disputes, three noise complaints, two vehicle accidents with injury, ten speeding or reckless driving, eight threats or harassment, 18 calls for public assistance and 13 public nuisance calls.

The chairman of the Tree Preservation Advisory Committee, John Thompson, is concerned about the decline in the Corrales tree canopy. In a presentation to the Village Council August 18 Thompson laid out an approach to tree care for the council, asking “Is there a problem with Corrales trees?”

He and his committee think so: he touched on the effects of drought on tree health, trees’ increasing susceptibility to disease and pests, the loss of trees along the acequias, even the increased number of cottonwoods with mistletoe in their branches. Infestations of mistletoe often indicate a stressed or unhealthy tree.

The Village of Corrales is certified by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA with the goal of securing a healthier tree canopy. The Tree Preservation Advisory Board (TPAC) has been serving as a de facto Tree Board for five years to assist the Village in maintaining that certification, but without a mission defined by ordinance or a budget to achieve the desired goals and benefits of proactive tree care.

The committee’s additional concerns include the lack of tree species diversity, the dying and dead cottonwoods in the sandhills, and an increase in invasive species such as the ubiquitous Siberian elms, tamarisks, Russian olives, and Ailanthus altissima, or trees of heaven. Tamarisks, for example, though plentiful with pink blossoms, achieve that beauty by grabbing up light, water and nutrients from native plants. Native to Eurasia, tamarisk were brought to North America in the 1800s to shore up riverbanks. Their love of alkaline soil, common to the Southwest, has ginned up even more salty soils, which this plant is able to produce.

The committee, which includes Fred Hashimoto, Don Welsh, Carol Conoboy and Ian Daitz, asserts that Corrales hosts fewer healthy orchards as well. It thinks that the establishment of a Tree Board, in place of TPAC, will insure the Village acknowledges that “trees make major contributions to public health and safety, economic and spiritual value, local food security, wildlife and climate change resiliency.” And it will demonstrate the Village’s “dedication to the enhancement and protection of the community forest, landmark trees, and public green spaces.”

The board itself is prepared to take on a bundle: “Increase public awareness of health, environment, economic benefits of tree canopy; educate in tree selection, planting, and care; train Public Works, Parks & Rec, Fire Departments; update the tree ordinance; obtain alternate sources of funding for tree planting, care; promote climate-adapted species and age diversity; and provide a ‘tree care plan’ to provide better maintenance for existing public trees, reduce the number of hazardous trees, and create new tree planting goals.”

According to Thompson, “The plan aims to be the key document for managing, maintaining, protecting, preserving and planting trees within the Village of Corrales. This plan details specific goals and objectives for tree inventories, tree risk management, tree protection and tree pruning standards. “This is intended to be a living document that is updated yearly to provide schedules for community education, tree planting programs, and updates to relevant information on tree selection and planting, best management practices, and progress in stakeholder involvement in tree care.”

Creating a “tree care plan” will take much effort as the board wrestles with the fact of climate change on trees, hotter summers, and possible lower temperatures in winter. Local Cottonwoods are high water users, which do not easily reproduce outside of flood plains, the latter almost gone from Corrales. Planners must deal with drought stress, soil compaction, lack of diversity, even concrete acequias which cut off moisture to trees along its banks.

As well as disease and pests. Did we know the emerald ash borer was coming? Smaller than a dime, it’s a green beetle from Asia gifted at leveling tall stands of trees. Ash trees, thus far primarily in the Midwest and east, but, increasingly planted in New Mexico. Among them the velvet ash and associated cultivars, including the Modesto ash, green and white ash, Raywood ash, fragrant ash and others.

So what is the true value of a community forest? And what exactly is tree canopy? Ian Leahy, director of Urban Forest Programs at American Forests, writes that “tree canopy is any area covered by the branches of trees.” And, “tree canopy is the only type of infrastructure that increases in value after you install it.”  American Forests, established in 1875, is the oldest national conservation organization in the country.

The Corrales Bosque Preserve comprises one square mile of riparian forest, co-managed by Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and the Village. 10,000 trees, providing 50 percent canopy. The greenbelt area is five square miles of irrigated agricultural fields, orchards, mature cottonwoods and elms. That’s 10,000 trees, with 14 percent canopy. The sandhills are five square miles, with 2,000 developed lots. It includes sparse plantings of fruit, shade, ornamental trees and native shrubs. So 4,000 trees, with two percent canopy.

The size of the tree canopy is a means of measuring the health and potential benefits of the community forest. An initial estimate of the Corrales tree canopy using i-Tree, a software tool from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shows that Corrales has an average tree canopy of about 12 percent. In comparison, the tree canopy in Albuquerque is about ten percent and is known to have been in decline over the last few decades. What are these 24,000 Corrales trees worth? According to the USDA, U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Corporation, the answer is $75,000,000.

They remove CO2 and air pollutants. They catch rainwater and reduce stormwater runoff. Tree-filled communities may be safer, less stress-filled. Trees cut down on wind, and reduce temperatures. Shaded buildings benefit from energy savings. Businesses do better on tree-lined streets, and property values increase by ten percent due to the aesthetic value of trees.

The tree plan has many goals, including tree surveys and educational outreach. Estimated cost of the plan in the first year is $39,000, which includes Village personnel hours, tree purchases, contracted International Society of Arboriculture or ISA-certified arborists, and trained volunteers.That amount is offset by an estimated $20,000 in donations and volunteer hours. (This budget exceeds the Tree City USA guideline of $2 per capita.)

Perhaps no goal in the plan, however, is more compelling than this: to plant a tree for every child in Corrales, so about 1,500 over the next ten years.

New rules for short-term rentals, such as Airbnb operations, are proposed for Corrales. The Village Council will discuss and take public comment on the proposed Ordinance 20-005 at its Tuesday, September 8 session via Zoom. The Zoom meeting ID number is 815 7416 9208, with password 697376. Full text of the draft ordinance can be found at the Village of Corrales website: http://www.corrales-nm.org under the tab “Latest News.”  Much of the proposed law’s text is published below.

As the popularity of short-term rentals, also referred to as “vacation rentals” has increased over the past decade, complaints from neighboring residents have become common in Corrales as elsewhere. Loud parties, unathourized parking on adjacent private property, and even guests’ trespass golf ball drives have been reported. (See Corrales Comment Vol. XXXIX No.2 March 7, 2020 “Mayor Needs Applications for Short-Term Rentals.”.)

Corrales is thought to have as many as 100 short-term rentals advertised, mainly on the internet. In past years, typically this community has been a desirable stay for hot air balloon enthusiasts. Last month, the Planning and Zoning Commission heard a request for site development plan approval for a two-unit short-term rental and related office and laundry facility on an already commercially-zoned property at 4036 Corrales Road, between Priestley and Coroval Roads.

The proposed Ordinance 20-005 would set a limit of six guest rooms and no more than two occupants per bedroom. At least one parking space must be provided for each bedroom. No such short-term rental uses will be allowed in Corrales without a permit and valid N.M. gross receipts tax number.

A partial text of the proposed law follows.
The Ordinance shall be filed with the Village Clerk, and shall be considered by the City Council at a regular meeting of the Village Council on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, at 6:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard telephonically through Zoom (Meeting ID: 815 7416 9208, Password: 697376) Section 4. If any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Resolution shall for any reason be held invalid or unenforceable, the invalidity or unenforceability of such section, paragraph, clause or provision shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of this Resolution. 3 Section 5. All acts, orders and resolutions of the Village Council, and parts thereof, inconsistent with this Resolution be, and the same hereby are, repealed to the extent only of such inconsistency. This repealer shall not be construed to revive any act, order or resolution, or part thereof, heretofore repealed. Section 6. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect upon its passage and approval.…

Description of ordinance
Section 1. Amendment to Section 5 (2) of Ordinance 19-006. Section 5 of Ordinance 19-006 is hereby amended to read as follows; (2) Application and Fee. Anyone wishing to engage in short-term rentals must submit a completed application. The application shall be returned to the Administrator accompanied by the appropriate application fee and must show, at a minimum: (a) The maximum number of occupants and vehicles that the dwelling unit and any accessory structures can accommodate. There can be no more than six guest rooms on a residential short-term rental property and no more than two total occupants per bedroom being used as a short term rental. (b) A Google map or similar map showing the entire property, all roads which abut the property and at least 25 feet of adjacent properties, showing on-site parking and areas subject to the short-term rental business. (c) Floorplan showing all bedrooms within the dwelling unit and any accessory structure(s) on the property. (d) Off-street parking as required by Section 18-39 (3) Short term rental lodging establishments. Off-street parking required, with at least one parking space per bedroom on the property. (e) A valid septic permit for the property, showing the number of bedrooms (e) A valid septic permit for the property, showing the number of bedrooms permitted by the State to the septic system on the property. (f) The name, mailing address, email address, and contact phone numbers (including 24- hour emergency contact numbers) of the owner of the property for which the permit will be issued. (g) The name, mailing address, email address, and contact phone numbers (including 24- hour emergency contact numbers) of the operator and the local contact person for the owner of the residential rental. (h) A valid New Mexico gross receipts tax number for the operator. (i) Short-term rental permit application fee. Section 2. Amendment to Section 5 (6) of Ordinance 19-006, Appeal Process.

Section 5 (6) is hereby amended to read: (6) Appeal Process. An applicant or person who is aggrieved by the decision of the Planning and Zoning Commission may appeal the decision to the Governing Body by written notice to the Village Clerk of such appeal, to be made within ten (10) days of the date of the decision by the Planning and Zoning Commission. The matter shall be referred to the Governing Body for hearing at a regular or special meeting in the usual course of business. The decision of the Governing Body made thereof shall be expressed in writing; and the action of the Governing Body shall be deemed final. Section 3. Amendment to Section 5 (7) of Ordinance 19-006, Penalties for violation of requirements of subsection (g) of Section 18-45. Section 5 (7) is hereby amended to add (e): (a) Any person who violates any provision of subsection (g) of Section 18-45 shall, upon a first conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $500, or imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both such fine and imprisonment. (b) Any person who violates any provision of subsection (g) of Section 18-45 shall, upon a second or subsequent conviction, be subject to a fine of $500 or imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both such fine and imprisonment. (c) Each day that a violation occurs constitutes a separate violation of Village of Corrales Municipal Code as provided for in this subsection. (d) The Village Code Enforcement Officer or other designated Village employee shall take action to correct the violation as provided for in the Code. (e) Possible Revocation of short term rental permit.

A long-proposed trail connection between the City of Rio Rancho’s paved Thompson Fence Line trail along the edge of the escarpment and the end of Sagebrush Drive in Corrales is finally underway. Engineering work has begun after the Corrales Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Commission pushed for it at the June 16 on-line Village Council meeting.

The plan was explained in a Powerpoint presentation by thec ommission. The council meeting was held via internet, as such meetings were over the past three months. On August 31, Village Clerk Aaron Gjullin informed commissioners that the project is launched. “Just a heads up. It has begun!” he emailed. “The Village is funding it, asking for additional money or reimbursements from the County and State. Engineering has begun.”

The commission has held discussions with Rio Rancho officials, the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority and Corrales Public Works several times over the last five years. Public Works has estimated the trail link could cost around $74,000 including engineering and installation.

“The time is now,” the commission’s presentation urged. “A Parks and Recreation survey indicated residents want opportunities to exercise outside as individuals and as families. Trail connectivity is an important tenet of the Trails Master Plan. A loop trail is a great way to enjoy our village.”The south end of Rio Rancho’s trail terminates at Corrales’ Meadowlark Lane, although just south of that is Intel’s recently improved Skyview Trail which extends on southward to the Skyview Acres Subdivision.

“Together, they provide a three-mile path along the border between Corrales and Rio Rancho that offers sweeping views of the village and the Sandias,” the commission’s report stated. “Attempts to connect the north end to the village via Sagebrush have been ongoing for 30 years.” It noted that “ad hoc” paths at the end of Sagebrush Drive to reach the Thompson Fence Line Trail have existed for years across private property. Now an opportunity to build the long-proposed trail connection can be achieved using Village-owned land adjacent to the cul de sac at the end of Sagebrush. “The Village owns the land on which the potential trail connection would be constructed,” the Powerpoint said. “Nearby lots are for sale. We have an agreement among current neighbors that the connection is a good idea. Benefits are significant: health, quality of life, potential economic boos for local businesses.”

The commission’s introduction noted that “the idea of a loop trail around Corrales was first imagined in the 1980s. Rio Rancho completed the Thompson Fence Line Trail, and Intel built their trail in the 1990s. “A few years ago, a lot in that area that would serve as a t rail connection was deeded to the Village from the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority. Mike Chavez, Village Public Works director, viewed the possible connection, indicating it was doable and providing cost estimates. This link is on the Master Trails Plan.”

By Scott Manning
This month, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) will conduct a study of the Corrales Siphon to determine what maintenance work will be needed in coming years. The Corrales Siphon is a 70 year old wooden, barrel-like pipe that runs beneath the Rio Grande, bringing irrigation water diverted on the east side of the river to the Corrales Main Canal on the west side. Ditch bank roads along the easternmost part of the Main Canal will be closed as work gets underway.

In 2016, the MRGCD, in a partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation performed maintenance work on the siphon that aimed at protecting the pipe from further damage. It is exposed in the river, and this threatens its stability on its western side. To address this concern, the MRGCD completed stabilization work on the siphon by depositing rip rap in the river next to the wooden culvert. Small boulders were placed downstream of the old wooden pipe to restore the eroded sediment surrounding the siphon. That also diverted the flow of the river away from the exposed western side of the siphon to the eastern side of the river. These changes helped to stabilize the siphon and prevent excessive strain on the culvert.

As part of the project, the MRGCD completed other maintenance efforts in the area. The district improved steel fencing and gating to improve access to the bosque at the location of the siphon.

These maintenance efforts came in around the projected budget of $200,000. The project was cost-effective in part because the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA) donated boulders for the maintenance project. In addition, the MRGCD sought the assistance of the Bureau of Reclamation because it has experience in completing large-scale construction efforts in water environments.

Hamman explained that the siphon required maintenance efforts because the flow character of the Rio Grande has changed over the past few decades. When the pipe was constructed, it was originally buried approximately 14 feet beneath the riverbed. The siphon is designed to endure an aquatic, submerged environment, but the pipe is not engineered to withstand the exposure and stresses of the river water pouring over it.

The siphon became exposed after years of erosion of the river bed as the Rio Grande continued to cut deeper. The flow of water in the Rio Grande changed when Cochiti Dam was constructed upriver. The dam reduced river flows and trapped sediment, and these changes caused the Rio Grande to degrade and to erode downward. This downward erosion is observable on the incised banks of the river.Some impacts of the 2016 maintenance efforts are observable. Before that, the exposed siphon created rapids on the western side of the Rio Grande. Now that the rip rap diverts the main flow of the river, the rapids have changed location but still are present.

The MRGCD has monitored the siphon in recent years of high and low runoffs, and it seems to be stable. But Hamman says that a full study of the siphon is in order. After the irrigation season ends this year, the MRGCD will conduct a camera-run of the siphon in which experts examine the interior of the pipe for damage. The MRGCD must also examine the pipe in areas of high flow concentration to assess stability.

The repairs completed in 2016 have given the MRGCD time to study the siphon and consider future maintenance efforts. Hamman expects that the siphon will require more work in the coming years.

Depending on the results of the study, the MRGCD will determine if the siphon should be repaired and maintained or replaced completely. Workers could stabilize the siphon using a method called slip lining. Slip lining involves pulling a heavy plastic tube through the siphon to stabilize the pipe from the inside-out. To further stabilize the siphon, the district would add more boulders. This project is the cheaper option, and Hamman estimates that maintenance and stabilization efforts would cost anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000.

If the MRGCD were to replace the pipe, it could invest in a pipe constructed of modern materials such as concrete or polyvinyl. And the new pipe would be buried deeper in the riverbed to avoid exposure. Despite these advantages, a complete replacement would be the more expensive option. Hamman estimates that a replacement project could cost over $10 million.

The MRGCD will have more information about the current condition of the siphon after it conducts the study this fall.

Back in the canine column is alert-as-can-be Jacqui who says “Ears up, paws down, attention placed —I'm ready to race!” Archie, a major mix of dog, more in the mellow zone, now insists “When we get through these tough times we’re going to… Party on Corraleños!” Looking like a true elder statesdog is Samson, who assures, “I don’t bite, but I’ll fight for you. Vote Samson for Mayor!” The first ever duo-mayoral candidates are Cockadoodles JackJack and Moose, brothers and opposites in every way. These literal underdogs (runt and deformed) are limping proof you can achieve anything with hard work and determination.  Their campaign slogan is “Together, we won’t let Corrales get Jacked up!”

Three very last minute candidates are Stinkerbelle, another mini-donkey, a white fluffy Olga dog, and the tiniest canine entry, Angel. Voting on line for the 2020 Pet Mayor began September 1. https://www.corralesharvestfestival.com/vote-for-pet-mayor/.

Online voting is a minimum of $5 which equals five votes. And you can vote much more if you choose. The contest is a part of the now virtual Corrales Harvest Festival that raises funds to support the needs of our two and four-legged members in the village.

A planning effort is now officially underway for potential uses of the Corrales Interior Drain, also known as “the scummy ditch” or “the scuzzy ditch” east of Corrales Road. Some villagers consider it a treasured natural area with aquatic life, wetlands vegetation and sometimes even muskrats, while to other Corraleños, it is a disgusting, smelly near-sewer that breeds mosquitos.

The long ditch and ditchbank roads run from north of Dixon Road to the Riverside Drain south of East Meadowlark Lane. The land is owned and managed by the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District which excavated it in the 1930s to lower the water table and drain land for agriculture.

In bygone days, much of the central Corrales Valley east of Corrales Road was swamp. The Interior Drain was meant to improve the land so it could be farmed. As such, the ditch was designed to receive excess irrigation water which was to flow back to the Rio Grande when it reached the Riverside Drain which empties into the river at Alameda Bridge.

But over the decades, the Interior Drain’s hydraulics have deteriorated, leaving a mostly disconnected, stagnant series of puddles. Less and less acreage is cultivated in that area, while more and more homes —and septic leachfields— have gone in, so that the ditch is now more of a conduit for household wastewater rather than irrigation return flow to the river.

In recent months, a handful of eastside residents have begun organizing to explore possibilities that might transform the area. Led by Corrales native Doug Findley, son of the late Jim Findley and Tommie Findley, the group asked Mayor Jo Anne Roake to establish a Village government task force to make recommendations. Appointed to the task force are: Findley, Ed Boles, John Perea, Sayre Gerhart, Jeff Radford and Rick Thaler.

The group composed the following statement: “Our mission is to identify and help to implement ways in which the Interior drain and right-of-way may be improved for safe, enjoyable and essential public use while maintaining tranquility for adjacent residents.” At least initially, the group has suggested the project be referred to as “The Corrales Eco Corridor.” Since the Village of Corrales has no jurisdiction over the land involved, the task force acknowledges that its eventual recommendations would need concurrence from the MRGCD to be implemented. The district’s chief concern is expected to be retaining full use of the ditch and ditchbanks to perform routine maintenance.

The task force has asked the Village administration to send a letter to the MRGCD regarding its formation and objectives, which include improving the area for residents who live along the drain, for residents who use it for access to their homes and to make it safer and friendlier for pedestrians, bicyclists and horseback riders.

Toads and frogs, above all, but insects, too, and fish, plants and the intertwined nature of them all. His blog is rich in nature portraits. Consider the tiny freshwater mosquito fish, aka gambusia. Price writes that “mosquito fish are [the] eyes and ears” of the ditch.

“The insects are often very approachable during the heat of the day, when they are hiding and lethargic. In the ditch, however, many animals will use the ever-alert mosquito fish as an early warning system. The fish are experts at sensing vibrations and movement, but most creatures are. Because of the use of the ditch by vehicles, movement and vibrations are pretty much constant. The mosquito fish are better than most animals at discerning specific threats, such as people.

Ever notice how the water ripples when people approach the water's edge? That’s the mosquito fish in the shallows warning the other critters to freeze and act like a leaf.” Introduced from somewhere in Africa, to help keep down mosquitos, the fish unfortunately take on dragon flies, which are “much better at eating mosquitos,” according to Price.

Starting his nature blog was a “good way for me to pass the time during lockdown,” said Price, as staying put does not come that naturally to him. Originally from Canada, he is also a Brit-American. His father, a geophysicist working in the oil business, took his family to a new posting about every two years, among them Egypt, Kashmir and Price’s favorite, Madagascar, which is rich in chameleons. His mother, from Britain, wanted him to “grow into a proper British boy,” so he attended Abbotsholme School, on the border of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, a now co-ed boarding school established in 1889 by a progressive educator.

Price moved on to studies at Sandwell and University of Birmingham in the UK, then came to New Mexico to study nursing at the University of New Mexico. Always keen on biology, he realized that biology as a career, “likely would not pay the bills.” He tiptoed into becoming a doctor, then saw that nursing would be a much quicker career route.

Why New Mexico? “My stepfather developed stomach cancer in Mallorca, Spain, while I was in Birmingham University, about 20 years ago. He was American and chose to get American medical care. They picked New Mexico because it was like Spain in climate, and cheap to live in.”

He adds that “I have since learned Rio Rancho in particular attracts a large number of “medical tourists.” There are many people living in the high desert getting chemo treatments, just like the old tuberculosis sanatoriums in the 1920s.” And what better place for a biologist, a state with an Official State Amphibian, the spade foot toad? The seldom idle Price, now 43, currently is studying for a degree in biology education at UNM, and before COVID-19 shut so much down, was volunteering at the Museum of Southwest Biology there. He retells an old joke biologists tell, that “medicine is easy because it only focuses on one species.”

Toads and frogs, however, are “always thrown in with reptiles, as an afterthought,” a move clearly irritating to Price. The spadefoot is visible only at night, hence Price’s vigilance when starting for home just after midnight. “They come alive somewhat during the monsoons to breed, visible for about three-four days. Otherwise they live underground for nine months of the year!”

Spadefoots soak up moisture through a patch on their skin, and, can be recognized also as per their official state description. “The voice of the New Mexico spadefoot sounds like a fingernail running across the teeth of a comb. When threatened, the New Mexico spadefoot toad emits an odor said to smell like roasted peanuts.”

Bullfrogs seem his favorite, however. “I love them! They are the smartest frogs on the planet.” It’s always been said bullfrogs have “no necks.” But Price has closely observed bullfrogs turning their heads… and, while said frog does not have much in the way of lungs, “it breathes through its throat, not its skin.”

A new pursuit not quite yet defined is the measuring of tadpoles. “There is too much to study,” Price laments. “How things change in the seasons over a year, how tadpoles react to changes in their environment …it’s a complicated study.” Unsurprisingly, Price has major concerns about the Interior Drain being overhauled into an official recreational site, with parking areas and more people invading the scene. “No problem with anglers, who tend to be more mindful than some,” he says, “But….”

Having posted a concern about this on the social media platform NextDoor, Price got a response from Corrales’ Rick Thaler, who wrote he was part of a group of people who live on or near the drain. “We have considered calling ourselves ‘Friends of the Scuzzy Ditch’ but not sure if that will fly. Most of us either grew up here or have lived here most of our lives.”

“My involvement sprang directly from my opposition to the plan last year to pave the section of road on the drain between East La Entrada and East Ella. I wanted to find a positive way to respond to that plan and I found that some of my old friends and newer acquaintances were already thinking the same way.”

“Our goal is to explore and present to the Village ways to preserve the drain corridor from Dixon down to Meadowlark. We hope to come up with creative ways to preserve and improve access for homeowners, land owners and fire/rescue, reduce speed, volume and dust from north/south traffic, provide permanent, safe pedestrian, bike and equestrian ways, and preserve and improve wildlife habitat along the drain. This is a long process and our priority is to do do it with the maximum of input from our friends and neighbors along the drain.”

Thaler invited Price to “stay tuned for more information as we get the process going.” Likely he will, although he somewhat regrets “I can never seem to agree with anything anyone else ever says.” A high-energy enthusiast, Price wrote recently on his blog that “One of the biggest benefits of studying nature is that studying, helps you study.... Looking closely at plants in the bosque meant I was prepped to see them when up on a mountain meadow recently. Learning how to see with the mind is a valuable skill that takes time. A lifetime in fact.”

His blog is at https://corralesphenology.blogspot.com.

Corrales’ rules regarding political campaign signs likely will not be enforced between now and the November elections. The Village’s sign ordinance is now considered unconstitutional, according to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Planning and Zoning Administrator Laurie Stout has determined. She issued a statement late last month that “I am hereby directing code enforcement staff to forego enforcement of certain provisions of the Village code related to temporary signs or signage.

“Effective immediately and until the Village’s sign regulations are property amended, or until November 3, 2020, whichever is sooner, code enforcement staff shall enforce only those provisions of the sign regulations related to temporary signs or signage that are content neutral and relate to public safety.” The policy came after former Corrales Planning and Zoning Commissioner Frank Wirtz brought attention to the matter of political signs.

In a news release August 26, Stout explained, “It has come to the Village Administration’s attention that our sign regulations are out-of-date. In a recent case (Reed v. Town of Gilbert), the U.S. Supreme Court determined that sign regulations that discriminate based on the content of the sign’s message are, in most cases unconstitutional. “Unfortunately, the Village’s sign regulations are very similar to the regulations struck down in the Reed case. Consequently, if challenged the Village’s sign regulations would also likely be struck down by a reviewing court.

“For the foregoing reasons, the Village needs to undertake a comprehensive rewrite of its sign regulations.” In an August 10 email to Mayor Roake, Wirtz argued that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that such political signs on private property are protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. The mayor responded to him in an email that same day: “Our attorney is looking into this right now.” The Village’s sign ordinance clearly states that political campaign signs must be removed within three days after the election. The Code or Ordinances reads at Section 8-97 “Permitted Signs, Size Restrictions:”

“Signs related to political campaigns may be permitted prior to an election on any premises. No one political sign including all its sides shall exceed 16 square feet in sign area. Such signs shall not be placed more than sixty (60) days prior to the election date, and such signs shall be removed within three (3) days after the election date.”

These provisions were established in Corrales after lengthy, contentious and recurring debate. But Wirtz argues the Village’s ordinance is unconstitutional as an unacceptable limitation on free speech. In his August 10 email to Mayor Roake, he explained his position this way. “I’ve learned that the Village of Corrales has made some recent efforts in advising residents that their political signage is in violation of Village code restricting political signs being placed outside of the 60-day period preceding election date.

“The Village may create and enforce this ordinance for Village property, but the U.S. Supreme court has addressed this specific issue and has found that municipalities shall not restrict signage “content” on private property.  I’ve attached some links below that will hopefully clarify.” Wirtz continued, writing “The summary of this is that if a municipality allows signage of any type (Keep Out, Welcome, Beware of Dog, etc), then that municipality shall not restrict the content of that sign.  This includes political messaging and support signs. “Note that municipalities may restrict sign size, amounts of signs, placement such that motor traffic visibility is not compromised, etc.  However, the content of the sign is considered an important expression of First Amendment protected practice.…

“On a somewhat related issue, our code for sign ordinances is poorly worded.  In review of that code, I noted that all ‘portable’ signs are prohibited in the Village of Corrales.  This would include the election signs that folks wave near polling places, as well as any other sort of ‘temporary’ signage such as signs at the farmers market, yard sale signs, etc. Due to the broad definitions of the signage ordinance, it could even be argued that bumper stickers or delivery trucks with advertising on the sides are prohibited.”

In a subsequent email, Wirtz added to his argument. “It is in the best interest of our Village to suspend the practice of issuing non-compliance notices to those posting political signage on private property immediately.  “A good part of my frustration during my three years on our P&Z commission is that our older (and some newer) ordinances are horribly worded. Ordinances should contain some very important items ...there should be a list of term definitions at the beginning, describing exactly what key words mean. There should also be a list of exceptions as there are almost always some to be included.  In much of the Village Code associated with Planning and Zoning, the ordinances are nebulous, and entirely too much interpretation is required to apply the code.…

“All ordinances should be reviewed from time to time to ensure that they have not been found to be in conflict with our legal rights and liberties.  Conditions change.  Thirty years ago, we never anticipated needing cell phone hardware in the village, nor would we have assumed that cannabis farming would be an issue.…

“So... we have a mess on our hands, but one of the immediate ones which is threatening to our village is anything which steps directly on an amendment of the Constitution.  In this instance, the court systems all the way up to the Supreme Court have ruled that municipalities may not restrict the content of signage, as long as signage in some form is allowed.  This has been specifically applied to political signage.

“This is a very serious situation that our Village should address.  I know several persons who have received a cease-and-desist tag for political signage, and there are some rumblings about it.

“As part of one of the most progressive communities in New Mexico, we need to apply that progressiveness to freshening our Village Code.” Few candidates running in the party primaries back in June have kept their campaign signs up. The most obvious of those were erected by, or for the Republican candidate for Sandoval County Clerk, Lawrence Griego of Rio Rancho, who ran unopposed.

He will face Algodones Democrat Anne Brady Romero in the November election. After defeating two other Democrats in the June primary, she took her campaign signs down pretty much right away. In contrast, Griego kept his signs up for at least two months, presumably to gain advantage over his Democratic opponent this fall.

The Griego signs were most prominently displayed on the fence and wall of the property where former Mayor Scott Kominiak lives. Other candidate signs reportedly remained up well past the three-day limit near Old Church and Mission Valley Roads and along Loma Larga.

It’s only cost something over $35,000 thus far, plus many hours of labor by Village Administrator Ron Curry and Finance Officer Reyna Aragon, but it has been confirmed that most of the unexpected $4.7 million in the Village coffers first announced in January 2020, is legit.

A forensic audit this summer has confirmed that Village government really does have available more than $4 million that turned up unexpectedly. During the January 14 Village Council meeting, Curry told the mayor and council that “What made this jump out to us is that when you look at that amount of money, it is equivalent to our budget for one year.  It is a good problem to have, but it definitely requires us doing due diligence. We don’t want to get into a situation where we owe that money if we spend it in the wrong way.”

Aragon noted at the time that “We do not yet know where it came from. In 2016, we see from Wells Fargo, general cash for $4 million going into an investment account. That’s all we know about it so far.” Later in the meeting Mayor Jo Anne Roake underscored that, saying,“We aren’t going to spend any of it until we have a better idea, and just not that we have a healthy investment account at this point.  I think healthy skepticism is good at this point. It is just very unexpected.”

The Albuquerque forensic accounting company The McHard Firm was chosen to take a deep dive into Village finances. McHard was suggested to Curry by bond attorney Jill Sweeney, who brought them on board after a pandemically-determined virtual interview, just as COVID-19 was taking hold in New Mexico. In a July 20 report to Curry, McHard wrote: “We were contacted by the Village in April of 2020 regarding fund balances of unknown sources, specifically the balance in the LGIP account, and concerns with the structure of the Village’s accounting system.” LGIP stands for local government investment pools.

“The Village underwent a change in several key positions in late fiscal year 2019 and early fiscal year 2020, including turnover in the Village Administrator and the Finance Director positions. As a result of this turnover, and due to lack of communication and/or documentation from the outgoing staff during the transition, the Village became aware it held a balance in the LGIP of approximately $4.7 million.” (Local government investment pools are mutual funds set up by governments for investing excess money. LGIPs are sponsored and organized by the state treasurer of a state or a governing body like a county commission.)

As of 2019, the $4 million figure was recorded as $4,739,585. “The Village Administrator, the Finance Director, and the Village’s Bond Counsel all had concerns that this balance may be restricted and should not be spent. We performed analysis regarding the origins of this balance which included fiscal years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.” Both Curry and Aragon came to work for the Village in July of 2019. And, as Curry put it, it all began as “Reyna was starting on the budget for the year. She saw a statement, and was cautiously surprised.”

“How does something like that happen?” they asked themselves. “We mentioned it to some of the councillors, who wondered if maybe the previous mayor had moved money around.” Curry said he and Aragon were “determined to clearly identify the money.”

“It was like looking under rocks,” as Curry put it, “ Trying to make sense of things. Not that the situation was anyone’s fault, but the budget was not getting spent.” The July summation from McHard continues: “In addition to the LGIP balance, the Village is in the process of transitioning its accounting system from MIP to Tyler MUNIS.”

Yet another complication, shifting to an entirely new accounting system. The new one, MUNIS, based in Plano, Texas, aims to “Connect your organization with Munis, the powerful ERP solution designed to encompass a wide range of public sector needs.” ERP means “enterprise resource planning.” The old one, MIP, is an accounting platform aimed at non-profits and governments. In fact, former Mayor Scott Kominiak began the transition to MUNIS, but the effort stalled. Village Clerk Aaron Gjullin has been helpful in restarting that transfer, according to Curry. The McHard report adds, “The Village wants to ensure that the accounting structure is appropriate for transition to the new system, and that the new system will facilitate accurate and timely financial reporting to the Village Council.”

To summarize the general accounting setup, McHard explains, “the Village has held an account with the LGIP for the entire time period we analyzed. The Village also holds a checking account named ‘general fund’ at Wells Fargo Bank and a savings account at Wells Fargo Bank. The ‘general fund’ checking account includes balances belonging to other funds of the Village as well as the Village’s general fund. Based on analysis of these balances over time, the balance in the ‘general fund’ checking account grew each fiscal year from 2013 to 2016. In fiscal year 2017, a portion of the balance in the ‘general fund’ checking account was moved to the savings account held at Wells Fargo.”

It does appear that the Village administration was on disorganized ground in 2013, even before Kominiak became mayor, according to Curry. “There was no solid infrastructure, little ‘good practices,’ and the mayor did not even have an office.” Soon after the “missing” $4 million was made public, an Albuquerque TV station ran a brief segment that according to Curry, “was flippant in nature, 180 degrees away from what we had discussed in the interview, making light of how we would spend the money.” Understandable to any kid who found an unexpected crumpled $20 bill in her shorts, when out of allowance money, perhaps.

Under the rocks Curry and Aragon turned over they discovered unusual numbers of Village “funds,” several of which had not been touched in four years, and a few with considerable money in them. Here are a few from the list: Recreation – General Ledger Fund 217; Safe Routes to School – General Ledger Fund 220; Recycling Grant – General Ledger Fund 223; Mid-Rio Grande Valley – General Ledger Fund 231; FEMA 4152 – General Ledger Fund 237; Farmland Preservation – General Ledger Fund 305.

Aragon’s current prime focus is consolidating the assorted funds, and making sure there are no encumbrances on the fund balances. As Curry stated, “Handle money as little as you can, yet accurately. We want to be sure that the Village has a clear pathway into the future, well after we are gone.”

The good news is: “Based on our analysis of the Village’s financial statements, performed at the fund level, there does not appear to be any restriction on the balance held in the LGIP account. However, there may be a portion of the balance that should be transferred from the LGIP account to the ‘general fund’ checking account.

“While the accounting system is used to segregate funds to track the different sources of revenues and expenditures, these funds will often share bank accounts. It would be very unwieldy and inefficient for each fund in a government to have its own bank account. As such, the balance in the ‘general fund’ checking account at Wells Fargo is, reasonably, a combination of fund cash balances in the accounting system, or general ledger. “The audit financial statements for 2019 show the general fund only has $3.9 million in total cash. Despite that, all $4.7 million of the LGIP account is allocated to the general fund.”

“Based on our analysis of the general fund’s fund balance and based on documented audit findings, we believe either other funds over-spent their accumulated fund balance and owe money to the general fund or a bank account transfer was needed to cover general fund expenditures. It is also possible that both of those situations exist.”

Financial perfect storm? Imbroglio? Comedy of errors? But, all’s well that ends well. This year’s budget for fiscal 2020-2021, according to Arragon, has been sent to the State, and it is the same as last year. Village income from gross receipts has remained steady at 30 percent even through COVID-19. And money is not a prime issue for this Village, during this money-squeezing pandemic, thanks to lax or improper recording of transfers, dormant bank accounts, overspending, even underspending. But now the rocks have been overturned, new systems will be in place, and Curry and Aragon are on the job.