Village of Taos Ski Valley updates fire evacuation plan

Finance Director: Tax revenue greater than projected this year

Village of Taos Ski Valley councilors reviewed the community’s fire evacuation plan and preparedness at their regular meeting on April 26, learned that village tax revenues have exceeded expectations in the current fiscal year, and heard distressing news regarding newly-elected Mayor Neal King’s health.

Kathy Bennett, chair and founder of the Firewise Community board of directors, presented councilors with an updated emergency checklist that is to be distributed to residents and property owners within the ski valley.

“In the event of a wildland fire, an evacuation will be ordered,” the Evacuation Plan, which is also to be distributed to all residents and business owners within the ski valley, states. “The Village Fire Department will sound several sirens to notify you of an evacuation.”

Bennett told the Taos News she is concerned that not everyone living and working within the ski valley would receive the updated plan and checklist, which will be made available on the village website’s homepage (vtsv.org). The prior emergency plan is currently on the site.

“I think they’re sending it out with the utility bills, but we also need to get it to those who aren’t on water and sewer or don’t get utility bills, including those up in Amizette and Kachina,” she said.

The council also reviewed a proposed ordinance that would institute sewer and water connection fees of an unspecified amount, an expense that previously was covered by the old development impact fees system, according to Village Attorney Susan Baker.

The new development impact fees schedule that was adopted by the council earlier this year “only pays for expanded capacity in the water and sewer plants,” not the actual cost of connections, Baker explained. “Our connection fees and system development fees used to be combined. This is just for the fiscal cost of connection.”

Councilors will vote on the ordinance at a later date.

Village Administrator John Avila updated councilors on the situation at the municipal wastewater treatment plant, which has been malfunctioning despite millions of dollars worth of upgrades done several years ago.

“We are having a lot of testing as to how to deal with some of the issues with the particular membranes and so forth,” Avila said. “The temporary plant is being used to run those tests, and we’ll get more information when it becomes available for the greater public.”

In mid-February, ski valley resident Michael Fitzpatrick filed a complaint with New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas over a Jan. 25 Inspection of Public Records Act request he submitted to the Village asking for documents related to the sewer plant. Fitzpatrick said the village failed to fulfill the request in accordance with state statute.

“This refusal is troubling as an election was rapidly approaching and the voters were not provided with details of the largest project in the history of the village,” Fitzpatrick alleged in his complaint. “Cost overruns, faulty performance of wastewater treatment facility took place under direction and control of three of the candidates.”

Fitzpatrick added that he “suspects an intentional coverup was orchestrated by parties both known and unknown.”

Village Clerk Ann Wooldridge told the Taos News that the village and Fitzpatrick had worked out a temporary solution to address the complaint, which she said is on hold for the time being.

“We responded verbally to his request, and in emails. But we didn’t do a formal letter,” Wooldridge said. “In the meantime, around the time of his complaint, the documents were provided to him.”

Councilor and Mayor Pro-tem Tom Wittman said he and newlyelected councilors Henry Caldwell and Brent Knox would be touring the sewer plant soon to get a better idea of what’s needed to get it running properly.

As Mayor Pro-tem, Wittman ran the April 26 meeting because newly-elected Mayor Neal King is experiencing resurgent health problems.

“Tom has helped me out a lot here,” King told the council. “As you all know, the the blockage in my throat came back, so I’m about to start another patch of radiation — oh joy. I’ll keep the council and everybody updated as to what’s going on.”

“We’re all behind you, as you know,” Wittman replied.

King told the Taos News, “This obviously isn’t the way I’d hoped to start my term,” but expressed optimism regarding his treatment.

Finance Director Nancy Grabowski reported that the village’s lodgers tax collections for the fiscal year so far have far outstripped the $450,000 in revenue projected in the Village budget, but Councilor Chris Stagg shot down a resolution that proposed for a portion of the now-projected $600,000 in revenue transferred into the village general fund.

“I just don’t feel that this is appropriate at this time,” Stagg said. We stand to collect close to $2 million worth of gross receipts tax this year. The lodgers tax fund has collected more money but the village doesn’t necessarily need that money in the general fund, it’d be better spent going to the chamber or funding transportation or doing other things that the village needs. I’m opposed to this resolution.”

Caldwell cast the lone aye vote and the resolution failed.