Investigation into Lamy saloon lands in AG’s office
SANTA FE — A long-standing fight over Lamy’s historic Legal Tender Saloon and Restaurant has moved to the state Attorney General’s Office.
A group of area residents who want dining and drinks to return to the space has petitioned for an investigation of how the saloon, dating from the 1880s, is being maintained by a nonprofit board that owns it. The AG’s office oversees charitable organizations.
Two board members this week denied allegations the board has allowed “ongoing damage” to the property. Jerry Watts and Mark Kellerman said the board would cooperate in any investigation of the Lamy New Mexico Railroad and History Museum Inc., resulting from the complaint by Tom Hyland of Lamy, who said nearly 500 people had signed a petition of support.
“You bet we will (cooperate), we are looking forward to that,” Kellerman said. A spokesman for the AG’s office confirmed that the complaint has been received and is under review.
The complaint states “this property and its assets are in danger of damage and loss,” and that the building “contained paintings and antique relics that have gone missing over the 13 years since the museum board acquired the property.” It says the museum is rarely open.
Kellerman said the building had been inspected by an architect and “we received an A rating on this examination.”
“This group is really hostile
trying to take over the museum and we are not cooperating in any way shape or form,” said Kellerman.
The Legal Tender, southeast of Santa Fe near Lamy’s Amtrak stop, has operated on and off as a restaurant and was the subject of a 2013 lawsuit against the board by previous restaurateurs over rent and how much of the building could be used for a museum. “To keep our nonprofit status we can lease out 30 percent to 40 percent of our floor space,” Watts said.