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Headline News For July 26 and Aug. 2, 2002

  It seemed as though the City of Truth or Consequences was ready to sign a law enforcement agreement in which the city's police department would serve as Williamsburg's law enforcement agency, but now the city wants more in exchange for the services than the village is willing to give.

  Russ Peterson, acting Truth or Consequences Police Chief since David Bryant "resigned" on May 14, was hired as the city's top cop on a permanent basis Monday, July 22.

  The Desert Journal's operating system crashed this week, making it impossible to produce a newspaper this Friday, July 26, said Editor and Publisher Bill Johnson Thursday.

...Fire destroys apartment Monday night

A fire caused by a lit cigarette destroyed an apartment less than a block away from the Desert Journal's office on North Date Street in T or C. As shown, dedicated T or C volunteer firemen battle the blaze through thick smoke. What is not shown is the generous act of the Alvarez family who took into their home Ed Smith, an elderly neighbor to the fire victims who had no utility service and would have faced uncertain dangers  had he stayed.
DJ Photo by Bill Johnson

...Night lights

Albuquerque's night lights as viewed from the Tramway at the base of Sandia Mountain last Saturday night.
DJ Photo by Bill Johnson

By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

It seemed as though the City of Truth or Consequences was ready to sign a law enforcement agreement in which the city's police department would serve as Williamsburg's law enforcement agency, but now the city wants more in exchange for the services than the village is willing to give.

Village trustees on July 11 signed off on a joint powers agreement proposed by TCPD Chief Russ Peterson as requested by Williamsburg Mayor Sue Jackson after the Sierra County Sheriff's Department indicated it will not continue its law enforcement agreement with the village.

T or C City Commissioner Bud Stevenson at the July 11 meeting said he sees no problem with the city commission approving the agreement. City commissioners at their July 22 meeting barely discussed the agreement at all and turned it over to the city manager.

It now seems that the village's offer to TCPD of the use of five patrol cars and equipment including a computer, firearms, body armor, radios, cameras and video equipment and $20,600 (raised from last year's $17,500) in law enforcement protection (LEP) funds isn't enough for T or C police to act as Williamsburg's law enforcment agency.

Chief Peterson said July 23 the city wants the village to pay for insurance for the five patrol cars since the city will not own but will only have the use of the village's cars. Peterson said he and City Manager Richard Ramsey want also a one-year termination notice as first proposed.

Mayor Jackson the same day said she is very disappointed that the city came back with additional demands. Jackson said Peterson, Ramsey and at least two city commissioners knew what was in the proposed agreement and that all seemed agreeable to its terms.

Jackson said a two-year agreement is understandable as it will allow TCPD to plan equipment purchases but that from three to six months would be more in line than a one-year termination notice.

The village paying for insurance for its five patrol cars, in addition to everything else it will provide, is out of the question, Jackson said, adding that the city with its umbrella coverage can insure five cars more cheaply than the village can insure two.

Village trustees will hold a special meeting July 29 or 30 to decide whether to continue working toward an agreement with TCPD or reestablishing the village's own police department, Jackson said.

Jackson said she is not anxious to reestablish a Williamsburg PD due to the prohibitive cost the village incurred when it had its own PD before. But Jackson said Williamsburg will again create its own police department if it is determined that insurance costs will be about the same as it would to provide insurance for the village's police cars that TCPD will use in an agreement with the village.

...Meanwhile in Elephant Butte

Sierra County Commissioners on July 18 agreed to continue an agreement for the Sheriff's Department to continue providing law enforcement services to the City of Elephant Butte, with the understanding that the county manager will determine the county's costs of providing the expected services.

The final price tag, which both parties must agree to, may be more than the $20,600 in LEP funds Elephant Butte offered.

Not having received a joint powers agreement signed by county commissioners, Elephant Butte Mayor Bob Barnes and Councilor Adienne Podlesny continued shopping around for police services.

Barnes and Podlesny met with T or C's police chief and city manager to consider the possibility of the TCPD acting as Elephant Butte's law enforcement agency.

Given the distance between the two cities, Podlesny said she thinks the Sheriff's Department is the better option but that Elephant Butte should explore other possibilities until an agreement is in place. Podlesny said Elephant Butte may consider a law enforcement agreement with New Mexico State Police.

Like the Village of Williamsburg, the City of Elephant Butte risks losing its LEP funds if it can't arranged for law enforcement services quickly enough.

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By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

Russ Peterson, acting Truth or Consequences Police Chief since David Bryant "resigned" on May 14, was hired as the city's top cop on a permanent basis Monday, July 22.

Peterson was the only city employee to answer an in-house posting for the job.

Peterson on Tuesday said no changes to the department are expected with him being hired permanently as chief. He said that since he has been acting chief, only one TCPD officer has been reassigned and that he has no plans to reassign any other.

Peterson said he is enjoying a good relationship with TCPD officers and staff after having to assure them that their positions are secure as long as they do their jobs.

TCPD officers were concerned for their jobs when they read a Desert Journal news story about Peterson being named acting chief.

The May 17 news story referred to a letter to the editor that described Peterson as a "hatchet man" who may give certain TCPD officers the ax.

Peterson will face Richard Millard in November's race for a seat on the Sierra County Board of Commissioners.

Peterson said his position as T or C's police chief will make him more accessible to Sierra County citizens than other county commissioners are and that he foresees no conflict of interest, with the possible exception of matters pertaining to law enforcement, in the two positions he will hold if he wins the November election.

Peterson said he will abstain from voting as a county commissioner on any matter where there is a conflict.

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No newspaper until Aug. 9

The Desert Journal's operating system crashed this week, making it impossible to produce a newspaper this Friday, July 26, said Editor and Publisher Bill Johnson Thursday.

"We decided not to publish this week so we could take the time to restore our computer equipment and make way for a super computer that is now in the process of being manufactured by our webmaster, Vic Arvizu of T or C Computer Systems, next door," Johnson said.

The Desert Journal had planned to close its doors anyway for vacation after this Friday (today, July 26), meaning also that the Aug. 2 issue won't be published. The next publication will be Aug. 9 and the doors of the Desert Journal will be open for business starting Monday, Aug. 5.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience this closure might have on our advertisers and readers," Johnson said, but adding that once everything is on line again improvements and some surprises are in the works.

"We really look forward to our return when things should get off on a big bang," he said.

<<<   >>>

A public meeting of the Sierra Vista Hospital Governing Board will be at noon Wednesday, July 31, in SVH's board room, 800 E. Ninth Ave. in T or C.

The meeting agenda is available in SVH's administrative office.

<<<   >>>

Ann Rinker, 63, a Truth or Consequences resident the last two years, died Sunday, July 21, 2002, at Memorial Medical Center in Las Crcues.

She was born April 10, 1939, in Texas to Jasper and Ophelia Thelma Doucet. She was a homemaker and an active member of the First Assembly of God Church.

Survivors include her husband, Berland Rinker; her children, Thelma, Jackie, Tony, Tina and Tanya; her grandchildren, Amanda, Jennifer, Christina, Dylan, Stephen, Jackie Rae, Elyssa Kae, Tony Ray, Mallory and Hunter; a great-grandchild, Breanna; her brothers and sisters, Rose Plant, Betty Rowell, Shirley Collins, Carlean Cook and Jasper Doucet; and many nieces, nephews and good friends.

A memorial service was held Thursday, July 23, at the First Assembly of God Church with Rev. Phil Sanders officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Lupus Foundation, New Mexico Chapter, P.O. Box 35891, Albuquerque, NM 87176-5891. Arrangements were by French Mortuary & Cremation Services of T or C.

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