P and Z issue and dispatch highlight city meeting

GRANTS - An action item approved several weeks ago by the Planning and Zoning Board was tabled at the June 30 Grants City Council meeting. Councilman Martin 'Modey' Hicks motioned to table a Conditional Use Permit requested by Bernadine Torrez, at 1524 Del Norte, for a day care service for reason of insufficient notice to neighbors within a 100 feet radius from the property. Only Councilman Ron Ortiz voted against the table item for reason that he felt the Planning and Zoning Board had already done its homework and that the Torrez day care business was qualified.

Code Enforcer Marty McBride told the council that the ordinance says to notify residents within 100 feet from the home. He told the board the ordinance is unclear in regards of where to measure from - the center of the property or from the perimeter - and, because of neighbor Helen Davis' complaint, McBride said that he wanted to measure from the perimeter and will need to notify at least five more neighbors.

As of July 1, McBride told the Beacon he had already begun to notify the five and the response had been positive in support of the day care business.

As far as other qualifications of the Torrez business, “They qualify,” said McBride. “They've provided everything we've requested and it is not the intent of this department to endanger someone's livelihood.”

Bernadine Torrez said on July 2 that, “I can't believe this has been such an issue. I live in a school zone, there is a speed bump almost in front of my home and my yard is completely fenced. I have a passion and love for children and have opened up my home to provide much needed day care services to working parents in Cibola County during these difficult economic times. I have not only exceeded the requirements of the zoning commission but have met all state licensing requirements.”

At one point in the discussion is seemed as if though other parties besides Davis, her daughter and Archie Barnes had objected to the day care business but had no items to back it up. When Ortiz asked to see the letters, McBride handed him three, two from Davis and one from Davis' daughter, Charlotte Hemingway.

Davis, a news reporter for an out-of-town newspaper, appeared to be satisfied when councilors discussed adding another speed bump near a blind curve on Del Norte. P and Z board member Cecil Brown said he's driven the Del Norte street and felt the curve was not that bad but that a speed bump could make the street safer for everyone, not just the Torrez's.

A special meeting is expected to be held in mid-July to approve or disapprove an Economic Development Contract and the Torrez P and Z request will be added to that agenda, according to Mayor Joe Murrietta.

McBride told the Beacon that he expects the Torrez request to be approved because there is no reason it shouldn't be.

CRCC expenditures

The third quarter expense for the Cibola Regional Communications Center (dispatch) was also on the city meeting agenda this week and Hicks again voted no.

“Nothing is scarier than when you are in danger and your radio does not work,” said Hicks to the other council members.

An antenna being moving was discussed several months ago to fix the problem but Grants Police Chief Steve Sena reported to the council that wasn't the problem.

“Now we are going to look at the repeater,” Sena said. “I've notified the landowner on where it sits and am waiting for three bids.”

Grants' expense from dispatch for the third quarter is $57,217, approximately $4,000 more than the second quarter and $13,000 more than the first. “We are going to go over $200,000 for the year,” Hicks added, “and this is for something that doesn't work all the time. I will vote no until the system works completely.”

Sheriff Johnny Valdez was at the meeting and echoed Hicks' remarks in regards to the system not fully working. “It is not the workers, it is the system that does not work,” Valdez told the council.

Also discussed was an item on the CRCC detailed expense report listed as maintenance for $3,800. “DFA is supposed to pay for maintenance,” Hicks told Janice Peña, a representative of CRCC at the meeting.

Look in next weeks Beacon's for more City of Grants news.