You are here

June 2005

Since the General Meeting of last year (September, 2005) the following are the accomplishments of the last six months, on-going issues, policies and news of the Association.

New Members:

Have you seen a lot of moving vans and pick-ups driven by very tired people in our community over the past year? If so, that is because over the last year, 11 new residents have moved to our community. If not, you need to get out more. Be sure to introduce yourself to your new neighbors. Tell them where the parks are, where our water comes from, and how to use a chainsaw.

Roads:

Last fall, $13,000 was spent to improve and repair Cerro Pelado Trail. This section of road serves the owner’s of about 40 lots in Units 4, 5, 6 and 7. The path of this road was straightened in places to help reduce the number of vehicles that ended up spun off the road in the winter time and this required some trees to be removed. The road was contoured to encourage the water to drain off of it, culverts were strategically placed, the road was crowned and 4” of base course placed on top. This section of road is heavily used by the membership that owns along the back sections of Los Griegos Road, and has been of major complaint for many years to these residents. Go for a Sunday drive and see.

This Last Winter we spent $7,000 on snow removal. While there were some problems this spring with ice jams on Trilobite Trail that may not have been satisfactorily addressed, we were trying to spend less money making temporary improvements and have tried to husband our funds for further improvements this summer.

Every road that needs grading will receive grading this spring – Early Summer. We plan to improve several of the major roads. We ask for the cooperation of every member that owns along these sections of road, and that they remember that the road easement extends 20 feet to each side of the platted road center onto members’ property. In order to straighten (where deemed wise) and to crown the road, trees may have to be cut, and the dirt pulled up from the sides, creating ditches along the road (instead of down the center of the road). Telephone lines may be cut, ditches through driveways may be created, culverts may be installed and traffic diverted temporarily, and water may be sheeted off the surface of the road onto members’ property. If you are the lucky member whose property receives water from off the road, remember that we are still in a drought and your trees could use this water. If you believe that there is a better way to move the water off the roads and don’t agree with our solutions, please volunteer to help the road Chairman to create better solutions. If any member’s response to the inconveniences of these improvements is to sabotage the work that is done by diverting the water back onto roads and off their own property, the board’s policy is to stop wasting funds on a section of road in which it is obvious that the members like the conditions as they now stand and spend them on a different section of road where the improvements will be appreciated and cooperation can be found.

DSL – and the Telephone:

Some members of the Association have been trying to get DSL up here to Sierra Los Pinos, but have had not any luck, so far. Valor keeps saying it’s not available in this area, but we were recently informed that it is not available because there have not been enough people requesting it in this area. It’s already in use in La Cueva, and Rancho de La Cueva. We’re next in line. So, if you wish to have DSL, please call Valor on a REGULAR basis, requesting this service. Maybe if enough of us do this, it will happen!

Water and Water Policies:

Since the last general meeting, we have, as an association, had no leaks and no problems with water supply to the owners. There were no water outages this last fall or winter.

This spring, as I write this newsletter, there has been one water outage on the water system the serves Units 1, 2, 3 and 10. To the best of our knowledge, the leak that caused this outage is to be found collectively, in every household on System 1 that has used water in the month of May, and not an unsanctioned leak in the Association’s water pipes. If we all collectively use the water that is pumped at a greater rate than that which we can supply it, then the holding tanks will eventually run dry.(We can pump a maximum of 50,000 gal each day on System 1 assuming 100% run-time over a 24 hour period with both wells functioning [this is not our normal operating procedure], and we can store 30,000 gal. If we collectively use 51,000 gal each day, then in 30 days the holding tanks are empty.) At this time, there is no way to know how much each member’s household is using and if the collective use is greater than our capacity to pump water, until the members at higher levels closest to the level of the holding tanks report that they have no water. When this happens, the policy of the board is to shut off the water to everyone on the affected system, and refill the holding tanks so that everyone may have access to water. Then with no additional unsanctioned leaks in the pipes, the system will supply water to everyone until the usage outstrips the supply capabilities and we exhaust the reserves in the tank again, or the usage by the members’ decreases to a rate that the well and pumps can supply. The only known way to ‘fix’ this type of leak is to install meters on every household, so that every household may know, self-regulate, and pay for the water it uses in excess of the norm (in order to encourage to self regulation), and the Water Chair may know collectively that the demand exceeds the supply capacity and warn the membership of eminent water outages.

Mutual Domestic Water System:

For several years the Board has looked into the option of the Association transforming, at least a part of the association, into a ‘Mutual Domestic’ Water System. Lately, several members have expressed renewed interest in proceeding in this direction. I would like to summarize here what a ‘Mutual Domestic’ is, what it would require of the membership, what it may benefit our membership, and propose to submit (at the General Meeting in September) to the membership a special assessment to finance and obtain approval to proceed with this option.

A Mutual Domestic in its simplest form is a Not for Profit Public Water Utility Company. As such, it must be legally established such that the organization operates under the ‘Open Meetings Act’of New Mexico and abides by the requirements of a ‘Mutual Domestic’ organization. Since the Homeowners’ Association was organized as a private ‘members only’ organization, the bylaws will need to be amended by the membership to reflect the requirements of a Mutual Domestic under the laws of New Mexico. These changes need to be well thought out, drafted, reviewed, submitted to the membership for review, membership discussion organized, final draft created, bylaws amendment submitted to the membership for a vote, quorum of 60% obtained (or 94 member lot owners must respond) and the new bylaws must be passed by a majority vote of the quorum.

Much ado has been made that once we become a ‘Mutual Domestic’ the association will be able to obtain ‘free’ money to fix and improve our water system. However, let me point out that this money may not be ‘free’. Just the above sketch of the process for the association to change its bylaws will need to be financed, as the volunteer board is unwilling to take on this task. Therefore, someone competent and ethical will need to be found to shepherd us through this process and that someone will need to be compensated ($) for their time and effort, and the further expenses of printings and mailings bourn by the association membership. Therefore, if the membership wishes to pursue the course of becoming a Mutual Domestic, we will submit to the membership a request for a Special Assessment of $100.00 per Association Lot (156 lots) to be assessed annually for the next two (2) years. The $15,600.00/year would be used to hire someone to attempt to transform the Association into a Mutual Domestic, and pay for the additional printing and mailing expenses. With a two year limit on the attempt to transform, this individual would have the potential income of ~$30,000.00 over two years, if the Special Assessment is approved by the membership.

If at least a portion of Association is transformed into a Mutual Domestic, then we will need to hire someone to write grants and persuade the legislature to support our grant requests.($) There are no guarantees. State Funds are limited, and in making a decision as to where these funds will be spent, legislators may consider our membership too wealthy and decline our requests for a grant, or offer only low interest loans (in other words, we will still pay out of pocket for our improvements to the water system – no free money). Further, we have been warned that the lack of household water metering may ruin any chance at grant funding, as the State will be unwilling to finance an un-metered system. And ironically, the first low interest loan that we might obtain, once becoming a Mutual Domestic, may be funds for installing meters for every household, in order to be eligible for future grants, and the membership would still have to foot the bill for this improvement.

On the other hand, potentially, we could be granted funds to meter the system, to obtain a greater capacity holding tanks, new pipeline, pumps and their installation, and funds for purchasing additional water rights. All of these things are big ticket items. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Animal Control Ordinance Law

Posted on the SLP Website

For the safety and benefit of our community, the Sandoval County Animal Control Ordinance is being enforced by the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Sheriffs have been issuing warnings and citations to property owner whose animals are in violation of this county law. Deputy Sheriffs are empowered to call Corrales Animal Control to capture wandering animals, and/or file misdemeanor charges and the court can issue jail terms and monetary penalties.

If you have a problem with neighborhood dog(s) running at large, disturbing the peace, or any other violation under the ordinance, the Sheriff’s office encourages you to call County Dispatch at 505-867-4581.

You will be asked to give the location of the problem. You can choose to remain anonymous.

Board Member Elections:

This year the board members’ whose terms will expire are Kirk Thompson, Brian Reardon, and John Fredlund. Kirk and Brian have been kind enough to indicate that they would be willing to run for a board membership again, we have heard from a few other members that they would also like to throw their hat into the ring. If you would like to run for the Board, please email Karen Taylor at karent@starband.net with a short biography for publication with the ballot, explaining your interest and concerns. If a minimum of two other association members (in good standing) are not found to run for the board, expect a call from Karen Taylor asking if YOU would consider running for the board and supporting the Association with your wisdom. Members of the association who are vocal about issues ought to be willing to serve on the board to make a change or at least get informed.

Chipper Days:

Many of you may have noticed that we no longer have a burn pit for our slash. Fortunately, a local chapter of Firewise Communities, USA has stepped in to help us in the disposal of our slash and reducing the fuel load around our homes. This chapter of Firewise, known as the Greater Eastern Jemez Wildland/Urban Interface Corporation (GEJWUIC), has been organizing chipper days at the fire station as well as other locations throughout the Jemez corridor. Additionally, GEJWUIC is administering a grant to help residents thin their properties to the sensible basal area of 60 sq ft. per acre. All residents of SLPPOA are eligible for this grant and many residents have already taken advantage of it. Check out many of the properties on Los Griegos that have already been thinned. If you are interested participating in this thinning project, contact Ann Cooke (829-3134) or Brian Reardon (829-4037).