Water Board Meeting

Above, following the meeting and just before refreshments. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The annual meeting of the Whispering Cedars Water Board ended around 30 minutes ago.

The takeaway from it is that financially, the Board is in fine shape with plenty of funds to meet any emergency (such as equipment breakdowns, etc.).  

Friend Roger Slape was elected to fill one Board vacancy. He will do a fine job.

Above, the food brought in by community members. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I found that I have two votes on the Board. The number of parcels one owns determines the number of votes one has. I have two parcels of land. Interesting.

It was noted that the city of Gallup has eyes on our aquafer and may want to build a pipeline to it (Gallup is 18 miles west of Jamestown). 

Following the meeting, the attendees partook in the food that were brought in pot-luck style. It was good with a couple of dishes with a good kick to them.

Water Board Annual Meeting

Above, Whispering Cedars water association members gathered three years
ago at the community volunteer fire station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One nice thing about living in a small town rural setting is that it's easier to meet your neighbors and the directors of the local utilities.

The annual community meeting with the water board is taking place this morning down at our fire station. So, instead of our usual coffee, we'll be going to this instead.

A water board member posted:

The annual water meeting is tomorrow at the firehouse at 11:00 (Enter through the back door). The Water board will be providing chili con carne, tortillas, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, beans, pork meat, red chili and chopped green chili, a cake along with potato salad and lasagna. Please feel free to bring what you like.

This is a great way to socialize and get the straight skinny on our water service in the community.  

The Emergency Disaster Planning Meeting Was Held

Above, the Whispering Cedars Fire Station where the meeting was held. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Emergency Disaster Planning Meeting was held this morning at the Whispering Cedars Fire Station.

We were in the station's conference room, which wasn't big enough to hold everybody. Why they didn't hold it in the main section where the fire vehicles are kept is beyond me. We had a meeting there a few years ago and it worked out just fine.

The agenda wasn't exactly followed, but most everything on it were addressed by the end of the meeting.

Unfortunately, some of the speakers had a habit of giving long, detailed answers to simple questions. It was a case of "ask him the time and he'll give you the history of watch-making." Oh, well.

At least we found that no prescribed fires are planned for the area. That's comforting to hear. A prescribed burn got out of control near Santa Fe (and is still burning) and merged with another fire.

Interestingly, the juniper and pinon pines in the area usually have around 100% moisture content during normal years. Now they are in the 80s (I think 87% was stated). They need moisture to make sap to fight bark beetles.

We do have a CodeRed alert system in McKinley County. Access to it is through the county website. All one has to do is go to the website and register, which I found to be easy. I registered while at the meeting.

There are currently no evacuation plans, but those are being formulated now. As for livestock and pets, there is the possibility of using the Red Rock Park stables or the Prewitt Fairgrounds stables. They are working on that as well. The main problem is transporting the animals out of danger.

The main bone of contention was the shooting area on National Forest land. It needs to be closed for the duration of the National Forest Stage 3 fire restrictions (closure) that the rest of the Cibola National Forest is under.

One oddity of New Mexico. Fireworks are sold year-round, and not even the governor can halt sales. 

Authorities can "recommend" evacuation, but they cannot force anyone to evacuate in a disaster in New Mexico if they refuse to leave. Interesting.

I talked to one of the guest speakers after the meeting. I spoke with McKinley County Commissioner Billy Moore about freeway signs for Interstate 40. There are no signs pointing the way to Jamestown, just "Refinery". Since we don't live in "Refinery, New Mexico", we need signs for Jamestown. He gave me the contact person information at the New Mexico Department of Transportation to get freeway signs.

It was a useful meeting.

Emergency Disaster Planning Meeting Agenda

Above, the Whispering Cedars Fire Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since we have the Cibola National Forest behind our Whispering Cedars and Mesa Ridge Ranch communities, a meeting is being called today to discuss Emergency Disaster Planning at the fire station.

The agenda is as follows:

Emergency Disaster Planning Meeting

May 21, 2022

10:00 AM

Whispering Cedars Volunteer Fire Department

 Scott Williams

Guest Speakers:

  Yolanda Begay-USFS

  James Maiorano- Under Sheriff with MCSO

  Billy Moore- McKinley County Commissioners

  Adam Berry-Emergency Manager McKinley County

  Tim Berry-McKinley County Fire and EMS

   Ron Shultz-McKinley County Fire and EMS        

 We are requesting that questions be held until each speaker is finished.  At that time the floor will be open for questions and remarks for that specific speaker.  Please keep questions specific to the topics discussed.

Topics to be discussed:

What resources will be available if we have a wildfire. 

where do we go and what happens to our livestock, pets etc. 

What type of security measures can we expect from law enforcement?

Emergency evacuation plans specific for our immediate communities.

Is there a phone alert system that we can be included in?

List of things to have ready to go if an evacuation is necessary.

Gun Range west of community. 

Can fires be sparked?

Is it possible for the Forest Service to also put a wooden post for closure, restriction notices near the entrance to the gun range?

Can the gun range also be closed with the annual winter closing?

What do we do about those that chose to use the gun range in the middle of the night?

Fireworks.

Campers in lower Six Mile Canyon.

Potential campfires

Parking on grasses 

If electricity should go out, we possibly could have limited access to water.

Recommendations for our community to make it safer. 

The safety of brush cutting

Household trash burning

We would sincerely like to extend our thanks for each of our guest speakers. 

The Jamestown and surrounding communities

Emergency Fire Meeting and National Forest Closure

Above, the Jamestown fire station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Saturday's breakfast/coffee gathering at the Flying J will be preempted by a community-wide emergency meeting at the Jamestown fire station at 10:00.

According to the Jamestown community Facebook page, the meeting is to discuss a disaster plan for our community and surrounding neighbors.  This is in response to our drought and potential EXTREME fire danger. We plan to have a representative from the Forest Service, the Sheriffs Department and the Fire Department.  

Starting tomorrow, the Cibola National Forest (which includes Six Mile Canyon in the Mt. Taylor Ranger District) will be subject to a Stage 3 closure due to extreme fire danger. The map below shows the Mt. Taylor Ranger District.

According to KOB 4 News:

SANTA FE, N.M. — The U.S. Forest Service announced a forest-wide closure order will be issued for the Santa Fe National Forest and the Carson National Forest, effective Thursday morning.

The Cibola National Forest will also be implementing a Stage 3 forest closure for the Mt. Taylor, Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts.

The orders will be in effect starting at 8 a.m. on May 19. During the closure, public access will be prohibited due to the ongoing active wildfires and extreme fire danger.

All National Forest System lands, recreation sites, roads, trails and trailheads within the restricted boundaries will be closed to the general public. County and state roads that cross through the closed lands will remain open to vehicles and businesses in nearby communities.

Violating the order carries a Class B misdemeanor, which includes as much as a $5,000 fine for individuals/$10,000 for organizations and/or up to six months’ imprisonment.

To read more, go here. 

Whispering Cedars Water Association Meeting

Above, Whispering Cedars water association members gathered today
 at the community volunteer fire station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the first time since I've moved to New Mexico, I attended a meeting of the Whispering Cedars Mutual Domestic Water Association at the community's fire station.

About 60 residents attended and the meeting.

Above, Board Member Nandoh Munoz discusses his display of photographs to a resident. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The meeting followed a printed agenda which included election of board members, officers and a review of the necessary repairs to equipment during the past year. One of the repairs was made necessary to the upper tank and well house after a lightning strike in January.

I was pleased to learn that our water (from an underground aquifer) is one of the best in the region.

The meeting also included a pot luck lunch. Board Member Nandoh Munoz had a display of photographs of different repair and construction work done during the past year.

Following the water association meeting, the fire chief gave a report on the community volunteer fire department. One of the things the chief mentioned was the new fire engine the department obtained this last summer.

Above and below, the new community fire engine. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

Several of us later went outside to look over the new fire engine. It is pretty impressive.

I was able to meet several residents of our community. One recognized me from my Facebook page (image that!) and seeing me riding around on the mini bike. He is the one with a Trump flag on his fence. I mentioned that I have a Trump 2020 "No More Bullshit" flag and showed him a photo of it.

He joked, "Don't show that to my wife on Facebook! She'll want one and I'll have to put up a flagpole!"

During Q & A, I asked if we could get a better and more user-friendly water bill billing system. The one we have is confusing. They want to get a new billing program in, one that also includes payments by credit or debit cards. They can't do that now.

It was an interesting meeting and I learned a lot.