Candidates talk about Rio Communities issues

RIO COMMUNITIES—Seven of the nine candidates running for elected office in Rio Communities participated in a candidate forum held last week at Sunshine Church.

Mayoral candidate Matthew Marquez and council candidate Alan Sinclair didn’t attend the forum because both reported they were undergoing medical procedures that day and the day after.

The mayor’s race includes current Mayor Joshua Ramsell and City Councilor Matthew Marquez.

Five candidates — incumbent Lawrence Gordon, Michael Melendez, MaryJo Palmer, Alan Sinclair and Jo Skelton — are vying for two seats on the city council.

Victor Williams, who was recently appointed to the bench, and Loedesta “Loedi” Silva are looking to be the city’s next municipal judge.

When asked what is the biggest threat facing Rio Communities and why are they the best candidate to handle the situation, the candidates had different answers.

Ramsell, who is finishing his first term as mayor, said it was public safety, although the city was without a police department and a full-time fire department four years ago.

“I know there’s pot holes and the roads need help, but need to be safe within our community,” Ramsell said. “One thing we’ve focused on is recruitment and retention for our police department.”

Williams admitted he wasn’t sure of the threats, but said he remembers a time when there were a lot of break-ins in the city.

“I don’t see that anymore,” Williams said.

Gordon, who has served on the council for one term, said he agrees with Ramsell, saying public safety is a priority.

“It’s small but it’s here and they do a lot of work,” Gordon said of the RCPD. “The fire department is working 24 hours, seven days a week, including the EMTs. We’re a long way from 24-hour policing. It’s slow but surely we’ll get there.”

Melendez said the biggest threat to the city is “the faith that we have or don’t have in the community. We make our community what it is. We all live here. We’re neighbors. I think from what I see, I see some good things happing in Rio Communities.”

Silva, who is a local Realtor, said there was a time when people living in the city couldn’t leave anything outside because it would get stolen.

“When we became a city in 2013, we began to adopt ordinances that need to be enforced by our police department and code enforcement,” Silva said. “They (ordinances) need a lot of work. I’d like to see some sort of community involvement and volunteers with helping neighbors clean up their yards.”

Palmer, who is the manager at PeeWee’s Pit Stop in Rio Communities, said she’s “relatively new” to the city, and doesn’t feel threatened.

“We need to support our police department,” Palmer said. “Public safety has to have our support. I like seeing the police presence. I think the biggest threat is public safety, and I’d like to see the department grow.”

Skelton, who is a retired court employee, said she was “fortunate” to be the founder of the Rio Communities crime watch Facebook page. She said she decided to become involved after a peeping Tom was spotted in her neighborhood.

“Another thing that needs to be addressed is the lack of things for children to do,” Skelton said. “I hope I can change those things.”

The second question asked was about when the roads in Rio Communities are going to be fixed.

Skelton said she too would like to know that answer as well, saying she doesn’t like looking at the orange barrel flowers.

“I can’t wait for to get the (semi) trucks off the road when the bypass road is done,” she said. “I have no idea when the roads are going to be fixed, and it’s on my bucket list. There are projects that are not even out to bid yet.”

Palmer agreed, saying, “Our roads are a bit of a mess. I’d like to see roads fixed. It’s a matter of time, and there’s a process to go through. I hope it’s soon.”

If elected to the bench, Silva and Williams won’t be addressing the roads issue, but she said, “Roads need to work and if we work as a community we can achieve anything.”

Williams said, “I too don’t have much to say about the roads.”

Melendez, who is a planning and zoning commissioner, said there are “many roads in the city that need repair and it’s taking time. I’ve actually done some road repair in front of my house when it’s evident it’s not going to happen.”

He said he knows “funding is tight ... and it’s going to take some time. That is what I will be focused on to repair the roads and resurface them.”

Gordon said there are 40 miles worth of roads in Rio Communities, and the city has a very small budget.

“We are constantly looking for grants. We’re doing a lot of streets at one time, including Goodman Avenue on Don Diego. We’re trying to push everything forward,” he said.

Ramsell said he too doesn’t like the New Mexico orange barrel flowers either.

“I see them across the state, but it means that projects are working,” Ramsell said.

He said the city has three main road projects happening at this time, including the bypass road that is being paid from LEDA funding.

Another questioned asked about what the obstacles are when trying create new parks in the city.

The mayor said the two former parks — Timan and del Fuego — are privately owned. He did say the city does have a pocket park in the Chamesa subdivision, and there is property the county donated on Sombrero Loop that can be used as a park.

Gordon said the city doesn’t have the property, and they would have to buy property for a park.

Melendez said residents want parks, and knows it requires funding. He suggested that if he’s elected, he would work to make sure the city has parks, but pointed to the vast open space in and around the city that residents can recreate in.

Silva said while she “can’t speak how we’re going to get the parks,” she knows land is available. She also said if elected, she could sentence people to community service to clean up parks.

Palmer said she too would “love to see parks go into where the existing parks are.” She said she realizes funding and security are issues, and isn’t sure how to address it because she “hasn’t been involved.”

Skelton claimed the city “sold them off because the city couldn’t take care of them. Let’s see if we can buy them back.”

Later in the forum, Ramsell corrected Skelton, saying the city never owned the parks and VIA sold them to a private owner.

One other question from the audience asked, Where does your loyalty lie, in Rio Communities or Belen?

Gordon said, “That’s easy, Rio Communities.”

“I’ve seen (Rio Communities) grow. People are nice, some of the nicest people I’ve ever met,” Williams said. “I love Rio Communities. There’s racism everywhere, but I don’t see it here.”

Ramsell said Rio Communities will always have his loyalty, saying they the city has grown, and it has it’s “own identity.”

Melendez said he decided to move to Rio Communities in 2012, and is a “very happy resident and looking forward to the city maintaining atmosphere.”

Silva said she has heard “lies” saying some people want to disincorporate the city and go back to the county or join Belen.

“Rio Communities is No. 1,” Silva said. “I’m the Belen Planning and Zoning (Commission) chairperson. I will never stop serving my community, including Belen, Los Lunas, Rio Communities and, who knows, maybe even Mountainair in the future.”

“What’s Belen?” Palmer joked. “I used to live in Belen. I came to work here and I chose to live here.”

“My loyalty definitely lies in Rio Communities,” Skelton said. “We need to bring people here from Belen.”

Marquez and Sinclair had someone read their prepared statements before the forum.