Why?
Dear Editor:
I watched much of the City Council meeting on Facebook last week and I was glad to see a number of people supporting Vanessa Chavez for City Manager. I am among those who want to see her continue in her position with the City.
Laura Jaramillo had agreed to plant trees along my street and after Vanessa took over, I phoned her regarding continuity of care for them. She returned my call within 24 hours and said she had referred the matter to Mark, Director of Special Projects, who followed through with caring for the trees. Then, recently, I went to see her with some concerns about the integrity of Bright Green, the proposed company growing medical marijuana in Grants. She was an attentive listener, gave me her own feelings about it without beating around the bush, and said how much she enjoyed her work and meeting the many challenges involved. She gave me the idea that her appreciation for Grants matches my own. Grants has been good to me and I want to give back as much as I can. Vanessa gave the impression she feels the same way about this.
During my meeting with her, one of her employees entered the room and I was impressed with the way Vanessa treated her. In front of the employee, she told me about the extensive work history of this woman with the City and how much she has contributed. She said what a good worker she was and how glad she was to have her on board. I thought, if this is how she generally treats her employees, City Hall must be a pretty good place to work.
I urge the three City councilors who voted to fire Vanessa to reconsider their decision. I think it would be a sad day for us to lose her passion for Grants, her extraordinary people skills, her ability to get things done, and her commitment to making this an even better place to live.
Sincerely,
Judith Andreica,
Grants
Showing true colors
Dear Editor:
I am a regular spectator at the city council meetings for about the last 10 plus years whether I go in person or most recently watching it on Facebook. I thought it couldn't get any worse after listening to the mayor and his rhetoric behavior I thought was icing on the cake. The three councilmen showed their true colors. We know what we get with the mayor, it's been proven at every meeting, but to witness councilmen Padilla, Lucero and Rodarte just proved the idiocy we have on the board is unbelievable to say the least. Do they think that we, the citizens work for them? THEY, including the mayor and councilmen Garcia WORK for us, the citizens of Grants!
I sit back and listen to all the BS. I keep to myself on opinions for the most part but this past meeting held on November 18, is weighing heavy on me and the love of this community that's been my home since the day I was born.
To see these three so called "men" that met somehow to conjure up this decision, which by the way is illegal in so many ways. I also hear that there is an outsider pulling their puppet strings to fire our city manager out of spite and vindictiveness and they are stupid enough to fight someone else's battle because the individual is too much of a weasel to deal with or face their issues.
The mayor has made a mockery of his position as far as spewing out his own beliefs and if you disagree with him or have a difference of opinion, he's ready to battle it out or call you names but can't take it when the tables are turned.
Councilman Garcia, I was shocked at his demeanor as he sounded like the mayor but on the other hand, I don't blame him as the three other councilmen deserved any kind of treatment thrown at them. The previous manager that they fought to keep did nothing but cost the city millions of dollars in the long run and it had to be read to the councilmen like kindergartners for them to understand as I believe they don't comprehend what they're reading or if they are even reading it. At least I can give the mayor credit for reading and understanding the city charter and I applaud the mayor for choosing, recommending, and appointing Vanessa Chavez as city manager, I have seen the turn around in the departments for the greater good that she has made in such a short time.
I do believe all three councilmen, especially councilmen Lucero are afraid of strong, hardworking women and can't deal with the fact of any woman standing up to him. Well councilmen Lucero, get over yourself, and all three, Padilla, Rodarte and Lucero, put your big boy pants on and be an adult and learn your job or you will be fired. Districts 2 and 4 are up for voting come March, Padilla, and Lucero don't waste your time or ours, both of you will lose!
Rodarte running for mayor is a joke, you too, don't waste yours or our time, you too will lose. The only thing the city council seems to have done is trying to destroy Grants. This city council spent, spent, and spent city dollars with no regard for the budget or the actual money we had, we the people, not you, because it's the people's money you are wasting. It doesn't make sense that they fought to retain a manager last year that was doing underhanded and illegal stuff during her tenor as manager to want to fire the current city manager for what reason, doing the job correctly that she was hired for?
Councilmen Lucero spoke that they want someone with more experience. What a load of BS! Those three have no government experience at all and I believe they fooled the voters to getting them in office all because they will get extra income. We have not had an educated council since Cydni Reynolds, may she rest in peace, and I will give councilmen Garcia credit for his business experience and his know how on reading the financials.
It's just plain disgusting that the injustice that they are placing on the Citizens of Grants.
We must come out full force in March 2022 and remove these three councilmen from office and possibly run them out of Grants seeing how they do not care about this wonderful community. Thank you,
Thank you,
Sarah Cruz Grants
Grants
Given another black eye Dear Editor:
Dear Editor:
Well, it seems like once again, we, the citizens of this fair community are given another black eye and another reason to hang our head in shame...
Never in our history have we ever witnessed such an embarrassing display of conduct from our civic leaders... l refer to the city council meeting of last Thursday night. lt seems that every one of our council members has been studying and learning from the "Mody Book of Manners and Civil Conduct", they have all learned to scream and holler with anyone that does not agree with what they believe, they have learned too well that it is okay to bully and intimidate whomever they want. The language used in regard to each other was nothing more than trash talk, our children in the playground have more respect and compassion than to talk to each other as these fine representatives did that night.
It is a fine show of the lack of upbringing and education that these five men have, there was no show of morals, manners or even respectful conduct.... how proud their families must be! I for one am glad that I am of no relation to any of them.
I know for a fact that there is at least one individual that is a high school dropout and an ex-military member that received a less than honorable discharge but yet he carries on like he was the hero that not only won the battle but the war as Well!
Is this the best that we have to run and govern our city? A shame. A crying shame indeed. I urge everyone one of us to search our souls and see if this is the best that Grants has to offer.... I hope not. The time has come folks to quit sitting back and letting somebody else do it. Become involved with making our city better... Don't let these cartoon characters be the portrayal of who we are, simply because if we do, we are no better than those that sit in office now.
Think about it!
Respectfully
Jose Medina
Grants
A joke
Dear Editor:
Wow, I thought the only joke at the city council meeting was going to be vanessas firing. I was wrong.
Hold you horses Modey, did you try running a background check on me? Just because you didn't like what I said?
That's something Putin would do, not a mayor.
But you just hate it when people stand up to you, you can bully people all day but the moment someone uses their own personal free speech you cry about it and apparently you do background checks too LOL.
That's actually pretty scary man. But not as scary as the city councilors who just hurt our city. Modey is a bully but vanessa was actually good for our city unlike you Freds and Rick.
You guys messed up and we're all embarrassed to live in Grants because of you guys.
Mr. Henry Meyer
Grants
Excessive delays
Dear Editor:
After having a very unpleasant and uncomfortable four-hour trip between Albuquerque and our home in Grants on Wednesday, November 17, my wife and I decided to write a complaint about the excessive delays caused by the Laguna Reconstruction of l-40 ongoing project.
Even after calling the New Mexico Highway department road advisory line three times, there was no mention of any problem or delay at the Laguna construction site. The only westbound delay that was mentioned was between mile marker 42 to 39 just before Gallup.
My question is: What is the New Mexico Road Advisory Hotline for, if not to inform and warn the public about excessive delays caused by accidents and construction traffic holdups?
I wonder how much excessive diesel fuel and gasoline has been wasted because of these unprecedented delays? What would the New Mexico and Federal climate change gurus say about the daily waste that is happening as a result of the traffic congestion caused by the ill effects of this project?
Somebody needs to improve the planning phase of these major construction projects to avoid such outrageous loss of manpower hours and precious resources, like oil and gas and electric battery power, which once it's gone is irreplaceable. Everyone applauds the goals of
Everyone applauds the goals of these construction projects which are so necessary to maintain good viable transportation systems. However, it is necessary to expand their planning to consider all the negative consequences more aptly.
We hope that there is a prompt solution to this problem and let everybody celebrate a happy and grateful Thanksgiving Day.
Bernard and Isabel Dioguardi
Grants
Bad, Busted, Broke
Dear Editor:
Yesterday I proudly stood on the steps of the US Capitol with my colleagues and vowed to oppose the radical, far-left "Build Back Better" reconciliation bill.
A better name for it would be "Bad, Busted, and Broke."
The Congressional Budget Office hasn't even finished calculating the full impact of this $2 trillion bill yet, but early estimates by the Penn Wharton Budget Model would leave a 10-year deficit of $274 billion.
In addition to being a budget disaster, this legislation threatens to explode already skyrocketing inflation into the stratosphere, hurting the savings, retirement funds, and earnings of millions of American families.
Build Back Better? What a joke!
This bill is full of absolutely terrible new policies and spending:
•Hands the IRS nearly $80 billion so they can hire 87,000 new agents, authorizing them to spy on our private bank accounts.
• Grants mass amnesty to 8 million illegal immigrants.
• Allows taxpayer dollars to be used to fund abortion on-demand.
• Perpetuates labor shortages by eliminating work requirements to receive welfare benefits for able bodied adults – at a time when there are over 10.4 million job openings.
• Throws half a trillion dollars to handouts, bailouts, and special interests to enact Phase One of the so-called Green New Deal.
• Expands Obamacare subsidies through 2025, overwhelmingly benefiting wealthier Americans and subsidizing people who already have insurance.
Meanwhile, Thanksgiving 2021 is going to be the most expensive meal in the history of the holiday due to Joe Biden's failed policies:
• The price for a 16 pound turkey is UP 18%.
• The price for a Costco pumpkin pie is UP 17%.
• The price for a threepound bag of Russet potatoes is UP 13%.
• The price for a two-pound bag of carrots is UP 47%.
• Apples are UP 6.7%.
• The price for cranberries are UP 5.2%. • The price for biscuits are
• The price for biscuits are UP 4.8%.
• A gallon of gas is UP 61% nationally from a year ago.
• Families will also be paying even more to heat their homes this holiday season, with home heating bills projected to rise by as much as 54% compared to last winter.
This economic disaster didn't need to happen. And it will be made far worse if extremist Washington politicians are allowed to force this Bad, Busted, and Broke bill down our throats.
I will not stop fighting for our freedoms, our traditions, and our economic opportunities. And I will always put the families of New Mexico FIRST! Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Yvette Herrell
Editor’s notes: The Cibola Citizen seeks and welcomes letters to the editor on any and all topics. All letters must be no longer than 500 words (one full page, single spaced) and contain the writer’s name and contact phone number for verification. Unsigned letters will not be printed. The Cibola Citizen reserves the right to edit any and all submissions.