NEWS
Edgewood adopts ordinance, town to continue receiving fire, EMS services from Santa Fe County
Ordinance was 'about protecting the fire and EMS services for our community,' resident says
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More than 6,100 Edgewood residents won鈥檛 have to worry about whether they will receive help if a fire or medical emergency occurs.
The Town Commission voted 5-0 during a special meeting Tuesday evening to adopt an ordinance pledging gross receipts tax revenue to pay for emergency services. The tax dollars will cover the town鈥檚 portion of the joint powers agreement with the Santa Fe County Fire Department.
Dozens of meeting attendees applauded the decision.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the best news I鈥檝e heard today,鈥� Edgewood Mayor Mike Rariden said as he heard the reaction. 鈥淚n fact, in quite some time.鈥�
The ordinance will be published in a newspaper. After five days, it will be finalized, he said.
鈥淥ur town manager is committed tomorrow to get this thing submitted as soon as possible to start that clock for the five-day countdown,鈥� Rariden said.
Before the vote, several residents requested that the commissioners adopt the ordinance.
Among the speakers was Jean DeMarte, who brought a Bible to the podium.
鈥淵ou guys have made it very clear to all of us that your religion is very important to you,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd, in some ways, it affects your vote. OK, so right here is a Bible and I'm going to ask that each one of you swear on this Bible that you will not do anything further to jeopardize this JPA. Do I have any takers, gentlemen?鈥�
DeMarte brought the Bible to the commissioners, who then placed their hands on it and said, 鈥淚 swear.鈥�
Resident Adrian Chavez Sr. said voting for the ordinance was not about politics.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about protecting the fire and EMS services for our community,鈥� he said.
In early April, the town and Santa Fe County Fire Department announced they were terminating the prior joint powers agreement, stemming from a legal dispute over payments.
That agreement was set to expire June 30. A few weeks later, however, they reached an agreement in principle to preserve the original payment structure that caused commissioners to rethink their 20-year partnership.
As part of the new joint powers agreement, Edgewood will make monthly $10,000 payments for technical support, donations of surplus fire materials and machinery and capital for continued operations for 18陆 years, totaling $2.27 million.
The attorneys for the county and town were collaborating on the ordinance when a commissioner brought forward a different version, Santa Fe County spokesperson Stephanie Stancil said.
The county attorney sent the town a letter requesting to communicate with them about the undisclosed changes, 鈥渨hich they鈥檝e done and we鈥檙e all very pleased to have worked through that issue effectively,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he big thing is to make sure there is no disruption in fire and EMS services,鈥� Edgewood Commissioner Ken Brennan said in a phone interview. 鈥淭hat's the most important thing.鈥�
Santa Fe County Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said in an email she was 鈥渉appy to hear that we are moving forward in a manner that assures EMS services for the community.鈥�
Attempts to reach the firefighters union, Local IAFF 4366, for comment were unsuccessful.
Following the vote, commissioners adopted a resolution to extend a fireworks ban, which was put into effect in May. That came after the State Forestry Division issued a ban in April 鈥� which included fireworks 鈥� on non-municipal, non-federal and non-tribal lands.
鈥淚f we have a fantastic monsoon season and God gives us lots of rain then we can go ahead and ease up on it,鈥� Brennan said.
Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.
