Grants fighting illegal dumping

By Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

GRANTS — The battle against illegal dump sites in Cibola County may have acquired another friend, the City of Grants.

Members of the Cibola County Illegal Dumping Prevention and Clean Up Task Force came to the Grants City Council meeting Monday to enlist the community's help in the effort.

Task force members are not concerned at present with illegal dumping within Grants, but it is a problem in Cibola County as some people would rather dump trash along a country road rather than dispose of it properly in a transfer station or legal dump site.

What task force members are talking about now are the illegal dumps where people dump roofing material, old boards, drywall, old refrigerators, old stoves, water coolers and water heaters.

Barbara Russell, an associate planner with the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments pitched the idea of city involvement to the councilors. To emphasize the importance of keeping Cibola County clean, Russell talked about the Cibola County 20-year Comprehensive Plan adopted July 14, 2003. "One of the top priorities in the plan is the illegal dumping in Cibola County," Russell told the council members. She said illegal dumping creates threats to public health, threats to economic development and tourism, and she said illegal dumping is a financial burden and causes environmental damage.

To get the ball rolling, an informal task force was started in August 2004. To date the task force:

• Is working on an inventory of illegal dump sites throughout the county.
• Is working on an educational brochure to be handed out in Cibola County.
• Has been making presentations to governing bodies.
  
• Is planning an Earth Day Event for April 23.

Russell said the informal task force became an official body on Feb. 14, with a county resolution establishing it. The task force, at present, is comprised of:

• Cibola County Undersheriff Johnny Valdez.
• Cibola County Public Works Director Jimmy Chavez.
  
• Cibola County Planning and Zoning Commissioner Daniel Gonzales.
• Assistant District Attorney Michael Caruso.
• Northwest New Mexico Solid Waste Authority Administrative Assistant Desbah Padilla.
• Cibola County citizen Joan Lantzy.
• Grants citizen John Rhoderick.
• Village of Milan Code Enforcement officer Ethel Eagan.
• Cubero Land Grants President Ben Chavez.

Russell said she is talking with leaders of Acoma and Laguna pueblos and will also be talking with the Navajo Nation about joining the compact.

Rhoderick said one of the main contributors to illegal dump sites are contractors. "It becomes a real challenge to chase these people down," Rhoderick said.

The next step will be for Grants to appoint a representative to the task force.

In other matters the council:

• Appointed Gary Whittington to the Grants Housing Authority Board of Directors.
• Approved a uniform policy in which employees are given $225 twice a year to buy uniforms.