Returning resident wants Milan cleaned up by enforcing codes

By Jim Maniaci
Cibola County Bureau

MILAN — A respected local businessman, who has returned to the village to invest in its future, recruited a willing Planning-Zoning Commission to besiege the Milan Board of Trustees until the community is cleaned up and new ordinances obeyed.

Eddie Corley Jr. spoke to P&Z Chair Pauline Barker and members Don Sweeney, Joe Chavez and Mary Lundstrom (Mary Tovar could not be present) Thursday in the Village Hall Trustees Chamber. It was a meeting which turned into a 90-minute Town Hall for the improvement of Milan. Trustee Vivian Brumbelow, as she usually does, also attended, along with Corley's wife and Kevin James, the representative in the lone action case facing the panel.

Corley and his children operate a group of new vehicle dealerships in Grants, Gallup and Albuquerque. He is in the process of building some new apartments in Milan, with Chavez working on them. Corley said he returned several months ago to undertake the apartment project.

His speech began, "I'm really concerned about our community which we live in. I'm concerned about the condition of it and I'm concerned what are we going to do and when."

Then he explained, "I mentioned to the city (village staff) about the abandoned trailers and everything and the condition of the community where I used to live. It's bad and personally I'm ashamed. And I'm ashamed that we haven't done nothing about it. And I'm hoping that I would have a commitment from you all that we would do something about it because we would like to have a growing community to live in and a nice community. From what I see it's not very acceptable, as I would say. ... And I would like for you all to do something about it so other people will continue to invest in our community."

Won't go away
He added, "You shut your eyes and hope it goes away. It does not go away. So I would just like to know if you are going to do something about it and when. And I would like it done as soon as possible."

Complaining about empty trailers across the street from his project, he said, "It's too long. Enough is enough. Would you all agree?"

Without the cleanup, he predicted "We'll lose it. It's just like a bucket of water with a hole in it. And right now we need to plug the holes."

But he may have been preaching to the choir, if commissioners' comments are any indication.

"You have stated how we all feel on this board, almost to tears," Barker summarized about years of effort being foiled repeatedly.

She added, "We have tried and tried and tried. It looks like to no avail. And sometimes I really feel like we're spinning our wheels in mud. We're not getting anywhere. Just about the time we think we're getting ahead, all right, somebody knocks us down."

Corley then suggested "going to the council," which is the board of trustees for the village. He suggested then asking trustees "Why can't the community enforce the law that is already on the books? Because I know that law is there. And there's no reason it can't be enforced if it is a law. If it's not a law, fine, but I know it is."

Come with me?
After some more discussion, Corley summed up things when he asked, "Would you mind just being a citizen and come with me to the board?"

"Oh not at all ... glad too," were some of the instantaneous, overlapping replies.

Repeatedly the wide-ranging discussion came back to pressuring the village's contract attorney, Bruce Boynton, into finishing his review of the latest edition of the zoning code, the version which frustrated commissioners hope will fix all the problems.

Commissioner Lundstrom picked up on Code Enforcement Officer Joe Rivera's comment that abandoned homes and vehicles can be health and safety hazards. She called them possible death traps for children and asked what could be more of a priority.

The commission then discussed particular examples.

Commissioner Sweeney had asked what was being done about the old 7-11 store which is collapsing, without any fencing or warning signs. Rivera replied his boss (Police Chief Jerry Stephens) wants to place a lien on the property, adding, "We're all waiting on Mr. Boynton to move on this."

Deputy Clerk Teri Gallegos said Manager Marcella Sandoval and she had talked with the local lawyer, but also noted the village has flooded him with all kinds of questions which are priorities. She said it more than likely will now be December before the new zoning ordinance and map can be adopted.

Mayor's action legal?
One of the village's elite, Grants State Bank president Paul Milan, received criticism from Commissioner Chavez for building a 6-ft. fence when no one else can just go ahead and do that.

Chavez also blasted Mayor Tom Ortega, claiming the mayor told Milan he could build the fence. Chavez is noted for his expressions that everyone should obey the law, adding that the mayor does not have the authority to approve anything, such as planning matters which come before the commission, or other things which go to the trustees. He pointed out the mayor only votes to break a tie.

Sammy Lynn and son-in-law Mark Robinson remained in the commission's bulls eye, too, where they have been since the summer of 2005.

Rivera was assigned to check into which businesses have separate business licenses for each different type of business which they operate.

Lynn has sold both wood stove pellets for winter heating and trees, but with only one license. Gallegos said it was about two years ago the last time she gave a list of business licenses to a code enforcement officer for the verification checks.

Robinson's attorney had a zoning citation dismissed in Milan Municipal Court, due to deficiencies in the zoning code. Rivera said Stephens is about ready to try again in court, but that everything is waiting on Boynton's work to be finished.

Other than approving two sets of minutes, the only other commission action was a 3-0 vote to recommend approval to the Board of Trustees that the drive-up trucker's barbecue which Bruce Cox wants to build on Motel Drive across from the Petro truck stop does meet the necessary safety zone setbacks.

Kevin James, Cox's contractor, said it will be about a 3,000 sq.-ft. building which he hopes to begin erecting in November. Trustees will consider the commission's action at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19. James also supported comments made by Corley and commissioners.

The commission also agreed to conduct to non-action study sessions on the draft of the zoning code, at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, and the same time Tuesday, Nov. 7 (election day). The commission will hold its next regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 9.

To contact reporter Jim Maniaci in Grants, telephone 285-6184 or (505) 870-7775 (cellular).