POSTAL PATRON U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM RUIDOSO, NM 88345 PERMIT NO. 9 PRESORT STANDARD
50 cents
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Annual Hospice Butterfly Release, Aug. 17
What’s
happening August 15
Community BBQ with the Lobos
Come meet the UNM Lobo football players, get autographs and enjoy music courtesy of The Village of Ruidoso and The Lodge at Sierra Blanca. The Lodge at Sierra Blanca, 7 p.m. Free.
Southern Hayes concert
Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, picnic supper and enjoy this free outdoor concert with Don and Shay Hayes, keyboardists performing hits from the 1950s to the present. Ruidoso Public Library, 6-8 p.m. 575-258-3704. Free.
August 15-18
Ruidoso Downs Race Track All American Trials and Art Show
Racing runs on a special Thursday through Sunday schedule with trials to the $2.6 million All American Futurity on Thursday and Friday, first post time 11 a.m. Trials to the $2.8 million All American Derby on Saturday, post time 1 p.m. Plus an art show in the grandstand. 575378-4431. Free.
August 17
Annual Hospice Butterfly Release
Release a butterfly in a life affirming expression of hope and remembrance. Begins at 11 a.m. Release at 12 p.m. Benefiting the Ruidoso Home Care and Hospice Foundation, providing end of life care for Lincoln County residents. 575-2580028, www.rhch.org. Pre-order requested, $12.
Free movie ‘First Position’
A compelling documentary following six talented young dancers from five continents as they prepare for a worldwide ballet competition that could transform their lives overnight. Sacred Grounds Coffee & Tea House, 6:30 p.m. 575-257-2273. Free.
The Golden Dragon Acrobats at the Spencer
Award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques presented by an international troupe of 27, showing breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty. Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts. Ginger Cashew Chicken buffet, 6 p.m. ,$20. Performance, 8 p.m., $66 and $69. 575-336-4800, www.spencertheater.com.
August 18
Sundays Under the Stars
Free live music with country and classic rock band Tempting Disaster, followed by the movie, “Game Plan.” Bring a blanket or chair, next to the lake at the Inn of the Mountain Gods. 6 p.m. 575-464-7777, www.innofthemountaingods.com. Free.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013 • w w w.ruido so fr eep r e s s.co M • VOL. 5, NO. 32
A property of
Debi Lee retained as village manager Council renews annual contract
By Eugene Heathman Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com Village Manager Debi Lee has her hands full managing a village once behind on its annual audits and victim to multiple natural disasters since her service for the Village of Ruidoso. Lee’s contract was renewed during Tuesday’s council meeting. Gloria Sayers voted against the renewal citing questions regarding the state’s ruling on the
Grindstone water filter matter. Debi Lee has almost 30 years experience in municipal management and is one of New Mexico’s most respected and well-recognized municipal management professionals. Lee serves as the chief executive officer of the village and works under the supervision of the mayor and village council. Lee’s contract orders that she shall receive and follow the directives of the council through and by a majority vote of the council in any legally-held meeting. “The Village of Ruidoso’s debt rating has been improved
Rupp, advisory board cleared by council By Todd Fuqua Reporter todd@ruidosofreepress.com While the items on Monday’s Ruidoso Downs Council agenda may have referred to some recent incendiary events, the actual meeting was as perfunctory as could be. Topping the agenda of new business was the appointment by Mayor Gary Williams of Corporal Chris Rupp as interim police chief following the resignation of his former boss, Doug Babcock. When asked about his appointment and the work he’d need to do to motivate officers and dispatchers in the department, Rupp directed all questions to Mayor Gary Williams, saying only that he “has a job to do,” and is “interested in getting it done.” The next item was the staffing of an advisory board to the Hubbard Museum of the American West, a further reorganization of the museum’s organizational structure since the departure of former director Jim Kofakis in March.
by three ratings, which has never been done before. This allowed the village to receive better interest rates and financing,” Ruidoso Mayor Ray Alborn said. He further contends all departments and village spending is accounted for in one consolidated financial system. Prior to Lee, the village was four years behind on submitting annual audits and had 200-plus audit findings and two disclaimed audits. After tremendous time and effort for four years, this year’s audit was Unqualified and had only six findings.
File photo
Debi Lee, village manager.
Young Guns dig in
Todd Fuqua/Ruidoso Free Press
Ruidoso Downs interim Police Chief Christopher Rupp takes the helm as the city searches for a new chief.
Since that time, Ray Pawley has been named as the museum’s Consultant Director, and the advisory board was whittled down to five members from the original 14. The new structure has spots for City Clerk Carol Virden, City Finance Director Terri Mosely, a member of the city council, a member of the Hubbard Museum Foundation and a member of the
Erik LeDuc/Ruidoso Free Press
A rider for the Young Guns leans with the turns as he tries to keep their yearling cut from the herd during Saturday’s Benefit Ranch Rodeo at the Lincoln County Fair, where cowboys from across the county showed off their ranching skills. For more, see page B4. general public. The council named Ruidoso Downs Race Track General Manager Jean Stoddard as the Hubbard Museum Foundation representative, and gave the nod to Dean Holman as the councilor on the board.
The general public member is Josie Powell, owner of Josie’s Framery in Ruidoso. Pawley’s contract stipulates he meet with the advisory board once a month to get input on the direction and management of the museum.
WUI conference brings new tools, old worries
security this year when we didn’t get By Erik LeDuc any fires for the spring.” Reporter Traditionally, that hasn’t been the erik@ruidosofreepress.com case, he said, shaking his head at the The term “Wildland Urban Interthought of a “traditional” fire season. face” is just about a household word, “For the past couple of years we’ve and that’s exactly how the people dealhad early fire seasons. This year we ing with the fire factors want it. The made it through spring without any Inn of the Mountain Gods just finished significant fires – we’ve had a few, hosting a conference on the hot topic there’s fires every week, just small called “Wildfire Safe, Sound and Code acreage, 100 acres, 200 acres. We had Smart” as part of many agencies coneight fires last week, but they were all tinued push towards educating both the very, very small.” public and municipalities on fire safety Then, in the last week of May, where homes meet forest. the bigger fires broke out, dashing the This initiative, promoted by Nahopes of many for a fire-free year. Erik LeDuc/Ruidoso Free Press tional RC&D Councils, Department “More and more, every year we From left, NM Forestry members, SimTable representative of Homeland Security, Federal Emerget contacted by communities that Stephen Guerin and SCMRC&D Executive Director Laura gency Management Agency, National want to do the Firewise program or Institute of Standards and Technology, Doth begin a burn scenario near Upper Canyon in Ruidoso, watching the fire behavior as it progresses. the Ready, Set, Go program,” he said. South Central Mountains Resource “Little by little, we’re getting more and Conservation and Development and more communities and, better yet, the local and doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel,” she said. the International Code Council, among others, county governments are involved.” won’t take root until it’s taken from the national “They’re fully aware that the template may not As much as some may want a draconian work for each town in New Mexico, but it gives and state levels down to the community and agency that would mandate thinning and fire them somewhere to start.” neighborhood levels, Dan Ware, Fire Prevention safety in communities, Firewise and other initiaThe conferences aren’t just in New Mexico, and Outreach program manager with NM State tives simply aren’t those programs. If a commushe added. DHS had provided grants, seeking Forestry said. nity or an individual doesn’t want to participate That’s not to say the conference didn’t offer one RC&D per state to host the event. in setting up a Firewise group of some type While municipalities may jump at the some great tools to municipalities as well, said (typically about six months to get organized), chance to get better prepared for the next disasLaura Doth, executive director of SCMRC&D. that’s their choice, he said. ter, the trick is getting communities interested The seminars were split roughly in two, “Some people might like us to do that, but before fire or flood gives them a reason to wish with some focusing on a general overview for we can’t – that’s not the way the Firewise prothey had, Ware said. the public and others looking at specifics – like gram works,” Ware said. “It’s community level, “I think there’s an increased sense of urthe ICC’s WUI code templates, which can be gency each time we have a fire season,” he said. it is finding those two or three people in a comadapted for each individual community. see wui coNfereNce, page. A3 “I think people got lulled into a false sense of “It’s basically so a small community ALTO
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