By Mary Alice Murphy

Monday evening at the Santa Clara Armory, the Silver City Daily Press held a candidate forum for the three candidates vying for three positions on the Santa Clara Board of Trustees.

Daily Press Publisher Nick Seibel moderated the forum, using questions from the audience, as well as questions posed by Editor Christina Steele.

The first part of the forum gave each candidate a chance to give their opening statements.

Thomas Caddel said he has lived in Santa Clara since 1973, and once served on the board from 2002-06. "My platform is to protect our civil rights and private property. I will not vote to increase your water bill." He questioned the hidden costs of the village taking over Fort Bayard. "Can we take it on without increasing costs? Older people here have limited incomes. Sending village personnel to Fort Bayard to cut the grass shouldn't be paid for by the citizens. If you want to go out and do it on your own, that's fine."

Harry "Rocky" Hildebrand said he has lived in Santa Clara since 1992. "When we moved here, we were told it had a very bad reputation as a dirty little town. The past few years, that has really changed. I have been involved with the cleaning up. I've also done a lot of work at Fort Bayard on my own with my own equipment. I am running because I want to be involved with what the mayor and council members are doing."

Incumbent Olga Amador said she has lived in Santa Clara since 1965. "I really have enjoyed being a trustee. I have tried my best. I am head of the Action Committee, and they back me up in whatever we want to do. We helped bring in Music in the Park, and last year, we brought Movies in the Park. We clean up and do what we can do to help people. We get involved to do things for you."

Steele asked the first question from the newspaper. "Do you support the village's fight to get ownership of Fort Bayard? What can you do to sell to the state the proposal for the village to take it over?"

Amador said she supports it because it is a "great opportunity for the town to get more revenue and more businesses into the area. It would provide us many opportunities. The Forest Service could go into some buildings. We can do an RV Park. There are a lot of things to do. We just need a chance to prove ourselves."

Hildebrand said he "totally supports the effort. I do tours out there. I've been to committee meetings in Santa Fe. I will continue to work for the village to get Fort Bayard. It's part of our history. If we get the Forest Service or another permanent tenant in, the costs will be minimal to the village. The revenues would go into a fund for restoration of the buildings. Then, we will reach out to other businesses to make it self-sustaining."

Caddel cautioned that the village "better look at it. There's that word 'if'. How do we know if the Forest Service will go in? The only other entity that maybe is supporting it is the county. The county owns the new Fort Bayard Medical Center on our land. Why should the county help us? Are they going to take it over? None of the other municipalities to my knowledge are willing to sign for Fort Bayard. Santa Clara is the stepchild of the county. The others take advantage of us. It absolutely should be no cost to Santa Clara. Put it in writing-no extra costs to Santa Clara residents."

Seibel asked a follow-up question. "How do you strike a balance between the responsibility of work required for Fort Bayard and for village residents?"

Hildebrand said all work done at Fort Bayard is by volunteers and donations. "The village equipment is for the use of the village, and if it's available, they let us use it. If it's not available, I use my own. Once the buildings are fixed up, we can lease the buildings. The Forest Service really wants to go out there. When they come out, they fight over who will get which office. Fort Bayard is also a tourist attraction."

Caddel said the mayor bought a new mower for the village out of taxpayers' pockets. "If you use the city's equipment, it appears to be anti-donation. To my knowledge, those guys working out there aren't volunteering. If the Forest Service wants to get it, it's OK. But that decision comes from higher up. A lot of questions haven't been answered. I want to make sure we are not biting off more than we can chew or that somebody might take it out from under us as they did the Fort Bayard Medical Center."

Amador said a lot of the volunteers do not use the town's equipment. "The town doesn't loan it if it is needed in town. When the employees don't have anything to do, they can go out to Fort Bayard."

Seibel asked a follow up to a previous question. "How do you feel about the cleaning up of Santa Clara? Is it making it a place where people want to live?"

"It depends on what you mean about cleaning up," Caddel said. "They are selectively enforcing what they are doing." He quoted from the New Mexico Constitution, article 2, section 4, about inherent rights and inalienable rights, including of property. "In the U.S., you have the right to property. We give people credit if they put out their brush. When they selectively enforce it… It's like the Reconstruction of the South. What they did when the carpetbaggers went in. If they take property away, they call it eminent domain."

Amador countered that there is an ordinance. "If an old house is falling apart, it doesn't make it look livable. The ordinance says you have to fix it up or get rid of it. We have code enforcement. If people don't clean their yards, we give them time to fix it. We are trying to get a Phase II grant to get the sidewalks and lights fixed on Bayard Street. Everything takes time. And hopefully, we can fix the roads."

Hildebrand said: "More than making it look better, it's a safety issue. Old buildings not taken care of are safety hazards. If kids get into them the village will be liable. It's addressing the safety hazards rather than beautification. I talk to people who are looking to live in Santa Clara. If we oil and fix up the roads, fix the potholes, clean up the brush… If people need help, all of us on the Action Committee are willing to go help. The village hauls brush every other Friday. It's not all beautification, it's safety."

A question from the audience asked how the candidates planned to protect property rights.

"Everyone has the right to own property," Hildebrand said. "We're not out to take property away from anybody. We wouldn't want to try. We're just trying to make our village appealing to people and to people who might want to move in. No one is out to get somebody's property. We're more than willing to help. All they have to do is ask."

"I totally agree with Harry," Amador said. "We are not out to take away property. The Action Committee has gone out to help people. We don't do it full-time. We have jobs. In the summer, we have days when we'll go out and help."

Caddel said: "I totally disagree. In both ordinances, the town will file a lien and after four years, will take it away if the property remains neglected. Neglected is in the eyes of the beholder. When you know where fence lines are trespassing on people's property, the kids even know that. Thirty-nine people in town are being charged $25 a month because their property is neglected or vacant. You're sucking it out of people. There are other ways to do it."

Steele asked about the village infrastructure. "Do you prioritize? And what water and other investments have you made and have been improved so far?"

Amador said the town had made great improvements. "Now we're connected to Arenas Valley, so we will not be without water."

Caddel said the town needs more updates on infrastructure. "They get grants to fix the water lines. There definitely is an issue that needs to be addressed. Eight fire hydrants are not working. When they are not working, your fire insurance goes up. It's costing people more money. They need to get them fixed. The town is supposed to test them. They turn it on and if they turn it the wrong way, they break. One that isn't working is about 1 ½ blocks from the mayor's house."

Hildebrand said the village has put in electronic water meters, so they don't need as many meter readers. "I'm not aware of any hydrants not working. I see them tested and water is coming out. We put solar on the well pumps to cut electrical costs. The water lines were terrible. We are getting them fixed as quickly as we can. We have done a lot for water infrastructure."

A question from the audience asked: "How will you increase our police force?"

Hildebrand said it's a problem. "We get new officers, they stay a while, but the village cannot pay enough to keep them. The town gets very little gross receipts tax, so we don't have a lot of money. We have to figure out a way to get more money. More businesses would give us more gross receipts tax."

Caddel said: "If you don't have the money, it's an issue. But then again, can you take money from other issues? I don't see paying the chief almost $50,000. It's too much, and the others don't make near that much. We have to budget where we can to pay more. Where to get the money except from gross receipts tax or take it from other funds."

Seibel asked if anything could be cut. Caddel said: "Maybe you can cut from maintenance. The chief's salary is too high. I don't know where to cut, but we don't need six people in maintenance. We did it with two and then there were four. You haven't convinced me you need six."

Amador noted there is a budget for all departments. "That's how we determine how many officers we can afford. We need more businesses to pay more gross receipts taxes to get more officers. We have to hope the sheriff can get here. We have a budget, and we can only have so many officers."

Steele said over the years, there has been discussion about the village not needing its own police department. The sheriff's department often takes care of things. "Do you feel it's a good investment to put into the police department?"

"No, I don't think we need to do away with the police department," Caddel said. "The county has the same problem. The officer might be in Mimbres or Hachita or Cliff. Bayard and Hurley help us, and we reciprocate."

"We need a police department in our town," Amador said. "There would be a lot more crime without a police department. Other departments don't have Santa Clara as their priority. The Santa Clara Police Department priority is Santa Clare."

Hildebrand said he agreed the town needs its own police department. "The county already has a shortage of officers. If something happens at my house, I want someone there, one of our officers as soon as possible, and not have to wait for a county person."

A question from the audience asked: "How do you plan to bring more gross receipts taxes to Santa Clara?"

"We're getting a good start," Hildebrand said. "We got the Dollar General store. We have the Splash Park, and people are interested in bringing in restaurants. The Candy Shop is setting up its operations. It's making the village appealing to businesses."

Amador said more businesses are making the town more attractive, so people want to bring in new businesses.

"You're not going to get a business to come into Santa Clara until you get rid of the gang problem, the graffiti and vandalism," Caddel said. "I don't see as much graffiti anymore. Some of the past administrations had a way of taking care of business. They didn't do it right and the village got into trouble. The stigma will not go away for a long time. People are not going to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars downtown. It's off the main drag. Margie's Restaurant used to bring in business."

Another audience question asked how the candidates plan to take care of water and sewer, if costs increase, but rates do not.

Amador said: "I don't think we can do that. If our costs increase, the rates have to increase. They go hand-in-hand. I know people are on a budget."

"Here's where I have a problem," Caddel said. "We're getting it stuck to us by Bayard. They are raising their rates and they send them to us. This board goes to a lot of meetings. The mayor and the board members go on trips and pass the costs onto us. They raised the water rates 4 percent. Another issue with the water bills, is they don't just charge for water, but also sewer and garbage are added onto the bill. Don't stick it to people with limited incomes. They can't budget. If they want to eat, they can't take their medications. If they take their medications, they don't eat."

"Our sewer goes through Bayard," Hildebrand said. "If they raise rates, unless we go into the hole in the village, we have to raise rates. It's the only way I see we can do it. All of us pay for water, sewer and garbage. We charge exactly what they charge us."

Steele said the village is the only municipality to join the New Mexico CAP Entity. "Do you support it and what benefits do you expect to see?"

Caddel said he has a million questions about the Arizona project and diversion. "And there are two million answers. Don't sign on to something that will cost you a lot in the end. First look, if it looks like it's good, OK. There are so many fights, what is the truth or what is the answer? We need lots more information."

Hildebrand said he, too, has way too many questions. "I know they will siphon off the excess water, but I don't know anything about the project."

Amador said she, too, doesn't know a whole lot about it. "I'm not familiar with it."

A question asked: "What is the vision for the future for Santa Clara and how will you get there?"

"I wish we had many businesses, so we could be like Silver City," Amador said. "I hope we get Fort Bayard. I want people to come in and want to open a store or a restaurant. We're trying to do things for people, so it attracts businesses. I think I'm doing what I can do. Try to get people involved so they do things for themselves. We started the Lighted Parade. We started music and movies in the park."

Caddel said he didn't want to see the village as big as Silver City. "People live here because we want a small, quiet town. Whether we're going to get people in here, I don't know. With 96 stores all over the place, Walmart came in and the stores closed. We have to come up with an idea to create a business here. Things have changed. We can't afford to do it now. We have to have a good idea and a way to do it."

Hildebrand said Santa Clara is never going to have Walmart. "We will have mom-and-pop stores. When I talk to people at Fort Bayard from all over the country and all over the world, if I send them to Santa Clara, they come back and are impressed. They're people on vacation, but we have had several looking to move here and start a business. Maybe a little restaurant. Just with cleaning up Viola Stone Park and putting in the Splash Park, we got a lot of people coming in every day. We need to get some small shops."

Seibel asked his customary Time Machine question. "Imagine it's four years from now and you are running for re-election. What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?"

"In four years, the thing I will be most proud of is to have brought in at least two or three more businesses and that it's safer for people living here," Hildebrand said.

Amador said she is part of the committee that has done so much to improve the town. "I would be proud of a couple of more businesses. I'm proud now of what we've accomplished in the past four years."

Caddel said he would hope he could have kept all his campaign promises. "I'm only one voice. With three other trustees and a mayor, I don't know whether I can convince them or not. More businesses into buildings that are in place that would be worthwhile to move into. Land and building a building is a substantial investment. Then you have the inventory. If you build it, and it doesn't work, what do you do?"

One last questioner asked: "I own a commercial property. With all the properties in disarray, why would I stay open or open a business?"

Caddel said all properties are not in disarray. "That particular property is not in disarray. That is a sad statement."

Amador said the person should keep the commercial property and start a business. "It depends on how much you are willing to put into it. If you put your everything into it, it will work. You have to have dreams and goals."

Hildebrand said: "If you are going to start a business… A couple of buildings in town were fixed up. Bang! Properties on either side were fixed up. It you are going to open a business, make it go, and it will make others do the same. It all started with one building. Go ahead with it. Be the front-runner. Let others follow behind."

Each then gave a closing statement.

Amador said: "I just want to say I have really enjoyed my four years. We have accomplished a lot. I signed up for the Action Committee. We have done a lot. The Lighted Parade every year has gotten bigger. I help clean up yards, we create food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would enjoy another four years. I will do my best."

Hildebrand said he has worked with the Action Committee and the Cemetery Committee. "I would like to be on the ground floor to move things forward and help people. I ask for the four years to do the best I can do."

Caddel said and read: "Why waste time discovering the truth, when you can create it?" He talked about perception management, which many PR firms offer. But they don't do it very well, he said. Perception managers don't manage facts. They create them and sell them to the world instead of the truth. Mark Twain said it's the difference between a lightning bug and lightning. "Untruths can be established so quickly, so you can't make a dent in them to get to the truth."