MESD Election Results:

The Independent is reporting today that Elizabeth Howells won the District 3 contest with 91 votes compared to 36 for Phil Anaya. The front page story, which continues on page 11, shows the mill levy extension passing by a vote of 370-147. These numbers were reported by the County Clerk last night after the polls closed.

Today is Election Day for MESD:

If you live in the Moriarty-Edgewood School District, remember to get out and vote today in the School Board election and mill levy extension!  If you live in District 3 (see map at the bottom of the page), I'm recommending a vote for Elizabeth Howells. Why?  Because she is the only candidate in the race who has demonstrated understanding of the fundamental issues of demographics which affect enrollment in East Mountain schools.  During her term, she has made some tough calls and has been unfairly criticized for doing so. I don't live in District 3, but if I did I would definitely vote for Elizabeth. She is absolutely correct in saying that quality matters more than quantity.  

* VOTE, AND TAKE A FRIEND WITH YOU *

Call your friends who live in District 3!
The Polls Close at 7:00 PM

In the news November 20, 2014

From the November 20  Mountain View Telegraph:

NB: The MVT is using a feature for the online edition similar to that used by the Journal in which readers are asked to answer 1or 2 survey questions and/or share the page via social media before going on to individual stories.  To subscribe or renew a subscription, call (505) 823-7100

• Aquifer Science's water bid rejected;
• Estancia looking for new mayor;
• Land grant wants community center ownership;
• MESD OK's upgrades to tech infrastructure;
• OPINION: Make right to work part of the '15 legislative agenda; 
• Obama plan a U-turn from info superhighway.

[The MVT is published weekly in paper form, and is also delivered to subscribers to The Albuquerque Journal with Thursday's edition. You may also read news, sports, opinions and letters to the editor, obituaries, legals, and classifieds online at the website. If you're reading the online version, don't forget to check the links to shorter topics such as the calendar, upcoming events, milestones, news briefs, police reports and this weekend notes which are interspersed in the news headlines.]

In the news 09/18/2014

From the September 18  Mountain View Telegraph:

NB: The MVT is using a feature for the online edition similar to that used by the Journal in which readers are asked to answer 1or 2 survey questions and/or share the page via social media before going on to individual stories. 

• Opponents speak out against pipeline;
• Raptor center releases hawks and kestrels;
• Schools chief critical of board member's tactics;
• Moriarty seeks airport work bids;
• Protection from floods in Madrid;
• LETTERS:  Climate change used for profit

[The MVT is published weekly in paper form and delivered with The Albuquerque Journal on Thursdays.  You may also read news, sports, opinions and letters to the editor, obituaries, legals, and classifieds online at the website. If you're reading the online version, don't forget to check the links to shorter topics such as the calendar, upcoming events, milestones, news briefs, police reports and this weekend notes which are interspersed in the news headlines.]

In the news 09/03/2014

The Independent:   September 3-9

• District hopes 2-hour bus rides end with new potential drivers (page 1);
• Vandalism to wells cost $13k, Parkwood facelift (page 1);
• Community News Exchange:  News briefs from around the state (page 5);
• Letters and Columns: Various topics but not necessarily land use related (pages 6-9);
• Sports: Moriarty Pintos lose to Miyamura Patriots in close season opener (page 11);
• From the desk of the President by Christopher Gonzales Moriarty High School (page 15);
• Legal notices: For MESD: Policy 130 Open Meetings Act resolution adopted 7/16/2013 and revised 8/19/14.  For the Town of Edgewood: Notice of public input for adoption of an ordinance relating to the New Mexico Uniform Traffic Ordinance (page 22).

[The Independent is locally owned and operated.  It is published weekly and appears on Wednesdays; the front page of the current edition appears on its website.  The price for an email subscription is reasonable and the cost will be prorated at the time a subscription is purchased. I've found the service for e-subs reliable and convenient.  The e-version includes ads and legal notices in full color with the added benefit of adjustable print size. You can also purchase a regular mail subscription or pick up a single copy for fifty cents at most local businesses if you prefer the paper and ink version.]

RTO: Read the ordinance!

The Town of Edgewood's misguided attempt to use its zoning ordinance to thwart placement of a preschool at the former Edgewood Elementary School campus caught my attention when I learned about the situation through a post on the Moriarty-Edgewood Students First Facebook page.  What happened? 

Note on yesterday's post:

For a revised version of New school district for Edgewood? please visit the blog I maintain for the Moriarty-Edgewood Students First Facebook group.  The expanded post is called New district or new charter school?

New school district for Edgewood?

Edited to add information and a link:  This post has been expanded and the new version posted on the Moriarty-Edgewood Students First blog. 

Pursuant to ToE Resolution 2014-01, a new group has formed called Edgewood Moving Forward (EMF).  The group has established a web page for introducing its ideas on how and why the school district should be split.  An analysis of the EMF proposal written by members of the Moriarty-Edgewood Students First Facebook group can be read at M-ESF's public blog.

It appears that while forming a new district is the ultimate goal for members of EMF, there is also a parallel discussion about the establishment of a K-8 charter school, possibly with a STEM emphasis.  According to the Public Education Department website, charter schools may be established by local school boards (district charter schools) or by the Public Education Commission (state charter schools). The people with whom I've discussed the charter school proposal seem inclined to seek a charter via the PEC rather than MESD. 

Town Hall Meeting Saturday Afternoon!

The Town of Edgewood's governing body will hold a special council meeting Saturday April 12, 2014 at 3:00 pm in the cafeteria of the Edgewood Middle School.  The agenda can be found at the town website's agenda center, and the paid advertisement in this week's Independent reads as follows: 

"CITIZENS WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ORGANIZATION OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT."

Two special meetings scheduled by the Town of Edgewood for Saturday April 12, 2014:

Saturday April 12 at 9:00 am: A joint meeting between the Council and P&Z at the Edgewood Community Center to discuss proposed ordinance changes.

******

Saturday April 12 at 3:00 pm: A Town Hall meeting regarding formation of an Edgewood School District: Location to be announced. Edgewood Middle School Cafeteria.

Council Agenda for April 2, 2014

The preliminary agenda is now available at the ToE website.  I will post links to the the packet containing the final agenda when it made available by the town clerk.  Featured on the agenda are two special meetings for April 12, 2014; one is a 9: AM joint meeting of the Council and P&Z to consider changes to the zoning and subdivision ordinances, and the other is a 3:00 PM town hall meeting.  No locations are specified for either of the April 12 meetings. 

New documents added to the Schools folder

I've added two documents to the Schools folder on Drive; one is a condensed version of the documentation provided by the Moriarty-Edgewood School District to the Public Education Department in support of the re-organization plan and the other is a public statement from MESD concerning the lawsuit filed on Tuesday, March 18, 2014. 

The MESD Re-organization plan revisited.

On Monday March 3, 2014 a five page summary of the 191 pages of documentation submitted by the Moriarty-Edgewood School District to the Public Education Department was uploaded to a Facebook group named Moriarty-Edgewood Students First.  The document, which was completed within a week of PED's rejection of the plan, was produced by a group of volunteers; it examines what the group believes to be four inaccurate statements being made about the district's plan to re-organize the school district and rebuts each "myth" with a series of facts.

The group was created on February 26, 2014 at 9:24 PM, and at the time of this blog post it has 384 members. I joined the group on March 1. The group has been active in contacting legislators, public officials, the media, and interested citizens in order to provide information about the district's situation.  It has also organized efforts to invite people to attend tomorrow evening's special board meeting which is open to the public. The meeting agenda is available through the MESD Website. 

• Moriarty-Edgewood Board of Education Special Meeting
• 7:00 PM Thursday March 6, 2014
• Performing Arts Center on the high school campus in Moriarty

History of ToE Resolution 2014-01 (continued)

Draft minutes for the special council meeting of 01/18/2014 were among the documents included in the Town Council's packet for the Feb. 5 council meeting. The link to the minutes will be updated after the minutes are approved and published. The only item on the agenda for the Jan. 18 meeting was consideration of a resolution in response to the proposed closure of Edgewood Elementary School.  Links to different versions of the resolution are located in the box at the top of the left sidebar.