New Mexico Mercury

Vote for Karen Dunning and Adrian Oglesby

It would be easy to give up on the Conservancy District (MRGCD)—the little known government agency that controls ditches and water policy in the Valley, but which has been tightly controlled by an inside group of good old boys for decades. Voting is restricted to property owners, and until recently, the Board has tried to defend its agricultural stakeholders at all costs, scheduling its elections when voter turnout will be low, restricting absentee ballot access, and empowering a small empire ruled by one highly paid engineer. In spite of the fact that North Valley residents who do not use ditch water to irrigate their fields pay the bulk of the assessments each year these powers-that-be have succeeded in defending the status quo.

That is until recently-- when a few legislators and reformers like Adrian Oglesby and Karen Dunning decided local water policy was worth the fight.  Karen and Adrian have fought for needed reforms--transparency, open elections, and more professional and ethical management. (See their list of accomplishments at http:// protectthevalley.com)   But it has not been easy.  They have encountered resistance from the old guard every step of the way.  That’s why I so admire their commitment to continue.  Reform is never easy, but in a time of drought, when ordinary citizens will be on the receiving end of life and death water decisions, accountability and democratic process is even more important.

Now the old guard has fielded tough opposition to reformers Karen Dunning and Adrian Oglesby in this election. But it is too late to turn back the clock now.

YOU have to deliver that message with your vote on Tuesday. It is urgent that you go to one of these polling places on Tuesday June 4 and cast your vote for Karen Dunning in Position No. 3 and Adrian Oglesby in Position No 4.

•Raymond Sanchez Community Center, 9800 4th Street NW

•Los Ranchos City Hall, 6718 Rio Grande Blvd NW Los Ranchos de Albuquerque

•4H Center, 1500 Menaul Blvd NW

•Washington Middle School, 1101 Park Avenue SW

•MRGCD Office, 1931 Second Street SW

•Valley High School, 1505 Candelaria Rd NW

•Polk Middle School, 2220 Raymac Road SW

•South Valley Multipurpose Center, 2008 Larrazolo Rd SW

•Los Padillas Elementary School, 2525 Los Padillas Road SW

•Valle Vista Elementary School, 1700 Mae Avenue SW

•Adobe Acres Elementary School, 1724 Camino del Valley SW

•Isleta Pueblo Elderly Center Kiva Room, 79 Tribal Rd. SW, Isleta Pueblo

The polls are open from 7am-7pm.  If you own property in the Valley or downtown area, you can vote. Don’t forget to take a driver’s license or something to prove that you are a property owner within the district. If you have a different name than your partner, ask the election official to try variations on your name.

If you have an absentee ballot, please don't mail it now (there's no guarantee it will get there by Tuesday in time for counting). To be sure it gets counted, please WALK it in on Election Day, Tuesday, June 4 to the MRGCD office, 1931 Second Street SW or call Justine at 505-216-6466 to pick it up and deliver it for you.

Vote! Local elections like these are the stuff that democracy is made of.

Final Note: My sympathies to the family, friends and supporters of Andrew Leo Lopez, a Democratic gadfly who was often a thorn in the hide of the Conservancy district. Andrew died unexpectedly last week. He was also a candidate in this race for position no.4.