Some things are a bit different when you have a little more perspective,
the questions people are asking about disincorporation, logically cannot be divined until other basic questions about the Town are asked and answered. The questions about services are actually not relevant because the county already provides the services just not to Edgewood residents presently. There actually are other services that the county provides that Edgewood residents do not qualify for because the municipality either has no agreements with the county to provide them, or no money to provide them. Services like, Well Care Home Visits for new moms, and traveling nurse services and other things that we’ve not even heard about because there is a wall called the town limit.
Many folks ask about what happens to the people working for the Town? Well first and foremost the County will have a ready workforce for all the equipment and property they will automatically acquire should the Town vote to remove its municipal governance. I would think that it would stand up to logic and reason that the County would want those resources put to good use, and that would require people to operate those resources. It is also reasonable for the county Manager and County Commission to refrain from speculating about possible scenarios until the vote has concluded and either there is or is not an Edgewood Town government.
The time and personnel needed to restructure the County’s services to incorporate the Town’s resources could not, nor would not happen until the County has an idea of the Town’s financial position. That financial position is very questionable at present and would/will have a great effect on any decisions needed to retire the Town’s debts. Either way the services offered by both the Town and the County would continue. The level of service for each of those services that people all seem to be asking about would continue and be re-scaled to meet the actual needs for the area. Since the area has had growth over the last 27 years, the services the county provides would be scaled accordingly, just as they have for other unincorporated villages in Santa Fe County.
It is unreasonable to think the county would disregard its citizens in the same reckless manor as the town Commission has over the last few years. Does anyone in Town or County government know exactly what things would look like should the town vote to disincorporate? That answer is no! Until there is an actual accounting of financial position that verifies the town’s accounts there is no way to know.
Asking for promises when there are too many variables is likely to cause more than disappointments. Even if promises are made, the election cycle could sweep away all memory of the promises, like when the Town Commission swept in after the change in governance – all new people with no memories of past dealings and no clues about operating the system.
Considering the recent actions of the Town Commissioners, signing the petition for disincorporation may be the only way to to get them to pay attention. They cannot or will not provide basic information about the Town’s financial health, and the health safety and welfare of residents has been endangered by the Commission’s reckless behavior on funding for emergency services. After 27 years how much longer should we wait for positive changes when the only actual change since 2022 seems to be a progressive disintegration of Town function and finance?……
Do we wait until the bankruptcy is declared to pick up the pieces, then pay the price, or do we exercise our vote to make change happen before the fall? The process is clear, the petition is the first step forward, then we go to the polls and vote!