Letter to the Editor
Comedy of Errors
Editor:
We will soon be paying higher electric bills for the privilege of over-paying an attorney who is working against us. (And they’ve added the cost of two more.)
For the not-to-be-trusted trustees (except for Mr. Wagner, who suffers intolerable abuse from the rest of them) trustees who still number 10 (instead of the voted-for five.) Those same Trustees continue receiving health, dental and vision insurance benefits for themselves and their families while the bill-payers (us) have ever-dwindling medicare and medicaid.
All this to keep secret the fact that the Co-op is in financial difficulties because of mismanagement, yet they continue to pay themselves for meeting multiple times a month (instead of once.)
They pay themselves yet again, for “committee meetings” and continue their “junkets” from which there have been NO returns whatsoever except for themselves having expensive mini-vacations and ignoring the fact that they have “only” $10,000 each to spend.
It seems they’ve paid a seemingly incompetent manager about four times what most of us live on and they have also paid a possibly incompetent financial manager who knows what? They’re being sued themselves and who defends them? “Our” lawyers?
Add to all that the cost of a lawsuit against us (the bill payers) which we also get to pay for and what do you have?
An outrageous comedy of errors for which we get to pay…and pay…..
Barbara Moore
Magdalena
Too many interruptions
Editor:
Why is New Mexico in last place as far as educating a child?
Could it be all the interruptions that are done by the administrative staff?
Could it be that the high schools push the “high school experience” such as Homecoming week, buy out of class and a myriad of other reasons to either interrupt a lesson, shorten the allotted teaching time or just drop the class.
Well, when your child can’t graduate on time or can’t read, do math or science at grade level do not yell, glare or make snide comments about the teachers. If you want to yell at the people responsible, stare at the mirror first, then go to your local administrator.
You! The parent allow a dysfunctional school to operate and the administration is the one who decides when and how long the teachers are allowed to teach.
Jean Keffer
Socorro
You don’t have to call Tennessee!
Editor:
I realize that you are not responsible for the musing of guest columnists, however, I would hope that these folks have the integrity to do some research that will assist Socorro locals in being responsible citizenry in dealing with young wildlife.
I “Googled” Wildlife Rescue in New Mexico and discovered several rescue groups that are permitted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and New Mexico Game and Fish to aid baby birds, injured birds, rabbits, squirrels and small creatures in need of assistance. Two wildlife rescue groups currently support rehabilitators in the Socorro area.
Wildlife Rescue Incorporated of New Mexico has an informative web page and its phone number is 505-479-8000. WRI of N.M. is based in Albuquerque, but it has rehabilitators throughout New Mexico, including Socorro, who are willing to assist injured wildlife and “baby birds.” It has over 15 years of statistics of rescue in New Mexico. It also has an active educational program in Albuquerque and visits Socorro for the Festival of the Cranes.
The Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue also has an educational web page and its phone number is 575-882-2910. CDWR provided rescue to over 3,000 birds, reptiles and small mammals in 2009. It also has a rehabilitator located here in Socorro. Its educational outreach efforts target El Paso and Las Cruces.
Donations are graciously accepted by both organizations. These donations help provide supplies needed by the rehabbers. Different birds require different diets. Absolutely no fish flakes, Cheerios, oatmeal or people food are acceptable. Do not attempt to give the bird water or milk. In most cases it will drown them.
Here in Socorro, two of the rehabilitators raise mealworms to help sustain hungry insect-eating babies. This is in addition to several hundred dollars spent when the mealworms turn to pupae to beetles at the wrong time or when purchased worms arrive dead. These expenses are not always reimbursed by our support organizations, so therefore the funding becomes a private expense. Please note: Birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Act which means that state and federal laws protect migratory birds, and it is illegal to try and raise them.
The Bosque del Apache has the names and phone numbers of the local rehabilitators. The Ark of Socorro and Animal Haven are gracious in providing names and numbers as well. The Socorro Animal Shelter also has the information.
Finally, I really enjoyed Erv’s (Nichols) column on Aplomado Falcons because he was able to share his personal experiences and first-hand knowledge. However, his column on his baby bird rescue did not give people options. Not every person will take the time to get a ladder, got to the store and get a berry basket. Not every baby bird can be rescued by sticking it in a berry basket and put back in a tree. He should have stayed around with a pair of binoculars for a half hour or so to see if one of the parents showed up. He lucked out, as the picture showed a stressed and very dehydrated little finch.
Kale Batsell
San Antonio