Put park controversy in the past, work together

It looks like The Park Above will move forward and children with disabilities from Rio Rancho and surrounding areas will have a place to play sometime in the not-too-distant future.

That’s progress. But getting from point A (the idea), to point B (securing funding) to point C (getting recalcitrant city councilors on board) hasn’t been easy. Point D, actually constructing and opening the park, is yet to come. Groundbreaking is set for August.

It’s been a bumpy road.

First proposed in 2009, the park, estimated to cost $2.5 million, was conceived as a place where developmentally or physically challenged children could play alongside other children in the fresh outdoors.

The city had secured $285,000 in donations, including from Sandoval County, Intel and Lockheed Martin. Last year, Gov. Susana Martinez helped secure a $1.2 million legislative appropriation for the park.

The project was gathering steam. Then new city councilors were elected with other ideas about what money in Rio Rancho should be spent on. Namely infrastructure, public safety and roads, worthy needs for sure.

In December, when the city selected six acres off Westside Boulevard, near the Sandoval-Bernalillo county line, for the park, that triggered the release of state funds to the city.

For the recent 60-day legislative session, the City Council drew up a list of funding priorities and, although the park was on the city’s Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan, the council rejected it for inclusion on its legislative wish list. Park supporters approached Mayor Tom Swisstack to ask legislators for another appropriation for the park. That incensed four councilors who censured the mayor for doing so.

When it came time last month to accept the 2012 money, three councilors balked and two — Chuck Wilkins and Mark Scott — voted against accepting the appropriation. Lonnie Clayton reluctantly voted for it, but qualified his vote by saying it was “old money” he had approved before and in the future he’d take a dim view of any new public money for the project while the city wrestles with financial problems.

It’s hard to believe a grassroots project for people with disabilities could so divide a community. And while the city certainly has many pressing needs, public safety foremost among them, this kind of infighting isn’t likely to help solve the problems or inspire confidence. Rio Rancho public officials should put this behind them, stop drawing lines in the sand and learn to compromise.
— This article appeared on page 06 of the Albuquerque Journal