UPDATE ON ESCAFCA

Press Release
Contact: Joanie Griffin (505) 261-4444, jgriffin@griffinassoc.com

Eastern Sandoval County – December 2, 2009 – People are seeing a new tax for the Eastern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (ESCAFCA) on their property tax bills.  The ESCAFCA Board of Directors understands taxpayers’ concerns and the burden of increased property taxes during this historic economic downturn.             

 “ESCAFCA was created by the legislature to deal with a very serious flood control need in the region,” said Sal Reyes, ESCAFCA Chairman of the Board.  “The Board is carrying out what the Legislature intended with ESCAFCA’s creation while being cognizant of the difficulties caused by added taxes. We are operating in a bare bones fashion, with a commitment to positively benefit all the residents in Eastern Sandoval County.”

Since its formal inception in November 2008, ESCAFCA has been working on 11 new flood control projects – five in Placitas, five in Bernalillo and one in Algodones. Additionally, ESCAFCA is working on zoning regulations and approval processes for new and expanding developments in the region.

FIRST — HOW DID ESCAFCA COME ABOUT?

After serious flooding in the region in 2006, the New Mexico Legislature passed an act authorizing the creation of ESCAFCA to serve Bernalillo, Algodones and Placitas; areas that were not being served by other flood control authorities.  

The act authorized a levy of up to $2.00 per $1000.00 [2 mills] of net taxable value of property to operate the Authority. During public hearings in 2007 and 2008, a commitment was made to limit the operations levy to $1.00 per $1000.00 [one mill], rather than the two mills allowed by the act. 

The act also authorized the borrowing of money to build projects, for which an additional levy may be made. The act also required the voters elect a Board and vote on a bond issue to borrow that money.

Initial engineering surveys identified $150 million in projects needed to prevent future flooding. During the public hearings the needs were explained and a project list was proposed that would cost about $1.5 million per year to implement, which would be raised by selling bonds for $3 million every two years. To repay the debt, property owners would be assessed about $2.5 per $1000.00 [2.5 mills] of the net taxable value of their property. In addition to the debt assessment of 2.5 mills, the Authority would also be levying the operations assessment of one mill.

In November 2008, voters authorized the sale of $6 million in bonds to start building projects outlined in the master plans. A Board of Directors was also elected. The initial bond issue received support not only from the voters, but from the county commissioners, other flood control authorities, legislators and business leaders.

In July 2009, $3 million in bonds were sold [money borrowed] to design and build projects. The levy to repay this debt was set at 2.50 mills, as projected. However, the actual collection will be 2.448 mills [slightly less than was projected].  The new ESCAFCA taxes first appeared on tax bills in November 2009.

HOW ARE ESCAFCA TAXES FIGURED?

On the tax bill, the amount shown as “Full Value” ”[sometimes called “Assessed Value”] is the value the County Assessor places on a property. It may or may not be what the home would sell for on the market, and is often much less than market value.

“Full Value” is divided by 3 to arrive at the “Taxable Value”. Deductions are then made for head of Household, Veterans, disability, etc, to arrive at the “Total Net Taxable Value. This “Total Net Taxable Value” is multiplied by the “Tax Rate”[mill levy] to set the amount owed for each category.

For example, a property with a “Full Value” of $100,000, the tax for debt service is $64.46 per year.  Add to that the tax for operations of $26.33, and the total tax bill for ESCAFCA is $85.79 per year. Properties with “Full Values” greater than $100,000 are taxed proportionately. 

WHAT IS ESCAFCA DOING WITH YOUR TAXES? 

• ESCAFCA has conducted a thorough topographic mapping of the Placitas area and is submitting Letters of Map Revision with detailed analysis to prove that floodplain limits can be significantly reduced.  It is expected that 241 homes will be able to be removed from the current FEMA FIRM 2008 floodplain maps, meaning they would no longer be required to pay high flood insurance premiums. The savings to the homeowners would be about $300,000 per year.

• ESCAFCA is working with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and the Town of Bernalillo to rebuild and certify the Rio Grande levees. When completed the new levees will prevent flooding from the river and remove hundreds of homes from the floodplain.

• A comprehensive analysis of Las Huertas Creek is being done with recommendations to protect roadway structures, drainage structures and high-pressure pipelines in the area.

• The Athena Avenue Stormwater Detention Pond/Recreational Facility and Storm Drain Outfall to the Rio Grande will alleviate flooding to communities in the area.

• A study to intercept storm water from the Sandia foothills to protect properties in Algodones.

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The Sandoval Signpost Supports ESCAFCA in October 2008 Editorial

Sandoval Signpost— Editorial October 2008
“Eastern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (ESCAFCA) Bond Issue on November Ballot”
http://www.sandovalsignpost.com/html/around_town.html#8

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Recent News Article About Flooding in New Mexico Highlight the Issue

Sandoval Signpost — Front Page of July 2008
“Bernalillo passes flood control ordinance”
http://www.sandovalsignpost.com/jul08/html/up_front.html#3

Sandoval Signpost — Editorial July 2008
“A flood of confusion: FEMA, LOMAs, CRS, and my property”
http://www.sandovalsignpost.com/jul08/html/the_gauntlet.html#2

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Around New Mexico
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Journal and Wire Reports

“Rain Floods Manzano High”
Sunday’s rainstorm wreaked havoc on Manzano High School, flooding classrooms, offices and the gym. When workers came in Monday morning, they found 2 inches of water in the hallways, said John Dufay, director of maintenance for Albuquerque Public Schools.

He said crews would work through the night Monday to clean up the flooding. Their priority was the gym floor, which Dufay said was under an inch of water with an unknown amount stewing underneath.

Workers may have to cut the gym floor open to drain the water beneath it and dehumidify the hardwood. In the worst-case scenario, Dufay said, the entire floor will have to be replaced.

He said that APS won’t know the extent of the damage until the cleanup is finished but that the flooding won’t affect the start of the fall semester.

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You Tube video of flooding in Riudoso

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The Albuquerque Journal
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

“About 75 People Wait for Rescue in Ruidoso Flood ”
Associated Press

RUIDOSO — More than 75 people stranded by massive flooding in the Ruidoso area were awaiting rescue Tuesday, as local officials began assessing the damage caused by torrential rains that sent the Rio Ruidoso over its banks.
        "The spirit today is incredibly higher than it was Sunday and even yesterday because we didn't get rain," Ruidoso spokeswoman Darlene Hart said.
        Local authorities and the National Guard have rescued more than 580 people since early Sunday, said Sherry Kamali, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. That figure does not include people who left their homes, cabins or campsites on their own.
        Though the sun was shining Tuesday, residents were anxiously watching weather forecasts for the mountain community, which still could see isolated storms as New Mexico's summer monsoon season continues.
        Police resolved up to five reports of missing people authorities received Sunday as families reconnected after the chaos subsided, Hart said.
        Sunday's flood, caused by the remnants of Hurricane Dolly, claimed the life of a 20-year-old man, whose body was found Monday.
        Local officials estimated the flood has caused up to $15 million in damage to bridges and roadways, though that figure could climb, Hart said.
        Federal Emergency Management Agency officials were expected to arrive Tuesday and begin assessing the damage and installing four portable bridges to help people reach their homes and cabins.
        Residents began trickling back into their flood-damaged homes to start cleaning them Tuesday as Red Cross workers began assessing the damage, said Wanda Peacock, branch manager of Red Cross' Roswell office.
        But many other residents and vacationers will not be able to return to their homes or cabins quickly, Hart said.
        "Everybody that we take out, we're not going to allow back until FEMA gets here and assesses the structural damage to these homes," she said. "It will be days, possibly weeks, for some of them."
         Initial reports are that more than 200 homes have been damaged by floodwaters, a news release from the state Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department said.
        The displaced residents being housed in local churches and community centers have been "pulling together" to help each other and stay positive, Peacock said.
        "Everybody is helping everybody, but I'm sure that we're going to need some mental health assistance. Some people are grieving. Some people have lost everything they own, everything," she said.
        People remained stranded Tuesday at Bonito Lake north of Ruidoso, along one street that had been flooded near the river and in the upper canyon area, which was cut off due to a downed bridge, Hart said.
        Those stranded included 28 campers who have spent two extra nights outdoors at Bonito Lake.
        Helicopters dropped military ready-to-eat meals and water to the campers Monday and officials expect the water to be low enough Tuesday to safely drive out of the campground, Hart said.
        Gov. Bill Richardson has declared Lincoln County a disaster area, freeing emergency state funding to help ensure the safety of residents and their properties, as well as to restore and maintain critical public services.
        Hart said the state will provide $750,000 for flood cleanup and repairs. Thirteen bridges are washed out and three streets remain closed, she said.
        Residents have been advised to boil their water until the state Health Department can check the water system.
        The Rio Ruidoso was "violently running" Tuesday, but was "considerably lower" than its peak of 12 feet during the flood, Hart said.
        Much of the debris from the flooding was along the riverbank. Area businesses, including tourist stops on the main roads through town, were open for business Tuesday.
        "If someone didn't tell you there was a flood and you didn't go down to the river, you'd never know," Hart said.

The Albuquerque Journal
Wednesday, July 30, 2008

“Rescuers Hope To Reach 70 Flood-Stranded People Today”
Associated Press

RUIDOSO — Rescuers hope to finish building a temporary bridge today to get closer to about 70 people who have been stranded for days by massive flooding in the Ruidoso area.
        Completion of the bridge was delayed when rain began to fall Tuesday, said Sherry Kamali, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
        The Ruidoso area got about a half inch of rain overnight, but Kamali said Wednesday it didn't cause any problems other than stopping work on the temporary bridge. The work resumed Wednesday, she said.
        Despite the scattered showers, Ruidoso spokeswoman Darlene Hart said crews have been able to make some progress.
        "They're working on the bridges. They're working on the roads. They're making what I would say is decent progress for the amount of devastation," she said.
        The flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Dolly damaged about 200 homes, washed out 13 bridges and killed at least one person, authorities said. At least 600 residents and campers have been rescued since early Sunday, Kamali said.
        On Tuesday, about 17 campers were rescued from Bonito Lake north of Ruidoso, along one street that had been flooded near the river and in the upper canyon area, which was cut off due to a downed bridge, Hart said. Eleven other campers decided to stay in the area, she said.
        Police have resolved up to five reports of missing people authorities received Sunday as families reconnected after the chaos subsided, Hart said. Sunday's flood claimed the life of a 20-year-old man, whose body was found Monday.
        Gov. Bill Richardson has declared Lincoln County a disaster area, freeing emergency state funding to help ensure the safety of residents and their properties, as well as to restore and maintain critical public services.
        Hart said the state will provide $750,000 for flood cleanup and repairs.
        Local officials estimated the flood has caused up to $15 million in damage to bridges and roadways, though that figure could climb, Hart said.
        Federal Emergency Management Agency officials are on their way. They will install portable bridges to help people reach their homes and cabins. Kamali said FEMA teams also will assess damages — both for private homes and for public buildings, roads and bridges.
        Officials said many residents and vacationers will not be able to return to their homes or cabins quickly.
        "We're still looking at weeks and months and maybe years to get things back to the way they were," Hart said.
        About 20 people remained at an evacuation shelter at a Nazarene church; another church offered showers and drinking water to people displaced by the flooding. A damage assessment center was set up for residents in the Ruidoso Convention Center, and a fire station was offered sandbags.
        Some people did get to return to their flood-damaged homes and start cleaning them Tuesday as Red Cross workers began assessing the damage, said Wanda Peacock, branch manager of Red Cross' Roswell office.
        "The people here have been very, very brave," she said. "This is humanity at it's best. Everybody is helping everybody."
        Peacock said the agency already has given out everything from food and water to diapers and medicine.
        State officials have advised residents to boil their water until the Health Department can check the water systems throughout the Ruidoso area.
        Much of the debris from the flooding was along the riverbank. Area businesses, including tourist stops on the main roads through town, were open for business Tuesday.
        "If someone didn't tell you there was a flood and you didn't go down to the river, you'd never know," Hart said.

The Albuquerque Journal
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

“FEMA Changes Flood Plain Maps ”
By Rozanna M. Martinez, Journal Staff Writer

Some Bernalillo residents are finding that they will have to obtain flood insurance because their homes are in high-risk zones identified by newly expanded Sandoval County FEMA flood plain maps.
        In addition, the town of Bernalillo will have to consider whether to improve its levee along the river or scrap it and build a new one, according to discussion at a public input meeting on the expanded flood plain maps, held Wednesday at Town Hall.
        Federally required upgrades have not been done to the levee built in the 1930s.
        The town has teamed up with Sandoval County to analyze the levee issue and see what needs to be done. There's been some patchwork here and there, but nothing substantial to make it compliant with new federal regulations. Now the Federal Emergency Management Agency has stepped in and declared parts of the town as flood plains.
        FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers are working to identify risks associated with levees nationwide, according to a FEMA fact sheet distributed at Wednesday's meeting. If a levee is found to be deficient or unsafe, structures located behind it will be mapped into high-risk areas and flood insurance will be required for most mortgage holders, it says.
        Bernalillo residents in flood plains are required to buy flood insurance if their mortgages are from a federally regulated lender, according to Dale Hoff, a FEMA natural hazards program specialist who gave a presentation and answered questions Wednesday.
        Some residents whose homes had been listed in low-risk areas spoke up and said their homes, according to the newly expanded Sandoval County FEMA flood plain maps, are now in high-risk zones known as Special Flood Hazard Areas.
        The maps are available for viewing at the Planning and Zoning Department at Town Hall. Staff can help residents determine whether their home is in a Special Flood Hazard Area.
        Hoff suggested that residents call the department and give staff their address to identify their property's zone designation. Zones A, AE, A1-30, AH, AO, V, VE and V1-30 are high-risk zones, according to the FEMA fact sheet.
        The Planning and Zoning Department can be reached at 771-7118. Maps can also be accessed from the FEMA Web site at www.fema.gov.
        According to Hoff, the expanded map for Sandoval County went into effect March 18. Some residents might be able to save some money and retain a flood insurance rate associated with the previous map's flood zone and Base Flood Elevation under a grandfather rule.
        The National Flood Insurance Program's grandfathering provision offers savings to property owners of structures that were built before a flood map was issued for that community or were built in compliance with the flood map in effect at the time of construction, according to the FEMA fact sheet.
        The grandfather rule applies to homes built prior to 1983, Bernalillo Mayor Patricia A. Chávez said at Wednesday's meeting.
        Residents who purchased a flood insurance policy before the newly expanded Sandoval County FEMA flood plain maps went into effect in March and maintained coverage without a lapse are eligible under the grandfathering provision.
        According to a rate comparisons sheet distributed at Wednesday's meeting, the cost of a standard flood insurance policy is estimated at $1,208 per year for a single-family, one-floor, no-basement home. An additional $326 is estimated for the same home for a preferred-risk policy that covers the structure's contents.
        More information on flood insurance rates can be found at www.floodsmart.gov.

Riudoso News
Tuesday, July 28, 2008

“Flooding takes visitors by surprise”
By Terry Fitzwater tfitzwater@ruidosonews.com

Las Cruces visitors Duane and Carolyn Andrews sit beside the raging waters of the Ruidoso River, Sunday, at Sierra Blanca Cabins. The couple was awakened by the sound of the water, then went back to sleep, only to be awakened again by police telling them to vacate the area. (Terry Fitzwater/Ruidoso News)
        Duane and Carolyn Andrews of Las Cruces have been visiting Ruidoso for years.
        They have a number of fond memories of the village, but they didn't expect to have them "flooding" over them on the weekend.
        The couple stayed in the Sierra Blanca cabins located on the banks of the Rio Ruidoso and Country Club Road on Saturday night, and went to bed thinking it was just another night in paradise.
      "We come up about once a month," Carolyn said. "We just love it here. We knew the forecast called for rain, but we didn't expect this."
      "This" was the wall of water that came cascading down from the Sacremento Mountains early Sunday morning.
      "It was about 3 a.m., and I heard this roar," said Duane Andrews. "My wife got up and looked out the cabin, and water was roaring past us underneath the cabin.

"Actually, we didn't think too much about it and went back to bed." A few hours later, however, the situation became a little more serious.
      "At about 6 a.m. we had a knock on our door," Duane said. "We were told that we had to move so other people could evacuate. We moved our vehicle, but we stayed to watch the water. It has been absolutely amazing."
      What the Andrews saw was the ground that their cabin had been on was mostly washed away. The banks of the Rio Ruidoso had washed away, as had the ground where part of the Sierra Blanca cabins' parking lot and barbecue area had been. The barbecue pit was now in the middle of the Rio Ruidoso, with flood waters stretching 125 feet or more to the other bank of the river. Both Andrews' said they saw a lot debris float by, and even saw a Dodge Neon float down the river early in the morning.
       "I think we were a little stunned at first," said Carolyn. "But to watch this wall of water and how quickly it came through, well, it was a little unnerving.''
      The couple said they love visiting Ruidoso, and plan on coming back in the near future.
      "It only happens once every 50 years," Carolyn laughed. "We'll be back."

Riudoso News
Monday, July 27, 2008

“Rains turn to floods along Rio Ruidoso ”
By Terry Fitzwater tfitzwater@ruidosonews.com

The remnants of Hurricane Dolly are wreaking havoc on the Village of Ruidoso in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico, as weekend rains have caused the worst flooding in more than 50 years in this pristine resort community located 150 miles north of El Paso.
       One man was found drowned in the Rio Ruidoso River, which runs through the heart of the community.
       Overnight rains Saturday and Sunday dropped more than three inches of rain on Ruidoso, causing the Rio Ruidoso River to overflow its banks and cause widespread damage to private homes and businesses nestled along it's banks.
       "It's an extremely hazardous situation, and it's going to get worse," said Ruidoso Village Fire Chief Tom Gavin.
      "We've got a serious situation on hand, with numerous bridges already washed out and a number of homes already destroyed.

"Please tell the general public to stay away from the river right now. Their lives will be in jeopardy."
       Four bridges have been destroyed in the village.
       Emergency officials are being called in from all over the state of Mexico, as units from Lincoln County, Alamogordo in Otero County and the New Mexico State Police are on site. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was expected to arrive by Sunday afternoon to offer their assistance, but local officials say it is too early to assess all of the damage.
       The Gateway Disaster Relief team has opened the Gateway Church of Christ as an emergency shelter for those who have already been flooded out of their homes.
      KOAT Ch. 7 of Albuquerque reported 100 homes were damaged in the floodwaters.

The problem started late Friday evening, as the remnants of what was Hurricane Dolly stalled over the Sacramento mountain range located in south-central New Mexico. The rain persisted all day Saturday, and at about 11 p.m. Saturday the river began to overflow its banks.
       "About 3 a.m., the Rio Ruidoso doubled its volume from just two hours earlier," said Ron Hardeman, a councilor with the Village of Ruidoso. "Normally the river runs at 30 cubic meters per second. At 1 o'clock this morning it was at 300. At 3 a.m., it was flowing at over 600 cubic meters per second, and I'm afraid that flow will only increase because we are scheduled to get more rain."

The National Weather Service is forecasting more thunderstorms related to Hurricane Dolly, with a 60 percent change of rain Sunday. Rain is possible throughout the week.
      Damage is visible throughout the town, as some homes have been washed away, and mobile homes along the banks of the Rio Ruidoso have been flooded and destroyed. A number of prominent business properties have been affected.
       In addition, the Zia Futurity, scheduled to run at Ruidoso Downs Sunday afternoon, was canceled due to water on the track and water damage to the facility.
      The track's tote board, which is mainly electrical, is possibly destroyed. Around noon Sunday, the jockey quarters were inundated with about four feet of water. Equipment was assumed lost.
      "Who would have thought this could happen," said Jed Vane, trainer of current All-American Futurity champion, Heartswideopen. "We'll have to see how this plays out."
      The racetrack's owner, R.D. Hubbard, said Sunday he plans to finish the 2008 season at Ruidoso Downs.
      The flooding was put into historical perspective by longtime residents.
      "I've been here for over 30 years," said Fire Lieutenant Hart of the Village of Ruidoso Fire Department. "This is definitely as bad as the flood of 1981, and if we get any more rain at all, it will be the worst of my lifetime."
      Flooding continued downstream eastward towards the Hondo Valley. The River Ranch RV Park located between Ruidoso Downs and Glencoe was partly submerged. Trailers and RV units were caught in the onrushing water, and some people were carrying out belongings and attempting to leave.
      Three propane tanks exploded at River Ranch.
      Downstream, another RV Park, Deer Crossing, was threatened by rising waters. But as of noon Sunday, all units were still on dry ground.
      Other sections of the valley escaped damage, including all homes situated on higher ground.

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