School Board Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, August 16

Here is the agenda for the next school board meeting.

The "Buckhorn Renovation Project," found under "Information" should be a presentation by Mr. John Baldonado, who is renovating the cabins (which are located directly across the street from the High School) to turn them into a "Counseling and Clinic Services" live-in facility called "Heart of Dreams." He is also the owner of Canyon Light Counseling, in Alamogordo. To see more information on Mr. Baldonado, visit www.canyonlightcounseling.com. My understanding is that the department of corrections and the judicial branch refer folks to Canyon Light for counseling on things like sex offenses, substance abuse, anger management, and mental health issues. (When the DOC and judicial branch are referring people, that generally means they are on parole or probation.) It is not clear to me what a live-in facility like Heart of Dreams will mean. In the world of parole and probation, a live-in facility that offers learning and life skills, but where the residents are free to come and go, is called a "halfway house." People are generally paroled there after their stay in prison so they can learn to adjust to society, gain life skills, seek employment, and get counseling for the problems that got them into trouble in the first place. (Did I mention that this is directly across the street from the High School?)

I spoke with Dave Venable today and asked about the facility. I didn't get a lot of information, other than the fact that they will be paying a lodger's tax. Dave said the facility was zoned as a rental facility or hotel or motel. He could not say how long folks would be staying at the Heart of Dreams, nor could he say where they were being employed. He said the facility was to provide "learning skills." My understanding is Heart of Dreams got a variance this week to put a fence around the facility. (Speaking of fences, how do you like that razor wire job around the lift station?)