La Cienega Valley Association

Protecting and preserving our acequia culture and agricultural traditions…




LCVA News – December 6, 2015



The agenda for Monday’s LCVA Board meeting is at the bottom of the news.

Hipico Santa Fe
Monday’s agenda includes Special Guest Brian Gonzales who is one of the co-owners of Hipico Santa Fe, formerly the Santa Fe Horse Park. This a complete equestrian facility and from all indications Mr. Gonzales and his partner Guy McElvain have invested in renovations for the property. Mr. Gonzales has asked to attend the LCVA Board meeting so he can discuss plans for Hipico Santa Fe. Please join us if you want to know more about what is happening in this beautiful center of equestrian competitions or about any other events that will take place together with our partner - a company where you can buy essay online at good prices and that join our events yourself.

La Bajada National Monument
Also on the agenda is an update on the proposed La Bajada National Monument. The LCVA arranged a community meeting two years ago in which the Coalition to Protect the Gateway National Monument responded to resident concerns regarding the project. Much of that meeting was taken up by area ranchers and farmers complaining about being ignored and left out of the process. The group had worked to secure the support of private and public entities while neglecting to communicate with established ranchers, farmers, and communities most affected by the establishment of a National Park.

In response to the meeting, the LCVA wrote a letter to the National Monument. Below is the body of the letter that was sent in February 2014. There has been no response to the letter from the Coalition and the LCVA is unaware if they have made an effort to engage the impacted, farmers, ranchers, communities, and landowners. The LCVA’s realization that the National Monument’s effort may have reached the desks of our US Senators and Representatives came as the result of Board Member Linda Grill.

Dear Ms. Strauss,

At the December 2 meeting the La Cienega Valley Association Board (LCVA) discussed the proposed La Bajada Mesa National Monument project you and other members of the Coalition to Protect the Gateway presented at the La Cienega community meeting on November 7. All nine LCVA Board members attended the community meeting.

It was apparent by the response from residents, private land owners, farmers, and ranchers in the audience that the Coalition to Protect the Gateway did not contact and consult a number of individual property owners who would be directly and indirectly impacted by the proposed National Monument.

As a result of this and other concerns, the LCVA Board voted to oppose the Coalition to Protect the Gateway’s current proposal to create the La Bajada Mesa National Monument but would remain open to considering a modified and downsized National Monument proposal in the future.

La Cienega Valley Association Board Meeting
December 7, 2015 – 7:00 p.m., La Cienega Community Center
Preserving Our Rural Way of Life

Special Guest: Brian Gonzales, Hipico Santa Fe (formerly Santa Fe Horse Park)
La Bajada Mesa National Monument Update: Diane Strauss, Coalition to Protect the Gateway

Call to Order
1. Approval of Agenda
2. Approval November Minutes
3. Matters from the Public
4. President’s Report
 a. Water Monitoring Program Fund Raising
 b. Santa Fe River Traditional Communities Collaborative Grant Application
 c. Community Park
5. Treasurer’s Report
6. Committee Reports
7. Newsletter Content
8. Matters from the Board
9. Adjournment