If you are a property owner within the boundaries of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, today’s the day to vote for two board positions. Was that a “who cares?” from the back row? Listen, buddy, last time around nobody voted, and as a result we got a guy who buys water rights sitting on the board of a friggin’ irrigation conservancy. Can you say “conflict of interest”? I knew that you could.Earlier this week, the Albuquerque Tribune provided an excellent overview of the recent MRGCD political chaos, with lots of inflammatory statements from both adversarial board member Bill Turner (”These people are evil, flat-out evil.”) and MRGCD mouthpiece (not to mention former Alibi staffer) Dennis Domrzalski (who calls Turner a “pathetic clown” in one especially vituperative press release). It’s all pretty entertaining, but the issue is serious: Valley irrigation creates a green space where there would otherwise be sand and scrub. The ditch system is already endangered and it needs protection from water rights scavengers. Who will provide the right guidance for the beleaguered MRGCD?I voted for Adrian Oglesby, a progressive water attorney with ties to smart-growth advocates in the North Valley, and Eugene Abeita, an Isleta Pueblo farmer favored by the South Valley Acequia Association–both candidates also endorsed by the Journal , as it turns out.Do you care yet? Don’t worry, polls are open until 7 p.m., there are a ton of locations, and I personally guarantee no long lines. For your convenience, here’s the list for Bernalillo County:
MRG 201 4-H Center 1500 Menaul Blvd. NW Albuquerque MRG 202 Adobe Acres Elementary School 1724 Camino del Valle SW Albuquerque MRG 204 Alvarado Elementary School 1100 Solar Road NW Albuquerque MRG 205 Armijo Elementary School 1440 Gatewood Ave SW Albuquerque MRG 206 Atrisco Elementary School 1201 Atrisco Drive SW Albuquerque MRG 207 Barcelona Elementary School 2311 Barcelona Road SW Albuquerque MRG 210 Dolores Gonzales Elementary School 900 Atlantic Avenue SW Albuquerque MRG 211 Duranes Elementary School 2436 Zickert Rd NW Albuquerque MRG 212 Jack Candelaria Comm & Boxing Ctr 400 San Jose Avenue SE MRG 214 Ernie Pyle Middle School 1820 Valdora Ave SW Albuquerque MRG 215 Garfield Middle School 3501 Sixth Street NW Albuquerque MRG 216 Griegos Elementary School 4040 San Isidro NW Albuquerque MRG 218 Harwood United Methodist church 420 San Lorenzo Ave NW Albuquerque MRG 219 Holy Family Catholic Church 562 Atrisco Drive SW Albuquerque MRG 220 Isleta Pueblo Elderly Center Kiva Room Isleta Pueblo MRG 221 Isleta Pueblo Headstart Chical Road Isleta MRG 222 Wells Park Community Center 500 Mountain Rd NW Albuquerque MRG 223 Los Padillas Elementary School 2525 Los Padillas Rd. Albuquerque MRG 224 MacArthur Elementary School 1100 Douglas MacArthur Rd NW Albuquerque MRG 225 MRGCD Board Room 1931 Second SW Albuquerque MRG 227 Pajarito Elementary School 2701 Don Felipe SW Albuquerque MRG 228 Polk Middle School 2220 Raymac Rd SW Albuquerque MRG 229 Reginald F. Chavez Elementary 2700 Mountain Rd NW Albuquerque MRG 230 Los Ranchos Elementary School 7609 Fourth Street NW Albuquerque MRG 231 Rio Grande High School 2300 Arenal Road SW Albuquerque MRG 233 Taft Middle School 620 Schulte Rd NW Albuquerque MRG 234 Taylor Middle School 8200 Guadalupe Tr NW Albuquerque MRG 235 Valle Vista Elementary School 1700 Mae Avenue SW Albuquerque MRG 236 Valley Christian Church 2850 Gun Club Road SW Albuquerque MRG 237 Valley High School 1505 Candelaria Rd NW Albuquerque MRG 238 Washington Middle School 1101 Park Avenue SW Albuquerque MRG 241 Atrium North/Bernalillo Fire Dept. 6840 Second St NW Albuquerque MRG 242 Westside Community Center 1250 Isleta Blvd. SW Albuquerque MRG 243 Navajo Elementary School 2936 Hughes Rd SW Albuquerque MRG 244 Raymond G. Sanchez Community Center 9800 Fourth NW Albuquerque MRG 245 Sandia Pueblo Tribal Council Chambers 481 Sandia Loop Bernalillo MRG 246 Mountain View Community Center 201 Prosperity Ave SE
