By Mary Alice Murphy
A resolution supporting the transfer of ownership of historic Fort Bayard to the village of Santa Clara at the Grant County Commission regular session on Thursday, March 23, 2017, elicited a great deal of discussion.
Scott Terry, Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce president, spoke on behalf of the transfer.
"New Mexico is not going to use our tax dollars to preserve Fort Bayard," Terry said. "Fort Bayard is special to Santa Clara and all of Grant County."
He said the community has gone to the state to ask for things to be fixed. "But the state is not doing anything. It has no money."
"Santa Clara has a vision for the fort," Terry continued. "Others do, too. The Grant County Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society wants to put a lapidary out there. Norman Ruebush just came to me and said they want a place to work on and demonstrate antique tractors. Aldo Leopold Charter School students want to put in an apple orchard. A group from Santa Fe just presented an award Santa Clara for the village's continued support for the history of the Buffalo Soldiers. The Apache community would like to bring back the Red Paint Powwow out there.
"None of these will happen if the fort remains in state hands," Terry said. "There is only one group that has the vision and the business plan. Phase 1 would bring in outside entities to create revenue. The Youth Conservation Corps has worked out there. AmeriCorps is bringing in 27 young adults to mothball the buildings to keep them from further deterioration. Materials will cost about $18,000. Santa Clara will pick up half and we will raise $9,000 for the rest. The AmeriCorps group will board up the windows and paint them to look like windows."
He said that Silver City, Hurley and Bayard had already approved supporting the transfer of Fort Bayard to Santa Clara.
At the last hearing in Santa Fe, every senator was well aware and weren't happy that the General Services Department Cabinet secretary was not supporting the issue because of lack funding.
A bill was introduced in the House during this session. "It was passed to the next committee with no recommendation," Terry said. "But it was forwarded, so it's still alive and will be discussed in interim committees this summer."
"We've got to do something to preserve Fort Bayard," Terry insisted. "It's a beautiful place out there and it's embarrassing the shape it's in. The village of Santa Clara wants to build trust. I really believe Santa Clara wants it to be an economic driver for the village and the county. People already go to the museum and hike and bike out there. It can be so much more. I think the mayor and the council have the vision, so restoration work can be done."
Commission Chairman Brett Kasten said: "We agree the state is not going to do anything. But we have constituents in Santa Clara. If Santa Clara does not have the wherewithal to take care of it and DFA has to take it over, the state will not be happy, nor will we. Some of the numbers in the plan are a reach. We want to look through the village's audit. I don't see them bringing in money to pay for what's needed."
Terry said he agreed that it would be a "reach. That's why in the agreement proposed with the state, we would have a reversion in seven years if it doesn't work out. If the Forest Service doesn't move out there in a few years, there will be no money coming in, and it won't happen."
He said the transfer would be drawn out, because the state doesn't want to give up the land. "But Santa Clara is the only one doing anything out there. They got a donation to cut down the dead trees. They are bringing in AmeriCorps to mothball the buildings. The village had a survey done of the buildings. After years of neglect, some may not be salvageable. Buildings are like bodiesG