Letter to the Editor

I see that infrastructure improvements are planned for the Silver City area in the near future. They are always needed. If handled well, this could benefit all who live in Grant County.

A major concern is that once a bid is accepted, the firms have historically “done a job,” but may not have lived up to the terms of contract, and the work is to be redone as soon as the taxpaying public has forgotten the pain and shame of the pathetic results of the last “improvements.” The firm that failed to do the work responsibly walks away without penalty, of course.

In most states and counties, (New Mexico excepted) the bidders must show proofs of bonding along with the bids, and sign documents stating the firm will redo the work at its own expense if the work is found to be deficient either at the end of the improvement period, and/or for a reasonable number of years afterward, whatever the terms stipulate, probably three to five years later. Fines might be added, as well.

And those agreements should be written by a competent attorney working for the schools or offices or hospitals, etc. who now require upgrades form past mistakes, as well as general wear and tear on projects that tend to get little more than promises and a quick coat of paint to cover present mistakes. Taxpayers should not have to pay forever for shoddy results on public properties. Cement sidewalks included.

Improvements should be just that. No excuses for party favorites. Do the work right or learn that the public can demand and get its money’s worth on your second effort at your own expense.

Best wishes on the new improvements. I hope they really are quality work.

Margaret Hopper
Former resident of Grant County