Letters to the editor - March 9

EPCOG is absolutely not ‘mismanaged’

I am writing regarding Jose Griego’s comments made in a paid political ad published Friday in The News.

In this ad, Griego states that Eastern Plains Council of Governments is being mismanaged.

I have been the executive director of EPCOG since December 2010, and I would like to assure the members of EPCOG and the taxpayers of the seven counties that we represent that EPCOG is absolutely not “mismanaged.”

While there were some accounting issues in the past, these issues have long since been resolved and our financial audits (which are publicly available) attest to that. These problems occurred long before the current staff and current governing board were in place.

This ad also states that EPCOG only has two programs. This is also not true. While we have three major budget funds that are reported in our financial statements, these funds cover a variety of programs and activities. Our programs are targeted to assisting our communities achieve sustainability and growth and include economic development, community development, technical assistance to communities, transportation planning and many other activities.

While we still have a small housing program, the federal funding for the housing rehabilitation and weatherization programs that Griego refers to have been so drastically reduced that there is not enough funding available to successfully manage a program for seven counties.

Anyone with questions regarding the management of EPCOG can contact me at the EPCOG office at 418 Main St. in Clovis. I am happy to answer any questions.

Sandy Chancey

Clovis

Stricter gun laws in public needed

Regarding the gun-control problem in our country:

Weapons should not be within 75 feet of our churches, schools, and auditoriums, excluding school police.

A law should be implemented where any individual carrying any kind of weapon be arrested immediately.

Arming our teachers is not the solution. Arming teachers will create opportunity for future massacres due to public knowledge of who will be a gun carrier on premises.

Raymond Samora

Fort Sumner