Your Help Is Urgently Needed

Early this morning ( 3/12-07 ) 42-year-old Kathleen Cooper was the victim of a fatal hit and run.
If you have any information, PLEASE contact the New Mexico State Police - the Valencia County Sheriff''s department (505)866-2400 or the Association's hot line.
You'll find phone numbers here
The incident occurred an Meadow Lake Road just east of Manzano Expressway.
Deputies believe the vehicle, which is estimated as having been traveling at about 55 miles per hour at the time, may have driven off the road when it struck Ms. Cooper. Evidence at the scene makes deputies believe the vehicle could be an early '90s model Ford.
Deputy Methola said Ms. Cooper is in critical condition at the University of New Mexico Hospital with two broken legs, a broken back and severe head injuries. She has undergone two surgeries, but the deputy said doctors still aren't sure if she'll survive.
Update:
Nearly three weeks after being struck from behind while walking on the side of the road, Kathleen Cooper died Friday 3-30-07 from her injuries. Cooper, 42, was struck by a vehicle while walking on Meadow Lake Road in the early morning hours of Monday, March 12.

Summary of the March Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 10 AM and following the customary and welcome Pledge of Allegiance, the agenda for this meeting was approved.
Our Fire Marshal Casey Davis was awarded a certificate of appreciation by Bill LeBrecht.
Sam Aragon brought us up-to-date on the items of interest which the board has actively perused since the last meeting.

Lt. Robert Shilling present an update of the Impact Program setup for the Meadow Lake area.
( An Impact Operation is a planned law enforcement activity involving more than one resource (Officer/Agent) and focused on meeting a specific goal or objective)
To Date, there have been 32 such "Operations" which resulted in the following aggregate results:
1. Total Arrests to date: 41
2. Drug and Property Activity to date:
Firearms Seized: 7 Stolen Vehicles recovered: 11
Recovered Property: 3 Incidents
Total Drugs confiscated (including Marijuana, Meth and Cocaine) valued in excess of $330,000.00
3. On the lighter side, some of us have also learned to slow down a bit and are all wearing our seat belts. It's the safer and cheaper thing to do......

Judy Babcock from Quixote Humane, Inc. filled us in on the upcoming Meadow Lake Shot Clinic which will be held on March 17th from 10 AM TO 2 PM.

The Association's By-laws where given out, read, discussed and, after a few minor adjustment where unanimously approved by the members.

For those of you able to attend, the next County Commissioner's Meeting will be held on
March 14th at 5 PM at the Court House.

On April 21 2007 a Community Cleanup with POT LUCK & BAR-B-QUE is planned. If you haven't signed up, contact the Association.

The Meeting was adjourned at 12:40 PM

Our next Meadow Lake Residents Association meeting will be held on April 14 2007 from 10 AM to 12 PM at the Meadow Lake Community Center

Meadow Lake Shot Clinic

Saturday March 17 2007
10:00 AM To 2:00 PM

at the

Meadow Lake Community Center
$5.00 Per Dog which includes:
Parvo/Distemper 5-way shot
Rabies vaccination (required by State law)
One year County license (required by County)
Voucher for $20 spay or $15 neuter (by April 10, 2007)
Collar and Gift pack first 100 dogs

For further information call: (505) 203-4459
or check out the Quixote News and Events

Sponsored by:
Meadow Lake Residents Association
and
Quixote Humane, Inc

Valencia County Hospital Site Approved

The county commission met at 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 7, at the boardroom in the county courthouse. The consideration of a hospital site was again on the agenda, after being tabled at the Feb. 21 commission meeting.

The site located at Rt 47 and Manzano Expressway was ultimately chosen after a fairly boisterous discussion. Commissioner Ron Gentry, Commissioner Lynette Pinkston and, Commissioner Georgia Otero-Kirkham voting in favor of this site.

CYFD - Implement Changes - NOW

The article in the News-Bulletin on 2/14/07 and the responses made by CYFD Cabinet Secretary-Designate Dorian Dodson, should have been titled "CYFD evaluates how to best avoid responsibility"

At this point, finding excuses or looking for others to blame or, planning for some distant future changes will NOT prevent another loss of life that should have been prevented by CYFD.

It is time for this agency to own up to it's mistakes and take the lead in implementing immediate changes in it's flawed responses to the needs to the children this agency was set up to protect.

There is unfortunately nothing that any one can do to bring Amanda Piggott back. CYFD can however make the necessary changes to prevent another senseless death.

CYFD - Implement Changes - Do it NOW.....
WE ARE WATCHING and WE WILL NOT FORGET !!!

An Update and a Thank You

After a little over a month of intensive work, the Valencia County Hospital Planning Board presented its final three hospital site suggestions to the county commission Wednesday evening (2/17/06). There where quite a few remarks made from various representatives from local home owners and community associations which can best be summed up as follows:
The hospital is being built to prevent local patients from having to drive to Albuquerque and should be where the people are going to use it. It's not built for the doctors convenience. Although none of the 3 sites are perfect, it was the general consensus of the community representatives present, that the site at Highway 47 and Manzano Expressway would be the most favorable for the residents not living near Interstate 25.
The commission is expected to make a decision on a hospital site at its 9 a.m. meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the courthouse.
You are all urged to attend and may express your own opinions in the open discussion portion of this meeting.
___________________________________________________

Lt. Robert Shilling of the New Mexico State Police recently made the following remark to Rosemary LeBrecht:
"This situation/project going on in Meadow lake is my 'ideal' of what law enforcement should be all about...and it's about time! I'm in it for the long haul... One of my long standing 'distastes' with the law enforcement profession is that it seems most people don't give a hoot...you all do."
We (The Meadow Lake Residents Association) want to thank Lt. Robert Shilling for all the extra work he has put into helping our association.

Amanda Piggott - Deceased but NOT Forgotten

As a resident of Meadow Lake, I was deeply disturbed by the article that appeared in the Valencia County News Bulletin on 2/3/07 regarding the charges brought against Nelda Piggott and her son Christopher in the negligent death of Amanda Piggott.

I am also appalled at the apparent disregard by the State agency (CYFD) to protect Amanda. The agency apparently received 8 notices of abuse and never lifted a finger to help or rescue Amanda.
In my eyes, they are at least equally guilty in the death of this child who was adopted by Mrs. Pigott. Why didn't CYFD which is charged with protecting our children's welfare, step in sooner? Is Meadow Lake so far out of the mainstream that even our needy and, in this case, totally neglected children are forgotten ?

As a member of the Meadow Lake Residents Association,
I'll make sure this issue is brought up on 2/10/07,
when we have our next monthly Assosiation Meeting
at the Meadow Lake Community Center.

As a father, grand-father and great-grandfather, it hurts deeply when an incident like this happen. Unfortunately, this isn't a perfect world or a perfect society. There is however no excuse for a watchdog agency like the State Children, Youth and Families Department
to stand idly by while a child is abused and neglected until she dies of dehydration.
Bob G.

Shame on them and shame on all of us for allowing this to happen.

Update:
A Valencia County jury on Oct 9th acquitted Nelda Anne Piggott who was on trial this week on charges that she placed her
14-year-old adopted disabled daughter in a situation that caused her death last year.
Christopher Piggott, 21, who has also been charged, is awaiting a hearing to determine competency.

The full story can be found in an article recently published in the News-Bulletin