THE MORIARTY CITY COUNCIL MEETS ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH TUESDAY EVENING OF EACH MONTH, AT 7:30 P.M.  THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO ATTEND.  FOLLOWING IS A SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 1999:

AUGUST........................10TH AND 24TH
SEPTEMBER..................14TH AND 28TH
OCTOBER......................12TH AND 26TH
NOVEMBER.....................9TH AND 23RD
DECEMBER....................14TH AND 28TH
 

  THE MORIARTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE MEETS THE THIRD TUESDAY EVENING OF EACH MONTH, AT 7:00 P.M.  THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO ATTEND.  FOLLOWING IS A SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 1999:

AUGUST........................17TH
SEPTEMBER..................21ST
OCTOBER......................19TH
NOVEMBER...................23RD
DECEMBER....................21ST
 

   IN THE SPRING OF 1887, A FIRST-GENERATION IRISHMAN NAMED MICHAEL TIMOTHY MORIARTY LEFT HIS HOME IN IOWA, BOARDED THE SANTA FE RAILROAD AND CAME OUT TO THE ESTANCIA VALLEY.  ONCE, TIWA-SPEAKING PEOPLES HAD LIVED AT THE BASE OF THE MANZANO MOUNTAINS AND HUNTED IN THE GRASSY PLAINS OF THIS VALLEY.  IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY THE KING OF SPAIN GRANTED THE LANDS TO ONE BARTHOLOME BACA, BUT  BY THE LATTER PART OF THAT CENTURY THREE CATTLE OUTFITS, UNDER AMERICAN CONTROL, INHABITED THE LAND.  THE LAND WAS OPENED UP FOR HOMESTEADING, BUT ONLY THE HARDY LIKE MR. MORIARTY AND HIS FAMILY WOULD SETTLE IN THIS TREE-BARREN RANGE.

    BY 1903, HOMESTEADING FARMERS WERE FLOCKING TO THE VALLEY, DUE MOSTLY TO THE BUILDING OF THE SANTA FE CENTRAL RAILROAD.  MANY FARMERS SETTLED AROUND TRAIN STATIONS.  ONE STATION NAMED "CALVERT" BY THE RAILROAD WAS CHANGED TO "MORIARTY" IN HONOR OF THE EARLY HOMESTEADER AND FIRST POSTMASTER.  THE TOWN SITE NAMED MORIARTY SOON HAD SEVERAL STORES, A NEWSPAPER OFFICE, LIVERY BARN AND BLACKSMITH'S SHOP, CHURCHES AND CLUB HOUSES ALL ON ITS MAIN STREET.  DRY LAND FARMING BECAME A MAINSTAY, ESPECIALLY THE GROWING OF PINTO BEANS.  FARMERS CONTINUED TO COME TO MORIARTY AND PROVE UP ON THEIR ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ACRES OF HOMESTEADING TURF.

  INTERMITTENT DROUGHT IN THE 'TEENS AND 'TWENTIES GAVE WAY TO THE DUST BOWL OF THE 'THIRTIES IN MORIARTY.  THE TOWN WAS QUICKLY LOSING ITS INHABITANTS.  IN 1937, NM ROAD 6 WAS PAVED FROM SANTA ROSA EAST TO ALBUQUERQUE.  THIS ROAD, THAT WAS TO BECOME US ROUTE 66, RAN ABOUT  A HALF MILE NORTH OF MORIARTY.  SOON FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND SMALL BUSINESSMEN STARTED BUILDING ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SERVED THE TOURIST AND MIGRANT TRADES.  THE FOCUS OF THE TOWN WAS NO LONGER THE RAILROAD STATION - IT WAS THE TRANSCONTINENTAL HIGHWAY RUNNING NORTH OF TOWN.  GRADUALLY, THE TOWN OF MORIARTY SHIFTED NORTH, ITS SCHOOL AND RESIDENTS ON THE SOUTH, AND ITS CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT THRIVING ON OLD ROUTE 66.

    CALLED THE "CROSSROADS OF OPPORTUNITY," THE CITY OF MORIARTY WAS INCORPORATED IN 1953.  MODERN MORIARTY IS A FLOURISHING SMALL CITY ANTICIPATING ITS ROLE IN THE FUTURE WITHOUT FORGETTING THE VALUES AND IDEALS OF ITS DESCENDANTS.
 

    THE MAJORITY OF Y2K PROBLEMS STEM FROM SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT ORIGINALLY PROGRAMMED TO READ AND CALCULATE THE YEAR AS A TWO DIGIT NUMBER (SUCH AS "99," INSTEAD OF "1999").  DECADES AGO, WHEN THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY WAS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING, MEMORY AND STORAGE WERE VERY COSTLY.  UTILIZING THE TWO DIGIT SYSTEM WAS AN EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL WAY TO SAVE SPACE, TIME AND MONEY.  UNFORESEEN UNTIL RECENTLY WAS THE POTENTIAL AND EVIDENT PROBLEM THAT COMPUTERS AND MICROCHIPS COULD NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CENTURIES.

    IT IS A CONCERN THAT CANNOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.  IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE Y2K POTENTIAL CRISIS, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  THE CITY OF MORIARTY HAS BEEN DILIGENTLY FORMULATING CONTINGENCY PLANS IN THE EVENT THE CRISIS COMES TO REALITY.  IT IS OUR GOAL TO HAVE IN PLACE CONTINGENCY PLANTS TO ENSURE THAT THE CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF MORIARTY HAVE ADEQUATE SERVICES DURING THIS TIME.

    THERE ARE MANY SERVICES AND CITIZENS THAT COULD EASILY BE AFFECTED BY THE ANTICIPATED Y2K PROBLEM.  NONE CAN BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.  YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT CITY OFFICIALS ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BEING PREPARED FOR Y2K, AND THUS HAVE COMMITTED STRONG SUPPORT TO THIS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROJECT.

    FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, DEPARTMENT SUPERVISORS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON Y2K ISSUES TO COLLECTIVELY BRING FORTH A PLAN OF ACTION.  INITIALLY, THE CITY'S Y2K STAFF ORGANIZATION'S EFFORT INCLUDED AN INVENTORY, ASSESSMENT AND VENDOR CONTACTING, FIXING AND LOTS OF TESTING, AND DEVELOPING CONTINGENCY PLAN AFTER CONTINGENCY PLAN.  TODAY, THE CITY OF MORIARTY STAFF HAS INVENTORIED AND IDENTIFIED ALL EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS THAT COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE Y2K "BUG" AND HAS COMPLETED TESTING ON MOST OF THE SYSTEMS FOR COMPLIANCE.  WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING AND REPLACING NECESSARY ITEMS.  WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT ALL THE CITY'S SYSTEMS, INCLUDING THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS, WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS, POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION COMMUNICATIONS, ETC., ARE FULLY COMPLIANT AND WILL OPERATE WITHOUT PROBLEMS DURING THE FIRST HOURS AND ON INTO THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

    BUT IN THE EVENT OF POWER AND/OR FUEL OUTAGES DURING THE CENTURY CHANGE, THE CITY OF MORIARTY IS GEARING UP TO MAINTAIN MINIMAL ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR ITS CITIZENS.  CITY STAFF PRESENTED, ON NOVEMBER 9, 1999, A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN "FINAL DRAFT" FORM TO CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION AT ITS NEXT MEETING.  THE PLAN WAS PREPARED TO PROVIDE DISASTER RELIEF AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IN THE EVENT OF A PROLONGED POWER OUTAGE.  IT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AFTER ITS APPROVAL.

    DURING THE PLANNING SESSION A COUPLE OF ITEMS WERE IDENTIFIED AS CRITICAL AREAS OF GRAVE CONCERN THAT NEEDED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION FOR OUR MISSION TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

   FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT, WE NEED A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY HOME-BOUND CITIZENS WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND/OR NEEDS THAT WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY POWER AND/OR FUEL OUTAGES.  THIS ASSESSMENT IS TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT WILL NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
 
• ARE YOU ELDERLY AND REQUIRE ASSISTANCE GETTING AROUND?
• ARE YOU ON A HOME OXYGEN/VENTILATOR DELIVERY SYSTEM?
• ARE YOU RECEIVING HOSPICE?
• DO YOU HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS FOR YOURSELF AND/OR YOUR CHILDREN?
 IF YOU NEED SPECIAL ASSISTANCE, OR YOU FIT INTO ANY OF THE ABOVE CATEGORIES, PLEASE TAKE TIME TO VISIT WITH FIRE CHIEF KARL EHL AT 832.4301.     WE WANT TO MAKE EVERY REASONABLE EFFORT TO PROVIDE THESE CITIZENS THE EMERGENCY SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED.
 
    SECONDLY, ESTABLISHING AND ORGANIZING NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUPS TO MONITOR ACTIVITY AND PROVIDE SECURITY IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY.  THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMBINING EFFORTS FOR PART OF THE PLAN.  VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED IN ORDER FOR THIS SERVICE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED AND EFFECTIVE!  PLEASE CONTACT CHIEF JAMES KLEIN AND FIRE CHIEF EHL IF YOU CAN HELP IN THIS AREA.

  FURTHERMORE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION ON PERSONAL READINESS FOR Y2K, THE CITY HAS PREPARED A BINDER THAT CONTAINS INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, INCLUDING "THE CASSANDRA PROJECT."  THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THE MORIARTY COMMUNITY LIBRARY, AND ON VARIOUS INTERNET WEB SITES, INCLUDING                    www.cassandraproject.org/y2kfaq.html

   SOME MINIMAL THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR PERSONAL READINESS INCLUDE:

• STOCK NON-PERISHABLE FOODS, WATER AND MEDICATIONS TO LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS
• ASSURE THAT YOU HAVE AMPLE/EXTRA CASH ON HAND IN THE EVENT ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS CANNOT BE PROCESSED
• KEEP YOU AUTOMOBILE GAS TANK FULL
• HAVE EXTRA BLANKETS, COATS, HATS, AND GLOVES.  REMEMBER, IT WILL BE MIDNIGHT, DECEMBER 31, AND JANUARY 01.  YOU NEED WINTER ESSENTIALS!
• HAVE EXTRA FLASHLIGHTS AND CANDLES
• MAKE SURE SMOKE ALARMS HAVE BATTERY BACKUP
• HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE HEATING AND COOKING DEVICE TO BE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE APPROVED FOR INDOOR USE.

  THE CITY OF MORIARTY WILL BE CONDUCTING TWO PUBLIC AWARENESS FORUMS FOR RESIDENTS TO VIEW THE Y2K PLAN.  THE MEETINGS WILL BE HELD IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, ROOM 102, LOCATED AT 201 SOUTH BROADWAY, ON NOVEMBER 30 AND DECEMBER 7TH AT 6:00 P.M.

    IN CONCLUSION, OUR STAFF HAS ACCOMPLISHED AN EXCEPTIONAL TASK.  IN THE EVENT THAT JANUARY 01, 2000 COMES AND GOES LIKE ANY OTHER "RESOLUTION DAY," WE RESOLVE THAT THEIR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED AND THAT THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND GENUINE CONCERN FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS IS APPRECIATED.  COLLECTIVELY, THEY HAVE COMBINED THEIR RESOURCES AND TALENTS TO DEVELOP AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CONTINGENCY PLAN THAT CAN BE USED FOR THIS EVENT AND ANY OTHER POTENTIAL DISASTER.

    THIS HAS BEEN CO-AUTHORED BY MAYOR ADAN ENCINIAS, CITY CLERK LINDA FISCHER, DEPUTY CITY CLERK MARGIE OLIVAS, AND FIRE CHIEF KARL EHL.