It’s hard to hold a town hall meeting without a hall.
That’s a fact Española City Councilor Michelle Martinez learned the hard way when she was locked out of the Española Senior Center, which she reserved for her April 16 meeting.
While she waited for Senior Center Director Josephine Velasquez to arrive, Martinez chatted about her job as an Española Elementary School counselor with the meeting’s only attendee, District 2 resident Toby Trujillo.
After Velasquez unlocked the doors, Martinez’s audience was comprised of her boyfriend Estevan Garcia, Trujillo and Velasquez.
Even with a low turnout and late start time, Martinez decided to hold her meeting anyway.
“It’s just the first one, so I’m not discouraged,” Martinez said. Trujillo said he was attending the meeting on behalf of his father’s tenant, who had her water shut off because the city was forcing her to pay the previous tenant’s $500 water bill.
Martinez dutifully wrote down Trujillo’s complaint and said she would forward it to interim city manager Joe Duran.
Garcia said Trujillo’s problem was exactly why they wanted to hold these meetings — to iron out problems too individualized to be considered at a City Council meeting.
“Issues can be handled before they can hit the radio waves,” he said.
Another issue Trujillo wanted to address was the city’s sign ordinance.
Trujillo said he was forced to erect a wooden sign when he owned a business. No longer a business owner, Trujillo said he’s recently noticed multiple businesses use banners as long-term signs, which isn’t allowed under city ordinance.
Martinez said she’s heard city rules and regulations are interpreted and enforced depending on which city employee people talk to on the phone.
“There has to be consistency in play,” she said.
Martinez said she wanted to add a special page on the website for prospective and current business owners. She said economic development isn’t possible without a clear set of rules and this web page would put all business-related ordinances and codes in one place.
Even as Trujillo’s complaints began to wane, Martinez continued her quest to talk about city issues.
Following up on Public Works Committee Chairman Pedro Valdez’s request that each city councilor submit a street in their district in need of repair, Martinez asked Trujillo which streets are in need of repair in District 2.
While Trujillo changed the subject and left before he could offer an opinion, Martinez later said Calle Miramontes and Starlighter Loop were two streets that needed attention in her own district.
The question also got Velasquez involved, prompting her to say that Lower San Pedro Road in District 1 could use some work.
The topic eventually shifted to community services, which allowed Garcia to present one of his ideas.
Garcia said he, Martinez and former Española Valley High School Student Body President John Ramon Vigil were working together to lobby the city to restart monthly dances for teenagers at the Senior Center.
When he was growing up, Garcia said these dances were a positive environment for socializing and congregation. He said he already has spoken with a DJ willing to volunteer his time and equipment, with most of the other expenses coming from snacks and refreshments.
Although turnout was disappointing, Martinez said she plans to continue to hold town hall meetings on a quarterly basis.
She said there were two main issues that prevented higher turnout — the start time and advertisement.
Martinez said the 5 p.m. start time was too early for people getting off of work. She said she hopes to move it to 6 or 7 p.m. for the next meeting.
Additionally, Martinez said the town hall meeting was hastily put together with little advertising, an issue she is in the process of fixing.
Mayor Alice Lucero pledged to post a notice of the next meeting in the city’s quarterly newsletter that goes out with water bills, and Martinez said she would resurrect door-to-door campaigning if necessary, proving some doubters wrong in the process.
“People say, ‘You only knock on doors for votes,’ and I say ‘No, I really want to help,’” Martinez said.
Martinez’s town hall vision involves constituents from every district and input from city officials.
She said she’s applying for the state Municipal League’s Municipal Official Leadership Institute, which certifies public officials through teaching and training. If she is accepted, Martinez wants to share with town hall attendees, the knowledge she gains from the Institute.
Despite the late start time, Martinez was forced out at 6 p.m. to make way for another person who rented the Senior Center for an entirely different reason — Zumba class.