Praise the good votes, gently chide the bad votes

A couple weeks ago, the Albuquerque City Council narrowly denied an appeal of the Landmarks Commission’s decision to designate El Vado Motel on Route 66 as a city landmark.

El Vado owner Richard L. Gonzales wanted to raze the historic motel and build luxury townhouses in its place. But after outcry from Albuquerque preservationists and Route 66 advocates, the Landmarks Commission declared an indefinite moratorium on demolition by making El Vado a city landmark.

The vote to deny Gonzales’ appeal of the landmark designation was 5-4. It’s time to praise the “yes” voters who denied the appeal and gently chide the “no” voters for not upholding Albuquerque’s Route 66 history and listening to a developer who lied to city officials or contradicted himself for months.

Here are the city councilors who deserve a pat on the back. Here is an online form that makes it easy to do so:

• Debbie O’Malley, District 2
• Isaac Benton, District 3
• Michael J. Cadigan, District 5
• Martin Heinrich, District 6
• Don Harris, District 9

Here are the councilors who need a reminder that Route 66 properties need to be preserved and dishonest developers need to be ignored. Again, you can contact them here with the form:

• Ken Sanchez, District 1
• Brad Winter, District 4
• Sally Mayer, District 7
• Craig Loy, District 8

It was a bit disconcerting that the vote was that close. But people are still up in arms about the U.S. Supreme Court’s eminent-domain ruling a few months ago, and several of the councilors wanted to reverse that Landmark Commission’s decision on shaky “property rights” grounds.

However, it’s interesting to note that the council president (Heinrich) and vice president (Harris) both voted to deny the appeal.

And one councilor who voted for the appeal, Mayer, was the subject of an attempt to recall her. M.G. Bralley of the well-written What’s Wrong With This Picture blog has a devastating critique of Mayer. “It is my opinion that in the 32-year history of the Albuquerque city council she is the second worst councillor to serve,” Bralley wrote, and then methodically lays out the reasons why. Mayer’s made a lot of people angry in recent months; she’ll probably get booted in the next election.