Green Gets Easier For Farmington    Green power at no extra fee became official this week as the City Council approved renewable energy tariffs for the Farmington electric utility. The new structure reverses a consultant's recommendation that drew fierce protest from green-minded utility consumers. The consultant recommended charging $40 of utility customers who wanted to either sell self-generated solar power back to the utility or choose to purchase renewable power from a third part in blocks. The tariff accepted this week not only ignores the recommended $40 fee, it proposes to purchase self generated power at 8 cents per kilowatt hour, the same amount the utility charges residents.   Messy yard? Clean it up Cleaning up problem houses and lots should get easier as the city of Farmington added a new code compliance officer this week, bringing the total to four and sped up the process of ticketing negligent homeowners. A citizen complaint or violation seen by police will now generate a large orange sticker on a house or mailbox, followed by a letter in the mail. "We will provide them with a number of days to contact us so we can help them" Police Chief Jim Runnels said. "Those people who turn a blind eye to us, who say 'You can't tell me what to do,' that's when we'll take enforcement action."   Despite High Oil Prices, Drilling Declines in N.M. Despite record crude prices, oil and natural gas drilling in NM is down significantly from last year. The industry blames costly regulation. In San Juan County, Aztec Well Servicing CO. had two rigs in its yard, the first time the company has had any idle rigs in three years. 11/10/2007 Farmington City Project on hold. Amid concerns over the architects' former associations, project delays and cost overruns, City Councilors tabled a nearly $3.5 million construction bid for the Sycamore Park Community Center on Tuesday. That bid represents the third cost increase for the project since February, when the cost was estimated at $2.4 million. They city contracted with Albuquerque-based studio Southwest Architects to design the community center, never aware that in February a former partner pled guilty to charges connected with a scheme to skim $4.2 million from the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse project. Wait continues for new road at Piedra Vista Plans to build a third access to Piedra Vista High School await the Farmington City Council's final approval on Dec 4. The outlook that the road will be built by the fall of 2008 as originally hoped is fairly good.  The estimated $1.25 million project will extend English Road about 1,500 feet beyond it ending at Pinon Hills Blvd. A new road will link the road extension to the back of Piedra Vista High School. 11/2/07 City could get sued for predator ordinance   A draft sexual predator proximity ordinance advance Tuesday could get the city of Farmington sued, and American Civil Liberties Union attorney said. The ordinance prohibits convicted sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools or day cares, and gives the 12 offenders already living there about two months to move. It comes up again Nov. 13 and up for final adoption Nov 27. "This is drafted very, very well. I'm sure our community is adequately protected if the ordinance is to be challenged," Councilor Jason Sandel. "My interest is to protect our school kids." Limiting Liquor Sales Limiting liquor sales could help cure Farmington's problem with public drunkenness, a city councilor said last week. "The number one thing (alcohol treatment professionals) recommend is to control access, "Jason Sandel said in a City Council meeting Tuesday. " I would like to control it by ordinance. I don't want it to be voluntary." The city of Gallup limited liquor sales, though not be ordinance, as part of it battle against public drunkenness, Police Chief Robert Cron said. The council will consider short-term solutions, such as City Manager Mike Miller's suggestions of improving lighting downtown and along the river walk, and fencing areas around bridges at a work session Nov 20.