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A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE ALBUQUERQUE METROPOLITAN ARROYO FLOOD CONTROL

AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND THE COUNTY OF

BERNALILLO TO NAME THE FLOOD CONTROL PARK AT THE CORNER OF

BRIDGE BOULEVARD SW AND HARTLINE ROAD SW IN THE SOUTH VALLEY

IN MEMORY AND HONOR OF ESEQUIEL "SKIPPY" PADILLA.

WHEREAS, the Five Points area in the south valley is

prone to flooding and ponding due to its elevation being

similar to that of the Rio Grande; and

WHEREAS, much of the Five Points area is in a flood

plain, which creates economic hardship for young families

seeking to buy a house because mortgages on these homes

require the added expense of the purchase of flood insurance;

and

WHEREAS, in 1999, Esequiel "Skippy" Padilla came to

Representative Miguel P. Garcia with a large contingency of

Five Points residents seeking funding to provide storm

draining, sidewalks and curbs in the Five Points area to

alleviate flooding and heavy ponding in the area; and

WHEREAS, Esequiel "Skippy" Padilla's efforts led to a

larger flood control effort in not only the Five Points area

but also the los Ranchos de Atrisco area, totaling close to

two million dollars ($2,000,000); and

WHEREAS, Esequiel "Skippy" Padilla raised his sons and

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daughters in the Five Points area and was a devoted religious

leader at the Holy Family parish in Atrisco; and

WHEREAS, Esequiel "Skippy" Padilla served in the United

States coast guard defending democracy during World War II,

retired from the city of Albuquerque fire department as an

assistant fire chief, was the founder and president emeritus

of the Five Points neighborhood association and was an

impeccable community leader loved by all; and

WHEREAS, Esequiel "Skippy" Padilla passed away on

November 20, 2003 at the age of eighty years old, leaving a

large void in the south valley;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the

Albuquerque metropolitan arroyo flood control authority, the

city of Albuquerque and the county of Bernalillo be requested

to name the flood control park recently constructed at the

corner of Bridge boulevard SW and Hartline road SW in memory

and honor of Esequiel "Skippy" Padilla; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to those entities who contributed to the funding

and construction of the flood control project in the Five

Points area and the los Ranchos de Atrisco area of the south

valley, these entities being the United States corp of

engineers, the Albuquerque metropolitan arroyo flood control

authority, the city of Albuquerque and the county of

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Bernalillo.