Questa votes to save church; archdiocese files to demolish
Questa votes to save church; archdiocese files to demolish
By Chandra Johnson
The Taos News
QUESTA — Applause erupted in the Village of Questa chambers Monday night (March 1) as the village council unanimously passed a motion that preserves the San Antonio de Padua church as a historic building under its newly passed historic preservation ordinance.
The joy was met with anger, however, amid village attorney Marcus Rael’s announcement that the Archdiocese of Santa Fe had been issued a demolition per mit for the church building by the Taos County Planning Department earlier that day.
Archdiocese officials neither retur ned phone calls to The Taos News regarding their intent to attend the meeting as they were invited to nor did they send representatives to the meeting.
Rael said the village received a faxed letter from the archdiocese’s attorney Juan L. Flores to say they “objected” to the village’s consideration of the church’s
See QUESTA CHURCH , Page A10
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Members of the audience raise their hands after being asked by Bobby Ortega, right, to show who is in favor of preserving San Antonio de Padua church at the Questa Village Council’s meeting Monday (March 1) at the Village Hall.
Tina Lar kin