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Planning for the next phase of the village is top of mind for officials these days.
During the Corrales Village Council meeting on April 9, councilors discussed what will be included in the annual Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP).
Councilors brought up projects they wanted to be added to the ICIP.
The ICIP is a planning tool for local governments to prioritize infrastructure projects. It requires annual updates of a five-year plan, facilitating access to state and federal funding opportunities for critical needs.
“The ICIP is not supposed to be a wish list,†said Village Clerk Melanie Romero. “Ideally, every project on our ICIP would be shovel-ready.â€
In the past, municipalities had until August to submit their ICIP, but this year the deadline is on July 12, so the village will need to have the ICIP resolution in front of the council by June 25.
Some governing body members suggested new projects for consideration, while others mentioned projects from last year’s list they wanted to highlight.
Councilor Stuart Murray had a couple of projects that he wanted to add, including:
- The design and construction of a Top Form Arena cover, including the electrical work for LED lights, which he estimates the cost at $250,000.Â
- Digital speed limit signs in various locations in the village–one on East Meadowlark Lane, one on La Entrada and possibly four on Loma Larga Road, with a cost estimated at $30,000.Â
Mayor James F. Fahey discussed securing funds for an Angel Hill 500,000-gallon fire suppression water tower and installing adequate piping along Angel Road, providing a spray hose connection to the Bosque area, which was on last year’s ICIP.
The councilors discussed the need to be more specific about last year’s Residential Roads and Drainage project and the need to be able to finish a job the village needs money for.
Public Works Director Michael Chavez said the Coronado Road project meets those requirements.
“Coronado has already been designed, so we just need the money for construction,†he said. “So that would be shovel ready.â€
Romero said she had requested all department heads to prepare their wish lists by the April 23 meeting, allowing councilors to prioritize and rank the projects.
Animal services ready
Some good news did come from the meeting– the Animal Services building has been completed and is ready to open.
Romero mentioned that Animal Services only required a washer and dryer, and they would be relocating the week of the meeting. Once preparations are complete, the village plans to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Intel in the community
Representatives from Intel were at the meeting to discuss a proposed commercial kitchen in the village.Â
Frank Gallegos, the Public Affairs Director for Intel in New Mexico, delivered a presentation on the company’s new construction projects and its the chip maker’s active involvement in the community.
Chef Jon Young, who was appointed as the New Mexico Food Ambassador by the Department of Agriculture and Ricardo Blanco, owner of Corrales Chile Company and a member of the board of directors for the Corrales Growers Market, gave a presentation on the proposed commercial kitchen for the village.
They asked the council members to rank the kitchen higher on the ICIP this year, last year it was at the bottom of the list.
Councilor Mel Knight raised a resident’s concern regarding changes in rules and regulations by the County Assessor concerning horses in the village. The concern is that horses may no longer be classified as agricultural depending on their usage, such as pets, potentially leading to increased taxes for horse owners.
“My suggestion would be to go down to the county and make sure the appropriate paperwork is filled out because many times it’s some little glitch or change,†said Fahey. “What I suggest they do, is go down and fill out their forms, check and see what they’re allowed to and explain the situation if they have, you know, a dozen horses in their pasture. I mean, that’s what they’re there for, horses are livestock.â€