Saturday, August 26, 2006

City sets infrastructure priorities for next year

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

New landfill construction, sewer line extension and replacement, development of a civic center recreation facility, work on J.O. Gallegos Road and industrial park planning and construction rank as top infrastructure priorities for Socorro in coming years.

The Socorro City Council at Monday's meeting in the council chambers passed a resolution designating priorities and setting out a five-year Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan for 2008 through 2012.

City Clerk Pat Salome said the city needed such a plan to get Community Development Block Grants and government appropriations.

Goals include renovating utility service infrastructure, completing the paving or repaving of all municipal streets within the next five years, providing improved recreational facilities and upgrading the sanitation system to have an integrated solid waste system with the Socorro County and Village of Magdalena. The city also aims to work with recreational and neighborhood groups to offer services the public identifies as priorities, according to the plan.

Salome said the city has always prioritized dealing with wastewater and a landfill.

"Without landfill and wastewater (disposal), you don't have anything," he said.

The administration plans to close the current landfill and open one adjacent to it once it has a permit from the state. Salome said the city, County of Socorro and Village of Magdalena would continue their joint agreement.

The civic center and industrial park work deal with economic development, and J.O. Gallegos Road is a major traffic artery.

"Socorro is a growing rural community," the plan's introduction reads.

The general population and the number of students at New Mexico Tech and Socorro Consolidated Schools are increasing. The population is also aging, according to the plan.

In addition, private businesses have recently opened facilities for tourists, interstate travelers and retail.

"The overall effect is increased demand on publicly provided utilities, infrastructure and transportation," the plan says.

Besides the top priorities, the plan lists a number of other projects and says the city will complete them all, regardless of ranking, if funds are available.

"All the items on the Capital Improvement Plan are items we need to continue to work toward," Salome said.

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