Wednesday, September 10, 2008

City plans to use private land to combat flooding

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter,aduncan@dchieftain.com

The City of Socorro has arranged to install a pump and possibly modify an existing holding pond for flood control on private property near Cottonwood Cove Mobile Home Park.

At the Sept. 2 Socorro City Council meeting, councilors approved a license agreement with David Beatty, who owns the mobile home park and the holding pond property. City Clerk Pat Salome said the agreement isn't specific about what the city will do to handle the problem.

The scope of the project depends on budget.

The pump would keep water from backing up and flooding the area after heavy rain, Salome said.

Beatty said he and the city could work out an arrangement in which he could help with equipment.

Salome said the city attorney worked out the agreement, which allows the city to spend money on private property because the pumping would benefit the public. The matter came before the council some time ago.

Councilor Donald Monette asked if the license agreement would increase the city's liability. Mayor Ravi Bhasker didn't think so.

"If there was going to be any liability, I think it would be because we didn't do anything," he said.

However, Bhasker said it could increase liability because the city intervened.

The city doesn't have property in the area, so it can't use public property for a holding pond and pump, Bhasker said.

"And this would really help everybody out," he said.

In another matter, Socorro Animal Shelter Manager Juanita De La O Gordon said the shelter took in 95 animals, 68 dogs and 27 cats, in August. Only 11 animals, one dog that tested positive for parvo and 10 feral cats, were euthanized.

Also, Gordon said the city had hired a new animal shelter kennel assistant.

The shelter will take animals from outside city limits if someone drops them off, and Magdalena pays the city to take its strays.

In addition, shelter personnel keep animals as long as there is space for them.

"We don't have a set time," Gordon said.

The shelter doesn't have a specific number of animals it can hold at one time because litters with up to 10 animals can stay in one cage.

Jay Santillanes, Socorro County Commission chairman and city utilities director, said he wanted to discuss whether the city would accept county animals for a fee, although he didn't know whether the payment should be an annual rate or a per-animal amount.

"I'm not saying they should be accepted for no fee," he said.

In response to a question from Councilor Peter Romero, Gordon said her greatest need was state funds for repairs and upgrades.

In other business: