Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Belen's top wish list projects include Miller Road interchange

Jackie Schlotfeldt News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jschlotfeldt@news-bulletin.com

Belen The Belen City Council approved its Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) for the years 2009 to 2013 at a special meeting Monday night. The top five projects include arsenic remediation, upgrades to the booster pump on the west mesa, water and sewer line relocation on Delgado Avenue, re-drilling well No. 5 and construction of an interchange on Miller Road.

The complete ICIP list consists of 33 projects totaling approximately $75.9 million and outlines construction and improvement projects citywide that are prioritized in order by year over a five-year period.

Topping the list is the arsenic remediation plan, which is necessary in order to comply with the federal mandate that lowered allowable arsenic levels in water from 50 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb in 2006.

At an ICIP workshop held Aug. 21, City Manager Sally Garley said a professional engineering report is being completed regarding the arsenic remediation and will be submitted by November.

At the same workshop, Mayor Ronnie Torres said the state is working on a plan for every community instead of each trying to come up with its own arsenic plan.

No. 2 on the list is upgrading the booster pump on the west mesa, which would include replacing pumps and equipment in the station. With the upgrade, the pump will increase the water pressure to residents on the west mesa.

Third on the list is the relocation of water and sewer lines on Delgado Avenue. The project would also include installing new pavement, curb and gutter, drainage and landscaping on Delgado Avenue.

Fourth on the list is re-drilling well No. 5, which is no longer operable. This well provides service to the northeastern and northwestern parts of the city.

The fifth project on the list is the Miller Road interchange that would provide access to the northernmost part of the city — touching Los Lunas west of I-25 — that was annexed earlier this year.

Councilor Terese Ulivarri questioned the Miller Road interchange being in the top five at the ICIP workshop, asking why it had been bumped up.

Torres said it had to be in the top five to be considered for funding, but chances of getting state money for the project were pretty slim.

"It's a procedure we have to go through," Torres said. "We'd like to have 10 priorities. When you have a city growing, you need money with more gross receipts tax (GRT). That one project can give us money to take care of a lot of other projects."

Garley said three stores are planned to be constructed in the second public improvement district (PID) of the Rancho Cielo development, which lies at the northern end of the city.

"That could double or triple our GRT within a year," Torres said. "If you want the community to grow, you need money."

The Miller interchange would provide access to the west side of Interstate 25 where Rancho Cielo has plans of developing commercial property in addition to a town and cultural center and some homes, and is the second PID that's planned in the development.

Councilor Jeff Trembly said at the workshop that while he would agree with Ulivarri regarding the interchange, the way the process works it's still a priority for Belen to grow.

One project Ulivarri said she'd like to see moved up the list is the Multi-Purpose Park project.

At the workshop it was listed as No. 10 on the ICIP.

"I'd like to get it done and out of the way and move on to new projects," Ulivarri said.

Garley said they'd love nothing more than to close out some of the city's projects and they would prioritize them as the council wanted.

The Multi-Purpose Park improvements have been completed in phases and are already partially funded, but to complete the final phase, which would include constructing restrooms, concession facilities, paving, curb, gutter, rock lining of the arroyo, landscaping, picnic structures and finishing up the one-mile trail, would cost an additional $3 million.

The project was moved to No. 6 on the ICIP brought before the council at Monday's meeting.

While the "wish list" was approved at the special meeting, ICIP's are done on a yearly basis, and projects can be reprioritized as needs arise. The requests are sent to the State Legislature.

E-mail this story Printer-friendly version