Grant County commissioners on June 26 approved a preliminary Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) covering 2027–2031 and discussed additions and priorities staff had gathered during three public meetings.

County staff said the top priorities on the draft ICIP are continued county road improvements, a Gila Library project, and follow-up work at the Baton Memorial dispatch facility. Staff also reported one new requested item: support for a swimming-pool project should the Town of Silver City seek funding. The draft is due to the Department of Finance on July 11 and staff cautioned that final changes after submission require a new resolution and resubmission.

The regional water project drew extended discussion. Commissioners and staff described a large funding pool managed by the Interstate Stream Commission and other state entities; multiple speakers noted substantial available funds but said the project remains complex and costly to engineer and implement. One commissioner urged scrutiny of why previously appropriated water funds had not flowed to county projects; county staff that sit on the water project board described rising project costs and many interlocking decisions about alignment and engineering. The record shows commissioners can update the ICIP once more before the final July 11 deadline but cautioned that making changes after submission requires extra work and a second resolution.

Several commissioners also used their reports to urge planning for post-fire flood risks and to recommend upgrades to Fort Bayard Park’s convention/fair building as a potential future evacuation site, including showers and food-prep areas. Staff said the ICIP is used for multiple purposes — capital outlay requests to the state, planning for grant applications (CDBG, TPF, etc.) and to demonstrate public input and prioritization.

The commission voted to approve the draft ICIP with a motion to return for any final adjustments at the next meeting if needed.

Why it matters: the ICIP is the county’s planning document for major capital requests and drives state capital-outlay priorities, grant applications and regional infrastructure planning including water supply, libraries and emergency facilities.