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Village departments report: public works paving/curb projects, mosquito and health updates, and fire season preparations
Summary
Staff updates covered progress on Upper Metal Arc and Lomala drainage projects, state capital outlay for Metal Arc and potential crosswalk funding, a health update showing no new measles cases and high vaccination activity, and fire department patrols and PNM vegetation work to reduce outage and wildfire risk.
Department heads briefed the council on multiple ongoing village projects and public‑safety updates.
Public works: Steve reported Upper Metal Arc work is essentially complete with punchlist items remaining (striping, a retaining wall) and that lower Metal Arc still needs striping and some curb/gutter work. The Lomala drainage project was described as near complete; staff said a planned crosswalk design is under consideration and that a $693,000 construction award and a supplemental $160,000 legislative allocation helped fund the metal‑arc work. Council discussed ADA ramp details and potential Rio Rancho coordination for crosswalks on shared pathways.
Health and mosquito control: Tanya said there were no new measles cases in three weeks and that statewide vaccination response remains vigorous; county vaccination numbers were high and COVID wastewater indicators low. Staff confirmed mosquito spraying operations were underway and offered to arrange a future briefing from county health staff.
Fire and power‑line safety: Chief Martinez described active PNM contractor tree trimming to reduce outage risk, ongoing patrols and hydrant maintenance, and efforts to remove 'dead and down' fuel from the bosque; he requested volunteer groups and business participation for periodic removal days. The chief also described increased staffing for fire patrols during critical weather.
Representative quote: "We have been preparing and trying to educate the public about having a plan. Be prepared — get set — you may have to evacuate or just flat out go," the fire chief said in the wildfire preparedness briefing.
