Municipalities are organized to provide basic services to its residents such as roads, drinking water, waste and sewage disposal, public safety, libraries and recreational opportunities, as well as cemeteries and land management. Though 2019 is now another year in the rear view, members of the town's management team recently shared some key accomplishments:

• The Utilities Department completed a major groundwater protection project by connecting 147 properties to the municipal sewer system, resulting in the abandonment of antiquated septic systems along Mobile, Mountain View, Skyview and Pheasant drives. 
• In coordination with this wastewater management project, Public Works completed Phase I improvements to Ridge Road from Hwy 90 to just south of Pheasant Road, the largest road improvement project of 2019, which included new pavement, curbs and gutters, ADA-improved sidewalks on the east side of the road, as well as new signage and driveway entrances, and striping to include bike lanes. As funding allows, Ridge Road improvements will extend from Highway 90 to the city limits.
• Public Works comprises several divisions including sanitation, streets, parks and cemeteries, and manages the municipal pool and recreation center, and maintains all town vehicles. Other 2019 accomplishment include Phase II of College Avenue construction, in collaboration with WMNU.  This project widened and resurfaced College from E Street to Cooper, and also improved drainage, a key safety factor for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike. Landscaping and new lighting were provided by the university. Other accomplishments include the addition of storm drains, lighting, sidewalks and bike lanes along Pinos Altos Road; cost-saving, asphalt restoration on 32nd Street from the high school to the hospital, and from Swan Street to Pinos Altos Road; street and drainage improvements on Silver City's south side on Dorothy, Daniel, Richard and Theodore streets; and completed plans for 2020 improvement projects including downtown sidewalks, and the next phase of Ridge Road improvements.
• Silver City Museum staff earned accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), a major accomplishment and the first re-accreditation of the Museum by the AAM in 15 years. AAM accreditation is a major accomplishment, as only some six percent of municipal museums achieve such status, and helps the Museum secure additional funding. Bart Roselli was named Museum Director, and the exhibit, Ranching in Grant County opened to the public.
• The Silver City Public Library was successful in creating a dedicated young adult area, which allows youth the opportunity to play, learn and enjoy such programs as WildWorks, where kids can build robots with LEGO® Mindstorms kits, program and drive various types of robots, experiment with circuits, explore coding and enjoy crafts. And the Library Arcade is a place for youth ages 10 and older to hang out, play video games, challenge each other to board games, listen to music, and more.
• The Library also facilitated Libraries as Launchpads entrepreneurship workshops for up and coming small business owners from throughout the region. Libraries as Launchpads is a partnership between Creative Startups and New Mexico's public libraries, with a goal of providing greater access to resources for underserved entrepreneurs across the state. 
• The Community Development Department's trail maintenance crew member, Dominic Figueroa, Code Enforcement Officer Manny Jaure and Parks Department staff, cleaned up a large camp on San Vicente Creek, removing more than four tons of garbage from this local, scenic trail way. Additionally, community development staff managed the permitting and commercial development processes and the town's property donation of the former Hillcrest Hospital site for the development of Mountain View Senior Apartments, a 69-unit, affordable housing development for seniors aged 55 and older. 

For more information about the Town of Silver City, visit www.townofsilvercity.org.