By Lynn Janes

On September 11, 2025, the commission held a regular meeting at the city annex building.

New business

Raymond De la Vega, Stantec, presented an update on the project. They had finished the required paperwork for highway 152 with the US Forest Service. Now they will have to wait for the permit. Surveys have been being done on the Bayard bypass and tank route. Updates on the area between Bayard and Hurley topographical maps will have to be made because of the construction. They have also been working on the Rosedale connection. One of the first parts of the project will be Hurley and the lightning protection for the wells and it would be a combined bid. The area has had a history of lightning strikes so it will be a necessary part of the project.

Pricilla Lucero, New Mexico Southwest Council of Governments director, and Laura Phelps, Community Development Manager, Freeport McMoRan (FMI) discussed the water agreement that Hurley had done when FMI donated the 200 acre-feet of water rights and the 250 acre-feet of water rights donated to Santa Clara. They had some questions they would be addressing to Ty Bays who had brought the agreement at the time a few years ago.

De la Vega spoke to the lines for the Santa Clara part of the project and how those would be laid out. He wanted the commissions feedback on the map he had provided. He specifically wanted to know about the alignment of the lines. It would not allow for administrative building. Stantec would also not want to put any of the tanks in an area that had fill material because of issues it can cause. Sheila Hudman, Santa Clara Village administrator, said the fill in the area he referenced had been there thirty years. She asked about additional chlorination areas for Rosedale and Hanover. De la Vega said that could be done as a backup and might be a good idea and the cost would not be that much more.

Stantec had been concerned about the US Forest Service requiring NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) certifications. At this time that seems not to be a problem.

Alex Brown, Silver City town manager, said they will look at April 2026 to start applying for construction funding and they have just been waiting for the funding from ISC (Interstate Stream Commission) to start the design for Santa Clara and have it finished by early spring. They spoke to the condition of the two existing wells Santa Clara has and that they both had been rehabbed and should be fine for another 10 to 12 years. De la Vega suggested for an upgrade they should consider for the regionalizing plan to add a backup generator for the booster. They have currently been working on that and applying with FEMA (federal emergency management agency) for the funds. One on a trailer had been suggested so it could be moved easily and used in town if needed.

De la Vega wanted to speak to the Rosedale part of the project. They have looked at three different pathways to reach the second connection. Two would require easements from private property owners and the concerns about those routes and design. Without the easements in place, it could cause design issues in the future and Stantec didn't want to risk that. He suggested the alignment that would follow highway 180 all the way to Rosedale Road and then head south to the second connection. It would double the infrastructure in the roadway.

Brown said the city already owned the line all the way to Peterson Drive. They could do a joint agreement for the line. It could also eliminate the need for tanks. De la Vega also had the same hope. They talked about having enough flow to do that and the possibility of needing boosters and changing possibly the size of the water line.

Richard Maynes, Stantec, had an update about the water operator subcommittee. They had not had a lot of luck with meetings, so Stantec sent out some questions for all the water operators. Currently they have had input from Hurley and Santa Clara. Once they have all the responses back from the water operators, they will have a meeting to address those responses.

Brown didn't have an update for the JPA (joint powers agreement) subcommittee. They will be meeting and looking at capacity money and an attorney to help.

Lucero said that the technical assistance application had been submitted and now they just need to wait on the notification and would schedule a meeting at that time. Brown wanted the JPA to include the 40-year water plans. The town of Silver City should have theirs done in the next month. When they all have been finished, they can start tying them together, and it would make a good planning tool.

Lucero said the water trust board had met the previous week and will have a final recommendation list that will in turn be provided to the ISC. The regionalization had helped in the process. The application for construction money will be in April. She went over some of the concerns she had about the process. Soil and water conservation districts will be evaluated with mutual domestics. Colonias would be coming up but last year some had withdrawn their applications. Because of this they will open up funding to areas effected by natural disasters in the colonias designated areas. The highest awarded project for this year had been $6 million. For the water trust board, the legislators want to increase the funding available significantly.

Next meeting will be held October 23, 2024

Adjourned