Tularosa, Cloudcroft seek capital outlay funds for water priorities

By Alex Quintana

aquintana@alamogordonews.com

@LX_Quintana on Twitter

The search for water and the need to improve aging infrastructure are top priorities of three Otero County communities as officials sought state funding during the annual Otero County Legislative Capital Outlay Hearing on Friday at the county administration building.

State Reps. Yvette Herrell, William Gray and Zach Cook, and state Sen. Bill Burt, heard several priority projects in need of state funding from Cloudcroft, La Luz and Tularosa. State Sens. Ron Griggs and Cliff Pirtle, and state Rep. Nate Cote, were not present at the meeting.

Mayor Ray Cordova presented the village's top five projects he feels are in dire need of state funding. Cordova said the top priority for the village include improvements to the current water system. The village is asking for about $120,000 in matching funds from the state to support the project.

Cordova said the project itself cost much more. The village, he said, is receiving additional funds from the Colonias Infrastructure Project Fund and the Community Development Block Grant, but matching funds are needed.

"We have water, but we don't have a place to store it, or a means for storage," he said. "We store 3 million gallons of water. That is all we have capacity for. That's about three to four days of water and we are always a little worried."

He said the village needs to upgrade its plumbing infrastructure, which he said was about 60 years old. The project will need $429,000 for the wastewater improvements.

The village is also requesting about $200,000 to building restrooms in four parks; $40,000 to reroof the police department building; and $60,000 to install a central heating and cooling system, as well as renovate exterior walls and windows, of the Tularosa Historical Museum.

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Tularosa, Cloudcroft seek capital outlay funds for water priorities