The Wells Fargo Bank Building was purchased by the Village on March 1, 2024. We were given the first right of refusal, and the asking price was less than the state-required appraisal. We had enough increase in revenue over the budget during the year to be able to use that for the purchase. The size of the building will allow for an increase in meeting space, an area for secure storage when remodeled, a Visitor’s center, and Corrales Main Street office space. There will be more parking adjacent to the park. The Village will get some revenue from the lease contract for the ATM, which will remain at its current location. Three-acre feet of water rights came with the building and land, always helpful in this part of the country. The Old Bank building may provide some space for library storage and possibly some History of Corrales panels from Ideum to let visitors learn more about our village.
Because Corrales Main Street will move to the more visible location at the Old Bank, Deputy Fire Chief Tanya Lattin will move into their previous office, putting her closer to the administration building where she spends a lot of time. In addition to her duties as a firefighter and dealing with emergency management, she spends much of her time writing grants for the Village.
The plan for the development of the former Gonzales property to the north of the Old Bank will provide additional public parking, a walking trail around the entire acreage communicating with the La Entrada Park, and enlargement of the park area. A plan for public bathrooms, if funding can be obtained, will make the area more family-friendly. There will be some farming on the west 2 acres, just to the east of the irrigation ditch by our local 4-H, to grow alfalfa for their livestock. The administration is working with a consultant through Corrales Main Street to pull all these properties together, perhaps including some shoulder enhancement along the west side of Corrales Road. This could allow some walking down to the Growers’ Market, the soccer fields, and the gym. We anticipate having this report from MainStreet sometime in the next month.
The Bosque wood removal event planned for Saturday April 6th has been canceled due to severe winds and fire danger anticipated this weekend. The migratory bird and nesting season begins April 15th, so there won’t be any further wood removal in the Bosque until the end of the season.
As you work in your yard this spring, please make sure you do not plant new trees underneath existing power lines. There are already several locations in the Village that the fire department monitors during dangerous fire weather conditions because trees have grown into power lines. There was a fire on private property about a month ago that was due to this issue. Help our firefighters protect our Village by planting trees away from power lines and by trimming existing trees that may be approaching these lines.