The Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941. The tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd,1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence.
Independence Day, July 4th, is just around the corner. There is no statewide restriction on fireworks sales or use this year, but that is not a reason to disregard safety. If you aren’t sure what fireworks can be used in the Village, visit the fireworks page on the Village website Also, be aware of your surroundings and who is where if you do decide to have a personal fireworks celebration. Pay attention to the labels on the fireworks packages, if there is a warning label on individual fireworks, you shouldn’t use them in the Village. Be safe and have a bucket of water, a hose and/or fire extinguisher available just in case! As a reminder, there are NO fireworks allowed in the Bosque. Make sure to join us for the 4th of July parade which will begin at 10:00am along Corrales Road with a BBQ fundraiser in La Entrada Park hosted by the Friends of Corrales Library. Whatever you decide to do, please be safe, and enjoy your holiday!
The Village Council is discussing requests for capital funding from the legislature, called ICIP (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Projects), for the next legislative session. Our legislators consider these requests during their regular sessions in January of each year. Our wish list this year includes 28 items or projects. We actually talked about 26, but I added 2 more to my list for the next discussion. This Capital Outlay funding often falls short of what is needed for the projects, so the Village looks for other sources of funds, such as grants or bonds. A bond is a debt security, similar to an IOU or loan. Borrowers issue bonds to raise money from investors willing to lend them money for a certain amount of time. When you buy a bond, you are lending to the issuer, which may be a government, municipality, or corporation. The issuer promises to pay you a specified rate of interest during the life of the bond and to repay the principal when it comes due after a set period of time.
The Governing Body will have a discussion regarding a possible future bond sale at the next council meeting on July 11th at 6:30pm. If the council approves moving forward with a bond sale, the questions will appear on the ballot for your approval in the November election. These would be general obligation bonds backed by the credit rating of the Village, which has the power to pay back these loans through the mill levy or tax rate applied to property taxes. However, there needs to be adequate bonding capacity to issue these bonds and guarantee their repayment. The Village government would only issue bonds in an amount that will not increase the Village share of the annual mill levy, or interest payment on the bonds. Rest assured that TAXES WILL NOT INCREASE by the Village of Corrales, should a bond sale go forward and be approved by the voters. The Village has sold bonds in the past to cover some infrastructure, including the new gym, road improvements, and also to purchase development rights for Farmland Conservation easements totaling about 75 acres. Buying development rights prevents construction of homes or commercial development of that land. That land can only be used for farming or agriculture-related activities, in perpetuity.
CRIME & SAFETY UPDATE
Thursday 6/22, a resident reported several unauthorized electronic transfers of funds. The victim did not know how or when his personal / financial data had been compromised. Remember to safeguard your sensitive information both on paper and online and take a few moments to review the Identity Theft and Online Security tips at this link: https://consumer.ftc.gov/identity-theft-and-online-security
Saturday 6/24, a 25-year-old Albuquerque man was cited for not wearing a life vest and two 26-year-old Albuquerque men were cited for possessing/consuming alcohol while floating down the Rio Grande through Corrales. Don’t unnecessarily endanger the lives of our rescue personnel by being irresponsible on the river.
Saturday 6/24, Officers checking on a male subject passed out behind the wheel of a pick-up parked on Andrews Lane near East Meadowlark found him to have a revoked driver’s license and to unlawfully be in possession of a Fentanyl pill. While being booked into the Sandoval County Detention Center concerning the revoked license and drug possession, suspected methamphetamine was discovered, and the 41-year-old Bernalillo resident is subsequently facing an additional charge of bringing contraband into a jail. If you or someone you care about has a substance abuse problem, please seek help before it’s too late. The New Mexico Crisis and Access Line may be a good place to start if you’re not sure where to turn: https://nmcrisisline.com/
SPECIAL SAFETY UPDATE - FOURTH OF JULY SAFETY
Please enjoy this 4th of July responsibly and:
- Leave the fireworks to the experts. Instead of lighting fireworks at home, which could negatively affect neighbors with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) triggered by loud noises, as well as spook domestic animals and livestock, take the family to a professional show.
- If you must have fireworks at home, make sure that they meet the “safe and sane” requirements as delineated within Village Ordinance (essentially, nothing that is self-propelling, travels more than 10 feet from the ground or is louder than a cap gun is permitted).
- When lighting legal fireworks, only do so away from vehicles, buildings, other structures and vegetation. Have a garden hose and buckets of water handy, don’t hold onto fireworks to light them, don’t pick up the “duds” to try and ignite them and thoroughly soak all fireworks which are to be discarded overnight before throwing them away.
- Don’t engage in the “celebratory” discharge of firearms. What goes up must come down and you do not want to be responsible for causing a death, injury or property damage as a result of reckless and unlawful behavior.
- Only call 9-1-1 for true emergencies. Fireworks complaints can be reported by calling the non-emergency Dispatch number (505-891-7226). The Corrales Fire and Police Departments will have additional personnel out on July 4th to deter and detect illegal activity.
HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE
The temperatures will be hot and dry through the weekend. The excessive heat can be very dangerous for everyone, especially infants and the elderly. Heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. Some helpful ways to stay safe during excessive heat can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat The top recommendations to help protect yourself are:
- Eliminate strenuous activities until the heat of the day has passed.
- Wear lightweight, loose fitting and light-colored clothing.
- Minimize direct exposure to the sun and wear sunglasses and sunscreen!
- Drink plenty of water.
- Spend time in air-conditioned buildings.
- Take a cool bath or shower.
The Corrales Fire Department is still holding vaccine drive-through clinics and registration is available by going to: https://goodtimes.vaccinenm.org/stay-ahead-nm/. Please call Fire Commander, Tanya Lattin at 505-702-4182 with any questions or if you need assistance with registration.
FREE Covid Home tests are still available at Village Hall, the Corrales Library, and the Fire Station. If you feel sick, please stay home, and wear a mask when traveling and in crowded areas.
Please utilize the CodeRed system to register for emergency notifications. This is the best way to be notified if there is an evacuation, shelter in place or any other emergency situation in the Village. The Village of Corrales and all of Sandoval County uses CodeRed as an emergency contact provider. You can register your phone numbers and emails where you would like to receive notifications. Your contact information is kept private. https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BFB7CC4C6C0A
As a reminder, if you decide to utilize the Rio Grande River this holiday weekend, wear a US Coast Guard approved life vest if you enter the water, it could save your life and it is the law! More information can be found at this website: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/activities/boating-2/life-jackets/
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday 7/2 – “First Sunday-Arts in the Village” is sponsored by Corrales MainStreet and takes place throughout the Village business corridor.
Sunday 7/2 – “Corrales Growers’ Market” from 9:00am – 12:00pm.
Tuesday 7/4 – “The Annual 4th of July Parade” down Corrales Road. The parade begins at 10:00am with a BBQ fundraiser hosted by the Friends of Corrales Library at La Entrada Park.
Friday 7/7 - The Village will be hosting a “Vehicle and Surplus Equipment Auction” from 10:00am to 2:00 pm. This will be a sealed bid auction and forms can be picked up from the Village Administration Office at 4324 Corrales Road or downloaded from the website. Items must be picked up by July 10th at 2:00 PM.
Saturday 7/8 – “Art in the Park” buy directly from local artists from 9:00am – 3:00pm at La Entrada Park.
Saturday 7/8 – Unveiling of the Mural for the Children’s Storybook Garden in La Entrada Park at 10:00am.
Sunday 7/9 – “Corrales Growers’ Market” from 9:00am- 12:00pm
As most of you are aware by now, the Wells Fargo Bank will close permanently on August 16 at 12:00pm. We have been informed that the ATM will remain in place. Please make note of the other two closest branch locations that will be available for any other banking inquiries.
If you know someone who would like to receive the weekly mayor’s message electronically, please email the Village Clerk, Melanie Romero at mromero [at] corrales-nm.org () or make a request by phone at 505-897-0502.
Please remember to watch your speed throughout our Village. With so many events going on in the Village, there are a lot more people out and about. Please be patient with the increased traffic and courteous as you watch out for pedestrians, horses, and bicyclists.
Stay hydrated, stay safe and enjoy your 4th of July celebrations.
Jim Fahey
Corrales Mayor
