Introducing the Village of Corrales 2023 Pet Mayor “Wendell”!
Belated congratulations go out to Wendell the goat who was elected as the 2023 Pet Mayor during the Harvest Festival. May his term be prosperous and fruitful for the Village.
The Village Center Exploratory Committee, formed in response to some who wanted to develop a plaza in the Village Center, recommended in 2019 that there was no historical basis for such a center, but did “see a need to improve and create community gathering spaces.” One of their suggestions was to “rehab or rebuild the Jones property as a multi-use community space.” Unfortunately, the Jones house contained asbestos throughout, and demolition was chosen for mitigation. Now we are moving forward on a plan for an arts, community, and education facility to be constructed at that site that will satisfy many of the needs of our community. You can download a copy of the report to see other recommendations.
Some criticism, whether warranted or not, has been levied against the original ACE committee (which was appointed to develop a plan for the construction of a multi-use facility to be built on the Jones property) as not being open nor transparent nor considering other inputs. That committee did an excellent job developing a plan for the facility after reaching out to as many Corrales organizations as they could think of to find out the needs of these groups. The design they came up with provides for the desires expressed by these community organizations, many of whom need meeting space as well as educational space for speaker programs and entertainment. Such a center would also provide the anchor for the Arts and Cultural District that Corrales MainStreet has been developing. The new committee that will be finalizing the design started by the ACE committee has its next meeting on Thursday, October 19, at 10 a.m. in the Council Chambers. The public is welcome to attend in person or by Zoom. The Zoom link can be found on the Village website by clicking on “Agendas/Minutes” at the bottom of the homepage, or by clicking HERE.
We have an election coming up. Three districts have councilors up for re-election unopposed. It is still important to vote because there are three bond questions up for approval by the Village electorate. Those bond questions are $1 million for roads and drainage, $1 million for a fire substation, and $2 million for farmland preservation easements. There will be no increase in the mill levy or tax due to these bonds for the Village of Corrales. To see a sample ballot, visit the voter services portal through the Secretary of State’s website at https://voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us/WhereToVote.aspx?. We have local candidates up for election to SSCAFCA, Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority. This is the entity responsible for flood control in our area.
The Village has been in contact this week with representatives of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps is going to make a presentation of a plan to stabilize the west riverbank of the Rio Grande (near the Corrales Siphon area) to the Village Council at their meeting on October 24th at 6:30 pm. High flows last spring due to snowpack melt caused severe erosion of the bank, threatening the levee. This remediation will be temporary with a permanent and more extensive fix planned for later. It will be necessary for people to stay away from this area during construction and if high flows are encountered again next year. The Council meetings are always hybrid, so interested parties can watch the presentation online. You can access the Zoom link HERE or by clicking on the “Council Meeting Zoom Link” button on the Village homepage. In that same meeting, the MRGCD will also provide an update on work taking place at the siphon that provides irrigation to the Village of Corrales.
CRIME & SAFETY UPDATE:
Monday 10/2 - a resident reported his tractor was taken while parked in a field off Corrales Road sometime between 9/29-10/2. The keys were left in an unsecured shed next to where the tractor was parked.
Tuesday 10/3 - while officers were conducting traffic control at the Corrales Es. Officers noticed a known suspect walking up the road that had an outstanding warrant. Officers were able to locate the suspect, and stopped him, and confirmed the warrant. The suspect was arrested and transported to Sandoval County detention center for the warrant.
Friday 10/6 - a local resident on Celo Azul reported while out of town that when he returned, he noticed his 2014 Lincoln was missing. A report was taken by officers, and the vehicle was entered into NCIC as Stolen. There are no suspects currently.
Friday 10/6 - a tractor stolen on 10/2 was located in an area off Loma Larga and West Valverde. The tractor was released to the owner.
HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE:
Flu level has increased to moderate in New Mexico, If you have not yet received your flu shot, now is the time to get one from your local pharmacy or provider. Covid is still with us, the CDC recommends getting your 2023-2024 Covid booster and flu shot together to help protect you through the cold & flu season. If you are uninsured or need assistance scheduling vaccines, please contact Deputy Fire Chief Tanya Lattin at 505-702-4182.
As you prepare to turn on your heaters, please make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarms and that you are testing alarms and replacing batteries every six months. These alarms have been proven to save lives and carbon monoxide is a colorless odorless gas that has cause nausea, vomiting and even death. If you have a fireplace, pellet or wood burning stove, make sure to have all chimneys inspected and cleaned by a licensed and bonded chimney sweep before using them. Keep all heating sources clear of anything flammable. In the US between 2016-2020 heating equipment caused 1 in 6 home structure fires.
The Village is hosting the 14th Annual Trunk or Treat event on October 31st from 6 – 7 pm at the Rec Center, 500 Jones Rd. You can register to participate on the Parks and Rec page on the Village website by clicking on the “registrations” tab on the right side of the page or by calling the Parks and Rec Department at 505-899-8900. You can dress up your vehicle or trailer and display them around the front athletic field for children to walk up and trick-or-treat in a safe environment. We need candy donations to make this event a success, so please drop off bags of individually wrapped candy to the Village Administration Building at 4324 Corrales Road.
The” Hometown Heroes” exhibit honoring Veterans will be hung in the lobby of the Administration Building beginning November 1st. If you or a family member served in the armed forces, please bring a photo to the Village offices before October 30th. We thank all veterans for their service to our country.
The Village is also partnering with Operation Gratitude to send special thank you letters, pictures, and drawings to active & retired service members. Operation Gratitude sends approximately 500,000 letters annually. Anyone can participate by dropping off your correspondence to the box in the lobby of the Administration Building before December 8th. Here are some guidelines to follow for the correspondence:
- Do not date the letters as it can be months before the service member receives them.
- Avoid talking about politics and excessive religious content. It is fine to say you are praying for them.
- Troops love photos and drawings, but please avoid glitter and stickers.
- Share info about your community, state, hobbies, pets, etc. The troops miss their friends, family, and pets, so sharing stories of yours can lift their spirits.
- Adults may include an address and/or email.
- Children should include only their first name and age.
- Do not put the letter in an envelope – they must go through a screening process before being sent.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Deputy Clerk Skye DeVivi at sdevivi [at] corrales-nm.org.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
SATURDAY:
- 2023 Annular Eclipse – Information available at: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2023/
- Special events planned at the ABQ Ballon Fiesta. Find out more here: - https://balloonfiesta.com/.
SUNDAY:
- Corrales Growers’ Market – 9am-12pm – check out their website at: https://corralesgrowersmarket.com/
- Last day of the ABQ Balloon Fiesta – Farewell Mass Ascension at 7:00am.
I hope you have enjoyed the spectacular Balloon Fiesta this year as much as I have! Please Drive safely, observe and obey the traffic signs, do not speed. Be kind to each other, we are all neighbors, and we need to look out for one another. Enjoy this last weekend of the Balloon Fiesta and be safe.
Jim Fahey
Corrales Mayor
