Belen City Council endorses Veterans Cemetery

Belen

Grant approval, change orders and a resolution to support a National Veteran’s Cemetery in Valencia County were among the action taken by the Belen City Council at its Monday meeting.

The council approved:

• The use of a $300,000 grant from the New Mexico Finance Authority to defray the cost of construction of a new lift station with submersible sewage pumps and related improvements for the city’s wastewater system.

• Change orders worth $15,162.31 for the Garcia Street improvement project which will offset costs of additional grinder pumps and the installation of the pumps and their electrical wiring requirements.

“We discovered the residents on Sanchez Drive were connected with the Garcia Street sewer lines, along with the Subway restaurant,” said Mike Provine, project engineer with Molzen-Corbin and Associates.

Also, the cost includes the replacement of 125 feet of sewer line that collapsed during road work.

“We need to replace this pipe to maintain the sewer service until we replace the lines with the grinder system lines,” Provine said.

Regarding the completion date of the Garcia Street project, which included grinder pumps for each home, sewer lines, pavement, curb and gutter and sidewalks, Provine predicts it will be three to four weeks “if it doesn’t rain.”

• A resolution supporting a National Veterans Cemetery in Valencia County. The resolution will be added to citizens’ petitions in support of a cemetery being located in the county before being forwarded to the state’s congressional delegation.

In non-action items, the council recognized the city’s employee of the quarter, Pete Leyba, from the wastewater treatment facility.

Leyba was nominated by his supervisor, Robert Rimorin, because of his commitment and dedication to the city.

“Your apparent willingness to learn wastewater duties after being transferred from another department and then also learning the lab duties is to be commended,” said Councilor Terese Ulivarri. “Because of your self-discipline, taking your responsibilities seriously and willingly taking on additional duties, and because these are qualities most supervisors seek and appreciate in their employees, you were selected as employee of the quarter.”

With this honor, Leyba’s name will be added to a plaque in the city hall, and he will receive an additional workday off.

In the manager’s report Sally Garley said:

• Phase III of the Main Street project has been closed out, with a final payment request being submitted for $65,050.21 to the New Mexico State Highway Department.

• The co-op program agreement for 2002-2003 has been executed with the New Mexico State Highway Department for improving various city roads. The eligible funding is $77,451 in cooperative state funds, with a local participation of $25,817 for projects totaling $103,268.

• Paul Dominguez was recently certifiied in Wastewater Level I.