PERALTA — In early September, the Peralta Town Council approved its Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan for 2023 to 2027.
The planned community center tops the list of priorities.
Every municipal government must approve annual infrastructure funding priorities in order to receive project funding from the state Legislature.
A Peralta Community Center is close to becoming a reality as it sits on the top of the list of infrastructure priorities for the town. The town is looking for an additional $5 million to finish out the project, which is officially out to bid after getting the go ahead from the council at the end of September.
General infrastructure improvements also sit higher up on the plan, with the town asking for $500,000 for general road improvements, $200,000 to purchase public works equipment and $350,000 for general recreation and park improvements.
Peralta councilors also hope to continue to expand the wastewater collection system, which the town has been establishing for the past few years.
Prior to the town installing this system, homes in the Peralta were using aging septic systems for wastewater — a method proven unsustainable.
Also on the priority list is a new building for the Peralta Fire Department, which the town plans to build in the lot across from Peralta Elementary School.
Peralta Town Clerk Kori Taylor said the $300,000 the town is requesting from the state would go towards finishing the design of the new building.
Lower on the Top 10 list of infrastructure priorities are $300,000 for new police and fire equipment, $50,000 for administrative facility upgrades, $550,000 for general drainage and flood control, and $200,000 for an emergency management plan and emergency equipment.
Makayla Grijalva was born and raised in Las Cruces. She is a 2020 graduate of The University of New Mexico, where she studied multimedia journalism, political science and history.
