MILAN, N.M. – The Village of Milan trustees named the lift station project as their top priority for Community Development Block Grant funding. The village will apply for $750,000 of CDBG funding. Milan will be responsible for a ten percent match because the lift station system serves 3,600 residents.
Evan Williams, New Mexico Council of Governments executive director, provided a brief overview of the CDBG program at the Feb. 18 meeting and described Milan’s history of awards. The first was Uranium Avenue, Phase I, in 2004. The village has received $500,000 for each of six projects, which included Uranium Avenue, Phase I-IV, Sand Street Phase II in 2017, and Mirabal Park Flood Control,
Phase I, in 2017-18.
Director Williams described three Milan projects eligible for the 2021 CDBG funding cycle: Mirabal Park, Phase II, the wastewater lift station, and the Berryhill-Laurie-Lee wastewater and water collection system. He noted that the state is more likely to fund projects that deal with water systems and wastewater services. The trustees unanimously voted to apply for funding for the wastewater lift station project.
Fire department
Chief Keith Austin, Milan Fire Department, reported that no fires occurred within the village last month. The department continues assisting the Cibola County emergency manager at the old armory building in Grants with COVID testing and vaccination clinics each week.
Waterway of New
Mexico will test approximately 50 fire hydrants in March or April, which is part of the annual rotation that includes testing every five years. The MFD will do some flow analysis on hydrants that are not tested by Waterway, according to Chief Austin.
Milan Police Department
The police department recorded 609 calls from Cibola County Regional Communications in January. MPD officers made 12 arrests and implemented 23 traffic stops, responded to six vehicle accidents, answered medical calls, performed 40 business checks, responded to 146 service calls plus handled 25 animal control calls. Carl Ustupski has accepted the position as MPD chief; he begins his duties next month, according to Village Manager Sarah Austin.
The officer returned seven pets to owners plus removed three dogs and six cats and issued seven verbal warnings. Feral cats continue to cause problems; 19 traps captured six cats in January. (The animal control officer also serves as the code enforcer, according to Manager Austin.)
Transit services Rockin’ 66 Express reported a total of 712 passenger trips in December and 632 in January. The service recorded 4,480 vehicle miles for December and 3,864 for last month. Rockin’ 66 is collaborative between Cibola County, Milan, and the City of Grants that provides public transit. The federal CARES Act funding allowed community residents to use transit services at no cost, according to Manager Austin.
Employee of the Month
Jolene Colburn, Human Resources, was recognized for the variety of services she provides village employees.
“She is a really good asset [for Milan],” commented Manager Austin.
Possible ordinance The meeting included a discussion about an ordinance, like the ones adopted by Grants and the county, that allows off-road vehicles to travel on municipal streets. Village Clerk Denise Baca said she will provide a proposed ordinance at a future meeting.
The auditing firm recommended that Milan needs to put “upward pressure on utility rates” and complimented village officials’ dedication to correcting budgetary issues.
Upcoming meetings
• March 11
P&Z Commission teleconferencing meeting
3:30 p.m., village hall, 623 Uranium Ave., Milan. Call 505-285-6694 or visit villageofmilan.com for more information.
• March 18 Trustees’ teleconferencing meeting
5:30 p.m., village hall, 623 Uranium Ave., Milan. Call 505-285-6694 or visit villageofmilan.com for more information.
(Public access to village meetings is available a t https://www.facebook.com/ villageofmilannm/
Meeting notices and agendas are available at https://towncloud.io/go/mil an-nm/ )