Water-related issues are on the agenda for the Roswell City Council’s Infrastructure Committee meeting on Monday.
The committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. Monday in the large conference room of City Hall, 425 N. Richardson Ave.
Robert Glenn, deputy superintendent of the water maintenance and transmission department, has submitted a list of questions to prompt discussion on updating city ordinances on water, sewer and sewage disposal.
Topics in the questions are related to water service and responsibilities of the city and the customer; water conservation including restrictions on reverse osmosis, water softener and hot water systems and using a tiered rate system to encourage conservation; and implementing a back flow prevention program.
The questions are intended for discussion to help guide the ordinance revisions, according to the agenda abstract. The revised ordinance will be brought to the committee at a later date.
The committee will also consider giving its recommendation to creating a drought contingency task force and authorizing the mayor to appoint members.
The city has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to develop plans to improve water reliability and management. One of the requirements of the grant is to have a task force.
Glenn is recommending the committee be comprised of two residential water customers, two commercial water customers, a city council member, a representative of the Roswell Independent School District and a representative of the Pecos Valley Artesian Conservancy District.
The committee will also discuss the irrigation system for downtown Roswell along Main Street. Councilor Jason Perry, chairman of the committee, requested information on the history and status of the system used to provide water to Main Street trees and planters.
The committee will also consider giving its recommendation on a contractor for replacing the culvert on East Mescalero Road that collapsed during a 1% rain event on June 26. In July, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was in Roswell to announce a $1.7 million allocation from the New Mexico Department of Transportation to replace the structure and address flooding issues on Berrendo Creek.
The city received two bids out of eight contractors contacted, both over the $1.7 million allocated.
City staff’s recommendation is to award the project to BHI Inc., Albuquerque, who submitted a proposal for $1.98 million.
The city’s newest park on South Virginia Avenue is the topic of another item on the agenda. Plans for the park were scaled back by the city council in June after estimates put the full development cost at $810,000, more than twice the amount of a 2021 legislative appropriation for its development.
At its June meeting, the city council approved adding $204,000 to the project for a total of $545,000. The city had already spent $59,000 for playground equipment.
One bid was received for the project from Constructors Inc. for $571,885, which would leave a shortfall of $26,884.
The plans include grading of the site of the former Chisum Elementary School, removal of 6 inches of ground and any debris left from the school, replacing it with 6 inches of new topsoil and planting grass. Irrigation and electrical systems would be installed. The company listed two additional projects in its bid, a concrete sidewalk and a concrete half basketball court.
City staff has recommended rejecting bids for another project, replacing a bridge on North Garden Avenue near Roswell Livestock.
Two bids were received, from Constructors Inc. for $2.1 million and J&H Services for $2 million. City engineer Louis Najar’s estimate for the project was $1.3 million. He is recommending rejecting the bids and rebidding it next year.
A resolution in support of phase three of the Atkinson Avenue rehabilitation project is also on the agenda. The project was selected for 95% funding by NMDOT and the resolution is a requirement of the grant. The project would continue rebuilding Atkinson with new sidewalk and ramps from Cherry Street to College Boulevard.
The project is estimated at $2.7 million. NMDOT would provide $2.6 million with the city’s share at $134,000.
The council will also consider modifying its meeting schedule and hear reports on projects during Monday’s meeting.
