Improved water and senior services score high in City $16M capital spending plan
The replacement of waterlines and the continuing renovation of a city senior citizens center were among the City of Carlsbad's priorities as local leaders gathered input for a five-year capital improvement spending plan.
Suggestions sought from the public, City of Carlsbad administration and Carlsbad’s City Council continued as the City ranks projects and seeks federal and state funds for the nearly $16 million Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) from 2024 through 2028.
City of Carlsbad Municipal Services and Capital Programs Director Angie Barrios-Testa said administration ranked 49 municipal and five senior citizens projects via seven factors in an ICIP risk matrix.
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Planning, design, constructions and replacement of existing water lines at the Double Eagle water well field east of Carlsbad and renovations to the Alejandro Ruiz Senior Center scored 74 points for importance in funding sources.
The ideal score was 31 points during the ICIP evaluation process, according to Carlsbad City Council documents.
“These help us determine criticality of the projects and how they’re going to be based in the list,” Barrios-Testa said. “They get a certain amount of scoring and their moved up into their priority level as they score higher.”
The City of Carlsbad funded $3.6 million for the Double Eagle project as of July 27 and sought an additional $6 million for the $9 million project from 2024 to 2026, the ICIP application stated.
The City secured $4 million in funds for renovations at the Alejandro Ruiz Senior Center in Carlsbad at 120 Kircher Street as of July 27.
An extra $2.5 million was sought for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 for phase four renovations at the senior facility which would fund additional activity rooms, office space and restrooms, per Carlsbad City Council documents.
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Phase four would also include asbestos removal from the former Pate Elementary School now used for senior citizens functions.
Ward 3 City Councilor Karla Niemeier said both projects add to the overall comfort and health of Carlsbad.
“There’s so many things we need for quality of life,” she said.
“I’ll be looking at it more closely. It’s a such long list. Things can still get done even if they are not at the top."
Barrios-Testa said the deadline for council input was July 29 as city staff had time to prepare the final list for council approval Aug. 9.
The State of New Mexico required all municipal ICIP’s done by Aug. 19 and senior citizens facilities ICIP’s were due Sept. 9, Barrios-Testa wrote in a memo to councilors.
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“The ICIP is a key component in our writing for grants,” said Carlsbad Mayor Pro-Tem Edward Rodriguez.
Barrios-Testa said state programs require the ICIP for funding of municipal projects and senior centers.
She said the federal government does not look at the ICIP for capital spending.
“They do look at the public type comment information. We’ve always provided this as a community support process,” Barrios-Testa said.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: City water and senior citizens programs priority for capital spending
