The Town of Mesilla is considering designating at least part of the town as a Colonia to help the town gain access to more funding options.
A Colonia is defined as a rural community with a population of less than 25,000 within 150 miles of the U.S.- Mexico Border that lack of or failing or aging infrastructure, or a lack of safe and sanitary housing.
Mayor Nora Barraza, says the aging water and infrastructure needs in the town of Mesilla will cost over $5 million dollars to upgrade, which the town doesn’t have the money to fix. She also says they can’t count on the state legislature for the funding.
“This year we only received $150,000 from our legislators,” Barraza said. “And the previous year we probably had about triple that. So, they’ve already all informed us, and f course we watch the news and keep track of government, that next year there’s just not going to be hardly any money available for capital improvement.”
Barraza said by becoming a Colonia they would then have access to the state’s Colonias Infrastructure Fund giving them another option to seek funding. Jay Armijo, Executive Director of the South Central Council of Governments, who work with the Colonias Committee says the funding is a great benefit to communities.
“Entities have the ability to apply,” Armijo said. “In the form of an application, we can fund up to 10% of an allocation amount if it were $10 million dollars they could potentially get $1 million dollars.”
Mesilla Resident Ron Burick says he was concerned about how much money the town had in reserves to complete water projects, but the meeting cleared up his concerns.
“Also where the money is coming from.” Burick said. “So, I think those questions were answered tonight, that they are state funds, they’re available, so as long as we’re a designated Colonias those funds will be available for us through a competitive application process.”
Other residents were concerned about how it would effect property values and tourism, but Mayor Nora Barraza says she doesn’t foresee a negative impact.
“It’s only a designation,” Barazza said. “Nowhere do we have to advertise that we are a Colonia, or change the name of the town of Mesilla to say La Colonia de Mesilla. It’s only on paper, and I just don’t see it having an impact on our community.”
Barraza says the Board of Trustees will vote on the Colonia designation for the town in the coming months.
