At the Aug. 12 council meeting, the Bernalillo Town Council amended the weed ordinance, making the town responsible for alleyway cleanup instead of residents, to provide consistent maintenance and address safety concerns.
The Town Council, despite the absence of Mayor Pro Tem Dale Prairie and Councilor Vincent Montoya, was able to have a quorum, allowing Mayor Jack Torres to vote to amend the weed control ordinance.
The decision was prompted by reports from property owners about illicit drug paraphernalia, such as syringes, in the alleys, and homeowners who complained that they maintained the alleys behind their homes while others neglected them.
“Some homeowners are diligent and keep their area spotless, some are not,” Torres said. “People will call and say, I started cleaning, but there were needles here and I don’t know if there’s residual illicit drug stuff here, and I’m just not comfortable being back there.”
Because the Public Works Department is equipped and trained to safely handle the cleanup, including the removal of potentially hazardous materials, the town was willing to take responsibility for the work. Planning and Zoning Director Stephanie Shumsky said the Parks Department already has a maintenance staff position posted to hire someone.
Torres said staff would clean the alleys one by one, so the process won’t happen immediately. He asked the council to have some patience.
“I’ve been assured by the public works director, that over time, we’ll be able to get caught up again,” he said. “So it’ll take us some time to get them all caught up.”
In other business
The council, despite being short-handed, approved an amendment to the Venada Plaza Shopping Center master plan for the Walmart parcel, allowing for the addition of a gas station, convenience store and modified parking lot.
First introduced to the council at the July 8 meeting, Shumsky said it will be located in a vacant area of the Walmart parking area between Enchanted Hills Dentistry and Orthodontics and the Venada Plaza PNC Bank branch.
“Really no nobody ever parks there,” she said.
The Coronado Little League and its softball All-Star teams received certificates of achievement to recognize their successful seasons. Certificates were awarded to the players, managers, and volunteers for their contributions.
Get involved
The next town council meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Town Hall Council Chambers, 829 Camino del Pueblo.