BetterBelen.com

Recently paved Becker Avenue to be repaved

April 13, 2010

The recently completed Becker Avenue street paving will have to be repaved, after the contractor’s work was unacceptable to the City of Belen’s engineering firm. Kevin Eades, the civil department leader for Molzen-Corbin & Associates, said in a meeting with city officials today that the newest section of paving on Becker Avenue will need to [...]

Without funding, interchange work will stop

April 06, 2010

Construction work on the North Belen interchange will shut down by July if the developer of Rancho Cielo doesn’t come through with its portion to complete the project. Using a $3-million state appropriation, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) has continued the reconstruction of the interchange despite not having Coast Range Investment’s contribution, which [...]

Becker Avenue construction completed

March 29, 2010

Construction crews working on Becker Avenue have put the finishing touches on a manhole that will allow the city to again reopen all of the street to vehicular traffic. The work was completed today, with the fencing and construction road signs expected to be removed this afternoon. The “Heart of Belen” project began under the [...]

Utility rate study recommends raising rates

March 24, 2010

An independent utility rate study released this month recommends the City of Belen raise its water and sewer utility rates because both services are running at a deficit. “Under existing water and sewer rate structures and normal annual expenditures, the financial condition of both utilities is poor,” says the report, which was prepared by Trumm [...]

City council approves new arsenic systems

March 24, 2010

The Belen City Council unanimously approved on Monday night bids for three point-of-use arsenic treatment systems in the Belen Industrial Park. The work was awarded to TLC Plumbing and Utility of Albuquerque for just under $75,000. The company will install arsenic filtration systems south of Belen at the New Mexico National Guard Armory, the Middle [...]

City shuts off water for some businesses

March 16, 2010

The City of Belen this week began cracking down on businesses that are delinquent on their utility bills by shutting off their water. The policy, which carried over from the previous administration, is an extension of a utility rates ordinance which, of course, requires payment for city utility services. The ordinance reads: Bills for water [...]

Agreements show developer committed funds

March 12, 2010

Councilor Jerah R. Cordova today began searching for answers to questions from business owners about who’s responsible for continuing the reconstruction of the North Belen interchange. The reconstruction will provide access to Rancho Cielo, a 6,000-acre residential, commercial and industrial development located west of Los Chavez. While work on the North Belen interchange continues, the [...]

Governor signs bill cutting Belen project money

March 10, 2010

Gov. Bill Richardson today signed a bill that cuts approximately $348,000 in capital outlay funding for Belen projects. The City of Belen will lose: $147,498 for improvements to the multipurpose park’s fields $54,801 for a Belen arsenic removal plan $50,000 for arsenic treatment facilities at Wells 6 and 8 $50,000 for a Miller Road interchange [...]

Barela: Don’t pull rug from under Rancho Cielo

February 23, 2010

Rep. Elias Barela said over the weekend that not supporting the development of a master-planned community in Rancho Cielo’s 6,000 acres west of Los Chavez could lead to unwanted development there. “It’s a quality development. It’s private land. If we drive Rancho Cielo out, who’s going to take over it? What’s going to happen with [...]

MRCOG report shows public support for Morris

February 18, 2010

A report concerning where to place a new interchange and bridge in the Los Lunas area that was provided to the Valencia County Commission last night shows broad public support for locating the new roadway near Morris Road. The report, produced by the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG), includes a compilation of comments by citizens [...]