During the recent Silver City Town Council meeting, the council approved the town’s 40-year Water Plan, which provides long-term projections of future water use. The plan will analyze historical changes in well water levels and use that data to model the aquifer system and forecast water availability over the next four decades. In addition, the council approved Resolution No. 2025-31, authorizing the town to enter into a design funding agreement with the State of New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, the City of Bayard, and the Village of Santa Clara. This agreement pertains to the Colonias Grant for the construction of the Santa Clara well, which was donated by Freeport-McMoRan (FMI). Matching funds for the project will be provided by the Interstate Stream Commission.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the Gila Community Foundation, community potlucks, and local fundraising, residents of one Silver City neighborhood have rejuvenated Noble Park, located at Market and F Street. Once an abandoned space, the park has been transformed into a vibrant community hub after neighbors raised nearly $46,000—matched by the Town of Silver City. This partnership has brought exciting new playground equipment to the park, including a play structure with a slide, tree-trunk-inspired steps, and interactive panels that teach children about insects.
The Village of Santa Clara Board recently approved an agreement with Freeport-McMoRan’s Chino Mines Inc. in support of the village’s ongoing water development project. The board also authorized amendments to advance the planning and design phases of two key infrastructure initiatives: the Oak Street bridge and roadway improvements, and the Colonias-funded water system improvements. In addition, the board approved a $500 sponsorship for the Grant County Prospectors to assist with expenses related to Grant County Day.
In Luna County news:
The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, October 28, at 11 a.m. at the Public Plaza in Columbus to celebrate the completion of a major broadband connectivity project in the Village of Columbus. Funded by a $3.7 million grant through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the project represents a significant investment in expanding broadband infrastructure in the region. To date, nearly 200 homes and businesses have been connected, with the initiative ultimately expected to deliver high-speed internet access to a total of 822 locations.
