The Magdalena Village council is prioritizing using federal COVID-19 relief funding to dig a new monitoring well for the village’s lagoon system.
Cathy Cook | El Defensor Chieftain

 

The Village of Magdalena Council will focus the $214,000 of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan on investing in village infrastructure.

ARP funds can be spent on a broad range of needs. The Board decided on three priorities for the American Rescue Plan money: new monitoring well for the lagoons, putting fiber optic in the village hall to improve internet access and putting funds toward the cost of a new water tank.

The village has until 2024 to spend the funds.

The monitoring well is needed because one of the village’s existing monitoring wells has run dry. The village is required to have three monitoring wells to monitor the lagoon system, part of the village’s sewage treatment system. The new well is expected to cost $15,000, said Mayor Richard Rumpf.

The Board also plans to put funds toward adding fiber optic to the village hall so that the village government has high-speed internet access.

The Board plans to put any leftover funds toward the cost of putting a new water storage tank and booster pumps at the Benjamin water well. The city has three water wells and ample legislative funding to help refurbish the wells, but any remaining ARP funds could help cover any unexpected costs for the Benjamin storage tank, suggested Rumpf.

The Trujillo well should be refurbished in August, said Rumpf. The village has already used $320,000 in legislative funding for preliminary reports on the Trujillo well. The village has $1 million in legislative grant funding for the Benjamin well to implement a storage tank and booster pumps.

Trustee Donna Dawson asked about putting ARP funding toward replacing water lines, but Rumpf said most of the village’s water lines are in good condition and a water line replacement project could be a $5 million project.

The next Board meeting will be Monday, July 26 in person, with Zoom still an option for anyone who wants to attend remotely.

Cathy Cook, El Defensor Chieftain