Corrales Residents Demand Transparency in ICIP Road Prioritization Process

Corrales residents packed the Village of Corrales council chamber and repeatedly demanded clearer answers about how roads and other capital projects are ranked in the village’s Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP). Speakers at a Village forum, the Feb. 24 Village Council meeting and a June 11 public session pressed council members for transparency as the monthlong ICIP planning process unfolded.

The ICIP is presented by village leaders as a vehicle that “will help bring the village millions for infrastructure projects,” but residents said they lack essential details about project lists and priorities. The Corrales Comment reported in an article titled “Village Wishlist Closer to Reality,” published June 28, 2024 at 8:00 am, that after the June 11 meeting the village council was “one step closer to approving this year’s Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP).”

Many speakers focused on what they described as an opaque internal ranking system and the prominence of “non-shovel-ready” projects. The Corrales Comment noted that “residents, who filled the council chambers throughout the monthlong planning process, raised concerns about transparency and the prioritization of non-shovel-ready projects.” Those concerns were sharpened by a line item on the ICIP: the village is requesting $9,538,000 for a multiuse facility listed among capital projects.

Ken Martinez, a Corrales resident who spoke during the public comment period, articulated the central complaint in blunt terms: “Our current ICIP process is rushed and not transparent since many residents don’t know what some of the projects are and the internal rankings are not necessarily representative of the residents’ priorities, because they may not know what the funding is for exactly.” The Corrales Comment described the council chamber as “brimmed with residents eager to voice their concerns during the meeting,” underscoring the depth of local engagement.

Council business on the same agenda included consideration of fireworks restrictions, a new agreement with Roadrunner Waste and updates on general obligation bonds, according to The Corrales Comment and meeting coverage. Despite extensive public comment on June 11, the village has not released a complete ICIP total, a full project-level ranking, or the methodology behind internal rankings in the public-facing materials reported at those meetings.

Some speakers during the public comment section explicitly voiced their desire for greater transparency within village government; with the council reported to be one step closer to approval after June 11, those requests remain unresolved. The Corrales Comment’s coverage, under the masthead “The Corrales Comment” and the tagline “Reporting As If Democracy Matters,” captured both the dollar figure for the multiuse facility and the intensity of local concern as the ICIP moved toward finalization. Without a public project list and a clear explanation of ranking criteria, residents said they will continue to press the council for answers before funds tied to the ICIP move forward.