Esther Motongo, the former Grant Coordinator and new City Clerk for the City of Anthony New Mexico, is making progress that will slowly have a big impact on the city. When Esther first started working for the city of Anthony as a grant coordinator, flooding was a big problem and the top priority for the residents. They wanted the drainage system fixed. She received quotes on the cost of fixing the drainage problems, then looked for funding. There are many steps in applying for these grants. All required documentation must be submitted on time, resolutions must be passed, regular city council public meetings are attended so they can keep the residents informed.
Esther’s hard work is paying off. The Community development Block grant that was awarded to the city is being used for the continuation of Flood control. Fourth street is the biggest project the City of Anthony is currently working on. This funding will install a pond and pumps under Adams park where runoff water can drain into. No one will be able to see the pond because it will be under the baseball park and the pumps will help maintain the correct levels of runoff water so that the streets do not flood. It will be started around November this year with a targeted completion date of Spring 2019. “We must be mindful of the budget. Some problems are so big that we cannot fix them all at once because resources are limited” says Esther “so, larger projects are broken up into smaller sections and fixed one section at a time. It is really based on the community needs.” The Mayor and council members encourage residents to attend the public meetings, so they can address their needs to the city council and Esther. “We listen to their needs and wants and then we start looking for the funding. When I find something, I take it to the council and present it with the conditions and my recommendations then they decide if it is possible for the city to meet the conditions and match the funds. Most of the time we must be able to match the funds for the grants, so we can show that we have initiative to complete the project. We have been approved for some full grants, but they are much harder to find,” says Esther.
This is the second year the City of Anthony has received the Library grant. In the first year this grant upgraded the internet at the library to fiber optics. This grant funded 90% of the upgrade cost. This year it will fund the ongoing cost to maintain the service. “The kids love it, the internet is super-fast, and you can open as many windows as you want without slowing the internet down,” says Esther.
The “Keep New Mexico True” grant provides funding for the beautification and cleanup of the city. Esther tells us, “This funding allows us to plant trees and flowers in certain areas and add small benches at the parks. There is very little greenery in the city of Anthony and little by little you will start to see more of both.”
The City has also been awarded funding for trash cleanup. Rollup containers are placed in Adams park which allows residents to bring all large trash items needed to be dumped without having to pay landfill fees. Additionally, because of this funding the City of Anthony can hire and pay youths to help with the cleanup around the arroyos and major streets. To be paid the youth must first contact Esther for the requirements, including being between Ages 14-25 and in a youth group. The Last clean up involved 60 youths. They usually start the cleanup in the morning 8am -12pm and provide volunteers with food and drinks during this time. The city of Anthony provides all the equipment, they just ask volunteers to show up ready to help. Residents are always encouraged to volunteer. This is a great way to bring the community together and encourage all residents to keep their properties clean.
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