Residents press council on wastewater injection transparency and pedestrian safety during budget hearing

At the public hearing on the fiscal year 2027 budget, residents urged the council for clearer information on wastewater injection and for specific safety and transparency measures.

Resident Steven Van Horn said the city should revisit a 2002 planning document and populate a Public Infrastructure Advisory Board so subject‑matter experts can advise on water, wastewater and injection projects. He warned that similar injection projects in other states “have become catastrophe” and said the aquifer and Rio Grande are connected; he urged the mayor to appoint qualified members to the advisory board.

Van Horn also pointed out what he described as a lack of detail about wastewater injection in the capital projects list and in recent annual water reporting, and said the omission made him register opposition to aspects of the budget.

Tom Dixon, who said he lives in District 3, urged the council to allocate funds to add vehicle barriers where a pedestrian walkway crosses from Chilot Road to Springer Road, saying drag‑racing on Chilot Road makes the pathway vulnerable to vehicles. He singled out a $20,000 figure discussed in local coverage and said he believed the council could find that funding for barriers. Dixon also recommended the city’s online budget document be made more 'drillable' so nonfinance users can inspect line‑item details such as “other expenditures.”

Mayor Weimer opened the hearing and members took no immediate action on the requests; both comments were entered into the public record as part of the budget hearing process.