Placitas residents looking to be updated on all the major issues in the community may get their wish Oct. 12.
The Eastern Sandoval Citizens Association’s annual meeting will feature guest speakers with new information on prescribed burns, fire insurance, the end of a nearby mining operation and other topics.
Elouisa “Lou” Macias of the New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance will discuss a fire insurance program for property owners who cannot get other coverage because they’re in areas with a high fire-threat level.
Vulcan Materials Co. plant manager Eric Fletcher will talk about the conclusion of activity at the firm’s gravel mine in the northeastern part of Placitas.
ESCA President George Franzen said Vulcan had originally agreed to stop mining at the site in 2026 and close the mine the following year. He told the Sandoval Signpost Thursday that the company has ceased mining early.
According to ESCA’s Ron Overley, material that has already been mined will be prepared for sale, and the stockpile of processed material will be sold until depleted.
The next step, Franzen said, is reclamation of the land on which the mine sits, followed by reseeding with native plants.
District Ranger Ken Born of Cibola National Forest will provide an update on upcoming plans for hazardous fuels reduction work in the Las Huertas Canyon area and elsewhere across the Sandia Ranger District.
Sandoval County Commissioner Katherine Bruch, whose district includes Placitas, will talk about the county’s emergency notification and evacuation plan for the community in the event of a Sandia Mountains wildfire.
Other speakers will discuss the future of the Buffalo Tract — so named because of its shape — in northern Placitas. U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury and U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich earlier this year reintroduced legislation to permanently ban mining on four parcels owned by the Bureau of Land Management.
The meeting is expected to last about 90 minutes and include time for questions from attendees.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
WHEN: 4 p.m. Oct. 12
WHERE: Placitas Community Library, 453 State Route 165.