Women's Intercultural Center

By Aileen B. Flores / El Paso Times
Posted: 04/08/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT

ANTHONY, N.M. -- Green areas where children can play, paved streets with adequate lighting, sources of employment and public transportation services are some of the things Anthony, N.M., residents hope will happen to improve their quality of life.

Those ideas were presented during a public meeting last week to obtain input on a master plan for the unincorporated area of about 9,000 residents.

Its next-door neighbor, Anthony, Texas, is actually smaller but has been incorporated since the 1950s and benefits from more amenities such as parks, its own police department and businesses.

"Anthony is ready for a change, streets need to be fixed and yards need to be cleaned," said resident Julia Robles.

Robles, 35, said she hopes for the day parents in Anthony, N.M., do not have to work far from home and they can spend more time with their children.

"Parents should spend less time on the road and more time taking care of their children," she said.

She said the establishment of new businesses, such as a department store, can be a source of employment and contribute to united families and less crime in Anthony.

She added that this will also be convenient for residents who will not have to travel to Las Cruces or El Paso just to buy groceries.

Like Robles, many other area residents requested youth recreational centers, open space areas and street improvements that reflect a safe, healthy and positive quality of life.

The master plan is part of an effort to incorporate Anthony, said resident Victor Montoya, leader of a group in favor of incorporation.

Last year, the community received a $100,000 grant from the state legislature for the master plan, said Betty Gonzalez, an Anthony resident for about 35 years.

At the beginning of this year, Sites Southwest, an Albuquerque-based planning and consulting firm, was hired by the Anthony Water and Sanitation District to work on the project.

The meeting was the first step to collect information and input from the public to start the plan, said Phyllis Taylor, project manager.

Taylor said last week's presentation was the first of four meetings. The next will be at 6:30 p.m. May 28 at the Women's Intercultural Center.

According to the U.S. Census, Anthony is growing at a faster rate than the rest of Doña Ana County. In the 2000 Census, Anthony grew 53 percent compared to the county, which grew 29
percent.

In 2007, Anthony's population was estimated at 8,977 people.

"(The master plan) will help to guide us into the future," said Maria Elena Bejarano, who grew up on 4th Street.

She said the plan would invite people to invest in the community and create new jobs.

Anthony is located next to a major interstate between two growing cities -- El Paso and Las Cruces -- and the community needs to do something to grow in a positive direction, said Betty
Gonzalez, an Anthony resident for about 35 years.

The master plan will include land use, growth management, public facilities, utilities, open spaces, economic development, and hazard mitigation. The final draft of the project is expected to be ready sometime in March 2010, Taylor said.

Dolores Saldaña-Caviness, Doña Ana County District 2 commissioner, said "Anthony is ready to incorporate and get hold of its destiny."

Saldaña-Caviness said she has not seen the boundaries of the master plan; however, she added, the County will support any project with a positive input for the community.

On June 9, people will vote on Anthony inclusion, she added.

Aileen B. Flores may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 546-6362.

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