Peñuelas Mayor Josean González Febres discussed municipal challenges in an interview, citing public safety and deteriorated rural roads as top concerns, estimating 80% of rural roads are impassable. He said the municipal police force was inherited with only seven officers nearing retirement, and no police academy had been held in over 25 years. With an identified budget, the municipality plans to launch a new academy for 10 cadets to join the force.
For roads, savings-based municipal funds will begin repaving in two or three rural barrios ("campo arriba"), with additional support from the Department of Housing and its secretary in securing CDBG funds for repaving in outlying areas. The mayor named two priority projects for the year: an athletic track and a fishermen's dock in the El Boquete sector of Tallaboa Encarnación barrio, citing their tourism and social impact. The dock project required a new design requested by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), which was accepted and is now under review by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
The mayor said the process will take time but hopes to break ground before year's end.