The City of Las Cruces will receive $11,755,000 in capital outlay funding from the 2024 New Mexico Legislature.
Source: City of Las Cruces
The state appropriations were announced by City lobbyist Larry Horan and Barbara Bencomo, Chief Administrative Officer for the City, during a City Council work session on Monday, April 8, 2024, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 700 N. Main St.
Specifically, the City’s capital outlay funding includes
- $5,975,000 for the Amador Crossing housing project to be built on the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope campus.
- $2,550,000 for construction of a Mobile Integrated Health building.
- $1,150,000 for the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope Distribution Center.
- $650,000 for technology equipment and software to establish a Real-Time Crime Center.
- $580,000 for the Domestic Violence Shelter.
- $350,000 for Active Transportation.
- $300,000 for the East Mesa Public Recreation Complex.
- $100,000 for construction of a new Fire Station 9.
- $100,000 for Lift Up Las Cruces.
The Legislature also approved capital reauthorizations for 13 City projects that previously received state funding. Those reauthorizations granted either time extensions, changes to language, or changes to the scope of some of those projects.
The legislative update also included adopted state legislation that pertains to priorities adopted by the Council prior the start of the legislative session. Of the 658 bills introduced during the session 91 dealt with City Council priorities.
The 2024 New Mexico Legislature met for a 30-day session that began at noon Jan. 16, 2024, and ended at noon Feb. 15, 2024.
Also at Monday’s work session, administrators with the joint City and Doña Ana County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) presented an update to City Council regarding the agency’s budget and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement between the City and County.
The City has maintained an MOU with Doña Ana County regarding operations of the OEM since 2001 but the agreement needs to be updated. The MOU requires an annual update and budget approval for the City’s share of salary, benefits, and operating costs for OEM.
Also, Las Cruces Fire Department staff presented the Council with possible options for an update process. The options include pursuing a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the County and other governmental entities within Doña Ana County or adapting the MOU to an intergovernmental agreement.
There was informal City Council consensus to continue with a JPA. Advantages of a JPA would establish oversight and closer involvement of stakeholders and would provide the highest level of transparency and accountability. A challenge to a JPA is it could take longer to develop an agreement between stakeholders.
During the presentation plans were announced for a new OEM building to be built just south of the New Mexico State University Golf Course. Construction bids for the new facility, which would replace OEM facilities now at the southeast corner of Solano Avenue and Spruce Street, are expected to be issued in October.
A new OEM facility will provide additional capabilities and security.
