[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6224813,"mediaKeyId","3548732-eba51d9fe788ae05d50cfdff7b6122f2","parentId",3548732,"title","Commission awards $3.14 million contract to renovate Fire Station 12 in Fairacres","audioSeconds",173,"startMs",7026000,"endMs",7199000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3548732-eba51d9fe788ae05d50cfdff7b6122f2&start=7026&end=7199","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3548732-eba51d9fe788ae05d50cfdff7b6122f2/thumbnail_7026000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6224813/Doña-Ana-County/New-Mexico/Commission-awards-314-million-contract-to-renovate-Fire-Station-12-in-Fairacres","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224813-9a3d0d1c5bd66654ea83b8814d8b64dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770963410&Signature=KsPsxIUgqIM~SentAy~B434uRtJ81fVqNbYKeaZn4J6Umr6n65mrW0Zl7TN8lWf8Mpoj4lrjdmNv0Rp-00asxIJzdaGa620KU8qnA5C7P9OkdReStvlu7J70-pSLVOBXVv9n4o27fvCWF6GQ66aBEHZSE1EFSGB1MNP74qjZTDDS77Xv3UmrFSTepsiJYwZN~TlC4Xal47y8GuPOYV7kh~xwon38-oslde2IvDV6OlOidpchqefsDr~PAm451A5PLnqiHm0p1G4KeKSDMsF-zePWj8P3LeEyt0dEvgZC9SCL5xTzKOOUbqIY38kV9jLoeJwlRJNn4rJjWR0EGoSH5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dona Ana County, NM","date","2025-05-28T07:44:00Z","article","Doña Ana County commissioners on May 27 awarded a construction contract not to exceed $3,136,351.38 to ESA Construction to perform renovations and additions to Fire Station 12 in Fairacres.

Justin Weaver of the county's Facilities and Services Department told the board bids originally exceeded available budgets. \"When we went out to bid, bids came back at $3,450,000,\" Weaver said, and the county then \"chose to value engineer the drawings\" to bring the project within budget and accept the lowest responsive bidder at $3,136,351. Weaver said the project had been about six weeks behind schedule because of those procurement and budgeting steps.

Weaver also said Doña Ana Mutual — the local water utility — will require an approximately $500,000 infrastructure contribution for the site. He said facilities is using an interim construction strategy to proceed while working toward a longer-term agreement with the utility.

The commission approved the contract by motion and vote. Commissioners described the project as important to Fairacres, Picacho Hills and the county fairgrounds because Station 12 provides a wide coverage area for emergency response.

Why it matters: Upgrading Fire Station 12 advances county readiness for public safety and emergency response in a growing service area; the project includes construction, new site infrastructure and coordination with the local water utility.

What’s next: Facilities staff will proceed with construction under the awarded contract and coordinate with Doña Ana Mutual on required water infrastructure improvements. Weaver said some value-engineering decisions were required to keep the project within the available construction budget, and staff will return with implementation updates as the work proceeds.

Ending: The commission approved the contract and asked staff to keep the board apprised of the infrastructure agreement with Doña Ana Mutual and of construction progress.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Doña Ana County awarded a $3,136,351.38 contract to ESA Construction for renovations and additions at Fire Station 12 in Fairacres; facilities staff said bids were value-engineered to meet budget and the project faces a Doña Ana Mutual infrastructure cost.","taxTitle","Doña Ana County, New Mexico","taxId",2695,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6224817,"Doña Ana County approves $312M revenue preliminary budget; expenditures total $387M with planned reserve draw",928,6282000,7210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3548732-eba51d9fe788ae05d50cfdff7b6122f2&start=6282&end=7210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3548732-eba51d9fe788ae05d50cfdff7b6122f2/thumbnail_6282000.jpg","/articles/6224817/Doña-Ana-County/New-Mexico/Doña-Ana-County-approves-312M-revenue-preliminary-budget-expenditures-total-387M-with-planned-reserve-draw","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224817-03ef0384a9cce4ae282108d9368647cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770963410&Signature=PqjojAnTh3cHXn86-tTYQ29-tsKL7QfuuYliEqsTgj0SJDEh74Ed~Pmapl7t00aPOutgngm0z-7Aen8zvDrieDlUa0TikYTCw30mr2SGBNPUc8REFbrKmCPEOFmejOp59ujF-0djjFxF1veRuOoqGt4Wn-W0kSgB-ChWKNPBWOrcONoCDuKl0QI5Wo6kl~kAnjO8INR51c7XbfL0XpF66mgve840sirv4~hEslRgOyku7zVOQHmXOL-4Nm4UOjXGMEtccTstfeWdnuV5EHFRMJ9YrfLlYvP1zC83upPxIv8ZlGJt9pmQNcoer2Nq8bb4Paqp2EMJTDdUvlkUqORwyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Doña Ana County commissioners on May 27 approved a preliminary fiscal year 2026 budget that budgets $312,000,000 in revenues and $387,380,000 in expenditures, creating a planned draw on reserves of roughly $75,200,000, Budget and Research Officer Lucio Luttrell told the board.

Luttrell said the revenue figure reflects a $98.7 million grant budget and that the county's largest single revenue source is gross receipts tax. \"We are budgeting $312,000,000,\" Luttrell said during his presentation, and he told commissioners the preliminary plan assumes a recurring operational surplus of about $2.6 million after accounting for grant-funded and one-time items.

Key figures Luttrell presented include: $165.3 million in tax revenues (about 53 percent of total), $98.7 million in grant revenue (32 percent), $33.0 million in service revenues and a conservative $5.0 million estimate for investment income. On the expenditure side, Luttrell reported $104.0 million in personnel costs, $111.0 million in operating costs, and $45.2 million in capital outlay (split among unrestricted and restricted projects).

The proposed budget includes 57 new positions countywide; Luttrell detailed a revised fire-rescue request of 41 positions after internal department adjustments. He also said the county plans to pursue state firefighter recruitment grant funding that could cover many firefighter positions for the first years if awarded.

Luttrell described the county's projected cash position: a beginning cash balance of about $205 million, budgeted end cash of about $129.9 million and an \"adjusted\" unrestricted ending cash after required reserves of roughly $27.0 million — equivalent to under six months of unrestricted operating costs at current levels. \"That number is important because...when you look at it at the budget perspective, we really have $27,000,000 to work with,\" Luttrell told the commission.

Commissioners discussed timing, implementation and the need for long-range forecasting extending beyond FY26. Luttrell said staff will update grant budgets and capital-in-process items between July 1 and July 10, and that the board will consider final budget adoption at a July 29 special meeting that will include the fourth-quarter report for FY25.

Why it matters: The preliminary budget sets the county's spending and capital priorities and identifies persistent staffing and operational needs — especially in fire-rescue, public safety and community-facing facilities — while signaling a multi‑million-dollar planned use of reserves that the board and staff said they will monitor closely.

What’s next: Luttrell said the county must submit the preliminary budget to the state Department of Finance and Administration by June 1 and will return to the commission with updated grant spending plans and any adjustments before the final FY26 vote on July 29.

Ending: The commission approved the preliminary FY26 budget and directed staff to refine grant budgets, provide clearer grant spend timelines, and develop longer-term revenue forecasts to inform FY27 and beyond.","The county approved its FY2026 preliminary budget on May 27; staff outlined a $312 million revenue plan, $387.38 million in expenditures and an anticipated draw on reserves of roughly $75.2 million, plus requests for new positions and capital projects to be finalized in July.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6224823,"Doña Ana County commissioners move to operationalize Chaparral library after community push",4659,1347000,6006000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3548732-eba51d9fe788ae05d50cfdff7b6122f2&start=1347&end=6006","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3548732-eba51d9fe788ae05d50cfdff7b6122f2/thumbnail_1347000.jpg","/articles/6224823/Doña-Ana-County/New-Mexico/Doña-Ana-County-commissioners-move-to-operationalize-Chaparral-library-after-community-push","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6224823-56983552874a4b419323b802df51e0ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770963410&Signature=B6L-jovYdULApG5jRYc6TqSOrCPf7qGVQHodh9m5aIkcQ1djlL5D-vay6Pnp8CWH6liFt6rjwE54ZR8xgFSkcKkdEd-rMb3dY7kkl7eaIJEzlRUBcmp~OZ~tg-gfA38IBuZQRaDJG65w7nWpmcFUTxDwcahxHPGUlKI-1XV-NZJs8sB4YnqpVei91IedRefIIn3cfSf9ppg-pGFcIYvOfcePwMGVPo14qISWcRoCr5EXSwGReY1lq54vKj-La38wvJwuZn0diq7SJXzk1umt1TEza8wBnKExpKuSweFyskTlrQSmBk~7rHazdWoYCNgIA9y-6~VOuM-lhZsU5x26zA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Doña Ana County commissioners and staff on May 27 heard multiple public comments urging the county to accept donated shelving and speed the opening of the Chaparral library at the Dolores Wright Center.

The county heard from volunteers and residents who said the library has more than 100 boxes of books and insufficient shelving and equipment, and who asked the commission to approve a donation of bookshelves valued at $2,160. \"This donation would come at no cost to the county,\" retired librarian Ida Garcia told the commission, asking members to \"please approve this donation.\" Volunteers also described having only one desktop computer on site while six computer cubicles remain empty.

County Health and Human Services Director Jamie Michael said the building was constructed with a state appropriation and \"it was never part of the County's strategic plan,\" which has left the county without dedicated library staffing. She outlined immediate steps staff are taking: purchase and deployment of the Library World catalog system, a volunteer onboarding process via HR (application, background check and orientation) for anyone working as a county agent, and a plan to put desktop computers into community centers after the fiscal-year start. \"There will be computers for the public to use,\" Michael said, and the county has scheduled a major equipment order for July 1.

IT Director Ken (Kent) English told the commission donated IT equipment raises security and support issues: donated devices must meet county security standards and be supportable. English said the county will order standard-configured desktop computers from its usual vendor beginning July 1; those units typically arrive within about two weeks and require another week for configuration.

County staff and several commissioners pressed to expedite volunteer onboarding. Michael said one volunteer has already completed the HR process, four retired librarians have volunteered to help with cataloging, and about 10 volunteers have expressed interest. Commission members asked staff to print and provide HR applications at the meeting and to meet with volunteers before they left. County Manager Andrews also agreed to visit the Chaparral site with staff to assess outstanding needs and to help coordinate next steps.

On donations, staff said they do not oppose in principle accepting donated printers or supplies; during the meeting legal staff indicated an individual donation of a printer or supplies would be permissible. Staff said the county is cautious about public-facing printers and copy machines because a policy is needed for public use and payment handling.

Why it matters: Chaparral residents, several of them Spanish-speaking parents and retired librarians, told the commission the community lacks library access and that a working local library would provide reading resources, literacy programs and a safe space for children and seniors. Commissioners repeatedly urged staff to remove procedural barriers so volunteers can get started and the facility can host public programs.

What’s next: Staff committed to help volunteers complete HR steps before they leave the meeting, to confirm existing computer/printer connectivity, to finalize Library World cataloging, and to place a planned IT order at the start of the new fiscal year. County Manager Andrews said he would schedule an on‑site visit later the same week or early the following week to coordinate outstanding tasks.

Ending: County staff listed immediate constraints — the need for HR onboarding for volunteers, county policies for public use of equipment, and IT security standards for donated devices — and set a short series of next steps the commission expects to see advanced before the July budget finalization cycle.","Residents and volunteers urged the county to accept donated shelving and expedite volunteer onboarding at the Chaparral library; county staff described steps under way including a catalog system, HR onboarding for volunteers, IT plans and a July 1 purchase window for new public computers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission awards $3.14 million contract to renovate Fire Station 12 in Fairacres

Doña Ana County approves $312M revenue preliminary budget; expenditures total $387M with planned reserve draw

Doña Ana County commissioners move to operationalize Chaparral library after community push