[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",5983130,"mediaKeyId","5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2","parentId",5793803,"title","Council committee approves $500,827 contract for microgrid design to bolster critical facility resilience","audioSeconds",538,"startMs",3436000,"endMs",3974000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2&start=3436&end=3974","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2/thumbnail_3436000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5983130/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Council-committee-approves-500827-contract-for-microgrid-design-to-bolster-critical-facility-resilience","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983130-ef0eccf4db115d7f1667cbb3a08a8787/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442599&Signature=XTg9eN3WUjG4lMYC8r9QhkCA36hQA7OWZVPYG~vQ-Ao8XNFCjRQF-E~xkANXGLfNE3eA0VvDREgTJNljcNRyTXvZlUZ88WL37SZFnguIxz5ho~5x210H8v9silchDENieUVnoenc0ELsiM~yNExWmWAeEFdyom4LV9jnzxtNMQoTKvnMYUO-5HNMNWVCk5JhLq0BN8TqApVF3hGVE19H-u67S0Yc0R0qtfnrJ38ssN6QMJBv44Vw~aABZcm6JaZpLehMNCDUx7CEErUR3g7j4AZg8iPzY~Ns~WaCGp6a5TVKVmwccJ4cvgYVZRjUJx3kIDm~FFP6vEiMPyGe6Q0xcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Fe, NM","date","2025-09-16T12:28:13Z","article","The Public Works and Utilities Committee on Monday approved a professional services agreement with Year Out Energy Services LLC d/b/a Energy Systems Group Southwest for an investment-grade audit and microgrid design, authorizing $500,827 including NMGRT for an 18‑month term.

City staff described the project as a planning and design step that would identify critical facilities that would benefit from additional on-site generation, batteries and control logic to create microgrids that can operate during outages or disconnect from the grid.

\"This project builds on the city's significant solar resources they already have installed, over 6 megawatts,\" Director Wheeler said, describing prior solar work and saying the design contract will inform site-level decisions about batteries, controls and possible supplemental generators. Kyle Morgan, interim director of emergency management, said the effort grew out of the city’s 2020 hazard mitigation plan and the goal of keeping water, wastewater and shelter operations functioning during outages.

Staff said the planning effort was to identify where batteries and controls could both keep critical services running during outages and reduce peak demand charges when connected to the grid. Wheeler said Year Out Energy already worked on the city’s recent solar expansion and that familiarity allowed the contractor to offer a discounted fee; Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) procurement reviewed and certified the vendor selection for the grant-funded scope.

Funding context: staff said the planning work is funded from a FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) award; the BRIC program is no longer accepting new applications nationally, but the city’s BRIC funds are encumbered and can be used for the planning contract. Wheeler and Morgan said BRIC funding had been expected to cover a larger share of eventual construction, but other grants and incentives will be pursued for build-out.

The committee voted to approve the agreement by roll call (Romero Wirth: Yes; Lee Garcia: Yes; Castro: Yes; Chair Chavez: Yes). Councilor Michael Garcia had left the meeting before the vote. Staff said the design and audit work will inform future capital requests and grant applications for construction of microgrids at identified facilities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Works & Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Public Works and Utilities Committee approved a $500,827 professional services agreement for a microgrid investment-grade audit and design.","taxTitle","Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico","taxId",2727,"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},5983126,"Committee adopts ordinance to stop adding fluoride and to require ongoing monitoring of naturally occurring levels",706,3624000,4330000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2&start=3624&end=4330","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2/thumbnail_3624000.jpg","/articles/5983126/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Committee-adopts-ordinance-to-stop-adding-fluoride-and-to-require-ongoing-monitoring-of-naturally-occurring-levels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983126-0e5987b861a25b113392b001b1fe7687/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442599&Signature=hi5gfkGwVUT8xAM~ysRhMTmXTCdVwEQwDqASw9JqIA8KqE6eQQvhWB8K3AKmSJ9YTprDBE5SVtCB49KNOe1bkuvMnOv0MtlErsJ3bboO63VMaYYzMqUNE5E6qsYvX0KyAKNhBMGsbrgUSY1kHe1avQ4MtXxqzVFLJDHrJ1FHTpnM9MM20YuVGPW3iDeoG9uw~aMvc45VSrrz65mT0MmDggbNTylcxGTwb5i97tD3I2TVDQ8P6FwgUL6yY5jYuoL0SoS9NGRRW6kpzb-kuOQrfGQgUR9i9j-eL-e-~-ZkiMfkN-eHuMKocQvWZsUXkxV-8-icG-4djeakutb20PaXnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Works and Utilities Committee on Monday approved a bill amending city code to end the requirement to add fluoride to the municipal water system and to require continued monitoring and annual reporting of naturally occurring fluoride concentrations.

Director Roche of the water division told the committee that existing, treated source waters already contain measurable fluoride: \"Canyon Road water treatment plant averages around 0.3 parts per million, and the Buckman direct diversion water averages about 0.6 parts per million. Samples taken in the distribution system tend to average about 0.5 parts per million.\" Roche said the current city code targets 1 part per million (a range of 0.8–1.2) but noted federal guidance from the Centers for Disease Control recommends 0.7 parts per million.

Staff recommended ending the active addition of fluoride because the naturally occurring background concentrations are fairly close to the CDC recommendation and because precisely dosing small additional quantities would require equipment and handling protocols that are relatively expensive and would use corrosive powdered chemicals, presenting operational hazards. Roche told the committee the water division will incorporate fluoride monitoring into its annual water report so the public will have ongoing summary data.

Committee members said the ordinance clarifies the city’s duty to monitor and report; several members noted that the decision to stop adding fluoride does not preclude revisiting the practice later if monitoring or federal recommendations change. The committee approved the bill by roll call (Councilor Romero Wirth: Yes; Councilor Lee Garcia: Yes; Councilor Alma Castro: Yes; Chair Chavez: Yes).","The Public Works and Utilities Committee approved an ordinance amending SFCC 19-87 to end mandatory fluoride addition and to require continued monitoring and reporting of naturally occurring fluoride levels in the city water system.",{"_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},5983123,"Santa Fe Watershed Association announces three‑year river‑restoration planning effort",172,186000,358000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2&start=186&end=358","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2/thumbnail_186000.jpg","/articles/5983123/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Santa-Fe-Watershed-Association-announces-threeyear-riverrestoration-planning-effort","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983123-82488e193d8b43e4e796b44d7f6feac8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442599&Signature=A1LQjbyKEylws45e1yXpewLOAOwRJIZzQFeg5jD1c21obzBTOA5DGHkf2D7OlJ04-u2vrVP1fsFKEbw5oLklvbSPDlps0HO6ct2wW0QK~stPt1yzjaNxY5~TWA-YnoZYk0WFupbMBI3hybY4n~CL2P15rCXutYxiK3Y3w5ubrZyMn2tciqTCRx3nFeC23kTdMR8uf1WNdevaWBzGLTj7Q5LvU9fFPYbeQ1nWqK515q2f4CQzFQO60vOXRXRMKFtEUlIg89V2xa64UN68nGPThjNTX8QPUChhlmx2qBpYmVM5Jl7I0Gdnj8IUrKUar7MxB7cm37G4GYJ2vvwvgBFcHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Maury Hensley, executive director of the Santa Fe Watershed Association and a District 4 resident, told the Public Works and Utilities Committee that the association is launching a three‑year watershed restoration planning effort for the entire Santa Fe River watershed and invited the public to a kickoff meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the Southside Library. Hensley said the association received letters of support from multiple city departments and will work closely with city staff and other collaborators.

\"This is the first ever planning effort for the entire Santa Fe River watershed,\" Hensley said, and he encouraged residents to attend the kickoff and other events in the confluence Santa Fe water series. Hensley left flyers with the committee and said further information is available online.","The Santa Fe Watershed Association told the committee it is launching the first-ever comprehensive watershed restoration planning effort for the Santa Fe River watershed, with a kickoff meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the Southside Library and a three‑year planning timeline.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5983135,"Committee approves donation of Las Estrellas Tract 6A to HomeWise amid neighborhood concerns",3170,287000,3457000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2&start=287&end=3457","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5793803-6917c12835cabc4f9a4cdcb8eb8748d2/thumbnail_287000.jpg","/articles/5983135/Santa-Fe/Santa-Fe-County/New-Mexico/Committee-approves-donation-of-Las-Estrellas-Tract-6A-to-HomeWise-amid-neighborhood-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983135-56663a0be59768824cad33ef95003d26/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442599&Signature=DV~Ik1atGa5h72coRExOIJNZTKG6~-RaUw75y618KM7Szov7zrfku3GMEeCeLCMSRQNeEVKrUrbapLIPrur-8PCPVID5XxfuNwFab--RgQLYLfSIeU-r6UQQmrOsxH0iFwH3RaDK46j5ct5t~jljGxFnQGTmgWd7unzF2fwZGhDjGBi~YlBn5dTVIJQl4kKJVQOV-M6vbMffkMa9tLJHK2TCIqhVC5Pv-OzeLbtq9e8BR5EWq5gtXYDERiL~VnAG~SRnSDcWcREKUqWw7jsQDBGqBvovi9L24irCEXYGnAyCoAL-A2eTw7IuQu~SlUA4lyYgnbABCKxztoOFe87kvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Works and Utilities Committee voted Monday to approve a donation agreement transferring Las Estrellas Tract 6A to HomeWise for development as affordable housing.

Committee members and staff said the vote transfers the property but does not approve any development plan; HomeWise must secure land entitlements, planning approvals and demonstrate funding before building.

The decision matters because residents pressed the committee with repeated concerns that the tract’s arroyos, shifting soils and drainage make it unsuitable for high-density housing and could create long-term costs and risks for future homeowners. Committee members and staff said the donation agreement contains performance deadlines and that HomeWise will need to complete technical due diligence before any construction could begin.

More than a half-dozen residents and neighborhood representatives spoke against donating the site without further analysis and community review. \"We support affordable housing, but because Tract 6A is simply ill suited for high density development,\" said Bunny Hall, a resident, arguing the site’s drainage and soil conditions could threaten future homeowners. Kevin Pazine, president of the Santa Fe Estates Neighborhood Association, said HomeWise’s experience is “limited” to flatter urban sites and urged the city to consider single-unit worker housing or other sites in the Northwest Quadrant.

City staff summarized technical work done to date. \"Wilson and Company ... determined that a total of 86 dwelling units could actually be supported on the property,\" said Terry Lease, the city’s asset development manager, citing a Wilson and Company feasibility study dated 12/01/2023 that estimated roughly 19 acres in the tract with 12.33 acres available for development. Lease said the study reviewed roads, dry utilities, wastewater, water, drainage and design guidelines but did not include core soil samples, and that core sampling and detailed soils work would be part of HomeWise’s due diligence.

Lease described the donation agreement’s protections: HomeWise will have five years to develop the property, must obtain planning commission and other city approvals and demonstrate proof of funds; if HomeWise does not meet the agreement’s requirements the deed includes provisions allowing the city to reclaim the property. Councilor Michael Garcia, a sponsor of the original resolution designating the site for affordable housing, said the tract’s size and relative separation from existing homes were factors in its selection and that staff walked and analyzed multiple parcels before recommending 6A.

Several council members and staff noted that the resolution before the committee only transfers the land and that formal development review — including additional community engagement and planning commission hearings — would occur later if HomeWise proceeds. Councilor Castro said she preferred city ownership of land for affordable housing when possible but supported this donation as a pragmatic compromise because the city currently lacks capacity to build, manage and maintain a large housing development.

A motion to postpone the item until the committee’s Sept. 29 meeting failed on a 3–2 roll call (Romero Wirth: No; Michael Garcia: Yes; Lee Garcia: No; Castro: Yes; Chair Chavez: No). The committee then voted to approve the donation agreement by roll call: Councilor Castro: No; Councilor Lee Garcia: Yes; Councilor Michael Garcia: Yes; Councilor Romero Wirth: Yes; Chair Chavez: Yes. The motion passed 4–1.

Next steps: staff said the item is scheduled to continue through the committee process (Quality of Life Committee and Finance Committee) before the governing body considers final action; staff and councilors said additional community meetings and more detailed feasibility and soils work will occur if HomeWise takes control of the parcel. The donation itself does not authorize construction, zoning changes or site work.","The Public Works and Utilities Committee voted to approve a donation agreement transferring Las Estrellas Tract 6A to the nonprofit HomeWise for affordable housing; residents raised concerns about drainage, soils and long-term habitability, and staff and sponsors said the donation transfers land only and requires HomeWise to secure all approvals.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council committee approves $500,827 contract for microgrid design to bolster critical facility resilience

Committee adopts ordinance to stop adding fluoride and to require ongoing monitoring of naturally occurring levels

Santa Fe Watershed Association announces three‑year river‑restoration planning effort

Committee approves donation of Las Estrellas Tract 6A to HomeWise amid neighborhood concerns