Mesilla Valley MPO staff begin administrative separation from City of Las Cruces; insurance and hiring steps underway

MPO staff reported that the administrative transition of the Mesilla Valley MPO away from the City of Las Cruces is now in effect and that several administrative steps are underway to operationalize the change.

Staff said the city remains the MPO’s fiscal agent for the near term while the MPO severs enterprise software connections and completes administrative separation tasks. The transition requires insurance changes and a new hire: staff described securing general liability for a new physical office, acquiring workers’ compensation coverage, and obtaining professional liability insurance before posting a management-analyst position required to comply with the city procurement code.

Sandra Ray and other MPO staff described a set of administrative dependencies tied to procurement and federal/state approvals. Ray said staff have “made significant strides” acquiring insurance and are preparing to post a management-analyst position so the MPO can perform purchasing without relying on city procurement staff. Staff also reported work to resolve federal withholding and state approvals related to payroll and benefits as part of the separation.

MPO staff asked for patience as administrative work continues and said they will return to BPAC with updates. The work affects internal operations (procurement, hiring, insurance) rather than policy decisions; staff framed the work as readiness and compliance steps necessary for the MPO to function independently of the city.