County officials, residents push for more staff, longer dump hours and local collection to curb illegal dumping

Doña Ana County staff and community volunteers discussed illegal dumping and cleanup programs at the March 4 work session, highlighting staffing limits, enforcement challenges on federal lands and community‑led cleanup efforts.

Christina Ainsworth, director of the county codes/enforcement program, told commissioners that Doña Ana County covers roughly 3,800 square miles with population concentrated along the Rio Grande and US‑70 corridors. She said approximately 75% of the county is federal land, much of it Bureau of Land Management property, and that remote public land is frequently targeted for dumping because local ownership and surveillance are limited.

Ainsworth described county enforcement capacity as small: one lead codes officer, four environmental codes officers, four laborers and two zoning enforcement officers who help identify sites. She said program funding combines the county general fund and a waste‑exchange agreement with South Central Solid Waste (the county receives a portion of tipping fees), plus periodic BLM grants (grants 7–10 provided about $168,000 to date) and Keep New Mexico Clean and Beautiful grants. Ainsworth said the waste‑exchange agreement funds roughly one full‑time employee and portions of other salaries and that the county budgets about $182,000 per year from those revenues for illegal‑dumping work.

Ainsworth and commissioners discussed operational challenges: culprits often leave no evidence, court processes are slow and resources are limited; legal restrictions mean the county may not clean up private property without owner consent. She suggested options to improve enforcement and prevention, including targeted camera and remote surveillance at problem sites, expanding transfer station hours, more collection centers or curbside service, seasonal staffing and more community education.

Community members from Chaparral emphasized local volunteer cleanup efforts and asked the county to sign a memorandum of understanding with Otero County to enable coordinated grant applications and shared cleanup resources. Arimondo (Ray) Vasquez and Dr. Woody Williams described community cleanups using student volunteers and partnerships with Keep Doña Ana Beautiful; they asked for swift action on a proposed MOU so joint work across the county line can proceed.

Commissioners raised ideas to increase revenue for cleanups. Commissioner Reynolds suggested reopening negotiations with the county’s contracted landfill operator (Camino Real / South Central Solid Waste) to raise the per‑ton amount the county receives under the waste‑exchange agreement and to consider re‑instituting voucher programs or coupons for residents. Ainsworth said she will supply the commission with counts of enforcement actions and further information on historic voucher programs.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to return with cost estimates and options for expanding collection hours, a grappler/large‑item pickup pilot, and staffing models for enforcement and labor teams, and to coordinate with the Solid Waste Authority and state partners on grants and regional campaigns.