Santa Fe County approves $7.3 million midyear budget adjustments, hires Avero Advisors for ERP work

Santa Fe County commissioners on Jan. 28 approved a $7,333,276 midyear budget adjustment that reallocates county revenue to cover a mix of capital, public safety and operational needs and to launch the county’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) program. The board also approved a professional-services contract with Avero Advisors to lead the county’s ERP selection, procurement and implementation consulting work. The actions passed unanimously.

County Manager Jason Schaefer told the commission that the midyear adjustments rely largely on higher-than-budgeted gross receipts tax receipts and a set of restricted fund balances. Finance Director Yvonne Nedra described a roughly $106.7 million revised revenue estimate for FY2025, and said the current package uses restricted resources where available and limits general-fund drawdown to $200,000 for the adjustment. The largest single line in the package is $2.7 million allocated for ERP consulting and related scope.

County officials said the ERP funding will cover a multi-phase program that includes discovery, RFP development, vendor selection and implementation planning. The board heard from Avero’s CEO, Abhijit Verakar, who said the firm will work as a time-and-materials engagement capped by phase and provide weekly deliverables and progress reporting. “We will provide milestones, weekly updates, and invoice detail tied to delivered work so the county retains control,” Verakar told the commission.

Why it matters: County leaders described the project as a multi‑year, transformational effort intended to replace antiquated systems, reduce manual reconciliations and improve budgeting and reporting for departments across the county. Commissioners stressed that the project will need active change management and regular milestone reporting to avoid scope creep and unexpected cost increases.

Other midyear adjustments approved in the package included funds for corrections capital and operations (additional recreation yards, surveillance and fire‑suppression repairs), infrastructure and flood‑plain work in growth management, solid‑waste and environmental fund increments, lining a pond at the county water‑reclamation facility and an additional $1 million to the enterprise water fund for water‑rights purchases and compliance work.

Commissioners asked for frequent, clear milestones and public reporting. Chair Camilla Bustamante requested the project charter, steering committee membership and a communications plan be delivered to the board after the procurement kickoff. Avero and county staff said they will produce a project‑charter, a communication cadence and quarterly steering‑committee reports.

What the board voted: The motion to approve the midyear budget package and the separate motion to approve the contract with Avero Advisors passed unanimously. Commissioner Adam Johnson moved the budget approval; Commissioner Hank Hughes seconded. Commissioner Justin Green moved the Avero contract approval and Commissioner Adam Johnson seconded. The board asked staff to return regular milestone reports and to ensure procurement documents include firm cost and deliverable controls.

Ending: County managers said the ERP consultant selection starts an intensive planning period; the procurement is anticipated to take several months with implementation and vendor rollout to follow over multiple years.