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Taos County agrees to serve as fiscal agent for two capital outlay requests: Llano Quemado parking and Holy Cross Medical Center expansion
Summary
The commission approved letters agreeing to be fiscal agent for (1) a Llano Quemado parking-lot capital outlay request (seeking $250,000) and (2) a Holy Cross Medical Center capital outlay request (seeking $25 million). Commissioners discussed project phasing, design estimates, and county capacity to manage grants and short-term cash flow.
Taos County commissioners approved two separate letters asking the county to serve as fiscal agent for capital outlay requests submitted to the New Mexico Legislative Council Service: a Llano Quemado parking-lot request and a $25 million request from Holy Cross Medical Center.
Llano Quemado: County manager staff said Llano Quemado (transcript spelling varies) previously requested $100,000 for parking-lot paving; design estimates came in higher, and the community submitted a new request for $250,000. County staff and a community representative (Mr. Chavez) were present; staff said the project design was phased so that $100,000 could be put to use even if the state awarded less than $250,000. The commission voted to approve the county letter to Legislative Council Service agreeing to be fiscal agent. Staff noted an agreement template is in draft and the county's deputy manager is finalizing the local agreement with the community center before funds would be managed.
Holy Cross Medical Center: The commission also approved a letter agreeing to be fiscal agent for Holy Cross Medical Center's $25,000,000 capital outlay request. Hospital representatives described capacity constraints at the hospital and high recent emergency-department volumes; the requested funds would support more primary-care, pediatrics and obstetrics space and additional services including chemotherapy, according to the hospital speaker. Hospital representatives said architects had earlier estimated a larger figure (roughly $40 million in an initial “double-space” estimate), and the requested $25 million reflects a negotiated target with the senator to seek a practicable amount from the legislature. County staff warned the commission that county grant-management capacity is constrained (the GRAMA/grant position is open and staff bandwidth is limited) and that the county sometimes loans cash between stages to bridge state reimbursement timing. The commission voted to approve the letter.
Both motions passed on unanimous roll calls. Commissioners discussed the county's internal capacity to manage capital projects and said staff would continue to finalize agreements and coordinate potential cash-flow arrangements if grants are awarded.
