Local STEM nonprofit warns $150,000 capital-outlay award is at risk; county staff say they are working to resolve procurement and vendor issues

At the June 25, 2025 Sandoval County meeting, representatives of R4 Creating, a local nonprofit that provides robotics and STEM education, told commissioners that a previously approved $150,000 capital-outlay allocation is at risk because of procurement complications, vendor failures and inconsistent guidance from the state Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).

Dr. Shelly Grunig, who identified herself as the founding executive director of R4 Creating and said she is known locally as the "robot lady," told the commission that the funding would "make the difference in the lives of thousands of students and kids and educators in Sandoval County," and urged follow-up to ensure the funds and equipment reach students. She said the nonprofit has worked with state legislators for five years and that the commission gave unanimous support two years earlier for the capital outlay request.

A man who identified himself in the public comment period as Grunig's husband and a longtime STEM educator described a series of obstacles: unwritten rules from the state process, inconsistent county responses amid staff turnover, expired vendor quotes, and a vendor that failed to fulfill promises. He credited Deputy County Manager Eric Masterson and Senior Grant Writer Laura Chavez with helping to move the project forward in recent days.

County Manager Wayne Johnson told the commission that the speakers' account was accurate and acknowledged county mistakes and staff turnover in the grants department. He said the county is "working very diligently to try and make sure that we can fulfill their request completely" and named Masterson and Chavez for their recent efforts. Johnson said changes in tariffs, expired quotes and contradictory procurement rulings from DFA had complicated the process and confirmed that the county, state and vendor all bore some responsibility for the delays. "The county's made mistakes in this. The DFA has made mistakes. The vendor made mistakes. We all bear some responsibility, but our for creating has not been one of those who has borne any responsibility for this," he said.

Speakers asked the commission to follow up to ensure the nonprofit receives the equipment and services before the June 30 deadline for capital outlay funds; county staff said they would continue working on procurement and noted that some progress had been made through state vendor and DFA communications.

No formal vote was taken on the public comment item; county staff directed follow-up and said staff would continue to pursue procurement and contractual steps to complete the award if possible.