LCPS bond advisory committee recommends $65 million general obligation package with safety upgrades and Title IX projects

Las Cruces Public Schools staff and the district's bond advisory committee outlined a proposed bond package on May 20 that they plan to present to the board for possible approval at the June meeting and to the county for the November ballot.

District staff said the district's bonding capacity is about $65 million and that the package the advisory group prioritized includes both carryover items from 2021 and new projects. Committee members said all campuses will be touched by a district-wide access-control (badge) upgrade and that 15 campuses would receive at least one additional project.

Why it matters

The bond would provide capital funds for campus security and infrastructure across the district, and the district's presentation emphasized projects intended to be eligible for state matching funds where applicable. A successful general obligation bond and a concurrent three-mill levy would affect property-tax revenues and construction schedules for school facilities.

Key project categories identified by the committee

- District-wide access control: Upgrade and install electronic door access on exterior doors and classrooms at all campuses. Staff said this work is expected to improve campus security district-wide. - Carryover and roofing/HVAC: The package includes $22.1 million in carryover projects (including a Cesar Chavez roof and Operation Center work) and prioritized new HVAC and roof work for several campuses. Zia Middle School and Tomba Elementary were singled out for combined HVAC/roof projects; staff said those two projects were eligible for a 42% state match and that the district has secured the state funding commitment for them. - Title IX athletics needs: Modular restroom and changing facilities and renovation of storage areas were proposed for several high schools (Las Cruces High, Mayfield and Oregon Mountain) to address gender-equity facility gaps; the advisory committee recommended modular options in some locations to accelerate work and control costs. - Campus renovations and site-level projects: Recommendations included nurse office renovations, restroom upgrades to meet accessibility standards, new playground equipment and shade structures at several elementary schools, and contingency funding (the district budgeted roughly $6 million for contingency in the proposed package).

Process and next steps

District staff said the bond advisory committee met four times and included parents, principals, district leaders and board members; the district will present the full bond package to the board on June 17 for discussion and possible approval. If the board approves, staff told the meeting they would submit the bond resolution and required shape files and memoranda to the county clerk and Secretary of State for placement on the November 4 ballot.

Board questions and operational concerns

Board members asked about modular facility durability, custodial workload and long-term operations costs. Staff said modular units would be connected to utilities and designed for multi-year use, and that custodial staffing ratios would be reviewed if site square footage increased. Facilities staff said contractors would provide lifecycle estimates, and the district would include ongoing maintenance needs in implementation planning.

Ending

Superintendent Ruiz and the facilities team said they will return in June with the full bond package, the formal resolution and documentation needed by the county; staff also said they planned an outreach campaign and formation of a community Blue Ribbon committee to support public information and turnout ahead of the November election.