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El Paso County gives monthly update on voter-approved bond projects; medical examiner CMAR near award
Summary
County staff reported procurement milestones on the Office of the Medical Examiner and other capital projects, said some parks are delayed for community finishings, and confirmed upcoming community meetings and contract steps.
El Paso County commissioners received a detailed status update Oct. 16 on voter-approved bond projects and the county’s capital improvement plan, including procurement milestones for the Office of the Medical Examiner and a schedule of community meetings for several park projects.
The presentation, delivered by county purchasing and public-works staff during a special meeting of the El Paso County Commissioner's Court, outlined that the county has completed its first construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) procurement for the Office of the Medical Examiner and is in final approvals ahead of an anticipated award. Karen Davidson, the county purchasing agent, said the contract and an AIA standard-form construction contract were finished and “it probably will be in December and not January,” allowing public works to issue a notice to proceed and schedule another groundbreaking.
Why it matters: the bond program funds multiple parks, an animal shelter, a new medical examiner facility and other capital needs. Delays to project schedules and the county’s decisions about procurement method and contracting can affect construction timing, community access to park amenities, and future maintenance costs.
Key details from the update
• Medical examiner facility: Karen Davidson said the CMAR procurement is complete and that the county attorneys crafted the contract; an award and contract execution are imminent so the county can issue a notice to proceed. On the design side, county staff said the architect is finalizing schematic and design development work so value-engineering can begin once a contractor is on board.
• Procurement methods: Staff confirmed the county is using CMAR (construction manager at risk) and a competitive sealed proposal (CSP) instrument for different projects rather than traditional low-bid contracts. Assistant county attorney Nick Aglione and Erica Rosales said the CMAR approach implements the county’s “best value” procurement process and that legal review and FAQ materials were developed to ensure compliance with the applicable statute and procurement rules.
• Ascarate Park administration building and other CSP projects: The CSP package for the Ascarate Park administrative building is expected to be advertised in November. Staff said the CSP evaluation uses criteria beyond low price and that county attorneys and purchasing have worked to include the contract form in the procurement package.
• Parks with community-driven delays: Davidson and public-works staff said three parks — Reisinger, Westway and Agua Dulce — are delayed because final community design decisions and meetings are still pending; those finish decisions must be made before procurement can proceed. Staff estimated that procurement for those parks is more likely to start in January than November.
• Sports Park field lighting and other construction: The Sports Park electrical upgrades and fixture replacement are underway; contractors are swapping fixtures daily and working to return fields to usable condition at the end of each day. Public-works staff said they will issue a notice to proceed this week for one park contract and that design workshops for the animal shelter are scheduled for October with site visits planned.
• Utility coordination and conveyance issues: For Veterans Park, staff said negotiations with the Fabens Water District remain pending and the county awaits the district’s final location for a future well site before finalizing an agreement. For Gallegos Park, the county is coordinating with El Paso Water and the International Boundary and Water Commission on final approvals.
• Signage and communications: Melissa Carrillo, communications staff, said project signs have been ordered but “have not yet been placed at the sites” and she will follow up with an expected delivery date.
Questions and community concerns
Commissioner Butler asked whether lighting could be advanced at a heavily used county park to address safety and evening access; Butler noted that the site is “the only county park in Precinct 1” and urged staff to explore options. Public-works staff said they will inspect recently added lighting and consider interim solutions while final project work proceeds.
Maintenance and operations planning
Commissioners raised concerns about long-term maintenance and operations costs tied to the new projects. County staff said they are compiling information and will return with a presentation on operational and long-term maintenance needs and cost estimates.
Next steps: staff said the county will proceed with final procurement steps on the CMAR award for the medical examiner facility, release the CSP for the Ascarate Park administrative building as planned, continue community meetings for the three delayed parks, and return to the court with follow-up information on signage and maintenance planning.
Ending: Commissioners did not take a formal vote on individual bond projects during the presentation; staff committed to returning with procurement awards, contract execution details and a maintenance/operations briefing at future meetings.
