APS policy committee holds first read of capital planning policy after public debate over project labor agreements

Albuquerque Public Schools' Policy Committee met Nov. 3, 2025, and heard eight public-forum speakers who urged differing approaches to proposed references to community workforce agreements (CWAs) and project labor agreements (PLAs) in a draft capital planning and budgeting policy. The committee adopted the meeting agenda and approved minutes by roll-call vote at the start of the session.

The most urgent issue raised at public forum was language in the draft policy that says the district "shall pursue community workforce and labor project agreements" for capital projects. Several contractors and apprentices told the committee that explicit references to CWAs or PLAs could shrink the pool of bidders and reduce opportunities for nonunion or merit-based contractors. "The use of community workforce or labor project agreements as outlined in the current policy would effectively counsel someone like me from participating in APS projects," said Oswaldo Rojas, who described himself as a graduate of New America Charter School and a product of apprenticeship programs. "I'm asking you to strike the specific reference to community workforce or labor project agreements and instead include inclusive language that values all contractors and apprentices," he said.

Small-business contractors echoed that concern. "Mandatory PLAs would shrink the competitive pool of contractors and subcontractors, and with smaller pools, pricing tends to be less competitive," said Zach Thompson, who identified himself as the president of a local small-business general contractor. Several speakers, including Allie Moore, noted existing legal protections: state law requires prevailing wages on public projects above $60,000 and requires either apprentice hiring or contributions to the Public Works Apprenticeship and Training Fund. "We don't need a union mandate to keep work local," Moore said, adding that APS already scores apprenticeship participation in its RFPs.

Union representatives disputed that PLAs or CWAs would exclude nonunion contractors. "There's a big misconception that a community workforce agreement is union-only," said Rosendo Najjar, identified in public comment as president of a carpenters local. Najjar said many state-certified apprenticeship programs are not union-only and that some municipal agreements use a $5,000,000 threshold to apply workforce provisions, allowing smaller projects to proceed without those requirements.

Carla Kugler, president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors, cautioned the board that mandated PLAs can mean fewer bidders and higher costs, and she urged the district to use existing, competitive procurement and the Community Capital Advisory Committee (CCAC) to pursue equity, transparency and workforce development instead of requiring PLAs.

The committee then took up a first read of the draft capital planning and budgeting policy. Chair Josefina Dominguez and several board members emphasized the policy's stated goals — equity, transparency, community voice, and aligning capital investments with student outcomes — but they also asked for clarification about scope. Administration officials, including Superintendent Blakey and staff, told the committee they do not recommend converting the draft language into a board policy because much of the text addresses implementation details that belong in administrative procedures. The administration also cited overlaps or interactions with prior agreements and processes, including the Sombrano agreement referenced in the meeting materials, the district's capital master plan, and the role of the Public School Facilities Authority.

Dr. Gonzales reminded the committee that the Community Capital Advisory Committee was created by a 2011 board resolution and that it and the capital master plan committee are existing channels for community engagement on capital priorities. Board members and staff also discussed "rightsizing" — the district's work to adjust building use and capacity in response to declining enrollment — and how the capital master plan informs those decisions.

No substantive policy action was taken: the item was a first read and committee members asked for more research, side-by-side comparisons of the draft policy against existing procedures, and additional community engagement before any formal vote. Several board members asked staff for more information on CWAs and PLAs, including how other local governments use thresholds (the $5,000,000 figure was cited by a public speaker) and what administrative procedures already require about apprenticeship participation and prevailing wages.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting were procedural. The committee adopted the agenda (motion by Board Member Heather Benavides; second by Board Member Reynaldo Tomorito; recorded roll-call votes were "Yes" from Janelle Astorga, Reynaldo Tomorito, Heather Benavides, Courtney Jackson and Josefina Dominguez) and approved minutes from the Oct. 5, 2025 policy committee meeting (motion by Board Member Heather Benavides; second by Board Member Courtney Jackson; recorded roll-call votes were "Yes" from the same members).

Chair Dominguez said the draft will be revised, posted for public comment, and returned for further committee consideration; she estimated the board could consider a final policy in February or March 2026. The committee received additional updates during the meeting, including an IH-9 tribal consultation policy legal review and a timetable for a KC charter school policy first read and subsequent legal review. The committee adjourned after setting its next meeting.

What the meeting did not decide: there was no vote to adopt or reject the draft capital planning and budgeting policy, and no change was made to existing administrative procedures. The discussion generated requests for further fact-gathering and community outreach before any board-level policy action.