Board approves $153,000 gas-line quote to serve planned middle school

Tularosa Municipal Schools' board on Tuesday approved a $153,000 quote from New Mexico Gas Company to extend gas service more than a mile to the site of the district's planned new middle school.

The administrator said the new middle school project is planned as a roughly $49 million, 64,000-square-foot facility and that the Public School Facilities Authority (PSFA) would not participate if the gas line work lies outside district property. "It's gonna be in at a $153,000," the district administrator said when describing the quote and the need to bring gas service to the site. The administrator said the district can use bond carryover funds to cover the cost if required.

Why it matters: The gas-line extension was framed as a necessary utility connection for a major capital project. Board members heard that delaying the line would likely increase overall project costs. The administrator told the board the district has reserves from recent carryovers that could be used, noting prior years' carryovers had been set aside in rainy-day or investment accounts.

Board action: After brief questions about utilities and water-line sizing for irrigation, a motion to approve the quote was made, seconded and carried. The board did not provide a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript; the moderator announced the motion passed.

What happens next: District staff said they plan to proceed with the contract and anticipate some reimbursement if other customers connect to the line later. Officials also said final site utility work will include upsizing an irrigation well line and other water-related work.

Provenance: Topic introduced SEG 1003; discussion and approval concluded SEG 1086.