Council hears NMDOT proposal to install two fast EV chargers; village would pay $38,100 in five-year operational costs

The Village of Jemez Springs received an NMDOT proposal to host two ChargePoint fast electric-vehicle chargers along a designated corridor. Mayor Mike Nealeigh said NMDOT would cover the full cost of the chargers, installation, grid connection and service activation, while the Village would be responsible for ongoing operational costs paid upfront for the first five years.

Mayor Nealeigh described the village’s obligations as internet service and transaction-processing fees plus mandatory five-year service contracts for each charger. He said those ongoing costs total $38,100 for the initial five-year period and would be paid upfront. The arrangement would be memorialized as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NMDOT. The Mayor also said he had requested a revenue projection from ChargePoint based on the Village’s average daily traffic count but had not yet received that data; the item was informational only.

Trustee James McCue expressed support for pursuing the opportunity. Trustee Robert Wilson asked about potential locations and nearby chargers; Fred Simmank suggested siting a charger near the main office building to simplify internet access. The Mayor noted station siting must avoid interfering with valuable parking near the bath house and conference room.

What happens next: Staff will await revenue projections from ChargePoint and further logistical details before bringing a formal action to the Council. No MOU or binding commitment was made at the Feb. 25 meeting.