CARLSBAD — The Eddy County Commission held a regular meeting Tuesday morning in Carlsbad, during which the board approved a budget adjustment for the Artesia Industrial Park.
The Eddy County Public Works Department and the City of Artesia have coordinated and propose to partner on Artesia’s Inustrial Park Road Project on Freeman Avenue from city limits to Compress Road. The county and city have agreed that the city will administer the project and encumber the funds, then invoice the county.
The county’s portion of this project will be approximately $300,000.
The commission presented four service awards to detention officer Michael Ingram and County Assessor’s Office mapper Deedra Morse for their 20 years of service to the county; and detention records clerk Dolores Montes and MVD clerk Michele Barrera for five years of service.
A bid was awarded for Phase II of the Eddy County Southeast Loop. The county received four bids from Constructors Inc., James Hamilton Construction, Fisher Sand and Gravel, and J&H Construction, and staff is recommending the lowest bid from Constructors Inc. be awarded in the amount of $10,458,275.50, plus gross receipts taxes in the amount of $610,062.58.
Eddy County Fire and Rescue (ECFR) Chief Joshua Mack requested and received permission to reclassify the position of Division Chief of EMS to Division Chief of Administration.
Mack stated the change was intended “to better align our organizational structure, as we have consolidated to a single Deputy Chief.”
“The Division Chief of Administration will oversee the EMS portions and delegate to the Shift Battalion Chiefs and Captains to assure EMS requirements are established and maintained,” Mack said, “along with other important duties related to the administrative side of the department.”
Also granted was a request for the revision of job specifications for Landfill Assistant Manager.
Due to the recent resignation of the county’s Solid Waste Transfer Manager, Public Works Director Jason Burns requested that the responsibilities of that position be consolidated with the position of Assistant Landfill Manager, whose title would be changed to Solid Waste Manager.
Those responsibilities would include assisting the Landfill Manager with the maintenance and operation of Sandpoint Landfill, as well as coordinating with Sandpoint Manager and Transfer Station Operators to develop schedules for pick-up and delivery of roll-off containers.
The position was approved with a starting salary of $78,916.
Lastly, the commission approved its Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) prioritization for Fiscal Years 2024-28.
“The proposed ICIP has been reviewed and evaluated by staff,” said Community Services Assistant Director Steve McCroskey. “Items have been adjusted from previous years, with this list being a final proposed ranking for approval.
“These item rankings must be approved by the commission and authorized through resolution with submittal to DFA no later than Aug. 19.”
Proposed project rankings include:
2024
1. Southeast Loop Road – Total Project Cost (TPC): $25,000,000
2. Carrasco Road Extension (U.S. 62-U.S. 285) – TPC: $25,000,000
3. Judicial Complex – TPC: $65,000,000
4. West Loop, Phase II – TPC: $10,000,000
5. East Side River Crossing – TPC: $2,500,000
6. Eddy County Facilities Access and Safety – TPC: $4,677,000
2025
1. Paris Street Sewer – TPC: $750,000
2. Southwest Loop Road, Phase I (N.M. 524-U.S. 62) – TPC: $10,000,000
2026
1. Fire Service Training Ground Enhancements – TPC: $7,000,000
2. Radio Boulevard and Boyd Drive Bridge – TPC: $10,000,000
3. Fire Services Dormitory – TPC: $5,000,000
4. Avalon Alacron Drainage Project – TPC: $1,935,000
The commission will additionally hold a special meeting at 8:30 a.m. Friday, July 29, for the purpose of approving year-end budget adjustments, the Fourth Quarterly Report, the final budget for Fiscal Year 2022-23, and any other year-end miscellaneous items.
