Connecting the Dots Serving San Juan , McKinley, and Cibola County Governments for nearly 40 years! NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
BILLY MOORE Chairman, McKinley County
DR. WILLIAM A. HALL Immediate Past Chairman City of Farmington
DR. JIM HENDERSON
1st Vice-Chairman, San Juan County
JOE MURRIETTA
2nd Vice-Chairman, City of Grants
LOUIE BONAGUIDI Treasurer, City of Gallup Member Governments Cibola County McKinley County San Juan County City of Aztec City of Bloomfield City of Farmington City of Gallup City of Grants Village of Milan Affiliates NWNM Reg. Solid Waste Authority
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Brownfields
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CDBG-Milan
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Energy Program
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NWRPO
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CDBG-Gallup
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EDOs
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MapGuide
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Director’s Notes 6
V O L U M E
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I S S U E 3
M A R C H - M A Y
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Produced by the Staff of the NWNM Council of Governments
SPOTLIGHT: CIBOLA COUNTY MOVING FULL SPEED AHEAD Under the guidance of County Manager Scott Vinson, Cibola County residents have been seeing a gamut of results. Whether it be transportation, infrastructure, or health, the accomplishments are impressive. Cibola County is definitely moving in a positive direction. In recent years, Cibola County has invested in several new pieces of equipment, helping to increase the capacity of the County road department: in 2009, a 4 Wheel-Drive Chip Spreader was purchased, then in 2011, a Caterpillar Grader, and this year, a Volvo Motor Grader. “I was conservative in the budget for this reason. Anything extra could go to the road department for paving projects,” explained Manager Vinson during a recent County Commission Meeting. “Income over expenses equals more paving.” Vinson added, the goal this summer is to pave 20 miles of road. Additionally, Judy Horacek, County Projects Coordinator, has been designated as the County’s new RPO representative. Judy has hit the ground running and has been extremely proactive including initiating meetings with NMDOT – District 6 and the NW RPO Planner with the intent of maximizing RPO participation to secure additional transportation funds.
To that end, Cibola County is working to develop Project Information Forms (PIFs) on current County road projects; newly developed PIFs will be included on the 2013 Regional Transportation Improvement Program Recommendations (RTIPR).
“We’ve [the county] invested more in the road department in the last two years than we had in the last twenty years.” – Scott Vinson, County Manager
In 2010, Cibola County received $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) construction funding to facilitate the reconstruction of the wastewater treatment system serving the Cebolleta Land Grant communities of Seboyeta and Bibo. The Cebolleta project represents a new effort on the part of Cibola County to systemically address major infrastructure needs within rural Cibola County. The current treatment system is over 40 years old, in violation of NM Environment Department regulations, and without County support, it stood little chance of being reconstructed. The project with an estimated total project cost
of $1.1 million is expected to be completed in August 2012. Last year, in search of a new facility to house the Cibola County Health Clinic, Cibola County acquired the old Knights of Columbus (KC) building in Grants, NM. The current Cibola County Health Clinic located in downtown Grants at the Cibola County Administration Complex is a small facility with little room for expansion and was originally designed for administrative offices and not a medical facility. The new relocated Cibola County Health Clinic will be more centrally located in the vicinity of other health care providers including the Cibola General Hospital. The additional space will provide for more examination rooms, increased patient privacy, and capacity to meet the needs of a growing population. Currently, COG has partnered with Cibola County to complete a Brownfields Phase I site assessment. The renovation of the KC building into the new Cibola County Health Clinic has been designated as Cibola County’s 2013 (CDBG) construction project.
Save the Date: Come Celebrate with Us! Council of Governments 40th Anniversary Gala Please join us in celebrating Our Region, Your COG this coming August 2012 in Farmington, New Mexico, as the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments celebrates 40 years of regional planning, innovation, and collaboration. Exact date will be announced soon. A gala event is in the works and we plan to honor Regional Champions, take a look back at the past 40 years, and look to the next 40 years of serving the Northwest New Mexico.
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Before
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Brownfields – From Infancy to Maturity Prior to the 2007 National Brownfields Conference in Boston, MA, former COG Executive Director, Patty Lundstrom informed Evan Williams, a Planner at the time, to “get close to this... Brownfields is your baby”. Since which time the COG was: 2009: Awarded a $1 million Brownfields Assessment grant under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act; and 2010-12: Successfully administered this program including working with nearly all the COG member governments and tribes in the region.
environmental concerns, and re-use plans. An introductory meeting was followed by a tour of historic or older buildings, former gas stations, and sheep dip vat site. The Pueblo of Acoma is working to submit these sites, and will be presenting as part of the COG Board meeting.
The program has grown over the last three years due mostly to COG outreach efforts. Now the COG is in its final months of the program and is working hard to (a) finalize sites from remaining work, (b) submit a final budget, and (c) work on reporting information and accounting.
area and community park. (showcased above)
The COG also has active projects at the Pueblo of Zuni, Navajo Nation, and most likely the Pueblo of Laguna. One of the sites that COG and the Pueblo of Acoma are interested in accessing is the old Boys & Girls Club. Expected re -use would be a recreational
Brownfields…. the land may be perceived as contaminated and this perception may keep the land from being used productively.
After
Pueblo of Acoma. Recently, the COG working with Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, Inc. met with Pueblo of Acoma Governor Randall Vicente and staff to discuss potential Brownfields sites,
CONNECTING
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City of Gallup. The COG partnered with Connections, Inc. and the McKinley County CARE Project to work on a special study that looked at Downtown Gallup through to lenses:
(1) Brownfields sites and (2) Potential re-use as community gardens, alternative energy generation projects, recycling centers, etc. The Army Corps of Engineers prepared a draft report, which has been submitted to the COG and the City of Gallup for final review, presentation, and implementation. EPA has offered to provide up to five (5) free targeted Brownfields assessments after the COG’s program concludes. Success Story. In 2010, McKinley County requested Phase I assessment on a property owned by the City of Gallup near the intersection of Boardman Drive and Boyd Avenue in Gallup, New Mexico. This property was planned as the future site of a new Regional Judicial Complex. The Phase I report was completed on March 2011, and the County soon after purchased the property. During excavation of a hill, the County discovered an abandoned land mine. Through the Brownfields program, the County received a liability shield as a non-responsible party, and the mine was properly closed. The County has bonded for the construction of the Regional Judicial Complex, estimated at $6+ million in redevelopment. If you would like information on the Brownfields program please contact the COG or check out: nwnmcog.com/
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VILLAGE OF MILAN : Uranium Avenue—CDGB Street and Drainage Improvements Phase III The neighborhood along Uranium Avenue in the Village of Milan was subdivided in the 1950’s. The water and wastewater lines are more than 50 years old. Street paving last occurred in the 1970’s. There are no curbs, gutters, or sidewalks. Lastly, there is no storm water drainage and street lightning is non-existent. But, not for long...
ate a safer neighborhood along Uranium Avenue. Phase I began in 2005 and was then followed by Phase II in 2009, all with the goal to reconstruct Uranium Avenue. Today only 1,300 Linear Feet (LF) remain from connecting Phase I & II street improvements to the newly constructed Milan Elementary School (2010), where current school enrollment is approximately 550 students.
Today, the Uranium Avenue Street and Drainage Improvements Phase III represents a 7year, $2+ million effort to cre-
The 1,300 feet of work will include replacement of water and wastewater lines, street repaving with the addition of curbs, gut-
ters, sidewalks, water meters, and construction of storm water drains. The project is ready to go with public meetings complete and1.) Preliminary Engineering Report, 2.) Environmental Review, and 3.) SHPO all complete. The Final Design is in progress and will be completed shortly. Full Amount Requested $500,000 Cash Match $50,000 Local Contribution $503,769 Total Project Cost $1,003,769
Uranium Avenue above current and proposed improvements. Below: Milan Elementary School
Phased Amount Requested $450,000
Cash Match Local Contribution
$45,000 $106,613
Total Phase Project Cost
$556,613
NWNM R E G I O NA L E N E RG Y P RO G R A M : A M O N E Y S AV E R In 2010, the Northwest NM Council of Governments (COG) received a grant through the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant” (EECBG) program to assist McKinley County with the implementation of an energy project. The COG maximized this opportunity to develop energy planning and coordination experience. The COG has since worked on several projects including: Gallup Energy Efficiency & Conservation (GEEC) Project. Worked with the City of Gallup including a pre-program consultation, recommendations, and report, and the GEEC implementation plan. The implementation plan focused on data management, low and no cost efficiency measures, financing options, audit strategy based on baselevel assessments, retrofit strategy, renewable energy strategy, and options for a permanent energy program. McKinley County Strategy Energy Action Plan. As part of a U.S. Department of Energy EECBG, the COG produced a comprehensive plan for the County that made recommendations to improve energy efficiency and re-
source management. McKinley County Facility Audits & Lighting Retrofit. Under the EECBG program, COG partnered with Eaton Energy Solutions to perform audits on 42 County facilities and implement a lighting retrofit at the County’s Adult Detention Center. Milan Energy and Community Outreach (ECO) Project. COG worked to coordinate an outreach plan to provide preweatherization services to residents in the Village of Milan. COG established a partnership with Tohatchi YouthBuild to provide energy upgrades and small efficiency repairs. A Strategic Partnership for the Region. In 2012, the COG executed a contract with Eaton Energy Solutions, Inc., a full service and turnkey energy services company (ESCO). The COG created a comprehensive energy services and solutions contract which would allow for our members to piggyback for any and all your energy management and efficiency needs. There are five key services that we believe may benefit you & your entity: (1) audits; (2) commissioning; (3) retro commissioning; and (4) retrofits. The fifth is a specific one that we believe can support upfront hard costs for capitalizing energy efficiency projects. This financing
mechanism is performance contracting. The Performance Contracting Model allows the ESCO to identify and evaluate energy-saving opportunities and then recommends a package of improvements to
be paid for through savings. The ESCO will guarantee that savings will meet or exceed annual payments to cover all project costs—usually over a contract term of seven to 10 years. If savings don't materialize, the ESCO pays the difference, not you. To ensure savings, the ESCO offers staff training and long-term maintenance services. To see more case studies and learn about the full range of Eaton's services, please visit: www.eaton.com/energysolutions
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The Wheels Keep on Turning… NWRPO News
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NNDOT’s Arlando Teller, Ron Shutiva, NMDOT, and RPO Planner Bob Kuipers at the Navajo Nation DOT Grand Opening near Tse Bonito, NM
One of numerous murals and art throughout the state-ofthe-art NNDOT building.
The Northwest RPO has been keeping active the last couple of months. Beginning in March, the FHWA provided an intensive Long Range Transportation Planning training at the Mid RegionCOG in Albuquerque, NM. In April, NWNMCOG Executive Director Jeff Kiely participated in a National Rural Transportation Conference in Burlington Vermont. He provided an informative and intensive power-point presentation on rural and tribal collaboration, challenges and successes in northwest New Mexico (see also Notes from the Director). The RPO Planner also played a lead role in organizing a major stakeholders meeting on May 2, 2012 at Fire Rock Navajo Casino in Churchrock to discuss expansion and improvement of the NM118 corridor from Rehoboth to
Churchrock. This corridor is and will continue to become vitally important as economic development continues to grow. Currently, the corridor has outgrown its traffic capacity, creating safety and congestion concerns. The meeting included representation from several Navajo Chapters, community of Rehoboth, McKinley County, N.M. DOT-District 6, Transportation Commissioner Jackson Gibson, Eastern Agency BIA, and many involved Navajo Nation Departments, with top executive leadership from most of these organizations. The RPO Planner developed a T.I.F. application to N.M. Indian Affairs for Churchrock Chapter supporting a feasibility study for further development of the NM-118 corridor described above During the past quarter, the annual
prioritization of transportation projects submitted from local governments took place at the RPO – R.T.P.I.R. meetings, and the RPO Planner developed the Annual Work Program for the NWRPO for the new FY-13 year. Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway was funded for interpretive kiosks at the Northwest NM Visitor Center (Grants) and Manuelito Visitor Center (west of Gallup); we are presently completing NMDOT regulatory documentation toward the release of these funds. RPO Planner and other COG staff attended a mid-February Blessing Ceremony, and mid-March Grand Opening for the new $18 million Navajo Nation Division of Transportation (NNDOT) facility in Tse Bonito., New Mexico, near Window Rock, Arizona (see photos, left).
CITY OF GALLUP: CDBG SKY CITY PUBLIC HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE NEED: Pavement, sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the Sky City Public Housing Project (La Loma Addition) are significantly deteriorated and do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act for access and travel – conditions that pose a threat to public safety. This concern is exacerbated by the frequent use of these facilities by young children attending the Juan de Oñate Elementary School, adjacent to the addition. This decaying infrastructure also contributes to conditions of blight in the area, which compromise residents’ quality of life. The streets in this neighborhood are over 50 years old and have never been reconstructed, and some of the plumbing under the streets are
estimated to be as much as 60 years old. SOLUTION: The project, which will improve the lives of approximately 300 residents, will involve street reconstruction, removal and replacement of deteriorated concrete curbs, gutters and sidewalks on the west side of Cliff Drive, the east side of Strong Drive, Vista Avenue, Curtis Avenue and Vega Avenue. The project will also upgrade and update ADA compliance features and drainage. The City will apply additional matching funds to replace and upgrade water and sewer lines under the streets. The project, in Phase 3 or four phases, is expected to improve pedestrian safety for residents and students, improve access and
mobility for the disabled, improve aesthetics and mitigate blight conditions. READINESS: The project is ready to go, with all necessary ROW
and Environmental Assessments prepared and completed. FEASIBILITY: City of Gallup and the Gallup Housing Authority collaborated to insure feasibility and appropriateness of the project. The City of Gallup listed rehabilitation of sidewalks, curbs and gutters as a top priority in the City of Gallup’s Growth Management Master Plan and the project is highly ranked in the ICIP.
Full Amount Requested Cash Match (secured @27.5%) Additional Match available (for phased project @41.6%) Total Project Budget
$500,000 $187,500 ($50,000) $687,500
Phased Amount Requested
$450,000
This project is Phase 3 of 4 for this neighborhood CONNECTING
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EDO’s in the Region: Bringing Business and Jobs There are three active Economic Development Organizations (EDO’s) in the Northwest New Mexico region: Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation (CCEDF), Inc., in Grants; the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation (GGEDC) in Gallup; and Four Corners Economic Development or 4CED, (4CED is formerly San Juan Economic Development Service or SJEDS) in Farmington, New Mexico. Eileen Yarborough is the Executive Director of CCEDF; she was brought on last year with the goal of “furthering the development of Economic and Industrial Development base for the greater Grants” area.
In Gallup, New Mexico, the Board of the GGEDC recently brought on board New Mexico Legislator, Representative Patty Lundstrom as the Executive Director of GGEDC. Since March, she has been working to kick-start the relatively new organization. She informs, “The primary focus to date is setting up the corporation and the new website. We know 80% of all site selectors look to the website to determine if Gallup can meet their needs for relocation or to start up. We anticipate our website to be in full operation by early July. We have a great board and professional staff ready to move economic development services into
the next century.” Day-to-day activities of 4CED are handled by Julie Rasor, in addition, Sally Burbridge, Mayor of Aztec, is President of the Executive Board of 4CED. The organization is comprised of local civic and business leaders who are concerned about the declining gas and oil industry in the Four Corners area and are looking to diversify the businesses and/or industry in the Farmington and surrounding region. They’ve been actively meeting on a weekly basis for several months now and looking at marketing and branding of 4CED name as well as looking at potential funding sources to expand the EDO’s budget.
“We know 80% of all site selectors look to the website to determine if Gallup can meet their needs for relocation or to start up.”
Main Street, Downtown Farmington, New Mexico
Downtown Gallup, New Mexico
Main Street, Grants, New Mexico
FOUR CORNERS MAPGUIDE & GEOTOURISM LAUNCH On June 2, 2012, supporters, local community leaders, regional and state tourism managers, and geo-tourism site nominees will join together for the official launch of the Four Corners Geo-tourism website and National Geographic’s Geotourism MapGuide at the historic Aztec Ruins National Monument. This is a significant launch for not only the National Monument, but for the entire Four Corners region. Many state and national dignitaries from all four states, along with local and regional leaders are expected at this event, including (not yet confirmed) U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. The Geo-tourism MapGuide highlights the enchanted landscapes and enduring people of our region by showcasing our numerous natural, cultural, historic, event, and adven-
ture attractions in and around our Four Corners area to audiences around the world. Furthermore, it is only one of 17 Geo-tourism locations world wide. COG Regional Planner, Robert Kuipers, and tourism stakeholders across the region have collaborated tirelessly and diligently on the project from its inception in hopes of leveraging a stronger presence in both national and international tourism arenas. The website and MapGuide are great resources that will entice the adventurous tourist in seeking out a deeper and more authentic experience of culture and history in our region. It is estimated there is a niche market of 65 million geo-tourists
around the globe. The website is a “growing” website, also supported by National Geographic, which allows local contributors to add places, events, and other information to the website. Secondly, it also gives the local, small business, artisan, or organization a boost in promoting their services, craft, or event. This translates to expansion and improvement of our local, rural economy. For more information check out the website at: www.fourcornersgeotourism.com
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Important Dates
Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments 409 South Second Street Gallup, New Mexico 87301 Phone: (505) 722-4327 Fax: (505) 722-9211 Advancing Northwest New Mexico by serving local governments through regional partnerships since 1972
Date
Volatile … polarized … transitional. Words used to describe the Washington political scene. Partnerships … strategic … regional synergy … innovation. Words used to scribe what federal agency leaders looking for when investing in economic velopment.
… deare de-
Concepts I’ve heard often in recent months – in different places and in different ways. A quick recap of my recent adventures and learnings: NADO Washington Conference: In late March I attended this conference of our national association. Not surprisingly, we learned of cut-backs in the many federal programs affecting the COGs and their members. A $38 million proposed cut in EDA will mean a loss of over 30 projects nationwide. On the upside, efforts by some Congressmen to “kill” EDA, using very old and out-of-context data, failed, and the COG/Economic Development District program was held harmless. In the transportation arena, NADO and its members are trying to protect the “small MPO” component of the Transportation Bill (Farmington would be affected), and we’re also promoting a stronger role by local elected officials in transportation policy and funding – by climbing the “ladder of the “4 C’s”: From Consultation to Cooperation to Coordination to Collaboration. Right now, the next step legislatively is to try to move the relationship from Stage 2 (Cooperation) to Stage 3 (Coordination). “RTPOs” (rural/regional transportation planning organizations) are an important piece of that conversation.
Place
8:00 AM
Albuquerque, NM
CDC Allocation Hearing
May 31, 2012
NADO Board of Director’s—Annual Retreat
June 9-11,2012
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Park City, Utah
NWRPO Meeting
June 13, 2012 July 11, 2012 August 8, 2012
10:00 AM 10:00 AM 10:00 AM
Pueblo of Zuni TBA TBA
Beginning & end of Fiscal Year 2012-2013 & 20132014
June 30 & July 1, 2012
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COG
Independence Day
July 4, 2012
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COG Offices Closed
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San Juan County
COG Board Annual Meet- August 2012 ing & Luncheon
Notes from the Director... Greetings to all,
Time
Also at this Washington conference, NADO’s Southwest Caucus members confirmed their desire for me to represent them in running for the Executive Committee of the national Board. I visited with the other four regional caucuses, and so far we have their support. Nomination and election occur in conjunction with NADO’s national training conference this October. NewMARC: Our statewide association met on April 18th in Las Vegas, NM prior to the Rural Economic Development Forum, where we consulted in depth with Legislative Finance Committee Chairman Lucky Varela and senior staff Linda Kehoe on capital outlay reform. Our COG had helped author our white paper on the subject, and this meeting with the LFC reps made a lot of progress toward specific “next steps” in the reform process. NM Rural Economic Development Forum: We enjoyed the excellent Rural Forum in Las Vegas, New Mexico sponsored by the New Mexico Rural Alliance, with substantial and timely seminars on MainStreet business development and market analysis, new capital investment tools, new economic demographics tools, the creation of arts and culture districts in New Mexico’s small towns, asset-based community development, and site selector data needed for economic recruitment. It was energizing to see the role and relationship between the COG districts and the state and local economic development organizations that are working to fashion a competitive economy. “RPO America” National Rural Transportation Conference: NADO invited me to present at this national conference on the subject of inter-jurisdictional collaboration, based on our experience in Northwest New Mexico with tribal involvement in the RPO planning
We’re on the Web! www.nwnmcog.com
process. The conference was held in Burlington, Vermont on the shores of Lake Champlain, and I signed up for the end-of-conference Bike Tour on the Island Line Back Path. Only problem: we pedaled against 30 mph winds, with a 20-degree wind chill factor! Maybe a good metaphor for trying to promote and rebuild our Nation’s infrastructure? Southwest Region Economic Development Conference: In midMay, I joined my other six fellow NewMARC dire ctor s at this “mandatory” regional conference in Oklahoma City co-sponsored by Church Street in Burlington, VT the EDA-Austin Regional Office and the Southwest Regional Economic Development Association. I facilitated several work sessions between the COGs and Paladin Data, a Seattle firm that has built a powerful and user-friendly projecttracking tool called “Panoramic.” We are working on getting multi-agency co-funding of this software, which can revolutionize how we track transportation, economic development and other projects across our region and State. So … lots of connections, lots of info, lots of opportunities. We look forward to integrating new learnings and tools into our regional leadership efforts going forward, and to sharing them with all of you! Have a great summer, and we’ll see you in late August for our 40th anniversary annual meeting and banquet! Keep an eye for the forthcoming details.
Jeff Kiely,
Executive Director