Las Cruces City Council Work Session - February 9, 2026
Las Cruces City Council Work Session - February 9, 2026
The work session began at approximately 1:00 PM MST with Mayor Pro Tem John Munoz presiding. Councilor Bencomo was approved to attend via Zoom (unanimous). Sarah Rainey, One Stop Coordinator for the Southwest Region of America's Job Centers, provided a jobs update, including a utility service worker position ($18.07/hr), public works inspector ($23.79/hr), and other postings; she also announced a mock interview event for local juniors and seniors and reminded attendees of weekly onboarding services and an employer meet-and-greet on February 25.
Discussion Items: Proposed GRT Priority Projects
Chris Faber, Community Development Director, presented an overview of the Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) revenue and proposed allocation. He noted the collection started last year, generating approximately $1.1 million per month, with an estimated $24.6 million expected through June 2027. Bonding would require an $8.8 million debt service payment, freeing about $20 million every two years, leaving roughly $15.8 million in pay-as-you-go funds. Chris presented recommendations based on prior budget retreat consensus: for pay-as-you-go projects (bulk toward deferred maintenance, Hoglan/Alameda intersection, $5 million for fire apparatus, $5 million for police vehicles and driving track); for bonding 60% toward maintenance ($5 million for Fire Station 1 improvements, $4 million for street maintenance, $2.4 million for public safety fleet upkeep, $600,000 for ADA compliance); and for bonding 40% toward new projects (road reconstruction, joint public safety training facility, Bruin and Motel Road improvements, municipal court design, additional park projects, closing CIP gaps, and Angler Road extension).
Council members discussed priorities. Councilor McClure emphasized traffic calming, municipal court, parks, and closing CIP gaps. Councilor Harris stressed adherence to voter promises for parks, public safety, and street improvements. Councilor Corrent spoke in favor of Bruin/Motel Road improvements (linked to potential recreation center) and Angler Road extension (safety and ingress/egress concerns). Councilor Bencomo advocated for focusing on existing infrastructure emergencies, traffic calming, firehouses, library, and recreation centers (especially on the west side), while noting that the public safety complex was not a public priority. Mayor Pro Tem Munoz and Councilor Harris supported an iterative approach to the training facility—using a metal building (estimated $8–10 million) rather than a $30 million+ design-only plan, to start sooner and free up space at East Mesa station. Chiefs Story and Daniels confirmed the need, noting the current lease is $18,000/month (expiring soon) and that a metal building could be expanded. Councilor Corrent cautioned against underfunding planning, emphasizing the need for thoughtful design. Councilor McCullough supported scaling down if built on city-owned land adjacent to the driving track. Park accessibility was also highlighted.
Key Outcomes
- Consensus emerged on pay-as-you-go projects: deferred maintenance, Hoglan/Alameda intersection, $5 million for fire apparatus, and $5 million for police vehicles/track.
- For bonding (60% maintenance): Fire Station 1 improvements ($5 million), street maintenance ($4 million), fleet upkeep ($2.4 million), and ADA compliance ($600,000) were supported.
- For bonding (40% new projects): priority areas include Bruin/Motel Road improvements (linked to recreation center), Angler Road extension (with state funding potential), municipal court design, closing CIP gaps, and additional park projects. Traffic calming was repeatedly emphasized as a component of street projects.
- On the public safety training facility, council directed staff to explore a less expensive, phased approach using a metal building (rather than a full design), with the goal of achieving functionality sooner. Staff will refine amounts and return with budget adjustments and a bonding ordinance.
Meeting Transcript
You're live. Good afternoon. Welcome to the Las Cruces City of Las Cruces work session. Today is Monday, February ninth, twenty twenty six. It's approximately one PM Mountain Standard Time. I am John Munoz, Mayor Pro Tem. Our uh mayor will be in shortly. Uh let's start with the moment of silence for the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces as they protect our interests around the globe and our courageous men and women of the Las Russes Police Department and Fire Department. So moved. Second. Moved and second. This is on the motion to allow Councillor Bencomo to attend the meeting via Zoom. Councilor McClurr? Yes. Counselor Matisse is absent. Councilor Harris? Councillor Bencomo, I don't think she's on yet. So absent for now. Counselor Cran. Yes. Councilor Munoz. Yes. Good afternoon, everybody. My name is Sarah Rainey, and I'm the one stop coordinator for the Southwest Region of America's job centers. For jobs of the week, we have a utility service worker for the city of Las Cruces starting at 18.07 an hour. That posting closes on the 23rd. We also have a public works inspector for the water wastewater department starting at 2379 an hour and it closes on the 16th. We have a sales rep. Um, the relief large grocery mass merch merchandise for free delay for 2820 an hour starting or that one closes at um on the 6th of March. We have an institution liaison and receptionist for Pinnacle Institute. That one starts at 1590 an hour and closes on the 22nd. A commercial driver, part uh part-time commercial driver for AutoZone, depending on experience is what they pay, and then it ends in March. And then a medical intake specialist for Delvae physical therapy and hand therapy starting at 33 a year, and that one closes in March as well. Just a reminder, um, we have our mock at you rocket where we have all of our local juniors and seniors come in and practice their interview skills and get a little um practice on presentation of themselves, asking questions, and just presenting themselves professionally. We are asking for volunteers. We have had a couple of the city council members sign up, so thank you guys so much for doing that. It's really exciting. Um these juniors juniors and seniors really look forward to this, and it's really eye-opening for them. They get really nervous for their first interview, and we encourage them to have three of them by the third one. They think they've got every job they're gonna apply to. So we like to give them that practice and let them you know experience it in a practice setting. Um, and then just a reminder every Monday we have all subs in our office. They are doing onboarding in our office from nine to two every Monday. So come in, check that out if that's something that you're looking for. And then on the 25th, we have an employer in office meet and greet where we have um different employers from our local area come in and present their opportunities. So if anybody's interested, feel free to check it all out on EmployeeNM.com that has all of our um local events and then the events throughout the Southwest, as well as our social media. So thank you very much. Thank you, Sarah. Next is the agenda item 3.1, the proposed GRT priority projects. Uh Chris Favor.
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