The Las Cruces City Council will meet via video conference at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 for a regularly scheduled meeting.
The Council will consider adoption of a Resolution approving agreements or amendments to agreements between the City of Las Cruces and various nonprofit partners within the community for emergency assistance programs addressing the impact of COVID-19.
On August 27, City Council budgeted $1,400,000 through Resolution 21-038, in emergency assistance from the Telshor Facility Fund, to support activities related to COVID-19 emergency response. The Council acknowledged the continued need to support the community being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through local nonprofit organizations and other essential service providers.
Contracts were drafted and negotiated with various nonprofit agencies and organizations in early September. However, to comply with the City's Procurement Code, City Council approval is needed to execute agreements of more than $75,000.
City Council approval is needed for the following agreements and or amendments:
Community Action Agency: $200,000 (an amendment),
Mesilla Valley Community of Hope: $ 150,000 (an amendment),
La Casa, Inc.: $75,000 (an amendment),
Casa de Peregrinos: $75,000 (an amendment),
Catholic Charities: $150,000 (an amendment),
Boys and Girls Club: $100,000 (an amendment),
Families and Youth Incorporated: $200,000 (a new agreement),
Community Action Agency: $75,000 (a new agreement).
Services cannot be provided until service agreements with those agencies or organizations are executed.
Additionally, the Council will consider adoption of a Resolution to purchase, and a separate Ordinance to authorize a Lease to Purchase agreement, for real estate at 850 N. Motel Boulevard. Resolution No. 21-066 would authorize the City to purchase a 1.64-acre parcel of land from PKL Property Management LLC. The property includes a 15,000-square foot commercial office building and is legally described as Palms Center Subdivision, No. 7. The negotiated purchase price is $1,272,000.
The City would purchase the property from PKL for the benefit of Children Healing in Las Cruces and Doña Ana County (CHILD). CHILD exists as a nonprofit entity to the support of and ownership of capital assets for the benefit of La Piñon Sexual Assault Recovery Services and Child Advocacy Center.
The City has maintained a professional relationship with La Piñon for more than 25-years in providing support to the Las Cruces community for victims of sexual assault through various programs. As La Piñon provides support to the needy in the community and works diligently on cases with local law enforcement, a proposal was submitted by CHILD and La Piñon for the City to assist with the property acquisition, with the intent of CHILD – and, thus, La Piñon – to lease the property with the intent to purchase the property at appraised value over time.
CHILD has leased the property from PKL on behalf of La Piñon, which has offered its services out of this location for many years. Thus, the property is the preferred location for La Piñon to continue providing the much-needed services.
CHILD will provide $72,000 of its own funds as an earnest money deposit, to be credited toward the purchase price upon closing. If approved by the Council, the City would furnish the remaining balance of $1,200,000 upon closing.
The City has also negotiated a Lease to Purchase agreement with CHILD and La Piñon to lease the property with the intent to purchase. That agreement will provide monthly rental payments, with interest, to the City as landlord, in which each rental payment will provide credit toward the purchase of the property by CHILD.
The property was appraised by two local appraisers in May 2020. One appraiser concluded a value of $1,275,000, while another appraiser valued the property at $1,285,000. The negotiated purchase price is $1,272,000.
The full agenda for Monday’s Council meeting can be found on the City’s website at: https://lascruces.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=75.
Monday’s Council meeting will be televised live at 1 p.m. Monday on CLC-TV, Comcast Cable channel 20. The meeting will also be available online at clctv.com and at YouTube.com/clctv20.