The Las Cruces City Council indefinitely tabled a Resolution that would have adopted funding priorities and allocations for coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, established by the American Rescue Plan Act. (ARPA) at its Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall.
City Council’s Indefinite table of the Resolution means a new process to distribute ARPA funds will be conducted. The Council tabled any projects recommended for ARPA funding after concerns were raised about the selection process.
The City has issued a notification of cancellation of the initial Request for Proposals after an internal audit was conducted.
The City, as a recipient of ARPA funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury, will implement a new process for the distribution of funds for community and economic development initiatives. The resources are made available to the City to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its negative economic impacts.
City Council said it will be more engaged in the new selection process. The Council will have final approval on the awards and uses of ARPA funds.
Additionally, City Council approved two Resolutions related to the Pre-1965 Foothills Landfill Waste Excavation Project, which will remediate City-owned property along a portion of east Lohman Avenue that will be redeveloped.
One Resolution authorizes the City to enter into a 12-month lease contract with Flip Screen, a limited liability company in Dallas, Texas. The contract is for equipment rental that will support the excavation Project. The proposed contract is for an amount not to exceed $800,000 plus gross receipt taxes.
A second Resolution authorizes the City to enter into a contract with Wagner Equipment Co., of El Paso, Texas, through a Cooperative Education Services Agreement, to rent equipment for an estimated six months. The estimated cost of the rental equipment is $334,482.
In 2018, the City purchased approximately 114 acres of land previously owned by the City of Albuquerque at the southeast corner of Paseo de Oñate and east Lohman Avenue. Prior to 1965 the land served as the City’s landfill.
The City now intends to redevelop the land, and in September 2021, City Council approved the East Lohman Development Plan. The land requires environmental cleanup of known solid waste disposal areas that were investigated the past several years.