NERPO Meeting

New Mexico Highlands University

903 Baca Street

Las Vegas, NM 87701

Thursday, April 6, 2006

10:00 am

 

Meeting Attendees:

Doug Powers, City of Tucumcari

Fred Sparks, City of Raton

Harold Garcia, San Miguel County

Les Montoya, San Miguel County

Hoot Gibson, Village of Angel Fire

Lesah Sedillo, Village of Pecos

Terry Turner, Quay County

Larry Moore, Quay County

Richard Arguello, Union County

Russell Kear, Union County

Paula Chacon, Union County

Barbara Shaw, Harding County

Edna Sena, Mora County

Mark Severance, Village of Wagon Mound

Margie Woods, Village of Wagon Mound

Betty Medina, Village of Wagon Mound

Clint Ballard Village of Wagon Mound

Shawn Jeffrey, Village of Mosquero

Renee Hayez, Village of Roy

Mariana Padilla, NERPO Planner NCNMEDD

Chris Pacheco, NERPO Planner EPCOG

Janet Spivey, NMDOT

Tom Wilson, NMDOT

NMDOT District 4 Office:

Paul Gray, Dennis Peralta, Heather Sandoval, Thomas Martinez, Christina Romero, Tim Chavez, James Sandoval, Martin Gonzales, Carlos Gonzales, Jacob Trujillo, John Garcia, Daniel Garcia, Abel Esquibel, Jeffrey Valdez, Benito Mondragon

 

Members Not Present:

Carlos Ortiz, City of Las Vegas

Richard Gutierrez, City of Santa Rosa

Manuel Baca, Guadalupe County

Mike Running, Town of Clayton

Mignon Saddoris, Village of Grenville

Sherman Martin, Village of House

Larry Wallin, Village of Logan

Leo Pacheco, Village of Roy

Johnny Chavez, Village of Springer

Jess Yeargain, Village of Des Moines

Neva Hascall, Village of Eagle Nest

Anthony Mitchell, Village of Maxwell

Linda Pavletich, Village of Cimarron

Nora Like , Village of Folsom

 

NERPO Meeting Minutes

 

I

 

1)      Meeting was called to order by NERPO Chairman Doug Powers at 1020 AM

2)     The Pledge of Allegience was conducted

 

 

II

3)     Meeting was turned over to Paul Gray DE of District 4 for the welcome. Les Montoya San Miguel County Manager addressed the RPO and also welcomed everyone to Las Vegas, New Mexico.  Introduced Harold Garcia (Public Works Director for San Miguel County).  Main subject was the interaction with the RPO and local communities. 

4)     Previous Meeting Minutes were approved.  Motion by Hoot Gibson, 2nd by Les Montoya.

 

III

5)     Introductions were conducted.

6)     RPO Planners updates by Mariana Padilla and Chris Pacheco.  Chris Pacheco announced RPO training scheduled for NERPO at Tucumcari on 12 May 2006.  Mariana Padilla gave an Update on the Bylaws Meeting in Las Vegas on March 27. 

7)     Paul Gray DE for District 4 gave the NMDOT Project Updates and Statuses.  Updated several Projects and Bid Statuses.  Safety Projects include I-40 by San Jon, Bridge replacement on NM 402, GRIP 14 on US 84, and the 3rd segment of US 60 – 84.  There were 4 projects scheduled for Colfax and Union Counties for May.  In June the NM 39 Project will be let for a section in Harding County and the Tourist Information Center in Glenrio on I-40.  Main Bridge focus is on the Interstate Bridges.  I-40 between Santa Rosa and Tucumcari.   A project between Mora and Guadalupita is in Right of Way acquisition and my not make a September letting.  NMDOT Dist 4 is targeting a Sept Bid Letting for Concrete replacement on I-25 near Raton NM. 

8)     SAFETEA-LU Update by Dist 4 DE Paul Gray.  The Federal Obligation Limitation has dropped from 90% to 80% amount received from FHWA due to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster and the War on Global Terrorism.  Discretionary Funding is also reduced for the STIP Funds.  GRIP has made an impact but GRIP 2 didn’t pass so this will also create a reduction effect.  No Order for reduction in Bid Letting Schedule by NMDOT to DE’s.  Example given was of NM 39 of a project that would not make it on the Bid Letting Schedule.  Interstates will be given the bulk of the Discretionary Funds.  In District 4 we have I-40 and I-25.  The main obligation is for upkeep of the Interstates.  According to Paul Gray, FHWA Area Engineer is predicting a possible use of gas tax or some measure to keep the projects in the STIP and available for Bid letting.  We will have $2.9 M of Discretionary Funds in FY 07 available District Wide for Road Projects.  DE discussed possible effects on the RTIPR Projects and the RPO.  DE said the number one road project by Union County would not be able to be funded due to not having any available funds for this project.   We will have $2 M for Bridges and around $900k for Enhancements in FY O7.  Scenic Byways is a separate type of program funded by the Dept of Tourism.  Dist 4 will look to have projects ready if some other statewide projects fall out due to not meeting Bid Process Scheduling.  Planning will have to make adjustments.  DE then discussed 100% State Funded Program such as the Maintenance Program.  Approximately $2M available for the deficient bridges, almost deficient bridges and roads not eligible for funding.   DE urged a look at limits for the projects in the RPO to match and meet the fiscal constraints that come out every year.  District 4 has more bridges than anyone except District 3 in NM.  Discussion followed with Paul Gray taking questions and comments from the audience. The topics that came up were safety, economic development, and enhancement. 

9)     Mariana Padilla urged looking at other sources of funding throughout the area for various different types of projects. 

10) DE Paul Gray then went over the GRIP2 process and the Capital Outlay Process for the last cycle and the effect on the RPO and its process from the last cycle.  Discussion and comments about Grip2 followed.  Hoot Gibson of Angel Fire stressed the importance and effect on smaller communities that GRIP2 had.  Les Montoya discussed streamlining the process to fit into the budget as had been brought up by DE Paul Gray.  The DE also brought up the idea of letting them in on the Bylaws.  He felt that the NMDOT District 4 would be helpful and advisory to the NERPO.   The next discussion was about millings and how they are becoming less and less available to small communities as the NMDOT is now using them everywhere.   Most are used in maintenance area by patrols.    District 4 will generally be keeping all their millings at this time.  Hoot Gibson brought up the differences in funding and project targets.  The meeting broke for lunch.   

11)  Mariana Padilla reviewed old Bylaws and showed the proposed changes for the upcoming meeting in May to finalize the Bylaws.  NERPO Chairman Doug Powers recommended that we have Dist 4 personnel act in an advisory role as mentioned before lunch.   NERPO decided to do this by acclamation.  

 

 

III Rating and Ranking Process

 

NERPO Chairman Doug Powers discussed the rating and ranking process that had taken place during the Feb. RTIPR RPO Meeting in Pecos.   The item of discussion was that the discrepancy with the way the votes and numbers were totaled.   Some RPO members had a different total than the intended method used at the Rating and Ranking RPO Meeting.  The RPO had the same outcome for the projects either way.  Doug Powers asked that some projects that are duplicated be taken off the RTIPR List.  The RTIPR List can be revised and amended at any time by RPO action.  Options and procedures to match future funding cycles were discussed.  The topic was the dropping out of some projects due to them not getting funded when they are community priorities.   

 

NMDOT District 4 Staff made presentations of each position and handed out contact information.

 

IV Meeting Adjourned by Acclamation.