Water group OKs budget

TEXICO — The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority unanimously approved its final budget for fiscal year 2019 at Thursday’s meeting.

ENMWUA Administrator Orlando Ortega said the authority receives funding primarily from three sources: the local communities’ membership contributions, state funding in the form of grants/loans from the Water Trust Board and federal funding in the form of grants from the Bureau of Reclamation.

The ENMWUA budgeted $21,053,187 in revenues for fiscal year 2019.

Members Jim Lucero and Josh Scioli were not present.

Also at Thursday’s meeting (all votes 5-0):

• Approved insurance renewal with AON. Ortega said the coverage will remain the same with the exception of the changes in office location and personnel.

Ortega said the authority’s insurance costs of $46,967 was about a $1,000 increase over last year.

• Approved services agreement with RBC Capital. Ortega said the two-year agreement will task RBC with creating a new finance plan for the authority, which determines local communities’ membership contributions.

Ortega estimated the cost to the authority would be around $10,000.

• Approved services agreement with Hinkle & Landers Certified Public Accountants. Ortega said the authority’s annual fee increased from $30,000 to $33,960 due to some additional accounting software.

• Approved Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) for fiscal year 2020-24. Oretga said there were minimal changes from the the previous ICIP approved by the authority.

When asked by Chairman David Lansford, Ortega said he did think it was realistic for the authority to hit its goal of $184 million spent on project development by 2024.

• In his report to the board, consultant for state activities Joe Thompson encouraged the ENMWUA to reach out to the camps of both governor candidates U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham and U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce for meetings “to put the authority in the best possible position for the transition.”

Thompson said both candidates would be more likely to embrace the authority’s projects when they are “in campaign mode.”

• Federal consultant John Ryan said he expects either candidate would be more engaged in advocating for the ENMWUA’s projects in Washington D.C. than Gov. Susana Martinez has been due to their congressional experience.

• Project Manager Jim Honea said two bids have been received for Finished Water 2 from S.J. Louis Construction and Oscar Renda Contracting, Inc..

An engineer recommendation of award letter is expected to occur on Aug. 8.

Honea said he thought both companies were qualified.