This story was originally published by the Mountainair Dispatch. It is republished here with permission.
This story was originally published by the Mountainair Dispatch. It is republished here with permission.
By Todd Brogowski — The Torrance County Commission met on Tuesday, December 10, to address several critical issues, including escalating costs for the planned new administrative building and concerning cash flow trends showing the county is spending far more than it is taking in.
Administrative Building Project Faces $5.7M Gap
Wilson and Company presented updated cost estimates for the planned county administrative building, revealing a significant funding shortfall. The 29,972-square-foot facility is now projected to cost between $17.7 million and $19.3 million, depending on construction costs that range from $475 to $520 per square foot.
The county currently has approximately $13.5 million available for the building project, of which $9.5 million is from loan proceeds and $4.05 million is in the form of capital outlay funds, leaving a gap of between $4.2 million and $5.7 million.
Michael Wright, associate vice president and architectural practice leader for Wilson and Company, said the firm is working to reduce costs by shrinking space in the building and improving building efficiency without sacrificing functionality. He advised the county commissioners that architects can control square footage and layout, but not final construction costs, which will be determined through competitive bidding.
The commission approved a $124,199 contract amendment with Wilson and Company to cover additional services related to changing the building site and conducting value engineering studies. The amendment brings the total design contract, separate from any actual building costs, to approximately $668,000, over the $500,000 estimated for the design process.
Financing Options Under Review
County Manager Jordan Barela outlined several potential financing strategies to close the funding gap. Options include using approximately $1.7 million in available Payment in Lieu of Taxes (“PILT”) funds, securing additional state capital outlay appropriations during the 2026 legislative session, and refinancing the county’s current loan at a lower interest rate.
The county expects to receive approximately $10.4 million in PILT payments in early January 2026, which officials had planned to use to pay off the existing $9.5 million loan, according to County Manager Barela. However, those funds are now considered as potential collateral for additional financing.
If the county finances an additional $4.2 million, debt service would consume approximately 21 percent of annual PILT revenue through 2041, according to financial projections, noted County Manager Barela.
Board of County Commissioners Chairman Ryan Schwebach emphasized the need for a solid financing plan before proceeding. “We need to remain with our target number as far as contractors are concerned,” continuing to explain that he believed that contractors viewed the county government as a “bottomless pit” of money.
Cash Flow Analysis Reveals Troubling Trend
Deputy County Manager/Finance Director Misty Witt presented a new quarterly cash flow analysis showing the county is operating at a deficit. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, the general fund showed a cash flow deficiency of approximately $900,000, indicating that revenue is not covering current expenditures, according to Witt.
The trend is worsening, Witt explained. In the first quarter of 2024, the county was $563,000 in the black. By the first quarter of 2025, it had fallen to a $380,000 deficit. The current $900,000 shortfall represents a $1.4 million negative swing in just two years.
Commissioner Kevin McCall expressed concern about the trajectory. “Year to date, we’re almost $711,000 $611,000 [in the red]. The trend right now is we’re overspending. We’re overspending,” he said. “That is the trend.”
Schwebach warned that the county faces potential revenue losses when wind farm construction concludes. He also raised concerns about increased costs resulting from the federal government allowing the ICE contract with the county to lapse.
“We’re at a tipping point,” Schwebach claimed, noting that employee compensation and benefits represent approximately 80 percent of operating costs. “We’re not there yet, but if we don’t talk it through, think it through, and have a strategic plan, we can be there very, very quickly.” This overhead also represents the single largest source of wages in Torrance County.
Animal Services Reports Progress
Animal Services Director Danette Langdon reported that the department is approaching a 90% save rate, up from previous years, with 1,057 animals processed in 2025, up from 854 in 2024. The facility achieved an 88% save rate, putting it within reach of “no-kill” status, which would unlock additional grant opportunities.
Langdon stated that the Torrance County Animal Services department treated 28 animals that would otherwise have been euthanized, including 12 puppies with parvovirus, using grant funding from the Carol Petrie Foundation. The department also began offering free vaccinations and microchips to the public.
Langdon said plans are underway for a new $88,000 standalone kennel building with five runs to house overflow animals, such as large dog breeds that prefer outdoor accommodations.
Public Frustrations Regarding Lack of County Road Improvements
Torrance County resident Chad Hamilton addressed the commission regarding road conditions near his property and requested updates on repair work. Barela said the county is still developing a special assessment district ordinance to address the road and similar projects countywide. Hamilton reacted to the bureaucratic response with frustration.
“For 17 years, I’ve been in your meetings on and off. There is [sic] 13 residents in all in [our] area, of which eight of us have been there for 17 years, plus all of us have paid our taxes on time. So the county gets $6,500 [per] year from us. Now, it’s around $110,000 [per year] after 17 years. And yet we have a dirt trail – just a trail – for a road,” Hamilton said.
Despite Financial Shortfalls, Fairgrounds Construction Moves Forward
The commission approved a $2.82 million contract amendment with Franklin Construction LLC to begin early work on the Torrance County Fairgrounds project. The amendment covers approximately 50 percent of total construction costs and includes demolition, site work, utility installation, and foundation work.
County Manager Jordan Barela explained that the early work package is necessary because the metal building will not arrive until February. By completing site preparation now, Barela said, the building can be erected immediately upon delivery.
According to Barela, following questioning from Commissioner Linda Jaramillo, the project is being executed under a Construction Manager at Risk procurement, and contractor Brent Franklin, attending via Zoom, said the approach is becoming standard practice to expedite schedules. Commissioner Kevin McCall said the county faces a funding gap of approximately $150,000 to $200,000, but remains committed to staying within the $4.9 million budget for the fairgrounds improvement project.
Capital Outlay Priorities Set
The commission formalized its capital outlay priorities for the 2026 legislative session through two resolutions. Priority projects include the county administrative building, a 700-megahertz radio system, a feasibility study for a 24/7 urgent care facility, and an Emergency Management Facility and Training Center.
Legislative priorities adopted by the commission include recognizing dispatchers as first responders in state statutes, improving property tax collection mechanisms for mobile homes, securing funding for rural emergency rooms and urgent care facilities, and requesting evaluation of private water systems by state agencies to prevent failures like those experienced at Melody Ranch, stated County Manager Barela.
Dispatch Staffing Crisis Addressed
The commission approved a memorandum of understanding with the Estancia Police Department, allowing town officers to work overtime shifts at county dispatch to address critical staffing shortages, an arrangement previously made with the Moriarty Police Department. Torrance County Dispatch currently operates below minimum staffing levels, stated Dispatch Supervisor Amanda Schwerdel, speaking on behalf of 911 Dispatch Director Selena Carroll.
Pay rates for Estancia officers working dispatch range from $43.50 to $47.22 per hour for sergeants and $34.91 to $37.22 for officers, representing increases of 70 percent to $3.72 per hour over previous rates paid to Moriarty officers, who no longer participate, Schwerdel believed, due to their own staffing shortages.
County employees are also filling some shifts, paid at their regular rates rather than the higher municipal overtime rates. Schwerdel said dispatch remains self-sustaining through fees collected from municipalities and state funding, with overtime costs covered by salary savings from unfilled positions.
Sheriff’s Department Receives Longevity Pay
The commission approved a longevity pay scale for certified law enforcement officers and authorized $14,800 in back pay to correct an administrative error, Chairman Schwebach said. The county approved longevity pay in April 2022, but never paid it to officers, Schwebach stated. Four deputies are currently eligible for the benefit, with an annual fiscal impact of $16,543.83.
Clerk Requests Bureau of Elections Pay Increase
County Clerk Sylvia Chavez requested approval to increase the Bureau of Elections position’s pay from $19.75 per hour to $24.75 per hour, noting that the current rate is inadequate to attract qualified candidates with election experience.
Chavez said the office needs someone with at least two years of hands-on experience with election day operations, early voting, and absentee processes, plus a legal background to handle compliance issues. The position has been open for two weeks with six applicants, only one of whom met the position’s standards.
With three special elections scheduled for early 2026, plus primary elections, Chavez said she and Chief Deputy Clerk Senaida Anaya need an experienced third person to handle logistics while they manage administrative duties. Chavez compared the position’s importance to the comptroller in the treasurer’s office, emphasizing that it provides continuity if elected officials leave.
Chavez said the county clerk’s office has experienced cost savings of approximately $67,825 this fiscal year by not filling the position for the past 10 months. At the proposed rate of $24.75 per hour, total annual costs including benefits would be approximately $82,000 to $83,000.
Commission Chairman Ryan Schwebach expressed concerns about restructuring an office mid-year rather than during the budget cycle, particularly given earlier discussions about cash-flow issues. He questioned whether this represents filling an existing vacancy or fundamentally changing the office structure.
Commissioner Linda Jaramillo, formerly the county clerk, supported the increase based on her 27 years of experience, noting elections have become far more complex with annual regular local elections covering multiple municipalities, school districts, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
The commission recessed for a break before choosing not to act and tabling discussion of the request.
Road Improvement Costs Stagger Commission
Road Superintendent Leonard Lujan presented cost estimates showing that purchasing caliche material for all 850 miles of the county’s gravel roads would cost $16.3 million—excluding delivery and application costs. Lujan said base course material for all gravel roads would cost $57.1 million to purchase, with total project costs approaching $90 million when including hauling and application. Chip sealing all gravel roads would require $27 million for a single lift, but gravel roads require double lifts, essentially doubling that cost.
The county currently maintains approximately 119 miles of chip seal roads. Re-sealing those roads would cost approximately $3.9 million. “This just shows for all you residents out there that call up all the time saying, ‘My road is crap, fix it.’ This is what it costs to be able to fix it all,” Schwebach said. Schwebach said he wanted to see special assessment districts as a mechanism for neighborhoods to fund their own road improvements.
Lujan also clarified the county’s snow removal policy: three inches on chip seal roads triggers plowing, while six inches on dirt roads is the threshold. He said dirt roads need moisture, and at six inches, about half the snow is already packed down naturally.
Emergency Alert System Switched
Emergency Manager Samantha O’Dell reported the county switched from Code Red to Text My Gov for emergency alerts after Code Red suffered a cybersecurity breach on November 10, 2025, and remained offline. The new system costs approximately the same but offers more features, including the ability to geofence specific areas for targeted evacuation notices and separate alert categories for general announcements, fire notifications, and prescribed burn notices, O’Dell said.
O’Dell said the system requires opt-in registration by residents. Unlike Code Red, Text My Gov is exclusively for government entities and can integrate with multiple county departments. The clerk’s office plans to use it for election notifications and the treasurer’s office for tax payment reminders.
County Manager Jordan Barela said the county is also exploring launching a YouTube channel to stream commission meetings and archive video for public access, since the current server storage is at capacity. Barela said that officials are also evaluating Smart Sheets project management software used by the governor’s office to track capital projects and grants.
“Malady” Ranch Water Crisis Response Stalled
Commissioner Kevin McCall raised concerns about delays in addressing the Melody Ranch water system crisis. McCall noted that the Melody Ranch emergency declaration was issued nearly 30 days ago, but there has been little progress in resolving the development’s water crisis.
Commissioner’s Reflection
Commissioner Linda Jaramillo reflected on her first year in office and thanked colleagues Ryan Schwebach and Kevin McCall for their patience and guidance, noting that she missed only one meeting due to shoulder replacement surgery.
“It is an honor to be Commissioner for District Three, in which I have roots that go back as far as four generations,” she said. “But it is not only District Three that I serve. I believe that all three of us commissioners are here for all the people of Torrance County.”
The commission adjourned into executive session to discuss threatened or pending litigation. The next regular meeting is scheduled for January 14, 2026.