General Obligation Bond C could bring $24 million to NMSU

(Nov. 2012 story)

When New Mexicans head to the polls, they’ll vote on a general obliation bond that would give the New Mexico State University system $24 million for renovations.

The money would be spread out between all the branches of NMSU across the state.

This comes just after NMSU payed a departing president more than $450,000.

Some on campus are worried that controversial buyout could cause voters to go against the bond.

“It will be interesting to see theelection what happens.I imagine that if it passes it won’t pass by avery large margin compared to two months ago,” said NMSU Professor Daniel Scheller.

General Obligation Bond C would bring $24 million to be spread out among all of the NMSU branches: $1 million for infrastructure renovation and upgrades at the Grants branch campus in Cibola County, $19 million to renovate Hardman and Jacobs Halls at the main campus in Las Cruces, $2 million for renovations at the Dona Ana Community College branch, $1 million for renovations at the Carlsbad campus, and $1 million for the Alamogordo branch.

NMSU architect Greg Walke told ABC-7 the buildings on the main campus are in desperate need of renovations.

“We have two very old buildings that are in dilapidated condition. They’ve been maintained, but not updated since they were built. They represent an older generation of teaching facilities,” Walke said.

Hardman Hall is 38 years old and Jacobs Hall is 49 years old. Their age shows in the cracks and chips all over the buildings.

Walke believes that affects how students learn.

“The condition of the space, the lighting, the space they have available. It either helps them learn or it doesn’t. Right now we have spaces that don’t help them learn but we want to give them space that will,” Walke said.

Some are worried recent controversy surrounding the school may make voters wary about approving the bond.

Our New Mexico Mobile Newsroom went out to the polls to find out what local voters think.

“You don’t know where your money’s going. Doesn’t matter how you vote or what you do because you don’t know where your money’s going,” said Lisa Lucero, a Las Crucen who just finished voting.

“Just because there’s one situation doesn’t mean that everything is bad. NMSU has been a good school over the years and occasionally you run into a situation,” said Sylvia Wilhelm, a Las Crucen who voted.

Walke said voters should keep students’ needs in mind above all else.

“The bond lists certain projects. For this one there’s 19 million dollars and it has to be used for this project. No matter what happens in the news the university goes on,” Walke said.

He told ABC-7 if the bond does not pass, the projects will still get done. They will be delayed until officials can find the funding, causing a domino effect that would delay dozens of other projects as well.

(Nov. 2012 story)