From: BernCo Neighborhood Coordination
Sent: Mar 16, 2016 4:33 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients@null, null@null
Subject: BernCo News Release: First BernCo Capital Improvement Projects Meetings

For Immediate Release March 16, 2016

www.bernco.gov

Contact: Catherine Lopez cathylopez@bernco.gov O. 505.224.1641 C. 505.259.0312

 

Meetings Scheduled to Inform Public About

County Capital Improvement Projects

 

Bernalillo County – Bernalillo County’s Capital Improvement Program will be hosting county-wide informational meetings in March and April to inform the public about the 2016-2022 Capital Improvement Plan and 2016 general obligation bond questions that will be on the November 2016 ballot.

Residents are invited to attend any meeting that is convenient for them. All meetings will focus on the entire county, not individual county districts.

Capital Improvement Program Public Meetings Schedule:

Thursday, March 17 from 6:30 – 8 p.m., Vista Grande Community Center, 15 La Madera Road

Tuesday, March 22 from 6 – 7:30 p.m., South Valley Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 2008 Larrazolo Road SW

Wednesday, April 13 from 6:30 – 8 p.m., Raymond G. Sanchez Community Center, 9800 Fourth St. NW

Tuesday, April 19 from 6 – 7:30 p.m., Hiland Theatre, Studio F, 4800 Central Ave. SE

Thursday, April 21 from 5 – 6:30 p.m., North Valley Senior Center, 3825 Fourth St. NW

A capital project is a “bricks-and-mortar” item that the county purchases, designs and/or constructs, such as land, buildings, equipment, roads and trails. A capital project must have a life span greater than 10 years. 

The Capital Improvement Plan serves as a guiding tool for the County Commission and county personnel to implement projects. The plan is updated every two years and involves recalibrating projects’ funding needs, informing the public about these needs, conducting a systematic evaluation and ranking of similar project types, and soliciting public comment.

Currently, Bernalillo County has approximately $800 million in capital project funding needs with approximately $155 million committed to those needs.

When voters approve the sale of general obligation bonds, it allows local governments to sell the bonds, which is essentially borrowing money from investors (bond purchasers) at low interest rates to pay for the capital projects.  Bonds are paid back using property taxes. 

For questions, please contact Clay Campbell, program manager, at (505) 468-7309 or by email, ccampbell@bernco.gov. Residents can also visit www.bernco.gov/CIP for more information.

# # #

About Bernalillo County

Bernalillo County is 1,160 square miles and is New Mexico’s most populous county with more than 674,000 residents. Bernalillo County government provides a wide range of public services to residents who live in Albuquerque, Los Ranchos and Tijeras and the 111,000 residents who live outside the village and city limits in the unincorporated areas of the county.  Bernalillo County employs approximately 2,500 people and has an annual operating budget and capital investments of more than $500 million. Elected officials include five county commissioners, assessor, clerk, probate judge, sheriff and treasurer.