County to hold public hearing on Hold Harmless tax for judicial complex
ALAMOGORDO — Otero County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing today at 6 p.m. to discuss issuing Hold Harmless gross receipt tax (HHGRT) revenue bonds for the new judicial complex and the expansion of the Otero County Detention Center.
County Commissioners will decide to adopt Ordinance No. 17-02 which authorizes the issuance and sale of Otero County HHGRT revenue bonds, in one or more series, not exceeding $41.5 million for the purposes of constructing, purchasing, furnishing, equipping, rehabilitating, making improvements to one or more public buildings including the expansion of the county detention center and the county courthouse project.
County Commissioners authorized the 1/8 and 1/4 HHGRT in September 2015, both for the purpose of expanding the detention center and for constructing a new courthouse.
According to county notes, a feasibility study was commissioned to determine the parameters of each project. The feasibility study for the detention center has been completed, determining the parameters for the project within budget, and ready to be implemented.
The feasibility study for the courthouse is still in the process of receiving input from court personnel, regarding their requirements and input from the public and court personnel regarding the location. Input from the County Finance team, regarding the budget constraints is also still needed.
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), rules require that a binding commitment to begin expending money on a project must be entered into within six months after the issuance of bonds.
County discusses keeping courthouse in downtown
Earlier in January members of the community unofficially voted to demolish the current courthouse and rebuild it into a functioning facility that could cost up to $34.4 million.
Court officials and residents said they would like to remain in the downtown area because it is the heart of the city and they would not like to move elsewhere causing people to move further out of Alamogordo.
The reconstruction/relocation of the Otero County Court House is the most expensive project the county has ever worked on in their history and has the community and even officials debating the location on social media.
County considers locations for new judicial complex
In a November 2015 Otero County Commission meeting former County Commissioner Ronny Rardin was adamant that the best site for the courthouse would be off of First Street, which is a piece of land that was donated to the county for free.
During the November 2015 meeting, Rardin said after meeting with architects, the current location would not be able to meet the 3–to–1 parking ratio by the City without buying additional land. It would also cost more than $3.5 million to develop this location and limits any kind of future growth. Architects also concluded that it was very disruptive to courts and users in the area and it cannot adequately build a solar field.
He went on to say that going with the current location would be absolutely ridiculous.
According to Rardin, research shows that future growth for the site off of First Street would last over 100 years and allows economic development to begin as Alamogordo grows.
Rardin also said the site off of First Street is the only option he could see that keeps the county true to their promise to the public for raising the tax and is good planning for now and the future.
County Commissioners have not decided on a location due to cost issues that are unclear at the moment.
One thing County Commissioners made clear was that they did listen to the community when they voted to keep the courthouse at its current location.
During the Feb. 9 Otero County Commission meeting, County Commissioner Lori Bies was concerned with the cost of the bonds and said she would not vote for a bond that she could not verify all of the details as to location and cost prior to leaving them responsible for funds they don't know they can use to get the project done because it was looking to be more expensive than what they thought.
The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. at the Otero County Administration Building, 1101 N. New York Ave., Rm. 123.