GRANTS, N.M. - The September 1 Grants/Cibola County School board meeting discussed the new HVAC contract proposal, facility use fees, a partnership with the Pueblo of Laguna police department, PSFA district funding and school renovations.
New HVAC Contract
The district is considering a new heating and air conditioning contract service provider to ensure comprehensive support and maintenance for their systems districtwide. Gary Atencio, director of facilities, and Cooper Jones, director of finance and technology, discussed the importance of having on-call support for heating and air issues.
Cooper Jones highlighted that the district spent nearly $1.3 million with the previous company last year and anticipated spending approximately $1.2 million on HVAC for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
A significant concern is Grants High School, which, according to Jones, “is in such bad disrepair that the comprehensive coverage does not apply there because that system is outdated.” The new contract aims to enable technicians to diagnose issues at Grants High School, although the current agreement does not include comprehensive coverage there.
Additionally, the contract will streamline operations by having a single person manage HVAC needs across multiple locations, including Blue Water Village and Laguna, rather than requiring separate personnel for each site. Gary Atencio expressed enthusiasm for this integrated approach, describing it as “the dream.”
The contract with Honeywell, as per the CES pricing agreement, is valued at $880,867.19. While this amount may seem high, Jones explained that it encompasses a wide range of services that collectively justify the cost.
The board approved this contract, and Superintendent Lane Widner said, “I want to give a little shout out to Mr Atencio too. Just announcing that we haven’t had to close school the last 16 months is epic. That means a lot. And we’ve had good working heaters. We’ve had good air conditioner units.”
Facility Use Fee Structure
Director of Student Support Larry Chavez, presented a proposed fee schedule that aligns with the 2017 policy. This schedule classifies users into three district groups: Class 1, which incurs no charge; Charge 2, which includes community and civic organizations; and Class 3, which encompasses for-profit entities.
The proposed fees are structured to cover various facilities, including gyms, fields, classrooms, labs, and auditoriums. The schedule outlined specific requirements such as liability insurance, principal approval, and custodial/security charges. Notably, the policy change includes the discontinuation of issuing keys or badges. Instead, an on-call staff member will be responsible for opening and closing the facilities to ensure safety.
The superintendent retains the authority to waive fees under certain circumstances. The board approved the fee schedule.
Partnering with Pueblo of Laguna Police
Superintendent Widner explained that the school district is partnering with the Pueblo of Laguna Police Department, similar to what the district had done at the previous meeting with the Grants Police Department.
This partnership will allow full access to a school resource officer at both Laguna-Acoma middle and high school. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) is to cover half of the employee’s salary, which would be $41,500.
PSFA District Funding and School Renovations
Cooper Jones explained that every school in the state undergoes regular audits to identify necessary improvements. However, the funding for these projects is uncertain, as Jones noted that the number of school funded varies each year, sometimes targeting the top 20, 50, or 100 schools. Jones explained, “To my knowledge, they haven’t said [the amount of schools] they’ll fund. “
The board has recently accepted FBT architects to redesign the systems at Grants High School. A similar process is planned for Mount Taylor Elementary, where an architect will be selected to design a new school within six months, followers by separate procurement for a general contractor to build the design.
Currently, Jones explained that the district managed 220-230 active projects with the help of event projects managers, and they are in the process of hiring more staff. Jones emphasized that securing an architect this year could improve their ranking on funding lists, potentially increasing their chances of receiving the necessary financial support, although the process is inherently slow.