Las Cruces City Council Unanimously Approves Revamp of Mesilla Valley MPO Management and Committee Additions

As Las Cruces City Councilors approved a few resolutions updating the management structure, the Mesilla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is beginning to undergo transformation. Officials overwhelmingly decided to transfer control of the MPO operations from the City to its newly renamed Governing Board during a meeting on November 18, as reported on the City of Las Cruces’ official website.

The old Policy Board became the Governing Board of the Mesilla Valley MPO as a result of a bureaucratic name change that coincided with this strategic transformation, according to the City of Las Cruces. There is more rescripting to come. A MPO Officer was also transformed into an MPO Executive Director, who will now answer to the Governing Board rather than the City. However, aside from these modifications, the MPO’s fundamental role and current structure stayed as stable as a rock. This organization, which consists of the New Mexico Department of Transportation District 1, the Town of Mesilla, the City of Las Cruces, and the Dona Ana County Government, is essential to the administration of over $70 million in federal funding for regional infrastructure projects.

Ahead of another resolution, councilors formally released a memorandum of agreement outlining the MPO’s roles and responsibilities under the Joint Powers Agreement, with the City of Las Cruces continuing to serve as the organization’s fiscal agent. In order to provide seamless operations and coordination for regional transportation improvements, the Mesilla Valley MPO’s internal functions are scheduled to continue uninterrupted.

Turning to the next item on the agenda, the council’s approval signaled the arrival of Michael Cochran, Adolf Zubia, and Bill Kinsella Jr. as three new trailblazers to the City’s Oversight Committee. In addition to guiding the City through the mazes of operations and efficiency, this advisory group also looks for waste, fraud, and abuse that may be hiding in the shadowy areas of government resources. The group works in the background, but its contributions are essential to the City’s internal watchdogging.

All of the City Council’s regular meetings and work sessions, including Monday’s meeting, are open to the public. The City’s YouTube channel provides a digital seat to the community for individuals who want to catch up or keep informed. The Nov. 25 work session has been canceled due to an early holiday, so residents will need to mark their calendars for the next regular meeting, which is now scheduled for Dec. 2.

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