Font ResizeLAS CRUCES - A proposed merger of two affordable housing groups, an update about libraries in the county's rural areas and a list of major legislative projects were topics taken up Thursday during a joint meeting of Doña Ana County and Las Cruces officials.
Though already closely related, the housing authorities of the city of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County are proposing a merger that would make them one entity, said Thomas Hassell, housing authority executive director.
The agencies, which issue housing subsidy vouchers and maintain federal affordable housing units, already share the same administrative staff, Hassell said. But legally, they're separate entities and report to different governing boards, he said.
That results in a lot of duplication of work, Hassell said. For instance, each group must produce separate reports and be reviewed in separate audits, even though the same staff work for both agencies.
If merged, Hassell said the programs would become a single body with jurisdiction over all of Do-a Ana County. And that merger, he said, would free up staff to redirect its energies to the group's mission: helping the public get into affordable housing.
Some county commissioners questioned whether the merger would somehow shortchange residents outside the city limits. Other officials questioned whether there would be a negative impact to the city or county governments. They said they want more information before acting on the proposal.
Both the county
Also Thursday, Lynette Schurdevin, Branigan Library administrator, said the city library has expanded into the county, setting up small libraries in seven of Do-a Ana County's rural community centers. Plus, the city library continues to run a books-by-mail program in the county.
Both were steps taken to replace the city-county bookmobile, which was discontinued on June 30, 2008.
The books in county centers are mostly donated, Schurdevin said, but some are duplicate books from the city library. She said the city is using its own staff to do a minimal amount of work that's needed at the centers, such as switching out books every three months.
"We're used to being able to do a lot with a little," she said, of the city library's budget.
Also, the county and city are part of a group asking for legislative funding for several local projects, including $2.6 million for a crisis triage center that would temporarily hold mentally ill in the custody of law enforcement, and $4.5 million for a new 911 call center, Assistant County Manager Sue Padilla said.
The meeting was a work session only, so officials couldn't take any action.
Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443.
On the Web
•Do-a Ana County: www.donaanacounty.org
•City of Las Cruces: www.las-cruces.org
