The Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners voted today to delay an agreement with the Creative Media Institute at
The Las Cruces City Council has already approved an agreement to provide $25,000 this year to NMSU to help pay an employee whose job will be attracting films to the area. The commission voted to put off approval of similar funding for two weeks to give staff time to determine how they’ll come up with the money.
The fiscal year ends at the end of the month, and the county has a tight budget. Assistant County Manager Sue Padilla said it’s possible there will be a surplus at the end of the month that could be used, but it’s more likely that, instead, something else will have to be cut or the county will have to draw from reserve funds the commission doesn’t want to touch.
The majority of commissioners expressed approval of funding the position and the work of CMI, but said they want to know how they’ll come up with the money before they OK it. Assuming they approve the funding in two weeks, the delay won’t have any impact: Either way, the funding wouldn’t be available until after the state’s new fiscal year begins in July 1.
The vote to delay was 4-1, with only Commissioner Kent Evans in opposition.