Doña Ana County Commissioner Kent Evans will host the annual conference of the U.S./Mexico Border Counties Coalition in Las Cruces next month.
The conference will be held Sept. 7 and 8. Dozens of delegates from counties on both sides of the border are expected to attend the conference, which will be held at Hotel Encanto and at White Sands Missile Range. Evans will deliver welcoming remarks.
Evans was elected president of the organization last year.
“I’m delighted and honored to bring my colleagues to Doña Ana County for this conference,” Evans said in a news release. “The work we do is important to residents on both sides of the international boundary, and the attention we bring to border issues from both federal governments ensures that we will continue to receive resources necessary to address our unique geographical position.”
U. S. Rep. Steve Pearce is scheduled to address coalition members on the morning of Sept. 8, and then the coalition will elect officers for the next year. Coalition members will also receive updates on the proposed border-fence initiative, various border health programs and an overview of law-enforcement issues related to border communities.
Evans said he is particularly interested in a presentation on 2007 congressional action on border issues, which will be facilitated by a Washington lobbyist.
“This coalition’s success depends in great measure on how well we do in attracting federal action to assist with local challenges related to border issues,” Evans said. “I’m extremely eager to hear a comprehensive update on how we’re doing in Washington and about the direction we’re headed as we move toward 2008.”
Doña Ana County Commissioner Kent Evans will host the annual conference of the U.S./Mexico Border Counties Coalition in