Date:
3/12/2002
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 505.562.2253
PORTALES-If the voters approve a General Obligation Bond on Nov. 2, the Portales campus of Eastern New Mexico University will receive over $5 million dollars for capital outlay projects.
In the budget approved by the state legislature and signed by Governor Gary Johnson, the largest budgeted item for Eastern, pending voter approval, would be $4 million for a Communications Center to house Eastern's public broadcasting television and radio stations (KENW-TV and KENW-FM), as well as classrooms.
Eastern would also receive $1,250,000 for infrastructure improvements for things such as roofs, renovations and repairs. ENMU-Roswell would receive $450,000 and the Ruidoso Instruction Center would receive $135,000 for infrastructure improvements.
In addition, Eastern would receive an undetermined amount for library materials and Americans with Disabilities Act improvements.
In items which will be funded by severance tax bonds and do not depend upon voter approval, Eastern will receive $243,750 for instructional television improvements in Hobbs and Roswell, $25,000 for science laboratory/classroom improvements, $90,000 for bleachers at Greyhound Stadium, $150,000 for resurfacing of a track for Eastern's track team (which will be re-established in the spring of 2003), and $45,000 for police cars for ENMU-Roswell.
"Our legislative delegation really supported Eastern's request for funding," said Dr. Steven Gamble, ENMU president. "Twelve of the legislators from our part of the state committed $25,000 from the money they controlled to fund the instructional television and science lab projects.
"Our biggest project was obviously the $4 million dollar Communications Center. Senator Stuart Ingle was able to use his influence to get the Center included in the General Obligation Bond. Without Senator Ingle's influence and position, the Communications Center would not have been funded. Eastern is fortunate to have him as a friend and supporter," said Dr. Gamble.