The Grants Cibola County School Board (GCCS) election coming up next Tuesday, February 3, 2015 will include a ballot request asking registered Cibola County voters to consider supporting a $7,000,000 general obligation bond for NMSU Grants to enable NMSU Grants to build a new facility, Teacher, Health Care Education and Child Development Center.
When NMSU Grants was created in 1968, at the request of the Grants Cibola County Schools to New Mexico State University, Cibola County voters were required to provide 1 mil of local property tax support as required by the New Mexico Branch Community College Act. That 1 mil of annual support continues thru today and provides approximately $240,000 to our annual operating budget. In our 46 year history we have never been back to Cibola County voters to ask for more local tax support but it is time we do if we are to progress and improve our campus and services to students and our community. General obligation bonds cannot be used for salaries or operations only for construction projects. (read more…)
Jacob O’Neil was one of eight students in the first NMSU Bachelor of Science in Nursing cohort delivered on our Grants campus, graduating in 2010. Upon graduating he was immediately hired at Cibola General Hospital and has been working for the past 4 ½ years primarily as an Emergency Room Nurse. Jacob is a three time Iraqi Marine Corp veteran. He is considering beginning a Nurse Practitioner Master’s program in the near future. Listen to Jacob.
Joseph Martin, is a member of Acoma Pueblo and is an elementary teacher at Seboyeta Elementary School with the Grants Cibola County Schools. Joseph completed his Associate degree in Education at NMSU Grants and then his Bachelor’s in Elementary Education via NMSU thru their distance education program, again without leaving Grants. He is a board member of the Acoma Board of Education and Co-Chair of the Grants Cibola County Indian Education Committee. Listen to Joseph.
According to the January 16th Cibola Beacon, the bond election is unanimously supported by the Grants’ mayor and councilors.
Speaking at the recent Council meeting, Councilor Michael Lewis said, “We know child development works, I support it and hope that it passes.” Councilors Ruben Sandoval, Michael Quintana and Edwin Dickens also spoke in support of the project. Mayor Hicks said, “At first I played the devil’s advocate. Now that you’ve answered all my questions and concerns, I support the project.”
The impact on homeowners’ property taxes was projected to be only $48/year for a home valued at $90,000.
Vote February 3rd!
On Tuesday February 3, 2015, voters will be asked to support the New Mexico State University Grants Community College by authorizing $7M in General Obligation Bonds. The proceeds from this sale of bonds will be used in the construction of a new Teacher Education, Health Care and Child Development Center. This new facility will be used to:
- Create a learning laboratory for Teacher Education students.
- Create a clinical site for nursing students enrolled in the Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN) and Certified Nursing Assistant programs.
- Create a teaching facility that provides relevant learning opportunities for our community students.
- Expand the licensed child care slots from 55 to 80 for working parents and students in the community.
Early in-person voting is open until Monday, February 2nd. Absentee ballots and applications for absentee ballots are now available.
(read more…)
