By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
Bookworms who haunt Esther Bone Memorial Library could need a new hangout this winter. Rio Rancho plans to close the Pinetree Road library from January to May 2027 for its first major makeover in nearly 20 years. The Governing Body votes Thursday on the contract to make it happen.
Councilors will consider a $990,431 contract with Young Guns Construction to renovate the 1992 building, according to the agenda packet. Crews would install new flooring, lighting, ceilings and paint, remodel every restroom, rework the meeting room and service desk, upgrade the outdoor programming space and add a dedicated nursing room for mothers. The library’s last big remodel came in 2007-08.
The kids’ corner gets a lift too. A consent item accepts $175,000 in state capital outlay money for new children’s shelving. Rep. Kathleen Cates put in $100,000 and Sen. Jay Block put in $75,000, according to city documents.
Drivers on Southern Boulevard get the night’s biggest price tag. The council will weigh $6.3 million in contracts to rebuild the Nicklaus Channel crossing east of Nicklaus Drive. Low bidder H.O. Construction would get $5.64 million, and HDR Inc. would get $684,605 for construction oversight. The existing channel can’t carry the stormwater flows engineers expect, according to city staff. A new concrete box culvert fixes that and leaves room to widen Southern later. Work should take about nine months, mostly on federal dollars.
Councilors will also consider a $1.9 million contract with New Mexico Underground for water and sewer lines along Idalia Road. They’ll also sign off on a final order formally denying a home winery liquor license they rejected Sept. 24.
Central New Mexico Community College and Sandoval Regional Medical Center will pitch their bond and mill levy questions ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Rio Rancho Governing Body meeting
- When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8
- Where: Council Chambers, Rio Rancho City Hall, 3200 Civic Center Circle NE
- Watch live: rrnm.gov/2303/Watch-and-Download-City-Meetings
- Zoom: Meeting ID 833 3815 7719, passcode 554297
- By phone: 720-707-2699
- Want to speak? Register in person with the city clerk at least 15 minutes before the meeting.
- Can’t make it? Send written comments to the city clerk by 4 p.m. Thursday to get them into the record.