Bond C vote

Staff writer

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Voters on Nov. 4 will be asked to vote yes or no on Bond C, which will provide more than $139 million for capital improvements and acquisition bonds for special schools, tribal schools and higher education.

Eastern New Mexico University would receive $11 million for the first phase of the renovation of Golden Library into the Golden Student Success Center.

ENMU President Steve Gamble said this would be the most money ENMU has received from a general obligation bond.

“Golden Library is a great building, but it is not a 21st Century library and our students deserve a 21st Century library,” Gamble said.

The renovation would make the library a “student success center,” which would place the tutoring center, a graduate commons and the student veterans’ office in the building.

Gamble said phase one will work on roofing and heating and air conditioning for the building and will establish all the student offices into the library.

Gamble said the total cost of the project is around $26 million and Bond C will help.

Property taxes will remain the same if the bi-annual ballot question is approved. The owner of a $100,000 home would see about a $6 annual reduction if the measure fails.

Clovis Community College would also benefit from Bond C.

CCC President Becky Rowley said $500,000 from Bond C would go for roofing projects around the campus. If the bond does not pass, Rowley said they still have to fix the roofs.

“It will be a lot easier fixing the roofing issues with GO Bond C,” Rowley said.

In the last Bond C election, in 2012, CCC received about $900,000 to renovate its nursing education center and to begin a physical therapy assistant program.

Rowley said they are working on the accreditation for the program and will hopefully take students next fall.

“GO Bond C is critically important for our universities (and colleges) as for some it is the only (capital improvement) income they get,” Rowley said.