RRPS, CNM infrastructure projects approved by school board

RIO RANCHO — The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education on Monday approved items related to utilities projects at Eagle Ridge Middle School and Central New Mexico Community College.

The board voted unanimously to approve a contract for a local company to provide a copper cabling upgrade for the middle school as well as an "electric easement agreement" to allow PNM to work on utilities for CNM's upcoming Transportation Technology Center.

Electric easement agreement

The easement will allow PNM crews access to land to conduct necessary electrical work near the new CNM building, adjacent to RioTECH, a career-technical education high school located at 7001 Zenith Court NE in Rio Ranch. The agreement, which does not expire, states that no structure can be built over the easement.

"Easements provide the access PNM needs to build and maintain the infrastructure that powers communities with reliable, affordable and clean energy. This access is essential to ensuring our system remains safe, resilient and ready to serve customers," PNM spokesperson  Eric Chavez said in a prepared statement.

The agreement for an easement was approved by the RRPS board because it owns the property where both facilities are located, Loren Hatch, the school district's legal counsel, said during the meeting.

An easement is already in place for RioTECH, which opened in August, according to an email by RRPS.

In May, dignitaries broke ground for the Transportation Technology Center, which will be used by both CNM and Rio Rancho Public Schools students, according to a news release by the community college.

Electrical upgrades

The school board awarded a contract to Corrales-based Cypress Communication Systems. Cypress is no stranger to RRPS, as it has provided  has communications cabling services for Maggie Cordova and Ernest Stapleton elementary schools, as well as Lincoln Middle School.

The company will work on upgrading ERMS's copper cabling infrastructure, which transmits data and electrical signals for networks and other computerized applications, according to an RRPS memorandum to the school board.