MILITARY HONORS: Command Sgt. Major Kenneth Adair presents a special award to Phil Rios, director of public works. Looking on are Sgt. First Class Bernie Lujan (left) and Lt. Col. Steve Garcia.

County Approves New Operators of Broadband Project

By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

Sandoval County commissioners approved staff requests for two different companies to install and operate the county’s broadband initiative after state investigations regarding finances prompted the previous operators to leave.

Net Logics received the endorsement of Michael Hoag, the county’s industrial technology director, and a five-person oversight committee for the project management element of the project. The Denver division of Atlanta-based ChM2Hill will handle the implementation, design and engineering of the project.

The commission's vote gives staff the go-ahead to negiotiate final contract figures, which ultimately have to be approved by the commission as well.

“The management element is critical,” Hoag said. “After all the publicity it is important to have a group that knows the business, how to write a RFP and do management as the program continues to develop.

“Ironically, CH2MHill really wanted the management part. They are world-wide and have the expertise in all the areas, but we felt it was an important part of the checks and balances to have two separate organizations working on the project.”

Hoag and his committee, which was put together after state officials quetioned te project, also was given the authorization to report directly to the Commission instead of going through the administrtive chain of command first, with the intent being to remove the administration from the spotlight as the program develops.

Despite accusations out of Santa Fe and investigations by three different audit teams, no report has been issued or charges filed.

In addition to Hoag, the commission also includes:

•Moira C. Gerety, director of information technology services for the University of New Mexico.

•Tim Jerome, a senior project manager in Intel’s software and solutions division.

•Emily Diaz, the kindergarten through 12th grade representative for CISCO systems.

•John Brown, who has been with the project from its inception and now has a contract with the county as an internet srevice provider through his company IXNM.

Hoag, who will be leaving the county Friday (Nov. 2) to take a position in the private sector, will step down as chair but continue to stay on the committee. Mike Good, currently the systems administrator for the county, will step and fill Hoag's job on an interim basis.

Hoag said he hoped a representative from the state auditor’s office would join the committee in the future to make sure all financial procedures have the blessing of the state.