Section 22-24-5.1 - Council assistance and oversight.
22-24-5.1. Council assistance and oversight.
In providing grant assistance pursuant to Section 22-24-5 NMSA 1978, the council shall:
A. assist school districts in identifying critical capital outlay needs and in preparing grant applications;
B. take such actions as are necessary to assist school districts in implementing the projects for which grants are made, including assistance with the preparation of requests for bids or proposals, contract negotiations and contract implementation;
C. take such actions as are necessary to ensure cost savings and efficiencies for those school districts that are not large enough to maintain their own construction management staff; and
D. include such reporting requirements and conditions and take such actions as are necessary to ensure that the grants are expended in the most prudent manner possible and consistent with the original purpose for which they were made. In order to ensure compliance with the intent of this subsection, the council may:
(1) access the premises of a project and review any documentation relating to a project;
(2) withhold all or part of the amount of grant assistance available for a project for grounds established by rule of the council; and
(3) if it determines that a project is repeatedly in substantial noncompliance with any reporting requirement or condition, take over the direct administration of the project until the project is completed.