City of Lordsburg Champion Community

Lead Entity: City of Lordsburg

Demographics

State: New Mexico

Counties (Census Tracts): Hidalgo
Community Population: 2935
Poverty Rate: 55.81

Background: 

• Unemployment rate: 20%

• Median Household Income: $39,900

• Per Capita Income:$15,000

Community Overview:

Lordsburg is a small community of under 3000 people.  It is located in the southwest corner of New Mexico bordering Arizona to the east and the Republic of Mexico to the south.  Lordsburg has good climate year round, has a small town atmosphere and a low cost of living.

With the closure of the biggest employer for Hidalgo County closing the smelter, Lordsburg has tried every avenue to keep the economy going in the community.  The community has been fortunate in getting two power plants come into the area and is opening its doors for tourism attractions.

It is continuing to build up its infrastructure in order to bring industry into the area and be able to facilitate the business.

Strategic Plan Highlights:  

With the implementation of its strategic plan, the City of Lordsburg seeks to achieve a balance in economic and community development.

• Infrastructure – Replaced a 250,000-gallon water reservoir and transmission line and installed a chlorinator to improve the water quality and service on its water distribution system.
• Resurfaced some city streets to improve the economic development to the community.
• Business Development – Brought in Public Service Company of New Mexico to construct an 80-mega watt power plant in the community.  Another plant is being constructed in Hidalgo County by Tri-State.
• A One-Stop Training Center was built in Deming, New Mexico to provide training, skills, education and resources to the residents to succeed in the digital age.
• Silver City has provided transportation to the Tri-County area of Luna, Grant and Hidalgo Counties to have better access to the training facility.
• The new medical facility is under construction to meet the goal of maintaining a healthy community and providing quality primary care for the recruitment of qualified and caring physicians with the state of the art equipment and technology.  The new medical facility will consist of medical care, dental care and behavioral services which will be accessible and meets the needs of the residents of Lordsburg and Hidalgo County.
• The new ambulance building is also completed.  It will provide better emergency medical service to the community.
• The Hidalgo Medical Clinic received a grant to educate and provide training to the community and Hidalgo County on the awareness of diabetes.
• Tourism – Lordsburg is located in a central location along the I-10 corridor and it can serve as a hub for distributors and for visitors wanting to make day trips to Silver City, Deming, Gila Cliff Dwelling and nearby Arizona/Texas destinations.
• Recreation –The aquatic pool is complete and operating.  This will bring the youth together in a safer and healthier environment to enjoy and keep physically active.
• With the help of a grant from the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps a new little league field was completed along with a pathway to be accessible by the handicap.  After completion of the pathway, this will aid everyone to gain access to the park at any area and serve as a trail for everyone to use for exercise.
• Housing – Lordsburg had not been able to attract home builders.  The City has created outreach programs to educate the general public about existing loan programs administered through the New Mexico Housing Authority and the USDA Rural Housing Service.  Have provided housing fairs to provide program information and had local banks inform the people on how to create good credit ratings.
• Senior Citizen Programs – Have worked with the center to keep seniors active through volunteering in programs throughout the community in helping with counseling and aiding with their skills and experience to the youth of the community.  Many are volunteering at the local nursing home and assisting with patients and are helping in many after school activities with the youth.
• PALS Program - Provides sports training and counseling to the local youth to break the cycle of crime and juvenile delinquency.  They show the youth safety rules and ensure a safe physical environment and support and promote the wellbeing of participants.
• Airport – The airport expansion to promote economic development in Lordsburg is underway.  The work consists of extending the runway, taxiway, reconstructing the access road and security fencing.

Partnerships

• Lordsburg Public School System – provides and participates in expanding vocational programs into areas that relate to industry, plumbing/heating, refrigeration, engine repair and maintenance.

• Western New Mexico University and New Mexico State University provide outreach programs for continuing education and applied vocational training to enhance the education of the youth and work force.

• Economic Development Committee (SHED)  - use of economic incentives to influence businesses to relocate to our community to create new jobs, expand revenues and training with the help of loans and grants to businesses.

• Chamber of Commerce – recruits business prospects to locate manufacturing or industry into Lordsburg to meet our goals.

• Hidalgo Medical Consortium – provides technical assistance to enhance opportunities to physicians to come into Lordsburg to provide better care for the residents.

• Southwest Council of Governments – provides technical assistance and assists in grant writing applications for the development of better business recruitment to our area.

Leveraging

• Community Development Block Grant

• Environment Improvement Department (State & Federal Levels)

• New Mexico State Highway & Transportation Coop Funds

• New Mexico Finance Authority

• Legislative Appropriations

• USDA Rural Utilities Service

• New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps

• New Mexico Clean & Beautiful Program

Community Involvement:

• Hold public meetings in different locations each month to address the needs of the community.

• Improvement of local services to keep existing businesses open and attract new businesses into the community.

• Developed a theme or image to give Lordsburg a sense of place to let visitors know they have arrived to a unique and special place and improve the appearance to build its character to achieve our goals.

• Promote special events throughout the year to develop Lordsburg to bring in more revenues.

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