Contact:	Amy Goodin or Amelia Rouse, 277-1099 Laurie Mellas-Ramirez, 277-5915
April 22, 2002 UNM INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY TO HOLD CITIZEN CONFERENCE IN CARLSBAD TO AID TRANSPORTATION PLANNING The University of New Mexico Institute for Public Policy (IPP), a non-partisan forum for social scientific research and education, will hold seven "Citizen Conferences" across the state to aid the highway department's long range planning process. A meeting will take place in Carlsbad Wednesday, May 22, at the Pecos River Village Conference Center. The highway department sponsored similar meetings in 1997 and found that they are an effective and innovative way to incorporate public opinion into the policy making process. Relying on New Mexicans to provide insight about their preferences for transportation is an especially important function this year and beyond, because the state is facing a future where transportation needs of citizens will outgrow available resources. Approximately 10 randomly selected citizens will be recruited from throughout the state by the IPP to take part in each of the daylong meetings. In the morning there is a question and answer session where Citizen Advisors discuss transportation issues with state and local transportation professionals. In the afternoon the Citizen Advisors deliberate on what they have learned and develop a list of recommendations for transportation planning throughout the state. The recommendations will be presented to the press, local citizens and the highway department at 4 p.m. Local public officials, business people and the general public are invited to this session and will have the opportunity to join the discussion at an informal public meeting following the presentation. The dates and locations for the conferences are: · Thursday, May 2, in Taos at the Convention Center · Wednesday, May 8, in Tucumcari at the Convention Center · Wednesday, May 15, in Gallup at the UNM-Gallup campus · Wednesday, May 22, in Carlsbad at the Pecos River Village Conference Center · Wednesday, June 5, in Bernalillo at Santa Ana Star Casino · Tuesday, June 11, in Silver City at Western New Mexico University · Thursday, June 13, in Truth or Consequences at the Civic Center For more information, call the UNM Institute for Public Policy at (505) 277-1099 or (866) 602-6810. ###

The University of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981