AI data center a focal point of Doña Ana County Commission forum in Chaparral
Julia Brown, a former Doña Ana County manager and Democratic write-in candidate for the District 3 county commission seat, left, and Patricia “Susie” Kimble, an Independent candidate, speak at a candidate forum Sept. 14, 2026, in Chaparral. Brown and Kimble are two of three candidates running in the district. A third candidate in the race, Democrat Willie Madrid, didn’t attend the candidate forum. (Photo by Juan Corral/ SNMJC)
Two of three candidates seeking the District 3 commission seat share their views
CHAPARRAL – Two of three candidates seeking the District 3 Doña Ana County Commission seat weighed in on community issues, including an under-construction AI data center in Santa Teresa, during a Sept. 14 candidate forum in Chaparral.
Current Doña Ana County Commissioner Patricia “Susie” Kimble, an Independent candidate, and write-in opponent Julia T. Brown, a Democrat, attended the event, hosted by the SouthWest Organizing Project and Chaparral Community Association.
District 3 runs from a portion of Las Cruces’ East Mesa south to Chaparral and the Texas state line.
A third candidate, Willie Madrid, a Democrat and former state representative, was not present, despite being invited to attend and participate in the debate. Madrid didn’t respond to a SNMJC request for comment.
The race will be decided in the Nov. 3 general election.
On Project Jupiter
Kimble, who was appointed to the seat earlier this year to fill a vacancy after a former commissioner stepped down, and Brown, a former Doña Ana County manager and Sunland Park city manager, weighed in on AI data centers, including Project Jupiter being built about 30 miles southwest of Chaparral near Santa Teresa. Both candidates were asked how they address the politics around the issue and how to chart the best course forward.
Data centers have stirred controversy in Southern New Mexico and El Paso, based on the pros and cons Project Jupiter and another proposed for northeast El Paso will generate for neighboring communities.
Kimble noted she was not on the Doña Ana County Commission when the vote to back Project Jupiter was taken.
“I want you to know that, that project started in the Governor’s office,” she said. “It started at the state level, the state economic development department was in favor of it. The commission was given that opportunity, that pressure to vote for Project Jupiter without having all the information they needed. I think it was hasty, and, in my opinion, there are so many AI facilities. It’s like a race to see who can build it first.”
Kimble emphasized she wants to keep listening to community members.
“Don’t discount anyone’s opinion,” she said. “Listen to them. There are people in the community who know a lot more about it than I do. At this point the county has only approved the IRB, which is the Industrial Revenue Bond, which allows the company to get a low-interest loan and evade some taxes. The rest of it is not in the hands of the county.”
Brown agreed with Kimble but said that if the project gets full approval, the county must pay close attention to it. She said her deep legal and administrative experience to be able to do that.
“My background in law, having written contracts, having drafted legislation, makes me a good candidate for being able to dig into those documents and reading, and pulling out those things which we need to monitor with this account,” Brown said.
Brown said the county, including county managers, staff and any consultants, would need to watch the company overseeing Project Jupiter to make sure it complies with rules.
A year ago, the Doña Ana County Commission voted 4-1 to OK $165 billion in Industrial Revenue Bonds supporting Project Jupiter. On Sept. 17, the New Mexico Supreme Court lifted stays that had stalled proceedings on key permits being sought in connection with the project.
A look at their backgrounds
The commission candidate debate was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Betty McKnight Community Center, but after a few minutes of waiting for the candidates, it kicked off at 6:15 p.m. Both candidates offered background on their qualifications and what they believe the county commissioner job entails.
Kimble said one of the most important things a commissioner should have in mind is listening to the community and asking residents what they would like to see changed within the town.
Brown said commissioners are responsible for developing policy and procedure for the county manager and office staff to follow and carry out.
“The commissioner is responsible for adopting the annual budget and dividing the money that is
available for the budget among all of the departments, all the programs and, of course, a large portion of that budget should go to personnel and salaries,” Brown said.
Brown was most recently a regional representative for the New Mexico Economic Development Department. In her campaign for the commission seat, she’s emphasized improving infrastructure, economic development and jobs, and government transparency.
Kimble has worked in health care for most of her life. She worked at a psychiatric hospital for over 25 years, adding that mental health care would be one of her focuses if she is elected.
“It’s really important to me that people get those services because it’s a lost sort of population of people,” Kimble said. “If you’re an adult with mental health or mental illness, it’s really hard to get those services.”
Kimble admitted to not having any government experience beyond her stint this year on the commission, but she said she wants to work to improve Chaparral.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Kimble in early February to complete the term of former Commissioner Shannon Reynolds. Kimble has served on the New Mexico Behavioral Health Planning Council since 2005 and founded the Doña Ana County Behavioral Health Local Collaborative.
Kimble was registered as a Republican until December 2025, when she changed her party to “decline to state,” often referred to as Independent, according to the county clerk’s office and state candidate information.
Working with state government
Both candidates were asked what kind of relationship they believe a state and county should have. Brown said diplomacy should be involved.
“There may be some difference in opinion with respect to some topics, but that does not mean that, that relationship needs to be adversarial,” she said. “I think there still needs to be a partnership, specifically between cities and counties and the state economic development for example.”
Brown said the county should have a relationship and collaborate with each state department, including mental health, job development and skills training, health and human services.
When Kimble was asked the same question, she agreed civility and communication should be priorities to build strong relationships across the community and government.
“I do agree that the relationships don’t need to be adversarial,” she said. “We need to keep civil engagement going on, talk to everybody, especially the legislators. We did not mention the legislators, and we should. So, there overall needs to be a discourse that is more polite, and willing to listen.”
In 2017, Brown’s stint as county manager was abruptly terminated by the county commission at the time after a shift in the makeup of that board. She alleged she was wrongfully terminated, resulting in the county paying $535,000 to her to settle the matter. After that, she was hired as the city manager for Sunland Park. She’s been endorsed by U.S. Congressman Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat whose district covers much of Southern New Mexico.
Eyeing change
One community member asked Kimble and Brown what changes they would seek for Chaparral, if elected. Both women said they would like to see improvement in various areas of the town. While Brown focused on community bonds, Kimble highlighted infrastructure throughout Chaparral.
“I was taught that all the talents that the Lord has given are not just to be used for my own sake, and so I always look for opportunities to work in the community, to provide pro bono legal services and to do grassroots organizing,” Brown said.
Kimble said she is trying to raise issues affecting the community at county meetings.
“I mentioned that we are addressing sewer lines in town,” she said. “We applied for a loan through NADBank, which would bring assistance to homes to hook up to the sewers.”
Kimble said adding more sewer lines and larger septic tanks to the community can create more jobs by creating infrastructure to accommodate more businesses, such as more daycares and larger community centers. She said the county is working to secure colonias improvement funds.
“There’s a big grant right now where we are trying to work on areas to connect, community centers (to broadband), for students to hopefully come there after school and do their homework,” she said.
A significant issue highlighted was the Chaparral library, which was built three years ago as part of a community center. But it has been open only one month, with the help of volunteers. Community members asked where the support for this project was.
“We don’t actually have the library designated as a library, is the issue,” Kimble said. “It was funded from Willie Madrid (through legislative funds), so it did not come from the county. It wasn’t county funding is what I have been told. We have to look into the process to see what happens next, if we make it into a library or a lending library. The issue that I’m hearing is that if it’s a library and we don’t have it staffed, then that is a certain area we will have closed off when librarians aren’t there.”
Kimble said part of the challenge is that the library is on county property so it’s difficult to manage the property separately.
One community member stated donated chairs for the library were taken away due to a rule about donations. Kimble misstated a rule she believed applied as the “anti-donation clause” but then retracted that statement, apologizing for not knowing the answer.
Brown said she was not a part of the community when the library was built, but she said one often misunderstood law is the state's anti-donation clause, a law that prohibits public money from benefitting private property and individuals in most instances.
“Very often, unfortunately, the staff would use that as an excuse not to do something, and I was
consistently on them, correcting that, and giving the community the right information,” she said, referencing her stint as county manager. “The community is not given accurate and timely information on resources that are available.”
Brown added there are funds, grants and resources that the community does not take advantage of because county staff may not know how to deliver those resources or have the information to do so.
Madrid, the Democratic contender who didn’t attend the forum, formerly held a state representative seat covering Chaparral. But he lost a primary election to Democratic challenger Jon Hill in 2024. Hill later dropped out of that race, endorsing replacement candidate Sarah Silva, who won the general election.
Brown is running for District 3 as a write-in candidate, so voters supporting her must write “Julia T. Brown” onto their ballot in the appropriate spot. Other candidates’ names will already be on the ballot.
Where to vote
Early voting starts Oct. 6 at a single site, the Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N. Motel Blvd., Las Cruces. It runs weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Starting Oct. 17, early voting begins at satellite locations throughout the county, including Doña Ana County Community College - Chaparral, 755 Prescott Anthony Drive, Chaparral. At those expanded sites, it runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
On Election Day, voting runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at 42 polling places throughout the county. For more election info, visit DACElections.com or call 575-647-7421.