Richie Caldon investigated in Santa Fe highway contract probe
Richie Caldon faces a state administrative hearing in Santa Fe over highway landscaping and construction contracts. The probe involves allegations of altered invoices, wage violations, and substandard road restoration materials.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation opened an inquiry into Caldon Seeding and Reclamation. Officials say the subcontractor worked on 28 highway re-vegetation projects over the past four years.
State law requires highway contractors to restore roadside soil after bridge or highway work. Specialized firms rototill compost, re-seed cleared ground, and apply straw to hold soil moisture.
Department Landscape Architect Bill Hutchinson said all re-vegetation supplies must meet strict state specifications. Products must come from approved sources.
“Our inspectors examine the materials and they count the materials that go into the job,” Hutchinson said.
Since 2012, the state has launched 58 highway re-vegetation projects. Only five New Mexico contractors have the technical skills to perform the roadside restoration work.
San Juan County Project Shortages
Three years ago, the state awarded Caldon a $714,000 subcontract in San Juan County. The job required renovating 43 acres along a newly constructed highway.
State inspectors approved the job. DOT officials later learned the company failed to supply required fertilizer materials.
“The sub-contractor had shorted us material in the project,” Department of Transportation Cabinet Secretary Tom Church said. “They had not done proper wage rate payments and they had falsified documentation.”
Investigators said Caldon shorted the project by at least 10,000 pounds of Sustane fertilizer. The company had agreed to supply 30,000 pounds of fertilizer.
The state also uncovered an altered invoice for compost mulch. Transportation officials cannot account for about $26,000 worth of certified landscaping materials.
Las Cruces Highway Deliveries
In 2013, the state awarded Caldon $137,000 to restore 21 acres along Interstate 10 in Dona Ana County. The contract required a certified compost blend.
A billing document showed compost went to the Las Cruces work site. Records from March 21, 2013, show the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority sold Caldon 24 tons of woodchips instead.
It is not established whether the delivery discrepancy was intentional or an error. Hutchinson stated that substituting wood chips for compost mulch is unacceptable.
A separate New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions probe found Caldon failed to pay proper employee wages. Church stated the company claimed higher payroll rates than workers received.
The state agency proposed a three-month suspension of Caldon Seeding from state highway construction bidding. The department may pursue debarment after administrative proceedings finish.
Richie Caldon admitted to payroll mistakes and said wage problems have been resolved. He acknowledged an error in judgment regarding the altered document. Caldon denied substituting wood chips in Las Cruces.
State re-vegetation contracts require specialized seed mixes, compost, and erosion control blankets to stabilize bare highway roadsides. After major earthwork, inspectors audit soil amendments and labor filings to ensure contractor compliance with engineering standards.
Secretary Church said the Department of Transportation maintains an active investigation into Caldon Seeding and Reclamation in Santa Fe.
