By Mary Alice Murphy

Toward the end of Thursday's regular Grant County Commission meeting, Chairman Brett Kasten said the special meeting with the Forest Service, which was originally set to immediately follow the regular meeting, had been rescheduled because a specific time for the meeting was not given in the legal notice.

The rescheduled meeting will take place at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 1, at the Grant County Administration Center.

Commissioners approved newly appointed Grant County Community Health Council members: Marilyn Alcorn of Silver Adult Care Services, representing the seniors sector; Brian Cunningham, Gila Regional Medical Center chief executive officer, for the hospital sector; Alicia Edwards, The Volunteer Center executive director, the food and nutrition sector; Robert Mendoza, Cobre Consolidated Schools superintendent, Cobre Schools sector; and Lon Streib, Silver Consolidated Schools superintendent, Silver Schools sector.

Also approved was the Health Council's Community Health Improvement Plan.

Commissioners, with a motion from Commissioner Gabriel Ramos, unanimously approved new Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees members, John M. Stanley, M.D. and Joe Ramirez.

Nine members were approved to the County Parks and Recreation Committee. They include five from county departments: Gabriel Ramos, Randy Villa, Justin Reese, Tisha Moyers and Gilbert Helton. Citizens approved were Joseph M. Mondragon, Cheryl Moutray, Frank L. Donohue and Frederick J. Marquez.

Commissioners also approved:
• Grant County DWI Program professional services contract with the Recovery Management Center;
• DWI Program memorandum of understanding with the Bayard Police Department;
• DWI Program memorandum of understanding with the Grant County Sheriff's Department;
• Detention Services MOU between Luna County and Grant County to house one another's inmates, as needed;
• Juvenile Detention Center contract between Luna and Grant counties for Luna Detention Center to house Grant County's juvenile offenders;
• Senior Program's Senior Employment agreement;
• Senior Service's Nutrition Services Incentive Program agreement; and
• Senior Service's Direct Purchase of Services Vendor agreement.

A motion was made to approve a resolution for a declaration of emergency for Hanover Mutual Water Domestic Consumer Association Inc. Kasten explained the water association has lost one well and "is limping along with the other. The association is also likely to exceed its monthly allocation from Bayard."

Interim County Manager Abigail Robinson asked for the motion to be amended, making it a declaration of disaster, which makes the association eligible for any funding. It was amended and approved.

As the Grant County Health Plan Claims Board, the commissioners approved 435 claims for $48,813.70.

After reconvening as the Board of Commissioners, they stood for county reports.

Sheriff Raul Villanueva said he noticed that fireworks stands are going up. "I ask parents to monitor their kids. Keep water nearby and key an eye on the kids and the fireworks. We will be out enforcing, if we need to."

Kasten said he has noticed some of the stands are up on state highway rights-of-way. "Do they get permits for that?"

Villanueva said they are supposed to and, because "some of us purchase fireworks, we will keep an eye out for that."

Commissioner Ron Hall said he attended a meeting with a Gila Valley group and determined that the members will be able to use the Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall for food distribution.

"I also attended the New Mexico Association of Counties meetings, including one on substance abuse," Hall said.

In addition, he attended meetings in Albuquerque, including one on animal ordinances.

Kasten, during his report, said the commissioners and other citizens had taken "a nice tour of the conference center. Now we just need to find money. I also received a change in the federal waterways document."

County Planner Anthony Gutierrez said he has been keeping up with the U.S. Waterways document. "It seems it may have significant impact on us. If the roadway drains into a waterway, which can include a barrow ditch, even routine maintenance will be impacted. We will have to have a 404 permit or another special permit."

Bianca Padilla, the Juvenile Probation Officer Program Coordinator, apologized for missing public input.

"We will work with the county," Padilla said. "We're free labor. We're looking for skill building for our clients. We are also looking to fill a part-time position."

She said the office has been holding JPO Summer School, taking clients swimming and the clients are working in a community garden.

Commissioners went into executive session to discuss the county manager timeline. Adjournment took place from the executive session.