Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of article on the Oct. 7, 2014 Grant County Commission meeting.

By Mary Alice Murphy

Grant County Commissioners approved a letter regarding Corre Caminos and the dissolution of the 2007 joint-powers agreement with Luna County.

"It doesn't fit our needs any longer," Commission Chairman Brett Kasten said.

County Attorney Abigail Robinson said: "We are really just thinking of pulling out of it and making the use of the service contractual. These are the alternatives: if someone else would like to manage Corre Caminos public transit, we'll talk about it."

 

Commissioner Ron Hall said Grant County, as the transit district manager, has been forced to meet the $800,000 shortfall. Commissioner Gabriel Ramos said he knows the county can't afford if, but "we need public transportation."

Kasten said the JPA does not allow the county to fix the problem.

The Commission also approved ratification of the submission of fiscal year 2015's fire protection grant application for the Upper Mimbres Volunteer Fire Department.

Under contracts and agreements, commissioners approved a joint road maintenance agreement between Grant County and The Lordsburg Mining Company.

County Manager Charlene Webb said it establishes terms and conditions for The Lordsburg Mining Company to do maintenance on Carlisle and Summit Peak roads, because the roads cross Bureau of Land Management property.

Road Superintendent Earl Moore said his personnel have to go to Duncan, Ariz., and back up to the roads to maintain them, so it's not practical for the county to do the maintenance.

A project agreement between the county and New Mexico Department of Transportation Aviation Division was approved for runway maintenance of the Grant County Airport.

"We have been notified we need to reseal and restripe the runway," Webb said. "The state will put in $150,000 and Grant County will put in the match of $50,000, partially with in-kind work. It must be completed prior to next June, so we have a small window, while temperatures are high enough until the end of October."

Justin Reese, airport manager and public works director, said the county had received permission for the improvements. Hall asked if the cracks in the runway were involved. "Yes," Reese said. The county put some cold mix in the cracks, but the company doing the work will need to repair and reseal the runway.

A memorandum of understanding was approved for the county to work with the NM Corrections Department on a program to provide transportation for state prisoners between the Grant County Jail and a regional facility. Webb explained the program, as a pilot project, would run from October to March, because "it is a tremendous burden on the county to transport when the prisoner may need to come back to the court. It will eliminate the burden on the Detention Center and the Sheriff's Department.

Commissioners approved a sub-grant agreement for the NM Department of Homeland Security to reimburse up to $5,000 per diem for Gilbert Helton, the emergency manager, for training and travel.

Under resolutions, the commissioners approved the 2015 legislative priorities from the New Mexico Association of Counties, which include:
• Remove counties' responsibility to fund Medicaid and the Safety Net Care Pool and consider the consolidation of some existing county local option gross receipts tax increments. Kasten explained that the state would fund the state programs, and not force the counties to send a 1/12th GRT to the state;
• Support the Amtrak Southwest Chief Service and find funding to continue the service in northern New Mexico;
• Authorize the county treasurer in conjunction with the county assessor to make changes to the tax schedule to correct errors;
• Authorize county treasurers to be able to receive installment payments of property taxes;
• Restore cuts in reimbursements to county detention centers;
• Allow counties to increase economic growth and job creation by expanding projects eligible for an industrial revenue bond (IRB). Kasten explained New Mexico is not competitive with Texas on IRBs. This would be for new projects only, which could be financed using a governmental entity bond rating;
•Create a task force to evaluate state and county dependence on federal revenue, conduct an inventory of federal land ownership within the state and study the legal, economic and practical impacts of a potential transfer of certain public lands from the federal government to the state; and
• Study housing options and service delivery for detention inmates, with special medical and mental health needs.

Commissioners approved a resolution opposing expansion of federal control under the Clean Water Act. Webb said several counties in the state have passed such resolutions. The National Association of Counties is encouraging opposition, because the rules would cause delays in permitting and infrastructure development and maintenance, even down to local road drainage.

County Planner Anthony Gutierrez said the rules would expand the definition of tributaries. "It still leaves it open, by having 'other waters' listed. It would make virtually all water jurisdictional. With these rule changes, removing water for routine maintenance would be under federal jurisdiction. Once it's in effect, permitting includes the Fish and Wildlife Services and the New Mexico Environment Department."

Allyson Siwik of the Gila Conservation Coalition said the New Mexico Environment Department was one of the early state agencies to ask the Environmental Protection Agency to clarify the Clean Water Act rule, because there was conflict over which waters were jurisdictional. She said ditches are not jurisdictional under the new rule. "I suggest a closer look at the rule and that you talk to the Environment Department. Our NMED asked for the change, so talking to them would make it easier to figure out the regulation."

Commissioners approved amending the approved and adopted budget for the fiscal year 2015 to include cash transfers, budget transfers, increased revenue with grants and other funds received after the budget was approved.

Also approved was a resolution requesting in a letter that Congress approve fully funding the payment in lieu of taxes, which fluctuates from year to year.

Commissioners also approved authorizing the issuance and sale of general obligation refunding bonds, not to exceed $4.2 million to refund the county's 2005 general obligation bonds, to be paid through property taxes. Webb said the authorization would allow the county to refinance the bonds, with a pay out in 2025. "This resolution allows the chairman to sign the documents, but does not commit the county to sell bonds. The purpose is interest-rate savings. The savings of about $170,000 would be after the costs of refinancing. Such a refinancing is allowed only one time over the life of a bond."

The Commission approved the submission of a completed application for financial assistance and project approval to the New Mexico Finance Authority for the Upper Mimbres Volunteer Fire Department to purchase two trucks, which will be paid for through the fire fund received from the state.

[Editor's Note: The next resolution in support of the allocation of water connected to the Arizona Water Settlements Act and identifying the Gila/San Francisco as the Central Arizona Project entity to contract for the water will be discussion in an article by itself.]

Commissioners awarded a bid for aviation gasoline, jet fuel and a refueling truck for the Grant County Airport to World Fuel, which had previously operated at the airport, so is familiar with the set up and could get into place more quickly.

As the Grant County indigent and health plan claims board, commissioners approved an indigent burial certificate to Bright Funeral Home.

In county reports, General Services Director Randy Villa said Terry Trujillo of Senior Services had attended a training; Cindy McClean of the DWI Program would attend an audit of the DWI programs; the construction of a high house at the shooting range has begun, being paid for with a grant from Freeport-McMoRan Inc.; Fort Bayard Medical Center had received a new wall, some painting and some tile work; weeds continue to be addressed to keep fire fuel down; and Public works is using Juvenile Probation and Parole Office youths to do work at Bataan Memorial Park, Silver City Senior Center, and the Cobre cross-country trail.

"The Conference Center entire facility is leased to Freeport all this week and maybe into next week," Villa reported. "The Fort Bayard and Pinos Altos volunteer fire departments have been certified, reducing their ISO ratings, and Tyrone VFD will receive awards at the next Commission meeting. We are in the final stages of the construction at the Tyrone station."

Road Superintendent Earl Moore said his department has six blades running. 'We are hitting the ranch roads. Have patience, as we will get there as soon as possible."

Gutierrez said the final design of the Sheriff's vault and secure area has begun. "There has been a call for projects by the Economic Development Administration. We will put in for project inside the conference center, including an expansion by Ace Hardware, for which they will pay. We want to get money for the roof. We think we are extremely eligible, because we will match federal dollars and private dollars." He said Engineers Inc. is working on a lift station design that the state wants to put in at Fort Bayard. The county is seeking a prescriptive right-of-way that was part of the GRIP project that was never done on Rosedale Road. "We submitted to the USDA to use the leftover funding from the North Hurley project to have a lift station for the smaller residences that were not included in the project. We also want to put solar power on the lift station that has already been put in place."

The Planning Department has hired a new GIS person and a new title and ordinance officer. Gutierrez said the ordinance officer would work on the assessment districts.

"I did present a financial business plan at the ISC for paying for AWSA projects," Gutierrez said. "It was not unlike others we use for infrastructure needs. Grant County Community Health Council will hold a training for non-profits, Oct. 17, from 1-4 p.m. at the WNMU Besse-Forward Global Resource Center. This is to find out about what is needed for the Freeport Community Investment Fund applications."

Sheriff Raul Villanueva said his department has been fairly busy. "I'm glad we took care of the jail issue and got the escapees back in. I thank the entities that participated. It was a lot of manpower. We have our reserve deputies out at public events. We appreciate their service, as they are volunteers."

Hall said he received many calls on the delayed notification of the escapes. "I feel the jail should have called Dispatch," Villanueva replied. "We are working on a system. I will take the lead on doing the call for notification of the public."

Ramos thanked the sheriff and all the entities that quickly captured the two escapees. "We were after them both days they were out," Villanueva said.

Treasurer Steve Armendariz said his office has been busy with delinquent accounts. "We had an exit audit conference, and we will submit the audit. It seems to be fine."

Clerk Robert Zamarripa said early voting began Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the clerk's office, which will be open for early voting Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 31. The Bayard Community Center early voting will begin Saturday, Oct. 18, and will continue Tuesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Nov. 1.

Ramos reported the Eco-Watershed Committee heard a GIS program, and the group has 10 months to narrow down what watersheds to protect. He said he also met with Western's President Joseph Shepard to talk about baseball, and how much it would cost to bring men's baseball, women's soccer and track to the university.

"I also would like to see the youths continue to come to our meetings, and not just when there is a controversial issues."

Hall said his group is still working on the continuum of care. Phase 2 is the architectural and then the contractor's bids for the construction. "For the building, we will discuss bonds. There will be three other phases." He said, at the Grant County Fair, "everything looked great. It was wonderful to see the kids showing their animals. Go out to the fair and support these kids. The exhibit building is looking good. I also continue to work on the dog ordinance with a good group of people. It's tough, as we try to balance the needs and opinions of people. I'm on another committee—the juvenile justice committee— through the District Court trying to bring in programs to determine what is needed to meet our needs."

Right before the commissioners went into executive session to discuss pending litigation regarding an incident at Southwest Solid Waste Authority in 2012, Kasten asked other commissioners to cover his committee meetings, as he would be out of town for a few days, because of his wife's father's death.

The final article in the series will cover the contentious agenda item on the AWSA.

 

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