By Mary Alice Murphy

At Tuesday morning's Grant County Commission meeting, commissioners heard preliminary budget numbers and were told they were not final, but will be tweaked by Finance Officer Linda Vasquez and County Manager Charlene Webb before Thursday's regular meeting.

Vasquez presented the expenditure report for the week ending May 21, 2015. Expenditures totaled $547,549.21, with one payroll equaling $206,673.98. Larger expenditures were to Wright Express for fuel in the amount of about $23,000; a payment of about $32,000 to Hub International for volunteer fire department insurance; approximately $17,000 to Southwest Concrete and Paving; and about $14,000 to Engineers Inc.

The cash flow analysis is about to undergo changes, according to Webb, so the next meeting of the commission may not have such a report until the changes are finalized.

For this report, Vasquez said the General Fund cash balance at the end of fiscal year 2015 on June 30, is expected to be $2,303,854, minus a required three-twelfths reserve of $2,274,795, leaving a surplus of $29,059.

The Road Fund anticipates a cash balance at the end of FY 15 at $205,859, minus the one-twelfth reserve of $137,684, leaving a surplus of $68,175.

The Corrections Fund, which does not have a required reserve, is estimated to have a cash balance of $21,158 at the end of the fiscal year.

In new business, commissioners will consider naming Michael Deubel back onto the Eco-Watershed Committee to replace Joseph Mondragon, who is moving away. Commissioner Gabriel Ramos said Deubel had been an active member, but there were nine openings on the committee, and his name was listed 10th. Ramos recommended that Deubel be approved for the committee at Thursday's meeting.

Also under consideration will be a memorandum of understanding between the town of Silver City and the county of Grant regarding the purchase and sale of gasoline and diesel fuel.

"This will be considerable cost savings to the county," Webb said. "Everyone in our fleet will be asked to fuel at the Office of Sustainability, but we know it's not always possible for sheriff's vehicles and road department vehicles, so they will still have cards available for payment at other stations. The price will vary load by load and the town will let us know how much the cost is, if the price changes. The prices will be a few cents over the city's cost."

Webb asked to add an item to the agenda-an agreement with Children, Youth and Families Department for a restorative justice grant for $73,161.

Commissioners will approve, not only the preliminary budget, and a resolution on the budget at Thursday's meeting.

Webb gave very preliminary numbers, which she said will change before Thursday, on the approximate $9.7 million budget, which should leave an estimated $73,000 surplus at the end of fiscal year 2016.

"It's a relatively flat budget, with no capital expenditures," Webb said. "We have included a 1.5 percent cost-of-living increase and a 10 percent increase in health insurance, which we hope won't be that much. Our revenue projections are conservative."

As the Health Plan Claims Board, commissioners will approve 86 claims for a total of $56,068.26.

In county reports, Detention Center Administrator Mike Carillo said the facility has two full-time and three part-time vacancies. In the inmate support program, the group is outlining the coordinator position and budgets. The average daily population has been 63, nine more than last month, with the length of stay an average of 5.87 days. "We are showing a new 'snapshot,' which shows that most of our inmates fall in the 25-34 age group."

County Planner Anthony Gutierrez said he would meet with ASA Architects on the courthouse and go over the scope of work.

"At the Interstate Stream Commission meeting last week, we raised concerns about funding and ISC control," Gutierrez said. "It was the restrictions on long-term funding that concerned us. Commissioner Blaine Sanchez, who is head of Albuquerque's water utility, had similar concerns about long-term funding, not only for design and construction, but also for operations and maintenance. Sanchez offered up their bond attorneys to help determine the best course of action in the joint-powers agreement.

"On June 9, the ISC will try to pass the JPA, and it will go back to the local bodies for passage of the resolution by July 3 for them to be part of the Central Arizona Project Entity," Gutierrez said. "If commissioners have questions, be sure to bring them to me."

Commissioner Chairman Brett Kasten said he had presented his questions through Gutierrez.

Road Superintendent Earl Moore said his department would start with chip-sealing county roads this week, and then go to Bayard to help the city with their streets. "We have had complaints about trucks using their jake brakes on the ByPass since the bridge was closed. The Department of Transportation kind of has the road in their name right now."

Kasten asked about the Hanover Cemetery Road, and Ramos asked about how flooding would be handled.

"We've already completed a concrete low-water crossing there," Moore said.

Public Works Director Randy Villa said the Corre Caminos buses ran all weekend for the Blues Festival and will run next week for the rodeo.

"We have had no fires," Villa said. "I will try to get Gabe Holguin (from the Gila National Forest) to give us an update on the forecast. The Gila is getting rain, but Silver City isn't. We are still asking people to be cautious with fire. I will be meeting with the new Shooting Range Board to make some decisions."

Sheriff Raul Villanueva said it was a busy weekend with the festival, but "nothing major happened. We had a good contingent of law enforcement there. We are preparing for the rodeo and working on traffic. We're still not sure how we're going to get people out when the rodeo ends each night. Corre Caminos will run buses. We'll be busy this weekend, too, with Cobre graduation and graduation parties."

Assessor Raul Turrieta said he has open positions for a title examiner and two appraiser 1 positions.

"June 1 is the protest deadline," Turrieta said. "We will certify on June 15, and the state assessed numbers will come after we file."

Treasurer Steve Armendariz said in the past two weeks, his office has collected $163,000 for the General Fund and $12,000 for debt repayment. "We are behind for solid waste fund posting."

Kasten asked that, in addition to the CYFD grant, that if the Silver Girls Softball team and coaches were available, to have a proclamation for them. Also the executive session that could not be held last meeting would take place to discuss the manager's goals.

The regular meeting will take place at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 28, at the Grant County Administration Center.