By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Thursday, June 25, 2015, Grant County Commission regular session meeting, after public input, commissioners will hold a fourth public hearing on the proposal to expand the commission from three to five members.

On Tuesday, June 23, 2015, the commissioners reviewed the lengthy agenda at their work session.

County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez presented the expenditure and financial reports.

Expenditures for the month since the last meeting in May were $2,168,284.02, of which two payrolls amounted to $429,807.28. Some of the larger expenditures were to the Solid Waste Authority for about $41,000; to New Mexico State University Extension for the quarterly payment of $16,250; gross receipts taxes to the state for $270,000; and to New Mexico Human Services Department for the fourth quarter safety net care pool for $99,000.

According to the cash flow analysis for the end of April, with a cash balance of $2,330,136 at the end of the fiscal year, and required three-twelfths reserve of $2,274,795, a surplus in the General Fund is estimated to be $55,341 at the end of June.

The Road Fund is estimated to have a cash balance of $324,123 at the end of June, minus the one-twelfth reserve of $137,684, leaves an estimated surplus of $204,439.

The Corrections Fund, with no required reserve, is estimated to have $22,128 surplus at the end of the fiscal year.

At the regular meeting, the Silver City Arts and Cultural District will present its final report for fiscal year 2015.

Commissioners will approve or disapprove acting as fiscal agent for the Grant County Community Health Council. GCCHC co-chairwoman Priscilla Lucero thanked the county for the consideration of taking over as fiscal agent so "the health council can keep going. Our work is all about the entire community because health impacts everything. Although we receive a minimum of dollars at the state level, our intent is to bring in more dollars. We current have in reserve enough to fund an employee for about two years. Whether it is a county employee or a contract coordinator, the intent is for that person to seek further funding to keep the position going."

Commissioner Ron Hall said he was happy for the county to be the fiscal agent. "I used to be a member. They do a great deal for the community."

County Manager Charlene Webb assured the commission that the position would require no additional dollars from the county.

The commissioners will consider one of two applicants for the County Lodger's Tax Advisory Board at-large position to Susan Eickhoff or Mark Richard PA, and the reappointment of lodging owner Teresa Dahl-Bredine to the advisory board.

Also under consideration are four applicants for two positions to the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees-Jeremiah Garcia, Joel E. Schram, Tony Trujillo and Magdaleno Manzanarez.

Up for approval is the Grant County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Ralph Pope, who received a grant to update the plan, was hired by the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District to go through the plan and update the out-of-date portions. "It is carrying forward a lot of things we've already been doing. We are trying to make it more of a living document. As things change we can bring it to the core group team, so it will be more valuable for the volunteer fire departments. All the departments added items to deal with risk, by looking at the risk factor. The plan must also be approved by New Mexico Forestry. I've been working with Doug Boykin, and he is comfortable with it."

Commission Chairman Kasten asked why the ratings were "high" and "very high."

"We looked at the wildland-urban interface, the fuels loading and the capabilities of the volunteer fire departments," Pope said. "We will make changes if areas do. Wind Canyon is now a Firewise community. They are doing at lot. We need to look at what was done in the past. We're comfortable with what has been done, but looked at changes.

"The update used to be every five years, but we want to make it living, so it can reflect changes," Pope said.

County Fire Management Officer Randy Villa said changes would come from the Rural Fire Chiefs Association, "as we continue to do projects reducing fuel loads, and if we continue to have an open document and public input."

"I think the core team needs to be acting agencies," Pope said. "I want to bring them to the eco-watershed group."

Kasten questioned the long page of signatures. Pope said only three were required, the commission, the fire management officer and the state forestry office. "All the rest are concurring."

Commissioners will approve or disapprove the donation of 0.918 acres of land from friends of the Fire and Rescue volunteers for the construction of a fire station for the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department at LS Mesa. Webb said the donation has a reversion clause if a station is not built in three years.

Kasten asked if all easements were up to date. Lucy Whitmarsh, representing Fire and Rescue volunteers, said she does have the recorded easements to the lot, which has two land ownerships. Kasten asked for the survey before Thursday's meeting.

Webb asked that an item be added to new business-the appointment of a protest board, as recommended by Assessor Raul Turrieta.

Under contracts and agreements, commissioners will consider:
€¢ A work and financial plan between Grant County and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services for fiscal year 2016 to carry out wildlife damage management activities for $28,500, which is included in the budget, Webb said;
€¢ An annual agreement between the NM Department of Finance and Administration Local Government Division and Grant County for the DWI program in the amount of $95,000;
€¢ An agreement between the county airport and Bohannon Huston for a master consulting agreement;
€¢ A contract between the county and North Central NM Economic Development District Non-Metro Area Agency on Aging for direct purchase of services vendor agreement and nutrition service incentive program, not to exceed $43,530 for seniors;
€¢ A contract between the NC NMEDD Non-Metro Area Agency on Aging for a senior employment program agreement;
€¢ An agreement between the DWI program and Chris Helgert for professional services;
€¢An agreement between the DWI program for professional services contract with Arline Hoagland;
€¢ A memorandum of understanding between the county DWI Program and the Bayard Police Department;
€¢ A memorandum of understanding between the county DWI Program and the Grant County Sheriff's Department;
€¢ A memorandum of understanding between the county DWI Program and the Silver City Police Department; and
€¢ An agreement for provision of animal control services in the unincorporated portions of Grant County by the High Desert Humane Society.

Webb said three items would be added for professional service agreements between the Restorative Justice Program and three providers.

Under resolutions, the commissioners will approve or disapprove entering into a cooperative agreement with the New Mexico Department of Transportation for three agreements for the improvement of roads within the county.

A resolution approving the joint-powers agreement to create the New Mexico Central Arizona Project New Mexico Unit pursuant to the Arizona Water Settlements Act will be considered.

[Editor's Note: The work session discussion on the CAP Entity JPA is covered in depth at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/22588-grant-county-commissioners-wrestle-with-cap-entity-jpa-decision .]

Under budget adjustments, Vasquez said the adjustments were necessary to close out the fiscal year books. They include a $7 million revenue increase and an $8 million increase in expenditures.

Commissioners will approve or disapprove a resolution asserting legal standing and formally requesting coordination status with the National Forest Service regarding the Gila National Forest land management plan revision.

Also to be considered is the ratification of the Grant County Detention Center Policy and Procedures that have been in place since 2003. County Attorney Abigail Robinson said, although there have been no questions, the policy and procedures are being used and so should be approved again. "We are looking at the standard operating procedures, which we are working on and they will be put up for approval. Nothing is changing right now."

In county reports, Gila Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Brian Cunningham said the hospital is in the red about $1.5 million on the revenue-expense side, but it hopes to get close to break even by the end of the fiscal year. "Cash has improved from 128 days at this time last year to 140 days now. In April, we received our safety care net pool payment of $1.7 million. At least 10 counties have not put their money forward, so HSD is considering pulling those hospitals' funding. We thank you for paying. We also thank Sen. Howie Morales and Rep. John Zimmerman for getting $100,000 each, which will go toward the purchase of a nuclear imaging camera."

"I want to thank Pam Archibald for her service on the Board of Trustees," Cunningham said. "She is not seeking reappointment. I would also like to thank Jeremiah Garcia, who is seeking reappointment. We had a successful golf tournament with 23 teams. We are pulling back on our human resources with the Grant County Community Health Council, but we will continue to support it. I am a member of the Health Council and strongly support what they do."

He said the hospital has gone through a recent accreditation process, with a survey having done much better than the 2012 version. "We expect full accreditation in 60 days."

Cunningham also said that Dr. Sherpa, a GRMC hospitalist, had recently been voted medical director of ESS, the company with which GRMC contracts.

"Commissioner Hall, you asked me at the last meeting about some numbers, and I have them here," Cunningham said. "In 2014, 23,000 participated in Medicare exchanges. About 200,000 are a result of signing on to Medicaid expansion.

"We are doing a patient-flow analysis at the hospital, especially in the labor and delivery portion," he said. "We will seek an architectural plan and then make a decision on how to fund changes."

He announced that Chief Nursing Officer Pat Sheyka would be retiring in the next two months. "She has been a nurse for 50 years and is well respected. We are doing a search for a CNO and gathering a candidate pool for a chief financial officer. "

A consulting group is looking at the hospital's patient financial resources and members of the team have identified a significant amount of dollars left on the table. "It's a complex issue."

Cunningham also said a lot of dialogue is happening in the community on the Affordable Care Act and what direction the physician community would take. "There are a couple of competing approaches."

He said everyone in the health care field is awaiting the Supreme Court decision on King versus Burwell, which has tax credits under attack. "If it is reversed, it will have a significant impact on those insured under the plan and there will be trickle down."

Detention Center Administrator Mike Carillo gave the next county report. "We have three part-time vacancies," he said. "We are sending three officers to crisis intervention training. The inmate support group continues to work to perhaps hire a coordinator." The average daily population from May 13-June 19 was 69, seven more than last month, with the male population at 69, 17 more than last month and the female population at three more than last month. "It shows a slight increase in activity. The average stay was 9.85 days, with 77,468 hours in custody. Sentencings have also increased."

Hall said he attended an affiliate meeting of the New Mexico Association of Counties and what he heard made him "very proud of our detention center."

Planner Anthony Gutierrez said his office was working on assessment districts. "We are now working on Wind Canyon and should have a resolution by next meeting. At the Colonias Infrastructure Fund meeting, the county had two projects funded. The first phase of a North Hurley road and drainage project for $629,000, and another would help Tyrone reach ADA compliance with its sidewalks for $101,000. For the Rosedale Road project, some issues are being worked out. We are doing a Section 6 consultation on a Duck Creek low water crossing, because there is a potential for endangered species. We may have to ask for an extension on the funding. With the new EPA rules, we may have to do more permitting. We are advertising for a planning assistant. Alisha, who lives in Lordsburg, resigned and got an appointment there."

Public Works Director Randy Villa said things have been busy at the Conference Center and Bataan Memorial Park, with weddings and parties. "We are trying to stay on top of things and keep the weeds down. We are selling a lot of fuel at the airport and are wanting to get a part-time person there on the weekends. On the fire side, nothing is going on for the volunteer fire departments. The Treasure Mountain Fire was on private land, surrounded by BLM, surrounded by state land, and by National Forest land. It was interesting working with all the entities. We have the Moore and Middle fires in the Gila Wilderness. Reserve also has several fires."

Sheriff Raul Villanueva said his department has seen a lot of activity crimewise. "I thank the staff. We are fully staffed and are preparing for the Fourth of July."

Turrieta said his office had received 130 protests. "We hired two appraisers and a parcel mapper. I sent the certified values, which stayed about the same, to the state. Copper production is up about $26 million." He said Silver City had sent him its Metro Economic Development Area. "I will speak with (Town Manager Alex) Brown about it."

"They've been talking about it for years," Kasten said.

"At the NMAC Conference, we spoke a lot about valuation and the freeze for those 65 years and older," Turrieta said. "We also talked about incentive pay and new language to clean it up. I invite you to a hike on July 6, for the 101 Things for Youth to do in Grant County (sponsored by the Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.)"

Alfred Sedillo, deputy treasurer, said: "We are at 90 percent collection of property taxes. We sent out delinquent notices and are getting payments. We sent out courtesy letters to those delinquent from 2012, so if they pay by the end of June, their property does not go on the list sent to the state in July."

Webb said the county is wrapping up its end-of-fiscal-year books. "Projects, funded by the gross receipts tax, the courthouse, the conference center and the substance abuse treatment center are moving forward. We also will see an increase in workman's comp next fiscal year."

The regular meeting will take place at 9 a.m. Thursday, June 25, 2015, at the Grant County Administration Center.