By Mary Alice Murphy

During public comment at the Grant County Commission regular session on Thursday, Oct. 8, Milo Lambert, county resident and Silver City fire marshal, said he wanted to express his gratitude for the improvements at the Grant County Shooting Range.

"I am chairman of the Shooting Range Board, and I want to personally thank Commissioners (Gabriel) Ramos and (Ron) Hall for paying for the improvements," Lambert said.

"Thank you," Hall replied. "My grandkids always want to go to the gun range. It's a good safe place."

Two ordinances deleting outdated and unused ordinances were approved. No. 15-05 deletes 1978 Grant County personnel ordinance No. 78-6-19, and No. 15-06 deletes 1984 employee relations ordinance No. 84-09-04.

County Manager Charlene Webb gave the financial report. Total expenditures since the early September meeting, and as of Oct. 5, were $1,649,666,05, of which $1,218,134.88 were accounts payable. The checks included a payment to Wright Express for fleet fuel of about $19,000; to the town of Silver City for fleet fuel in the amount of $6,225; to Ascent Aviation for aviation fuel for $15,785 and for jet fuel of $16,521; to Engineers Inc. on the North Hurley Road project for $8,962.92; Human Services Department for the first quarter fiscal year 2016 safety net care pool payment of $83,137.72; and two payrolls for $431,531.17.

The first item of new business was a report from Bianca Padilla, Juvenile Probation Office program coordinator, regarding the Continuum for Strengthening Family and Community Youth Building programs.

"We did a presentation to the Legislative Education Study Committee, and I realized you commissioners needed to hear the report, too, because you support us," Padilla said. "With the collaboration of the community, we put a strong emphasis on prevention. The comprehensive model came as a result of an assessment on how to plug holes in the process. Too often we are consequencing youths for mimicking their parents' behavior, when it's a parenting issue. We get funding from Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee.

"We realized we needed to address families and family relationships," Padilla said. "It improves their school performance and social behaviors. Once a week for 2 ½ hours, we bring in the youths and their families. For the first half hour, we feed them. The next hour, we separate the kids and the parents and talk about how to improve. The second hour, we engage the kids and their parents with one another. This may be the first time a kid hears his father admit to a drinking problem, for instance. It opens up things for both. We have served 80 families so far.

"Our community youth building coordinator is Gary Stailey," she continued. "Kids were missing competency skills. We did well corralling them for probation and parole, but we were not getting them to stay out of the system. We teach them how crime affects the community, and that it's not just about them. We teach them to relate to the community, and we teach them skills. We have 21 different sites and non-profits participating in the program. An extra positive outcome is that the kids begin to build relationships with another adult at a site."

She showed several photographs, including one of the youths laying wreaths at Fort Bayard National Cemetery for Wreaths Across America. They do clean up at Fort Bayard to prevent vandalism. They built a greenhouse at The Volunteer Center, and then they built the shelves. On Earth Day, they removed usable items from the landfill and took them to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. A photo showed the kids gardening. They grew 800 pounds of produce at The Volunteer Center.

"We presented the educational component at the LESC," Padilla said. "We have an alternative education for those on probational suspension. Five days a week for four hours, they are taught by Bub Graham. Last year, not one student was fully expelled from Silver Schools. We served 118 students, who would have fallen behind and dropped out. We don't want kids who are not educationally prepared."

She said the JPO has 12 programs. In the Truancy Program, they served 743 youths, most of whom went back to school after the first time getting caught. The JPO offers a tutoring program for any student who needs it from 4-5:30 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday.

"We have a courtesy program," Padilla said. "Parents come to us for help to get control of their child before the kid is charged with a crime. We served 90 kids, and there is no lag time between the time a kid does something wrong and the consequences of that act. We have GPS monitoring as an alternative to detention. In the personal responsibility portion, we have the parents take it with the kids. The parents don't want to, but it's a parenting issue, so they have to take it, too. In our counseling program, we served 80 kids.

"Our main goal is to increase public safety," she continued. "We have had a 42 percent decrease in delinquency and a 64 percent drop in juvenile felony charges. We are seeing dividends in the programs. Law enforcement is having fewer contacts with youth delinquents. From 70 kids being detained, it has dropped to 25 in the past year. Most importantly, it is redirecting kids to positive activities and teaching them skills. I see them being safe, evolving and growing.

"We are trying to address substance abuse as a community, collaborating with partners," Padilla said. "We need to continue to work on the issue. I would like to see change. You, commissioners, are an integral part by paying for the GPS system. Without your cooperation, this wouldn't be happening."

Hall said he attends quarterly meetings of the continuum. "We are so blessed to have you. Any time you can keep a kid out of trouble, it's a plus and money well spent. It's a family issue and you are addressing it. It's taking pressure off law enforcement. I saw Sheriff (Raul) Villanueva shaking his head in agreement with what you were saying."

Padilla began to tear up, and said: "I feel like I've found my calling."

Ramos thanked her and the JPO for all the programs. Commission Chairman Brett Kasten asked if Cobre Schools were also participating. Padilla said Silver offers the Internet, breakfast and laptops, and Cobre has a system of its own, but may join into the JPO one.

During the rest of new business, commissioners approved the appointment of Magdaleno Manzanares to the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees.

Commissioners also approved deletion of an old, inoperable Xerox copy machine from the Sheriff's Office inventory and a letter requesting funds from the Superfund for mining clean up in Pinos Altos. Ramos said he knew the clean up would benefit a lot of people downstream. Kasten said, as he understood it, the request would make the site a Superfund site for clean up.

In contracts and agreements, commissioners approved:
• An agreement between Summit and Grant County Detention Service for food service;
• An agreement with Aging and Long-Term Services and Grant County for Senior Center meals equipment for $33,670;
• An agreement with Aging and Long-Term Services and Grant County for senior program vehicles countywide for $75,000;
• A three-year contract renewal, starting Oct. 8, for County Manager Webb; and
• A three-year contract renewal, starting Oct. 8, for County Attorney Abigail Robinson.

"Thank both of you for the jobs you've done and are doing," Hall said. "Charlene has been a joy to work with. Abby knows I like to get the written case. Thank you for your service."

Ramos also thanked both for the jobs they do.

"I'm glad you're going to be around for the next three years," Kasten said. "That's about as long as I'll be around."

Under bids, the first bid for purchase of an ambulance for GRMC was disapproved, pending consultation with a new emergency medical services director.

Commissioners approved a bid for purchase of a 2016 truck for the General Services Department for $31,816.

They approved the designation of nine polling convenience centers for the 2016 elections. See http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/24621-voting-centers-to-change-slightly-for-2016-primary-and-general-elections for a listing of the sites.

"It is really a true convenience to be able to go almost anywhere to vote," Ramos said.

"You are making sure the ease of voting is there," Hall said.

Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the county manager to enter into contracts with the Non-Metro Area Agency on Aging.

James Baldwin, county resident, asked what the agency was. Kasten replied that it is a group up north that manages all of the senior centers across the state. "We negotiate with them to run our senior centers."

Also approved was a cooperative agreement between the county of Grant and the New Mexico Department of Transportation for the improvement of roads within Grant County. The amount is $76,845, of which the county match is $19,211.

As the Grant County Indigent and Health Plan Claims Board, commissioners approved 43 claims for $47,586.16.

Called back to order as the Grant County Board of Commissioners, Ramos gave the first report and said the county was running well. "I went to La Esperanza Winery. David and Esperanza Gurule are a class act. I encourage everyone to go see the winery. Sports are going well. And don't forget the Mariachi Mass at 10 a.m. at the Fine Arts Center Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 11."

Hall said he had a meeting with Western New Mexico University and Workforce Connections on how elected officials can use the services of Workforce Connections to benefit the officials.

"They would be happy to give a presentation to us," Hall said. "Tu Casa has put out the RFP for services for provider services for the continuum of care of substance abuse treatment. I continue to attend meetings for Tu Casa and on the animal ordinance. I will be going to Socorro for the New Mexico Association of Counties meeting and later in the month to Santa Fe. I attended a meeting between the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District and the local cattlegrowers. "Agriculture has lost its waiver for work-related injuries. We need to wake up and take care of our agricultural producers or we'll be eating only food from Mexico, We need to be concerned."

Kasten said he has been attending the New Mexico Central Arizona Project Entity meetings, where preliminary business, such as passing bylaws, has been achieved. "At the last meeting, when I was at the fair, they passed the New Mexico Unit Agreement. We have hired a temporary attorney, Pete Domenici, Jr., and have an RFP out for a permanent attorney. Corre Caminos has gotten commitments from the other groups using the transit service. The fair was great."

"Congratulations to your son, Trent, for having the grand championship hog," Hall said to Kasten, who said his son did well.

"We had a big water line break at the fair," Kasten said. "At 2 a.m., we had everybody out working on it, and it was repaired."

Hall also noted that, as of Nov. 1, Boutique Air would provide a flight a day to Phoenix, Ariz., replacing the noon flight to Albuquerque. "Silver City will have flights to Albuquerque and Phoenix, for the convenience of local residents."

The meeting was adjourned.