By Mary Alice Murphy

Detention Center Administrator Mike Carillo gave the first county report at the Grant County Commission work session on Tuesday, June 14, 2016. "We are fully staffed and interviewing for a corporal position." He said the jail is looking into a crisis intervention team and working with Do+

Road Superintendent Earl Moore said his crews had finished chip sealing the day before. "We still have four or five roads that need chip sealing, but we will wait on the new chip spreading machine, as our old one was giving us problems." He plans to begin Rosedale Road work on July 11.

General Services Director Randy Villa said Public Works has been trying to control weeds. "We are trying to keep all the county facilities cool." Corre Caminos "got through the Blues Festival and the Rodeo. We have a new bus, but are waiting on signage for it."

Between the Forest Service and Boutique Air, the airport is selling a lot of fuel for spotter and reconnaissance planes, even a Chinook helicopter. Villa said the AWAS (automated airport weather station) is now up and running.

He said the Courthouse electrical upgrade would be done Friday, June 17, so it would be closed.

Villa said no major fires had occurred in the county in June, although there was one human-caused one in May. He said the McKenna Fire in the Gila Wilderness, along with the Spur and other fires that were lightning-caused are being managed for the health of forest resources.

Hall asked if the fuel on the ground was predictive of fire behavior. Villa said it depended on where one was. He said no precipitation is predicted for the next 10-14 days, although there is more in the forest. "I continue to ask people to be cautious with fire. Trash burning is illegal."

Hall concurred and said the major part is for residents to be vigilant and be careful.

County Manager Charlene Webb introduced the new Planning Director, Mischa Larisch, who said he had started the previous week and didn't have much to report, but would have a report at next month's meeting.

She said the remodel of the manager's office would begin June 27 to create additional commissioner offices. Webb also said the new audio-visual equipment had been received for the Commissioners' Chambers. More microphones will be available, and presentations would be projected onto several screens.

Gila Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Brian Cunningham said he first wanted to give the financial outlook, which was as of the end of April. "The financial situation is still a challenge in rural hospitals across the nation. Seventy rural hospitals have closed, and 600 to 700 are at risk. That's one third of the rural hospitals. It's the most challenging situation in modern history. It is fueled partially by decreasing Medicaid funding. We used to get $15 million, and now we're getting about $4 million and absorbing the $11 million."

The IT upgrade to Meditech 6, for which it had been hoped it could roll out in July, has now been put back to September, because of one or more significant issues. "We are also re-engineering the revenue cycle."

He said the April bottom line was a negative $500,000, with a $1.8 million loss year-to-date. "But we have 130 days of cash on hand. We are in constant discussions with the Board of Trustees. Once we are on the other side of the Meditech 6 and the revenue cycle enhancement, we will be riding the break-even line. We want to maintain the vibrant and growing hospital for the community. We are very aware of the economic benefit of Gila Regional, but we are in a serious challenge. We are working non-stop to maintain our high quality of service."

Cunningham said they thought they had an ear, nose and throat physician to replace Dr. Twana Sparks, but the deal fell through, so "we're still looking. We also need more pediatricians. And we continue to evaluate the operating room, recovery and labor and delivery area for beneficial changes."

Hall noted that leadership on the Board of Trustees would be leaving with the retirement of Charles Kelly. "The chairmanship is a very important position. The deadline for applicants to the board is July 6. How about the physician practice network?"

Cunningham said it is moving along. "We have seven physicians employed by Gila Regional. That is another challenge, but it is the wave of now, because of costs. It's too expensive to have a private practice."

"Dr. Donald Stinar is also leaving the board," Cunningham said. "Charles and Dr. Stinar pulled us through our most challenging times. I can't thank them enough."

Kasten asked about collections at the hospital.

Cunningham replied that with the revenue cycle work, "it is much better, but it is still in progress. We are working on the business office. It was our decision to in-source consultants to keep our employees. We used to bill by hand; now it's electronic, so we can put more bills out, while maintaining our local personnel."

Kasten asked if collections were lighter.

"There is still variability in collections and the percentage of collections coming in," Cunningham said. "We don't want to leave money on the table. We need the right authorizations. We still have holes. We need to make sure documentation and coding is tight."

"I was on the board," Kasten said. "If something is miscoded, you don't get paid. Are you streamlining that process?"

"That's why we brought in outside contractors as temporary resources," Cunningham said. "They will leave as we get pieces of the process done. One of the problems is the rules change every three months. We also have a lot of travelers, because there are not enough nurses. Our Chief Nursing Officer Peggy White has developed an internship, so nurses can move into specialty areas quickly. And we have ongoing work with Western on the nursing program, which has numbers of graduates in the teens to 20s. I'm not sure if the limit is instructors or applicants. I will ask Dr. Shepard (WNMU president). I am really excited about Tu Casa (the substance abuse treatment facility in progress). It will be beneficial to the community and I'm looking forward to working with you."

At the regular session, Undersheriff Kevin Flamm said the department had been busy. "In May we responded to 598 requests, officers created 159 reports and dealt with 14 vehicle collisions."

He gave a "quick" report on the rodeo. "We got positive feedback, but we do have overtime issues. We have to do public safety and traffic control. I would like to see the rodeo reimburse us for overtime as the Tour of the Gila does. We are fully staffed."

Treasurer Steve Armendariz said between the 19th of April and the 9th of May, his office collected more than half a million dollars in taxes. "On May 10, we collected more than half that much at $286,000, and $375,000 since then up to yesterday (Wednesday, June 15). We continue to try to notify those on the delinquent list. They should pay their 2013 taxes at a minimum, so the state doesn't hold a tax sale for the property. The state recently had a tax sale here. Out of 55 properties, they sold 19 parcels. A good part of that will go back on the tax rolls. About $28,000 more than the minimum was received to pay taxes and penalties. The owners will get some money back, but will still lose their property. Those on the delinquent list have until the end of June to get their 2013 taxes paid or they get sent to the state."

Assessor Raul Turrieta congratulated all those who ran in the primaries. "We are working on reappraisals. We are looking for part-time enumerators and have an appraiser opening. We have until July 15 to send certified valuations. He said the base value of residential properties in 2015 was $407 million and in 2015, $410 million. In non-residential we were at $153 million in 2015. That is taxable valuation, which is about the same this year as last."

"Once we set the values, they are sent to the Property Tax Division," Turrieta said. "That is how they determine the tax rates, which we will receive in September. We got through the protest period and resolved most of the 150 protests. We are picking up value with reappraisals."

He said he had a complete new staff out in the field. To a question about Senior Olympics, he said the banquet for team members would be held in August.

Clerk Robert Zamarripa said his staff did an outstanding job with the primaries. "June 30 is the final and only day to register to run as a candidate as an independent, in a minor party or as a write-in."

Hall thanked the Grant County Beat for having the primary results posted before he went to bed.

Webb announced that because of scheduling conflicts the July meeting would be a combined work and regular session on Thursday, July 14, 2016 at 9 a.m.