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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 14 December 2016 14 December 2016

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the beginning of the Grant County Commission work session on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, Steve House of Triple H Solar LLC presented an update to the commissioners on the potential to use a solar system in the county buildings for energy savings.

"Grant County has 34 PNM accounts, with nine rate descriptions and only two that make sense for solar'the 2A and 3C rates are the ones you should consider," House said. "The reason they make sense is the rates in this area did not change a whole lot with the latest increase from the prior rates. You have five accounts that are 2A or 3C. The array size for these five accounts would be 160 kilowatts. The volunteer fire department at 33 Camino Foresta keeps equipment plugged in in the winter."

He presented four purchase options. The first was to buy solar for those five accounts for $402,000, which would give a savings of $21,000 the first year, with a 14-year payout, "a relatively decent payout."

Another option for the county would be to go out for a request for proposal for a power purchase agreement (PPA). "You could get interest and save $6,000 the first year for about $340,000 savings over the 25-year period."

Other ideas included breaking out each separately and putting them in the infrastructure capital improvement plan (ICIP) to fund as the budget allows or choosing an energy savings performance contract, with an energy savings guarantee contract with an energy service company (ESCO), which would look at lights, energy use and pumping, for example.

"What is enticing is the ESCO would buy the energy and the contract is paid with your savings," House explained.

Commissioner Ron Hall asked what entities were using the last option.

House said he knew that New Mexico State University and Central New Mexico College were using it and others were looking at the possibility.

Commission Chairman Brett Kasten asked if they purchased it for all five accounts, if there were any incentives. House said they were not eligible for investment incentives.

"I am fairly confident we could find someone to do it as a bundle," Kasten said, "and we would have no capital outlay. I think we should direct management to look at the options and we will vote on them in the new year."

Hall suggested sitting down with other entities using the different options. "I am excited that we are looking at the possibilities."

Kasten noted that with the likelihood of no legislative capital outlay available this year, "putting it on the ICIP, it would probably take 10 years before we could do it."

The commissioners then continued with a review of the regular meeting agenda for Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016.

County Manager Charlene Webb said an item has been added to the draft agenda, item t, which addressed a resolution approving the execution of a building lease agreement between the county and Hidalgo Medical Services.

County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez presented the expenditure report since the November meeting. Accounts payable included 367 checks for $1,778,846.50 and two pay periods for $477,615.71 totaling $2,256,462.21 for the period ending Dec. 12.

She cited extraordinary expenditures of $38,413.89 to Occam Engineers for Rosedale Road construction, North Hurley Road construction, and work at the Forgotten Veterans Memorial; $111,913.16 to James Hamilton Construction for payment No. 2 on the airport improvement project; $27,205 for the monitoring fees for the Tri-City Landfill; $125,000 to Kansas State Bank for the down payment on the chip spreader for the Road Department; $15,561.87 to Ascent Aviation for Jet-A fuel; $84,919.66 to Sacaton Construction for a project payment on the LS Mesa sub-station; $103,208.23 to Bank of Albuquerque for debt service payments on the gross receipts tax revenue bonds; $33,841.11 to Cooperative Education Services for meals equipment for the senior centers; and $40,408.50 to Southwest Concrete and Paving for road supplies for the Rosedale Road Colonias Project.

Under new business, commissioners will consider a proclamation recognizing Grant County Community Health Council's 25th anniversary.

Chris DeBolt will present the first semester project review for Helping Seniors Stay Healthy. Webb said it seems the program is quite successful.

Commissioners will discuss an adjustment to county commissioner salaries. "I said a year ago when we were considering the five-person commission that we should lower the salaries. I'm sticking by it," Kasten said. Hall agreed with the proposal.

The next three items will address policy changes for the Detention Center. The first is a security and control policy for inmate search. Administrator Mike Carillo said the changes bring the policy into compliance with New Mexico Association of Counties standards. The second is a medical services policy for medical co-payments and the third an administration and management policy for sexual misconduct, which brings the center into compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Attorney Abigail Robinson noted this was a new policy.

Commissioners will consider approving a grant agreement with the New Mexico Department of Transportation for the Buckle Up/Click It or Ticket for $2,640, the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program for $2,183 and the 100 Days and Nights of Summer for $728, all for use by the Grant County Sheriff's Department. The grant will go totally toward personnel costs.

Several resolutions are on the agenda for Thursday.

The first is an allocation of funding for the 2017 Colonias Infrastructure Fund application. County Planner and Community Development Director Mischa Larisch explained the project is for $700,000 and the grantee assures repayment of the $70,000 loan component and the $70,000 in-kind component.

The second resolution addresses a travel policy that has been adjusted because of recommendations by the auditor. "We were allowing mileage, lodging, meals and hours advances," Webb said. "We have removed the hours component. The person will get paid when they return. We also removed Google maps as mileage and are using Rand McNally or NM DOT state highway map mileage at the rate of 80 percent of IRS mileage rate. We will not be processing any advances unless they are submitted at least one week prior to travel."

Kasten said he thought the state mileage rate was the one that should be used. Webb said she would check.

Kasten also asked if the actual odometer mileage could be used.

"The auditor recommended using the map mileage, so we don't pay for trips to Target or Walmart," Webb replied.

Five resolutions addressed the Fleming Tank Road and Wind Canyon Estates Subdivision Area Improvement District. The first sets up the district; the second determines the cost of the road improvement; the third determines the portion of cost to be assessed against each benefitted tract; the fourth files the assessment roll; and the fifth sets a time and place for the roll hearing, which will take place at the January 12, 2017, regular commission meeting.

Vasquez presented several budget adjustments increasing revenues and increasing expenditures. Increase revenues totaled $564,683, and increased expenditures came to $911,059.

The last resolution sets up approval of execution of a building lease agreement between Grant County and Hidalgo Medical Services for Tu Casa, the substance abuse treatment center. Larisch said the New Mexico State Board of Finance must approve this resolution at their January meeting. "It is holding up $118,000 in capital outlay until it is approved."

Seven bids were received for the Santa Rita Volunteer Fire Department station.

"We recommend rejecting the bids," Webb said. "The lowest bidder did not put in subcontractor information until after the deadline. We can't afford the second lowest bidder, so we will release again, so the lowest bidder can get in all the paperwork on time."

As the Grant County Indigent Hospital and Health Care Claims Board, commissioners will consider the 12 November claims for $25,691, and an indigent burial from Baca's Funeral Chapels for Robin Lee Jarratt.

At the regular meeting, commissioners will hear from elected officials and county and commissioners' reports.

Before reports were heard at the work session, Kasten requested a preliminary list for meeting dates in 2017. Webb said she would create it for the January meeting.

Gila Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Brian Cunningham said he would talk about the "mechanics of his status state. After 20 plus years in Grant County, 14 of them with Gila Regional, I decided to submit my resignation. I gave it to the GRMC Board Chairman Jeremiah Garcia on Nov. 28. The board accepted it on Dec. 5, so my 60 days will be up at 5 p.m. on Feb. 3."

"I can't thank this board enough for its support," Cunningham continued. "I gave Gila Regional everything I had and got so much more back."

He explained his timing. "With the recent challenges, and instead of staying into the middle of the implementation of our strategic plan, I thought it wouldn't be fair. On Dec. 5, I made it clear that my focus is on a positive transition of leadership. I can't say enough about the caregivers and the community. The board is looking for an interim replacement and then will do a comprehensive nationwide search for a permanent replacement."

Commission Gabriel Ramos thanked Cunningham for responding "when you did on the 2013 challenge."

GRMC was in the hole by $9 million when the previous leadership team was replaced with an in-house team to go back into the black within a year.

"I echo what Ramos said," Hall said. "I started my term as yours began. You brought us out of the hole. $9 million is a lot. Thank you for your hard work. I wish you luck in your search for a new position."

Kasten noted that the difference between Cunningham and the prior administration "has been the ability to get an answer to a question. At what point is the succession plan?"

"We are working immediately for an interim perhaps from a group and are considering other individuals, then we will do the national search," Cunningham replied.

"I believe you have a new plan," Kasten said. "What makes me sad is that it's your plan. How will it continue without you?"

Cunningham said it was similar to the prior plan. "The leadership team can do it. All it requires is someone with a moderate level of intelligence and someone willing to do the level of work required. People who do the work make it happen. The plan has a strong chance of succeeding if the person is ready to work. We've already started on elements of the plan."

Kasten said he admired Cunningham's ability to take a complex issue and explain it to an outsider so that person can understand it.

Hall said he likewise appreciated that. "I studied the plan in depth, but I do have some concerns. I kept visualizing a tree with damage that just needs to be pruned. I felt like the plan would get rid of things that impact the community. I am concerned about the 'critical care' part.

Critical care hospitals have only 25 beds. GRMC has 63. But the reimbursement from Medicare for critical care hospitals is higher than for a 63-bed hospital.

"Seniors without family here, like me, need to find someone to help them, if they need a procedure that requires someone to take them and pick them up," Hall said. The commissioner told Cunningham he wanted to sit with him and talk about the situation and that he had already talked to several trustees.

"I appreciate the tree analogy," Cunningham said. "It's like hospice and home health. An appropriate approach is to trim around the edges. When the hospital divested home health and hospice, they were picked up by others in the community, which minimized the loss of jobs. AmberCare, I understand is growing."

He addressed briefly the Billy Casper Wellness Center. "The board hasn't made a decision. The need exists, but others in the community are already doing what it does. We are also looking at combining Medical Surgery I and II. We are reacting to changes in volumes. We are thinking about changing to a critical care facility. Why operate two units, when we only have volumes for one? We would retain the quality of care. Front and center quality is our first priority. There is a movement toward consolidation, right-sizing for volumes."

Hall said he was glad the hospital is addressing the traveling nurses.

"We could reduce the travelers, but not the ones who work for us," Cunningham agreed. "With the finances at the end of October, the challenges continue. We went from the old sole community provider program, where we received $17 million a year and went down to $4 million this year with the safety net care pool. Starting in January, the state estimates we will receive $1.2 million."

He noted the implementation of the plan is graphed in days in cash. The graphic represents the downward trend. "It trends down to around 40 days in cash and then begins to come up." He pointed out a graph the commissioners had in their packet that showed Gila Regional's days in cash as compared to hospitals of the same size across the country. "It clearly shows our days of cash. Even when we trend downward, we are still above average. We have a clear plan to bend the cost curve. It takes time, but we have a cushion. If we look at it in perspective, Gila Regional is still doing well."

Hall asked about the decrease in the number of patients.

"It's across the countryG