Grant County commissioners at their regular meeting Thursday morning heard public input and addressed items on the agenda, including county reports.

Heuteotl Lopez, Silver City resident, said he attends the Food Policy Council meetings.

“We've been going through bumps, because of problems with racism,” Lopez alleged. “The co-chair is a rancher and has been using racial slurs, such as illegal alien.”

Lopez said the slurs are based on the rancher's opinion of illegal Mexicans.

“My wife is now co-chair,” Lopez said.

He reported that a family wanted to build a slaughterhouse and put “small businesses out of business. He used the term, Chinaman's chance. I corrected him, and I was cussed out by a Food Policy Council member. We were stonewalled in trying to get into the policy that civil language should be used. We were pegged as disruptive.”

Lopez said County Planner Anthony Gutierrez said the Food Policy Council is an embarrassment.

“We, as adults, should be able to use polite language,” Lopez said. “We want you commissioners to stand up against racism. We have formed a committee to address civil language, because we need to move on and get our business done. Anthony Gutierrez did not return our calls, and the issue still hasn't been addressed. I ask you to deal with it.”

James Baldwin, county resident, thanked those who placed their hands over their heart during the pledge of allegiance. He said he attends the Food Policy Council meetings.

“And I do not think that eating beef causes sticky blood, as one member said,” Baldwin said.

“But the main reason I am up here is because I don't think county employees should have a 90 percent discount on rentals of county-owned facilities, as Commissioner (Gabriel) Ramos suggested.”

Ramos interrupted him and said in an elevated tone of voice: “It has been policy for several years.”

County Commission Chairman Kasten banged the gavel and called a point of order.

“There will be no debate,” Kasten said. “The policy was a suggestion of the Parks and Recreation Committee, of which Commissioner Ramos is chair.”

Baldwin said if county employees rented the facilities every day, it would be about a $28,000 loss to the county.

County Manager Jon Paul Saari asked that the minutes be amended to show that he did not attend the last meeting of October, because he was out of town.

He gave the financial report of Nov. 7, which showed expenditures of $997,575.05, including a payment on jail construction, an insurance payment and the purchase of a fire truck for one of the volunteer fire departments. The latter was paid for using the VFD's fire fund money.

Jeff Rudolf thanked the county for quickly taking care of his request to change the signs at the senior centers, to remove from the no-smoking signs, the language “or tobacco alternatives,” as he alleged that could include chewing gum. “The situation has been resolved.”

In contracts and agreements, commissioners approved a project agreement with the New Mexico Department of Transportation Aviation Division for crack filling, enhanced taxiway centerline markings and installation of surface painted hold signs at the Grant County Airport.

Saari explained the state-county match is usually 50-50, but in this case, the state will pay 70 percent at $84,444, and the county, 30 percent at $36,190 of the estimated $120,634 costs.

Commissioners also approved a professional services agreement with New Mexico Clerks LLC to provide voting and election services to the County Clerk's Office.

Commissioner Christy Miller asked: “This is the third year you have used the service?”

Clerk Robert Zamarripa answered affirmatively. He had said at the Tuesday work session that the service was very reasonable for good advice.

A resolution addressing the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue boundaries was approved. The resolution also points out that when PAVFR is called out, the Silver City Fire Department is also called out and vice versa. Some minor changes were made in the map to reflect the actual PAVFR coverage.

Kasten asked for all the volunteer fire department maps to see how they fit together.

As the Grant County Indigent and Health Care Claims Board, commissioners approved 275 claims for a payment of $31,135.19 to the Independent Physicians Association.

During county reports, Sheriff Raul Villanueva said his department has received state approval to use the Fort Bayard guard shack as a substation for writing reports. “We won't have an officer there all the time, but citizens from the mining district can call us, and we'll send a deputy to meet them at the substation. We do a lot of patrols at Fort Bayard, but we believe the substation will provide some security to the campus.”

Velia Miranda, probate judge, said she has had 15 cases so far this year.

“I would like to express thanks to all veterans and especially to those families who lost someone who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Assessor Randy Villa said. “If you are a veteran, you are due a discount on your property taxes.”

Treasurer Alfred Sedillo echoed Villa's sentiment about veterans.

“We have received a lot of returned mail, especially from the rural post offices,” Sedillo said. “If you have not received your tax bill, come see us; we may have it.”

He reported that tax collections have equaled more than $1 million at about 6 percent of the total taxes billed.

Saari said he is starting to gear up for the 30-day legislative session.

“It's not going to be a pretty one,” he said. “I have heard that counties are being called ‘cash cows.' We are proactive and have been cutting expenses for several years, with a five percent cut each year. The Legislative Finance Committee thinks all counties have lots of money.”

Kasten urged the commissioners, elected and appointed officials to be “vigilant. We face a loss of payment in lieu of taxes, and a loss of hold harmless.” The latter is payment by the state to offset losses local entities would incur because of the repeal of gross receipts taxes on food.

Miller commended the Sheriff's Department for “hard work during a rough week,” referring to a homicide Monday.

Ramos said he wanted to explain the 10 percent payment by county employees who rent county-owned facilities.

“It has been policy for five or six year,” Ramos said. “Also, if someone calls me, please leave a name and phone number, so we can call you back and explain the situation.

“We are looking at the policies as a whole,” he continued. “We need to up the prices of rentals, so we can break even on cleaning expenses.”

Miller explained that she had originally approved the policy in question, but had “had a change of heart. I am now concerned about the large discount, but nothing has been decided yet.”

To a question, Ramos said the Parks and Recreation Committee would meet Wednesday, Nov. 16, but he did not give the time.

Kasten said the issue of rental increases has “less to do with the price of the rentals, but more on the price of deposits.”

He asked the committee to hold public hearings on the issue, but “I think it is important to get the prices in by the end of the year, and then work on the other issues after the first of the year.”

Ramos reported a good turnout at the Job Fair, hosted by Congressman Steve Pearce, the Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce and Western New Mexico University.

Kasten reported he went to the New Mexico Association of Counties office and worked on the issue of how to do billing for solid waste. “Perhaps we can add it to the tax bills. We're $40,000 in arrears, and we're trying to figure out a way to do the billing. We want to try to eliminate illegal dumping, by having people not have to pay to go to the dump.”

The meeting was adjourned. The December work session and regular meetings were not announced, but will each be held only once during the month, unless a special meeting is required.