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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 23 April 2017 23 April 2017

By Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County Commission held a work session on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 and a regular meeting on Thursday, April 20, 2017. At these meetings they heard reports from officials.

At the work session, Gila Regional Medical Center Interim Chief Executive Officer Alfredo Ontiveros said the January and February financial reports had the hospital at about break even. "We are still closing the numbers for March, but I think it will be positive."

He noted that the Meditech 6 upgrade, which has been underway for several years, would go live on June 1. "We are still in the final testing until May 1, then we will start training."

Ontiveros said the hospital is recruiting for an ENT, ear, nose and throat physician, as well as a family practice physician and is looking for at least one more pediatrician and another urologist.

"We have made an offer to a CEO candidate, so she can give notice," Ontiveros said. "Hopefully, the contract will be signed by this afternoon. About 30 days are left for me in transition."

[Editor's Note: For articles on the new CEO, please visit: http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/36226-gila-regional-medical-center-chooses-new-ceo and http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/36203-grmc-offers-ceo-position

Detention Center Administrator Mike Carillo said the policies and procedures are constantly being reviewed. The jail has two vacancies and two newly hired officers are continuing their basic training. "We met with Freeport-McMoRan to request funding for the Inmate Support Group. We received a nice amount for the group from the donated art sold at the Inmate Art Exhibit. We thank Western for their help with the exhibit."

He said he is trying to put together a Crisis Intervention Team. A similar team is working out well in Las Cruces. "We will hear a presentation on April 25. I think such a team will benefit the entire community. I committed myself to be part of the Permanent Housing program, so when inmates leave they have some place to go besides back to those who got them in trouble."

The average daily population for the past month was 90, with high male population of 77 and high female population of 22. From April 13, 2016 through April 13, 2017, the average daily population was 84, with an average 35.6 days stay before being transferred to state or federal facilities.

Road Superintendent Earl Moore said the road construction on North Hurley Road uncovered a couple of water service lines that no one knew about. "With money left over, we will be able to do the access road to Highway 180. We are about finished at Rosedale Road."

General Services Director Randy Villa said he had a new maintenance employee, Jason Lockett. "He will be very helpful. He has already done work at the Detention Center. We can order parts and he can do it himself. We are working with Trane on coils for the Conference Center HVAC units. We are also working on evaporative coolers throughout the county buildings."

His department is working with Western New Mexico University football players doing yard work for the elderly this weekend. "We provide bins, rakes and shovels."

During the Federal Aviation Administration inspection at the Grant County Airport, "we had a few minor dings. The manuals were out of date. Fire extinguishers were in the wrong places. We had some runway lights out. They will write us a list. In the meantime, we are addressing them."

He said a Type 5 helicopter is stationed at the Forest Service Air Base, and smokejumpers are coming in May. He reported from October 2016 through March 2017, the airport had sold $170,000 worth of jet fuel, $225,000 of jet A and about $200,000 for regular fuel. "It's been pretty steady."

For service fees, the airport is expecting about $70,000 from Boutique Air.

"We are ready for fire season," Villa said. "We have had no major fires. Please contact dispatch and your local fire chiefs if you are going to burn brush."

He said Gabe Holguin, Gila National Forest fire and aviation officer, would report at Thursday's meeting.

[Editor's Note: Please read http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/36260-grant-county-commission-hears-public-input-and-presentations-at-regular-meeting-042017 for Holguin's report.]

"We have local fire departments and EMS teams working with the Tour of the Gila, because GRMC doesn't have enough staff," Villa said. "Corre Caminos is working with the sheriff and state police for the rodeo."

Planning and Community Development Director Michael "Mischa" Larisch said the county is still looking at solar for energy efficiency. "We are having an audit for all energy efficiencies. The Tu Casa groundbreaking will take place at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, April 19, 2017).

[Editor's Note: Please look for an upcoming article and photo on the ceremony.]

"I am working on Community Development Block Grant requirements," Larisch reported. "The LS Mesa substation roof and sheetrock work will begin soon. They are running into problems with the water well."

For the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, he said he is expecting two more chapters, which will complete the plan. "The public draft should be out soon."

He said he would meet with engineers on generators for the full terminal at the airport and would review the aviation weather systems at the airport. He said he was also meeting with WNM Communications to get a fiber line out to the airport. "The Forest Service is interested inwhere we put out the stubs for it."

"We hope we have enough material and money to pull in the access road in North Hurley," Larisch said. "Priscilla (Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments executive director) talked to Hurley on a revised agreement for Hurley to take over the billing for North Hurley wastewater. The USDA thinks it's a great idea for us to get out of the utility business."

Rep. Rebecca Dow was in attendance and said she was doing a summary of the legislative session for PNM. "My focus was to represent the constituents of District 38. I appreciate hearing from all of you. We did pass a bipartisan budget bill."

She said officials had met to decide whether to sue the governor for vetoing 10 specific items, including higher education. "She is asking for an extraordinary session. It would be called by a super majority. We still don't have consensus. I'm not inclined to call a special or extraordinary session, until we have consensus. In our state Constitution, we have a mandate for higher education. Let's just appoint regents, as that's part of the problem. I am confident we will still have universities on July 1. I am not in favor of calling for an extraordinary session. I would like to see us coming together and working together, maybe with some more open dialogue."

"This was my first legislative session as a representative," Dow said. "In the end what we ended up with for the budget was a compromise, especially on a tax on hospitals. What I've heard from rural hospitals is about the tax and how it could be leveraged by Medicaid. I also think fire funds will come back. $300,000 for Fort Bayard was vetoed. I'm hoping the Yucca Lodge situation will be a win-win, if we find another location and end up with the residential treatment, as well as for long-term care for vets. I will put my efforts toward both."

Commissioner Gabriel Ramos said supposedly the state sent Yucca Lodge patients to Roswell and they sent them back here. "I think it's a failure on the state's part. Thank you for your attention to us at the session."

During Thursday's regular session, commissioners heard from elected officials.

Sheriff Raul Villanueva said the past month his department had dealt with more than 500 calls for service, including 11 vehicle accidents and 47 warrant arrests. "We are providing assistance to the Tour of the Gila. I encourage the community to work with law enforcement and the racers. It's a positive thing for the community. We will also provide assistance at the upcoming Blues Festival. The Silver and Cobre proms are coming up and we are preparing for them. We've been very busy with high intensity calls. We are covering Santa Clara and Hurley a lot of the time. They are in the county. We are fully staffed, but three deputies are waiting to hear from state police, so we may lose them."

Villanueva said the Legislature passed two bills that will have impacts on the county. House Bill 9 requires law enforcement agencies to be responsible for providing trauma and tourniquet kits, which will also require training.

House Bill 370 requires law enforcement to have the opioid overdose drug naloxone on hand in cruisers. "We will have to pay for it and it costs $70 a dose."

HB 370 can be viewed at https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/17%20Regular/final/HB0370.pdf .

Much of the discussion among commissioners was based on the sheriff believing the cost would be borne by the county.

However, Rep. Rebecca Dow told the Beat that federal grants would pay for the detoxification method, naloxone, for an opioid overdose. The antidote is a nasal spray that is useful only against opioids. It does nothing for too much alcohol. "If the grant goes away, so does the mandate," she said. "New Mexico is seventh in the nation for opioid deaths."

During the sheriff's report, Billings said several officers have told him they have to provide their own equipment.

Villanueva said each has to provide his own sidearm, but the department provides ammunition. "I would like a standard-issue weapon by the county, so as not to take an officer's private weapon. A lot of agencies provide weapons. We are one of the few that have the officers use their private weapons."

Another bill he mentioned was House Bill 321, which allows for the highest-ranking officer to take over when a sheriff unexpectedly dies, until the Commission can appoint someone.

Assessor Raul Turrieta said his office had had its annual evaluation and should receive the final report in a few months. On April 21, he was to meet with the Motor Vehicle Division on manufactured homes.

Treasurer Steve Armendariz introduced his new chief deputy, Melanie Crespin, who, he said, has a lot of experience in banking.

Armendariz said the state Property Division has announced its next tax sale set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 16, at the Conference Center. "There are 53 items on the list. We have reached out to all of them and the list will be publicized. We hope to get the list down. During the last month, we collected $263,000 for the county, so there is still a lot out there to be paid. Payments must be into the office by May 10 to avoid penalty and interest."

Browne gave the first commissioner report. He said he had spoken with Dispatch about the possibility of raises. "They remain concerned about the lack of coordination between the county and the city. They have no specific ideas. I also attended the New Mexico CAP Entity meeting. It sure did seem like the group is flailing. In fact, the chairwoman used the word flailing. They still have no project, no RFP for engineering for 30 percent design. Time's a'wasting."

"My concern continues to be that we are losing funds for local water projects," Browne said. "Friday, I will attend a meeting on permanent supportive housing."

Kasten said it had never dawned on him until recently that there were no halfway houses nor funding for them in the county.

Billings said he has questions about the county's long-range planning, "instead of putting out fires, we need at least five years out."

He asked if the Commission has a list of expectations from the county manager.

"I can provide you the evaluation form," County Manager Charlene Webb said.

Attorney Abigail Robinson cautioned that the issue should be discussed in executive session.

"As for planning, Mischa and I are diligently working right now on the comprehensive land use plan and then we will do asset planning," Webb said.

Billings said he was unsure about the purpose for Tu Casa. Webb said it is a continuum of care for drug and alcohol abusers.

"Tu Casa should be at the end of the process," Kasten said. "It takes seven to 10 days to break chemical dependency. Yucca Lodge, which was taken away from us, was the second step of residential therapy. It was going to be 28 days at Yucca Lodge and then to Tu Casa to continue the treatment on an outpatient basis."

Billings asked about measurement of effectiveness. Webb said such services would be provided by HMS, which would run the facility.

Billings said big changes were coming to Gila Regional Medical Center, including two upcoming vacancies on the Board of Trustees. "I understand that Magdaleno Manzanares will not run again, but Dr. Victor Nwachuku will."

He said the change in the provider at the Cancer Center is subject to negotiations. "One goal is to protect the caregivers."

"I appreciate Howie's visit to us," Billings said.

[Editor's Note: See Sen. Morales' report at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/36260-grant-county-commission-hears-public-input-and-presentations-at-regular-meeting-042017 ]

Billings pointed out that the state budget shortfall is partially due to the decline of oil and gas revenues. "I'm in an industryGÇöthe beef industryGÇöthat is also cyclical, about 15-20 years. We just went through the peak in 2015, so it will be worse this year. It's too bad the county, with the cyclical nature of copper, and the state with the cycles of oil and gas, can't save during peak times. Can we save money?"

Kasten said within the past six years, the "whole way things have been paid for and spent has changed. When I came on the Commission, a lot of people and groups were asking for funding. Some things the county can provide. We have cut way back on spending in the years I've been on the board. Expenses have increased to where we were not able to hold the line, such as in the Detention Center, because we are not being reimbursed by the state at the same rate. That funding had to come out of our General Fund. We are still providing every service and have not cut any."

Browne noted the state had significant reserves, but has spent them down. "The county had a carryover, but we are having to spend it down."

Billings said he met with the Lodgers' Tax Advisory Board, which said gross receipts were down, but tourism is up. "I support a resolution asking the state to stop handing down unfunded mandates."

Edwards thanked Billings for serving on the GRMC CEO Selection Committee.

"I do want to say in response to reserves and savings," Edwards said, "that the state has a gigantic pot of savings in the Land Grant Permanent Fund. We can use some of that, without using it all."

Ramos apologized for missing the Tu Casa groundbreaking. "I would like to challenge Gila Regional to use its empty pod for Yucca Lodge treatments."

He said he has been having meetings on Fort Bayard with Santa Clara and Lucero on a memorandum of understanding among the municipalities.

"I'm glad the Conference Center is now available for us," Ramos said. "I have gotten calls from the Cancer Canter about the RFP put out for services. I want to trust the representatives on the Gila Regional Board. I talked to (GRMC Board President) Jeremiah (Garcia), and he said he wants to keep the caregivers that are there."

Kasten said he wanted to welcome Taffy Arias as the new Gila Regional CEO. "I, too, appreciate Billy serving on the Selection Committee."

The commissioners went into executive session and adjourned there, without taking any action.