By Mary Alice Murphy
[Editor's Note: The main purpose of each Grant County Commission work session is to discuss the details of items on the regular meeting agenda to be approved or not at the regular meeting usually held two days later.]
At the Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, Grant County Commission, the review of the regular meeting agenda set for the Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017 session was the main topic of discussion.
County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez gave the expenditure report for the past month.
Total expenditures through Oct. 11, 2017 since the report in September were $2,162,674.81. They include two payroll periods totaling $404,632.26, and expenditures of $1,758,015.55. Extraordinary expenditures, identified as being more than $10,000 each, included payment to Ascent Aviation for $15,670.77 for August 2017 jet fuel; to New Mexico Human Services Division to $90,877.59 for the first quarter contribution for the Safety Net Care Pool; to Trane US Inc. for $76,143.80 for HVAC parts replacement at the Conference Center; a payment by Corre Caminos to the county for $43,434.99 for May 2017 fiscal agent services/reimbursement; a payment to Fuel Center Plus for $15,453.63 for August 2017 off-road diesel and troubleshooting; to Juniper Advisory LLC for $10,000 for advisory services on status of Gila Regional Medical Center; to Wagner Equipment for $87,545.00 for a backhoe for the Road Department; to New Mexico County Insurance Authority for $15,000.00 for deductible for law enforcement claims; to Southwest Solid Waste Authority for $47,692.75 for August 2017 monthly billing for tipping fees; to Sacaton Construction for $36,3223.16 progress billing for the LS Mesa Fire Station; to GRMC for $80,860.86 for August 2017 indigent claims (as approved by the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 19. 2017); to Summit Food Service for $44,508.74 for July and August 2017 inmate meals and snacks; to Western Builders for $87,595.40 for progress building for Santa Rita Fire Station; and to White Sands Construction for $251,207.52 for progress building for Tu Casa.
Commissioner Harry Browne asked about the Corre Caminos item. Vasquez said the item was likely for two months, as it averages about $20,000 a month for the county providing services, in administration fees and maintenance. "This is a reimbursement for match and in-kind services," Vasquez said.
Commission Chairman Brett Kasten said the federal government wants the county to itemize items now.
Commissioner Billy Billings asked about the Trane cost, and County Manager Charlene Webb said it was to replace HVAC parts at the Conference Center. Billings also asked about the New Mexico Insurance Authority, and Webb said it was the deductible for law enforcement claims.
Billings questioned the last month indigent claims for $80,000 as he had at last month's meeting. Webb said: "We hope once we get a medical director at the jail, it will cut trips to the emergency room. The director is contracted to begin December 1."
Kasten explained that a 1/8 gross receipts increment can be spent only for the indigent purpose. "We have to pay them by statute," Webb said.
Billings asked about the Summit Food Service payment. "It is for inmate food and comes out of our Corrections Fund. It's part of our running the jail."
On the agenda for Thursday's meeting is a request by Dan Maxwell to address concerns regarding the aggregate pit operations near Hurley.
Commissioners will approve or disapprove an insurance plan change.
Webb said she had looked at moving to the state plan, which is a Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO (health maintenance organization) plan. A PPO (preferred provider organization) is more expensive than an HMO. She met with the current insurance provider local broker Rydeski and Company to see if he could meet the price.
"He has met and exceeded the price with his recommendation," Webb said. "It is a Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO (exclusive provider organization). It matches the Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO, but allows the employee to see any Blue Cross Blue Shield facility in the country and even overseas. It gives us better coverage. And will save us about $322,000 annually."
Robert Rydeski asked for questions.
Kasten said he was glad the county was not going to the state, as the last time it did, when the county wanted to get out of the plan, the county had to pay a big buyout.
Rydeski said that is because the state is partially self-funded. "Usually to buy out, you pay about one month average of the last three months payments. It cost you about $70,000 to get out last time."
Kasten asked how the EPO exceeds the HMO.
Rydeski suggested that if the commissioners look online, they can see all the Blue Cross Blue Shield doctors in the state. "If you want to go to Mayo Clinic or M.D. Anderson, they have Blue Cross Blue Shield physicians. There are more than 6,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield doctors in the network."
Browne said globally the EPO has many more physicians. "What about locally?
Rykdeski said he doesn't know of any local physicians who are not in the network. It was mentioned later that one physician may be cash only, but he wouldn't take insurance anyway.
"We are not looking at the Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO, because it kind of did away with it," Rydeski said. "On commercial plans, the EPO is about the same as the PPO. If you choose to go out of network, Blue Cross Blue Shield will not pay anything. You would get payment only with a PPO, but I don't think it's necessary. A PPO would double your deductible and can double the charge."
Billings said it sounded almost too good to be true. "What are the negatives?"
"We look for opportunities," Rydeski said. "We look at claims data. I dissected the data to find large non-recurring claims. I don't think there are any major negatives."
Commissioner Alicia Edwards said she really appreciates getting insurance locally and supporting local businesses.
The next item of new business, which was added to the agenda for Thursday's meeting, was approval of the use of naloxone by members of the Sheriff's Department to treat drug overdoses.
Sheriff Raul Villanueva said his entire staff had been trained in the use of naloxone. "We want to get the policy in place. It is a mandate from the state."
Edwards asked: "If the state is mandating its use, is the state providing any funding to purchase it?"
Villanueva said his officers received a small amount as part of the training, "but we are applying for funding to purchase it. We don't have enough for everyone, and it can't be left in the unit in heat or cold so the deputies meet and transfer the kits when one is going off shift and the next one coming on. The kits cost $70 a piece."
"I understand a kit has two doses," Edward said. "What if you doubt whether it is an overdose of an opioid?"
"I don't think there's any harm to administer it," Villanueva said.
Edwards asked how much time should elapse between the two doses. "Aren't most overdoses instantaneous? How many have you had in the county?"
Villanueva said: "In the past six months, in the county, we've had two or three overdoses. I'm not sure about the city."
The first agreement to be addressed is an amendment to an agreement between the county and Hazair Inc. extending it for three months, because of a delay in developing the hazardous mitigation plan, according to Webb.
An agreement with the New Mexico Department of Transportation for the Buckle Up/Click It or Ticket and the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program/100 Days and Nights of Summer is an annual grant for $5,550, which pays for overtime for the Sheriff's Department.
Also under consideration at the Thursday regular meeting will be contract renewal agreements for the county manager and another for the County Attorney Abigail Robinson.
A professional services agreement must also be approved between the county and Rydeski and Company for employee health insurance coverage.
"If we choose to go with plan renewal with Rydeski, he has also cut his percentage from the customary 4 percent to 2 percent to save the county about $17,000" Webb said.
"The percentage makes it flat for him and us, and takes out the risk for him," Kasten said.
The last agreement to be considered on Thursday, is between Grant County and Boutique Air Inc. for the storage and parking of three rental vehicles and use of the terminal for a rental car concession.
Robinson said Boutique was excited that it will have three rental vehicles at the airport. "We will provide space at the counter for the concession. It's only for a one-year term. It's an experiment. Rebekah (Wenger, the airport manager) did most of the negotiating, because she was more familiar with the process."
Kasten noted that other rental companies in town have declined the same deal. "Boutique got the deal to lease land for parking. All the companies have the opportunity to do the same."
Robinson said she thinks it was Boutique's idea. "We have requirements for maintenance of the vehicles and cleaning them. We can inspect them at any time."
"Boutique has been fabulous with its airplanes," Browne said, "so I think they can handle cars."
Under resolutions, Webb said, if the resolution is approved for the development and implementation of an asset management plan for Grant County, according to state rules and regulations, the state will "reimburse us for gathering the data."
She said an asset plan will allow the county to effectively manage its assets, particularly roads. The assets can be categorized as good, fair, poor or replacement.
"When we have it in place, then Jason (Lockett) can use it for buildings and for everything the county owns," Webb said.
She confirmed to Edwards' question about a database, that yes, the county will have a database and can update roads, including curbs, ADA compliance and drainage.
"Another benefit is, because now we don't have an asset management plan, the county can lose points on CDBG (Community Block Development Grants) and Colonias grant funding," Webb said. "With an item on the ICIP (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan) and the asset management plan, we won't lose points."
A resolution to be considered is to support and make a financial commitment for Corre Caminos transportation services for fiscal year 2018 and an additional resolution for fiscal year 2019. Webb said it is about $220,00 in cash and in-kind services.
The final resolution on the agenda will address support for a proposal to include the Heart Bar property in the U.S. Forest Service priority list for the Land and Water Conservation Fund in fiscal years 2018 and 2019.
Browne said the issue was brought to him by the trails group. "Down by Lake Roberts, about 466 acres follow Sapillo Creek, with Meadow Creek coming in from the south. Apparently the owner is not willing to sell just parcels, but wants to sell it all in one piece. In my opinion, some of the land should remain in private hands. Trail advocates are wanting to ensure that trail access is preserved. I suggest we support it, get the Forest Service to buy it and deal with the details later."
Edwards said: "Our interest is to pass in favor of accepting the proposal and once the Forest Service purchases it, it can sell off what it wants to."
Browne said the trail in question is a well-used area, where hikers have to park by the side of the road and follow the trail through areas of uncertain legality. "If the Forest Service bought it, it could put in a trailhead and a parking area. The point of the resolution is the advocates could take it to the Forest Service and say it has the support from the county. As I understand it, it's all or nothing."
"I'm not accustomed to turning private land into public land," Kasten said. "Do we have time? Can we do due diligence?"
Billings said one of his concerns is that groups buy land, with the intent to peddle it to the federal government. "My only experience was with The Nature Conservancy. The local folks with The Nature Conservancy are trustworthy, but they aren't at the national level. After the fact, a prior owner of land said The Nature Conservancy did not follow through on what they told him they would do."
"It's also a ploy to remove taxable property, like cattle, from county tax rolls," Kasten said.
Browne said he thought some of the land would be good commercial property.
Edwards said: "It would create opportunities for people to participate in other businesses, like the Toad, so people when they visit the Cliff Dwellings would stay longer."
"We are in a position to support this," Browne said.
"I think more deals can be made that benefit everyone," Kasten said.
As the Grant County Health Care Claims Board, the commissioners will address claims totaling $34,223.91, including six medical claims from GRMC for $32,831.41and two GRMC ambulance claims for $1,392.50, all from the detention center.
Billings asked if there was anything the county could do about big ones, like $23,000. "Can we figure out anything so it doesn't happen?"
"Some things we can't control," Kasten said.
The next article will address county reports and commissioners' reports.