[Editor's Note: This is part 2 of a three-part series of articles on the Grant County Commission regular session on Oct. 19, 2017.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

Commissioner Alicia Edwards requested removal of a resolution prior to the approval of the agenda at the Grant County Commission regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017.

Commission Chairman Brett Kasten said: "It's your resolution and your right to remove it."

The resolution requested support of the County Commission 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. Edwards said at the work session that when advocates for the Forest Service to acquire the property go to the Forest Service, such support would be helpful.

Edwards said questions had come up "that we need answers to."

Linda Nichols, a cancer survivor and retired banker, presented public input on Gila Regional Medical Center.

She has regularly made inspection of public records requests of the hospital. "One of the things I asked for was the salary for the interim chief financial officer. She (JoBeth Vance) makes $93 an hour and works an average of 80 hours a week. I seek to have the hospital hire someone permanently. She has a housing allowance, meals allowance and a travel allowance to go see her family, which is fine. But I would like to see the issue addressed."

Richard Earnheart, county resident, said: "Arias is impressive. Last week I was in an ambulance. I brought up the topic on the hospital with the EMT. He told me the hospital has bad morale and 'we're really insecure.'"

"What Ms. Arias said gives me hope," Earnheart said. "I don't know how to manage a hospital, but the restaurant is the best in town. It's now open five days a week. It used to be open seven. I understand they have to cut back. But they could deal with it by reaching out so the public is aware of the great food there. Don't start slashing what is available. Let people know what is available at the hospital. I used to have a regular conversation with a doctor. Health care is tough. And beyond the restaurant, this year. 70 rural hospitals have closed. The communities die because they lose millions not only in money, but in jobs.

"So many people have the opportunity to have fabulous care here," he continued. "People leave if they can't get the health care they need. We could do a network with Deming and Las Cruces. We need morale up; we need to be fiscally responsible.

"We have to do things with the community that are tender and informative," Earnheart said. "I want to see the hospital stay here."

Cissy McAndrew, real estate agent and resident, said: "After hearing everything I've heard today, I picked the right day to come and comment. I'm going to call it a challenge of community awareness and morale. Taffy Arias came to our (Southwest) Green Chamber meeting and talked to us. We all feel we have a great person leading the hospital. I will continue to be for the hospital."

She said, when she was part of GRMC Foundation, she tried to raise money, at the time for the Cancer Center. "And now we have it. I was the development trainer, but we were only allowed to go to trainings put on by corporations. Corporate is not the way to go. I'm concerned about the bias of Juniper (the advisory group hired by the county to evaluate the hospital). I want a county-owned hospital. We need a county hospital. We need community involvement. A study is not going to give us what we need. We need that hospital. The hospital is a key component of the community. We need to work together to keep the community-owned hospital. I am a member of the Gila Regional Collaborative Council. I want to be your voice. Please contact me at 538-1337 or by email to cissymcandrew@gmail.com."

Phil Mickey said: "We came to Silver City because of the type of community it is. We have put down roots, but unfortunately are spending more time in Tucson and Las Cruces for health care. We can't get what we need for my wife here. The service is not available. You can't get sick here and you can't get old here."

He said the only way they could stay in Silver City is if the Board of Trustees, the commissioners and the administration of the hospital work together to build more services at the hospital. "We go to Tucson, spend time there, stay there, spend money there, do a little shopping. We would rather shop here."

County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez had given a comprehensive financial expenditures report at the work session, which can be viewed at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/39996-grant-county-commission-discusses-renewal-of-employee-health-insurance-at-work-session-101717. At the regular session, she said the total expenditures since the September meeting totaled $2,162,674.81. They include two payroll periods totaling $404,632.26, and expenditures of $1,758,015.55.

Next on the agenda was Dan Maxwell, who said he had sent a memo to County Manager Charlene Webb about his concerns about the aggregate pit operations near Hurley.

"I have some questions," Maxell said. "Was this matter discussed in closed session on Tuesday and what is your justification?"

Commission Chairman Brett Kasten said the operations were not discussed. "The only thing we talked about was whether we want to own it or not."

Maxwell continued with a second question: "The county was notified by Oct. 4, that operations did not meet the law. Why are they still operating?"

"We are not prepared to answer questions," Kasten said. "We've given the issue to management and they are working toward a solution."

Maxwell asked no more questions.

The next item on the agenda was the insurance plan change.

"As discussed on Tuesday, during the budget hearings, we wanted to find cost savings for health insurance for employees," Webb said. "We thought about going to the state plan, which has only a Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO plan, which would save us money. But since we had been doing business with Rydeski and Company, we gave him a shot. He went to work and came up with a Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO (exclusive provider organization). It saves us $322,000 and gives us better coverage. It gives employees options nationwide to be in network. I recommend the Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO. And he agreed to reduce his fees to 2 percent of the premiums, saving us an estimated $17,000."

Commissioners approved the change.

Commissioner Harry Browne commended the county manager for all her work.

Commissioner Alicia Edwards said: "I really appreciate the amount of work she did for a significant savings to the county. Why didn't we do it sooner?"

Webb said because Blue Cross Blue Shield would not give a bid because of prior claims.

"Sometimes claims happen," Kasten said. "I'm very happy with the change. The deductibles are lower and the coverage is better."

The last item of new business was to approve a policy establishing guidelines and regulations governing the utilization of naloxone to treat and reduce the severity of opioid-involved overdoses by trained deputies within the Grant County Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff Raul Villanueva said everyone in his office has been trained. "To clarifiy a question from Tuesday, I researched whether giving the dose would be harmful to anyone who hadn't taken an opioid. I learned there would be no harm. We are trained on the nasal spray, not the injections."

Agreements, resolutions and elected officials' reports will be covered in the final article.