[Editor's Note: This is part 3 of a multi-part series on Grant County Commission meetings this week.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
After two presentations at the Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 Grant County Commission work session, Commissioner Harry Browne asked for a discussion regarding the Holloman Air Force Base Pilot-Training proposal.
"My original idea was to bring a draft resolution," Browne said, "but I would like to get a feeling for how other commissioners stand on the issue. I think there are quite a number of reasons to oppose flights over the Gila Wilderness and Gila National Forest and private lands. I ask for an open discussion on how you feel about Grant County weighing in. We were all here for Alan Shafer's presentation. I have reasons why I'm opposed and why I think the county should weigh in."
Commissioner Brett Kasten said he has mixed feelings on it-reasons why to allow the flights and why not to. "The national defense budget is important to New Mexico. As a kid, I used to play in the wilderness a lot. There were flights then. They didn't bother me. In fact, I thought they were cool. The issue with chaff and flares bothers me with the threat of fire. I was waiting for future meetings from the Air Force before I made up my mind, because of where they proposed to fly. It may be here and maybe not. I'm not ready to vote on being for or against."
Vice Chair Alicia Edwards, who was managing the meeting, said from the process, the next step is the EIS (environmental impact statement) and then more public meetings. "Is it possible that the next step would eliminate Grant County as a possibility?"
Browne said the EIS will continue to look at the options, defining those areas that will be part of the final EIS. "It's usually during the scoping that they become defined areas. We will still be part of the two alternatives. I propose this process to encourage us to have a voice in the process."
Commissioner Gabriel Ramos said he was hesitant to oppose the flights "I don't want to have our young men going into harm's way and flying without proper training. Having jets fly by gives us a sense of pride, but I don't want it every two minutes. I haven't heard from many of my constituents on the issue. I don't want pilots to crash because they didn't get training."
"We don't have a clue about what makes a better training space," Browne said. "But I think flying over the wilderness is incompatible with the Wilderness Act. Starting fires with flares is a real concern."
Ramos acknowledged it could be a tough fire season.
"One of my concerns is not just Holloman," Edwards said. "But Davis Monthan in Tucson (Arizona), Fort Bliss in El Paso (Texas) and Fort Huachuca in Arizona evidently already fly over the area. Do we have an accurate picture? If we were only looking at the impacts of Holloman flying over, it might be different. Yes, fires can be an issue. This is a way to say we're not convinced we have a full representation of the impact. Shafer was clear that the entities don't speak with one another.
"And this is just a comment," Edwards said. "I work with people on the east side of the state. They uniformly said, the aircraft flying over are constant. You either get used to it or go crazy."
Brown said he would work on a draft. Kasten suggested maybe the draft should be more along the lines of the commission having more input. "Knowing what will happen is when I will know whether I am for it or against it."
Edwards said Rio Arriba County has a resolution asking to be fully informed.
"Why not a letter just to ask for more presentations?" Ramos suggested "Remind them we want to be kept informed."
Continuing at the work session, County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez presented the expenditure report ending Feb. 9. The sum for the month is $3,747,689.78, including accounts payable check reporting of $3,143,566.09 and three payroll periods totaling $604,123.69.
Expenses exceeding $10,000 include $11,826.30 to Wells Fargo for the December 2017 purchase card charges; $11,687.92 to Firefighter Trucks Inc. for annual service of trucks for Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department; $18,167.11 to Kevin Robinson of Architecture Workshop for Tu Casa services through Dec. 29, 2017; $22,544.96 to SWCA Environmental Consultants for low water crossing services; $22,279.44 to Summit Food Service LLC for November 2017 inmate meals and medical snacks; $626,864 to Wagner Equipment Co for six motor graders for Road Department, leased from Caterpillar Financial; $10,598.98 to Juniper Advisory LLC for December 2017 retainer and services; $17,949.26 to Ascent Aviation LLC for December 2017 jet fuel; $25,439.58 to Caterpillar Financial Services for January and February 2018 motor graders lease payments; $126,894.11 to White Sands Construction for Tu Casa construction through Dec. 31, 2017; $13,944.77 to Gila Regional Medical Center for Dec. 2017 indigent claims; $51,865.90 to Southwest Solid Waste Authority for December 2017 monthly billing; $17,204.61 to PNM for Tu Casa Electric Line Extension; $23,131.65 to Wright Express Fleet Services for December 2017 fuel charges; $17,325 to High Desert Humane Society for October through December animal control services; $15,917 to New Mexico State University for October to December Cooperative Extension services; $14,041.72 to USDA for animal and plant health inspection services through Dec. 31, 2017; $22,098 to Bob Turner Ford Country for 2018 Ford F-150 for Humane Society animal control; $24,474.65 to Municipal Emergency Services for SCBA testing and equipment for Pinos Altos VFD; $13,125 to Safety Instruction LTD for struts for fire apparatus for Tyrone VFD; $16,788.44 to Kreigel, Gray and Shaw and Co. for the FY2017 audit final billing; $10,116.02 to PNM for Electrical services for Santa Rita VFD and transformer for Conference Center; $43,834 to David Stephens (CorrValues) for February 2018 inmate health care; $13,661.38 to Tyler Technologies for 2018-19 financial software renewal; $22,617.39 to Jarrad, Phillips, Cate and Hancock for consulting services from November 27 to December 31, 2017; $22,620.78 to Summit Food Service LLC for December 2017 inmate meals and medical snacks; $22,756.42 to Morrow Enterprises for construction of water storage for Lower Mimbres VFD through Jan. 25, 2018; $107,007,77 to Sound and Signal Systems of NM for sound system for Conference Center; $10,284.50 to Wells Fargo for January 2018 purchase card charges; $21,103.61 to Ascent Aviation Inc. for January 2018 jet fuel and February 2018 refueler lease payment; $21,920 to Artesia Fire Equipment for tool kits for Tyrone VFD; $20,512.80 to Fuel Center Plus for off-road diesel for Road Department; and $191,144.14 to White Sands Construction for Tu Casa construction through Jan. 31. 2018.
Vasquez also presented the quarterly report ending Dec. 31, 2017 for the General Fund, the Road Department and Detention Fund. The beginning balance for the General Fund was $3,566,077 with revenues to date of $5,602,508, transfers out ($1,799,357), expenditures to date $4,483,115, leaving a cash balance at the end of the quarter of $2,886,112, required reserves of $1,120,779 and available cash of $1,765,333.
The Road Fund began the quarter with $144,108, revenues to date of $363,990, transfers in of $398,212, expenditures to date $805,619, leaving a cash balance at the end of the quarter of $100,6912, required reserves of $33,594 and available cash of $33,556.
The Detention Fund began the quarter with $152,730, revenues to date of $341,694, transfers $815,500, expenditures to date $1,214,007, leaving a cash balance at the end of the quarter of $95,917, with no reserves required, and available cash of $95,917.
The beginning balance total of all funds, including all special funds, was $13,125,039, with revenues to date of $12,858,031, transfers ($1), expenditures to date $14,599,238, a cash balance at the end of the quarter at $11,384,232, required reserves of $1,187,914, leaving available cash of $10,196,318.
The next article will include the rest of the agenda, including Thursday's regular meeting report from Gila Regional Medical Center.