Grant County Commission work and regular sessions July 17 and 19, 2018

[Editor's Note: This article will combine the items that were not discussed in other articles. Because of the importance of some issues, separate articles have been posted. You can view the other six in front page news, with some on page 2 of front page news.]

County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez presented the financial report at the Grant County Commission work session on July 17, 2018.

"This report closes out the fiscal year and includes 13 days of the new 2019 fiscal year," Vasquez said.

Expenditures since the last regular session in June through July 13 total $3,236,041.88. They include three pay periods for a total of $605,429.88.

Extraordinary expenses above $10,000 are seen in this chart. 

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Under new business, commissioners considered and approved the New Mexico Association of Counties voluntary employee loan/credit counseling benefit program in partnership with TrueConnect. County Manager Charlene Webb said it addressed the presentation at the previous June meeting by Susan Mayes of NMAC. Webb also noted the organization has changed its name to New Mexico Counties. "There is no requirement to place for a bid." Commissioner Brett Kasten abstained from the vote because of a possible conflict of interest.

During the work session, Community Planner and Developer Michael "Mischa" Larisch said he had drafted a new letter to the New Mexico Department of Transportation concerning the use of UTVs on county roads. "I've been working with Trent Doolittle of DOT District 1. This is what NMDOT can stand behind. We talked about using UTVs for ag and ranching use. We narrowed it down quite a bit. The lowered speed limits were taken out. We will present five stretches of road to the NMDOT in September."

The letter addresses some long stretches of portions of NM 35 and NM 15, and shorter lengths of NM 211, NM 293 and NM 153.

These are excerpts from the letter:

"The areas of NM 35 and NM 15 are popular Gila National Forest access areas for hunting, fishing and recreation. Currently, anyone enjoying the forest with its many roads and trails for ROV use cannot leave one and drive to the other without traveling on the paved highway. Most of the areas do not have enough of a shoulder if one at all to allow for safe operation of the ROV from one trail system to another. NM 293 accesses Sacaton Road and Box Canyon Recreation Areas. NM 153 access the Double E Ranch (now owned by NMDGF) and Turkey Creek Recreation areas.
"Grant County would like permission to install ROV begin and ROV end signs at the beginning and ending points of each segment described including signs where Highway 35 intersects with Highway 15 since ROV will be prohibited North of this intersection."
Commissioner Alicia Edward asked if there had been any discussion on how law enforcement would handle it. "When I ride my bicycle along NM 15, I see tons of discarded alcohol containers. Whose responsibility is it to enforce it?"

Larisch said it is a first for District 1. "Red River approved it and District 1 is reviewing another request."

"I don't think you can correlate it to trash," Commissioner Gabriel Ramos said. "The county has a lot of litter."

Sheriff Raul Villanueva said he had seen no issues so far.

At the regular session, the letter was approved, with nays from Edwards and Commissioner Harry Browne.

Commissioners approved at the regular meeting out-of-state travel to Washington D.C for Webb and Larisch to attend the White House Conference for NM Counties.

Also approved was the revised 2017 PERA volunteer firefighter annual reporting for Cliff-Gila VFD. It had been sent back for correction.

The agreement with Wildlife Services was covered in another article at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/45641-grant-county-commission-regular-meeting-public-input-071918

Commissioners approved professional service agreements between the Grant County Surveillance Program and Felix Ortega and the second agreement with Luis Alvarado.

Additional language was added to the agreement between Grant County and the High Desert Humane Society to provide animal control services in the unincorporated portions of the county. HDHS requested the additional language, which requires the county to pay for extra expenses when law enforcement requests retaining an animal longer than 14 days.

Commissioners approved a Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management sub-recipient grant agreement for Operation Stone Garden 2017 for $250,000. Villanueva said it allows law enforcement to be secondary to Board Patrol. "We work operations as a secondary line of defense. Deputies are doing it on their days off and get paid overtime. It's been cost effective. This agreement is more stringent on how we spend for fuel and overtime."

The bargaining unit contract was tabled. "I thought we had gotten to agreement, but we hadn't," Webb said.

The discussion on the redemption of the bond for the Fort Bayard Medical Center was covered in http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/45642-grant-county-commission-work-and-regular-sessions-with-two-each-bond-and-fort-bayard-discussions-july-17-and-19-2018

A resolution on the bond issue to be put on the November ballot was tabled to the August meeting, with information in the above link.

A resolution amending the position classification schedule and compensation plan was approved. Webb said at the work session that it would amend the salary range for a maintenance position. "Our goal is to hire a journeyman electrician. I met with the union and I have their buy in."

Under bids and requests for proposals, a contract for engineering was awarded to Souder, Miller and Associates, as well as a second contract for engineering with Bohannon Huston Inc. Webb said: "We utilize each where the group is more experienced."

A bid for surveying was rejected. "We will change the scope of work. What we received was not beneficial for costs."

At the regular meeting, commissioners, as the Grant County Health Claims Board approved claims in the amount of $72,670.65.

In elected official reports, Community Planner Larisch said the Santa Rita Fire Station is completed except for the punch list. "We are holding final payment until everything is complete."

The county has made its final payment for the Lower Mimbres water storage facility.

"In the asset management plan, we found some audits," Larisch said. "It is in our best interest to have a good plan."

He said he is working on the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP). "I plan to have it done by the end of the month. It needs to happen for the bond."

Larisch said he is preparing a bid for a Colonias project on Rosedale Road.

He said Tu Casa is complete except for several items that are warranty issues. "We will get White Sands Construction to make the corrections. HMS has taken over the building."

General Services Director and Fire Management Officer Randy Villa said Silver City had pulled its fire restriction. "As of today, we will lift ours. I still want people to be careful. It doesn't take long to dry fine fuels. The airport resources have moved on, so we will just be filling Boutique's flights. I thank Rebekkah (Wenger, airport manager), Charlene and Linda for ordering jet-A fuel about twice a week. We did have structure fire training bringing departments together. Some fire departments are being awarded grants. We got an education grant for Firewise, which is fire risk reduction. In Bataan Park, maintenance is painting the bathrooms."

Detention Center Administrator Mike Carillo said they have five vacancies and are doing backgrounds on five applicants. The high daily population was 88, with the high male at 65, four more than last month, and for females, 23, the same as last month. He said the Tu Casa Subcommittee is meeting monthly, with the advisory committee to meet in August. HMS is doing mock drills.

Treasurer Steve Armendariz said the office had received 92.58 percent collection rate for 2017 taxes. "About $439,000 is still outstanding. From June 11-July 18, we collected $113,000 for the county position. We have collected $27.18 million for all entities, and so far in July, we have collected $355,453 for all entities."

The meeting adjourned