[Editor's Note: This was a long meeting that this author will try to synthesize into a reasonable article. Not everyone will be quoted, and a new format is being used. The name of the person speaking will be indicated at the first of each paraphrased comment followed by a colon. After the first full name, just the last name will be used. A considerable amount of information will not be included.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County budget hearing took place on May 23, 2019, with four commissioners present. Commissioner Billy Billings was not available.

Jason Lockett, Maintenance Department director: My budget is flat except for the capital outlay of $165,000 we are requesting for the roof at the airport fuel base operations. Another item adjusts the amount for insurance. The airport roof item is on the ICIP (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan) for next year. We have funding only for maintenance at Bataan Park and the Fairgrounds.

County Manager Charlene Webb: We would fund changes at Bataan Park or the Fairgrounds through Capital Projects, not the General Fund, which is under consideration today.

Clerk Marisa Castrillo: I am requesting an increase for Robert Zamarripa, who when he was no longer clerk ended up in a low classification. He has experience, so he should be in the mid-range. He is very valuable to our office.

County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez: It is not in the recommended budget. The changes in classification happened a couple of years ago.

Commissioner Harry Browne: That raises a question about classifications.

Webb: The goal is to bring everyone to mid-range, but we need the money before we can do it. If someone has experience, he shouldn't be in the minimum range. We are not using the classification polity to its full capacity. It's an extensive study to determine where everyone belongs. We don't have time to do it. We would be required to do a complete comparison to other government agencies. We will try to scrape up some money to get it started next fiscal year.

Castrillo, representing the Bureau of Elections: I think we're OK. I'm not sure how new laws will affect us. We guesstimated how much we will need. It will hit us harder next year. Special elections will have to be paid by the agency requesting them. We pay up front and they reimburse us.

Vasquez: We guesstimated $3,500 based on past special elections. We're still not sure if we will get reimbursed.

Castrillo: All special elections will be mail-out ballots only. We have a higher turnout in all-mail elections. It can run up to $16,000 for postage. It cost about $8,000 for postage for the recent school bond election. We haven't gotten the bill yet. We're not sure if there is a time limit on when they must reimburse us. We will have elections every November and then the primary and general elections in the even-numbered years. There is no way to consolidate special elections. The primary and general elections cannot be mail-out because they are controlled by the state. All extra expenses of special elections will be billed to the agency requesting it.

Vasquez: If a department budget does not have enough in a line item, but has funding in other items, adjustments can be made without going to the state. And if it's outside the department, the commissioners can approve it. We only need approval from the Department of Finance and Administration if we have increases in the bottom line of the General Fund.

Assessor Raul Turrieta: We have two budgets, the 499 for reappraisal and the 401 for appraisals. In the 401 we are asking for increases of 5 percent for the appraisal and title personnel, as well as 7 percent for the chief appraisers and parcel mapping. We have contracted with Bohannon Huston on the parcel mapping, but we haven't identified the vendors. We are the last county in the state to get parcel mapping done. I talked to the union about the 5 percent raise. My chief deputy needs 13 percent to get to mid-range. We are down four employees in the department. We have had employees leave after three years, after we’ve educated them. It takes funding to educate. One degreed employee left for more money.

Webb: Any increases in salary requests were not in the recommended budget.

Turrieta: In the 499, we used to get a 2 percent of the increase in reappraisals; now it's down to 1 percent. I'm interested in temporary employees, but I have a problem with the clothing allowance. They go out in the field, so, they need to be easily identified. We go out at random, but we let the media know what area we will be in. On the parcel mapping the actual amount of dollars left is $86,000.

Vasquez: The amount is over $5,000, so we have to put it in capital fund, so the auditor catches it.

Treasurer Steve Armendariz: I want to preface this by saying I'm trying to make sure we are communicating our intentions. I want to take the $12,480 for part-time positions and put it toward my full-time employees to bring them to mid-range. I decided I will not go to the counties' conference in June, so my chief deputy can go to get classes. On our last three trips, we have had issues with the vehicles and the transmissions slipping. The engine light came on, the Maintenance Department couldn't find anything. Lawley couldn't find any issues. So, my request is for a Journey upgraded to a V6 next year. I'm trying to borrow a vehicle from Turrieta for the next trip. This is a request for a new vehicle in the next budget.

Browne: County vehicles should be shared.

Commissioner Javier Salas: Don't you need part-time employees for your workload?

Armendariz: I keep asking for a new employee. I've been asking for a long time, but we get the work done. By the time we train a temporary employee, it's not cost effective for them to leave.

Webb: The way he explained it to me is that he doesn't want any more part-time employee, but he wants to increase the hourly rate for his current employees. His staff was re-classified and is above many other full-time employees in the county. They have been reclassified as senior employees.

Browne: That's exactly what I want department heads to do, but not piecemeal. I want to do it, but not without giving all department heads the same opportunity to do it.

Edwards: It's great he figured out how to get the work done, but there are times during the year when the department has more work. Where does the overtime come from?

Webb: We comp time rather than pay overtime.

Salas: Say the Sheriff decided he can do without three positions, and then next year, he needs more. It doesn't always work.

Edwards: It requires an increase in efficiencies. It may be possible, but I agree if it's a mistake, and he comes back next year and needs more deputies, that's not good. If we don't have the money, we can't give the money. But we can't take away what we've already given. It would be my preference not to force us into laying off. I would rather be honest. We want to keep you at the lower salary rather than lay you off in hard times.

Commission Chairman Chris Ponce: We need to have hourly employees where we can keep them.

Salas: What if revenues decrease? We need to have this discussion now that we may have to decrease in the future.

Edwards: We need a plan for cost of living increases. We did a salary study. There are steps toward a fair and consistent salary.

Salas: Can we make changes to the final budget?

Vasquez: Once we get the final numbers, we will finalize the budget.

Sheriff Frank Gomez: We are working on a step increase for full-time deputies. I have been working with Manager Webb to get them competitive with other departments. We are 10 deputies short. We oversee the Tri-City area and still respond and help Silver City when they need it. We are on 12-hour shifts for patrol. It takes a toll on them. We work with state police. They assist but don't take calls. Our guys are taking crashes. Call volumes have risen. Once we have deputies in place, I will put them in districts. Luna County is helping us with Hachita. We lost three deputies to state police and two to the District Attorney's office. I hope we can attract more to apply. Most experienced deputies decline the offer when they find out how much we pay. Most of the ones we get are right out of the academy. We are training two with the High-Intensity Drug Task Area so they can do narcotics, starting July 1.

Webb: We included the Step Plan in the recommended budget because we need security. The fiscal impact at first is about $27,000.

Gomez: The way we're set up, if we had a full crew, each would have a district. Rural areas don't see as many deputies. I would concentrate on the patrol division, because the Tri-City doesn't have 24/7 coverage. With only three on a shift, if we have two on a domestic violence call, that leaves only one on patrol. The benefits of the districts are that there is less mileage per unit and there are shortened response times.

Edwards: I want to emphasize that overtime is most inefficient, especially in law enforcement where they need good reflexes and responses. Overtime is not a good use of time or money.

Webb: $88,000 is to upgrade the computer-assisted-dispatch equipment

Gomez: It's so all law enforcement can interact. Dispatch will know where we are and can navigate us to a destination.

Webb: the $26,000 plus benefits is for Courthouse security. We pay more into PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association) for law enforcement and have had an increase in PERA costs. The worst case scenario is an increase of $100,000.

Edwards: Half of that is PERA. The Step plan is about $50,000-$60,000.

Gomez: Law enforcement is required to recertify once a year. That is not enough. I also want stress training. I've been talking with Chief Portillo in Silver City about developing a special response team with Silver City. It's beneficial to have a tactical team. We found trainers, who won't charge, except for motel and mileage. We can absorb some of the cost. We are setting up for bi-annual training starting in July or August for two weeks, mostly in-house. We are using grants where we can. HIDTA is fully reimbursed by the feds.

Salas: What about the recent situation in Hurley?

Gomez: Without a tactical team, we have to have state police secure the location. In Hurley, he was barricaded. When a suspect is barricaded, weapons are usually involved. If other people are in danger, we don't wait for state police before we go in. When I was on the tactical team, we had our uniforms in our vehicles. I want to specialize the teams. It will save on tort claims.

Road Superintendent Earl Moore: For fleet maintenance, we are flat, but for the department we asked for $40,000 to replace aging vehicles. I am doing a spreadsheet on age and mileage and will try to get it on the ICIP for next year.

For the Road Department, I ask for a $3,000 increase in overtime because of weather and such, as well as a computer. Fuel prices have gone up. Our union contract includes a clothing allowance. We are asking for a study on bridges and a professional services increase of $1,500. We have no control over fuel prices, so we have a 26 percent increase.

Webb: We don't have the budget for it, but we did increase fuel by $20,000, so don't come asking for more.

General Services Director Randy Villa: General services budget is flat. It handles all the postage and you never know when that will go up. For our metered postage, we asked for a $8,500 increase.

Community Development Planning Director Michael "Mischa" Larsich: I asked for an increase in the telephone budget for iPads for GPS purposes. One will go to the Road Department as part of the Asset Management Plan. We are still trying to get the permit for the Shooting Range. We added $77,500 to the professional services budget item for a drainage study for Wind Canyon. Daniel (Arrey) will do online training. The monsoons have hit Wind Canyon hard, and they are undercutting the low water crossings. It's the same as the Bandoni Drive project, for which we have completed the engineering. We are asking for engineering for this year. I am going to a 50-year flood plan training to determine what we need in culverts, or whether barriers upstream could slow down the water.

Moore: A lot of water comes through that canyon. For the past two years, we have had extreme rains of as much as 4 inches in 30 minutes. It may never happen again. We think we can do the work in house.

Larisch: I asked the engineers to do estimates of materials, because we will do the work. Two drainages come together. This is a subdivision put in years ago, and it was not designed as a flood plain. There is no FEMA designation. Now with new subdivisions, we will have developers do the study ahead of approval or not. We can look at it for possible phasing, but right now, we need the whole thing fixed.

Probate Judge Mary Ann Sedillo was not present, but Ponce said she requested more for mileage and per diem.

Vasquez: She requested moving a line item.

Grant County Airport Manager Rebekkah Wenger: In the revenue account, the recommended budget says $10,000. I think $7,000 is more appropriate. I have a request for rents at $40,000. In other revenue, I had requested none. There is no guarantee we will have renters.

Webb: We don't usually have anyone who looks at the revenue line. It's quite refreshing.

Wenger: I asked for an increase in a full-time position for a new employee we have hired. I asked for a decrease in part-time. We needed the full-time person to cover flights. I requested an increase for an employee, but it was not recommended.

Webb: We did it under the current budget, so the change is already reflected.

Wenger: I am increasing the mileage and per diem for a certified fire person. We rearranged things in maintenance. We requested an increase in uniforms to comply with the union contract and insurance for the new full-time person.

Detention Center Administrator Michael Carillo was not present. Webb said he was in the middle of a big accreditation.

Browne: I see a $600,000 increase, a shift from the indigent care to the Detention Center.

Webb: That is a rough estimate. He requested a salary increase for the physicians' salary item. They are being accredited. He didn't include how we can best promote the supervisory roles. He has two promotions. He is required to have classification of the officers. It is a staffing formula. A lot has to do with the way the facility is designed. It has never been fully staffed. He is having discussions with the accreditation team. For sure, he will have to have two additional officers. They may not be full-year, but they are budgeted at full year. We can look at it in the final budget. You, commissioners, have to approve the accreditation.

We need to renovate for accreditation and will offset the costs with bond funds. We have to redo the security system, the kitchen equipment and there are privacy issues. The only hit to the budget is the staffing, and we will use the bonds for other needs. Accreditation would get us a decrease in insurance, and we would have a second set of standards. New Mexico doesn't have standards for Corrections. It will reduce the liability and ideally reduce lawsuits. Because of lawsuits, we have re-insurance with UNIC at the $1 million level. If we get accreditation, it will raise us to $5 million. And it will give us another set of eyes to keep up with policies.

Ponce: Do we have a plan to assure that once we are accredited, that it says up to par, so we don't lose the accreditation? The cameras haven't been maintained. What do we have in place where we are able to continue maintenance?

Webb: He has sent me a couple of documents and I've asked for an expansion on them. We have made sure the maintenance contracts keep going. We do have a maintenance plan in place. It is one of the things required to have an accreditation officer. For medical services, we have to make sure we have adequate meals to meet the standards. They are a key component. I press him constantly to keep up.

Salas: I ask for audits on the Detention Center.

Webb: I requested the last special management audit, and I will do that at any time it is needed. I do it to make sure we have feedback on what we need to do.

Edwards: Is Mike clear that after going to this expense to do the accreditation, that if we lose it, he will lose his job.

Webb: I'm not going there.

Vasquez: The Commission budget I covered in the work session.

Webb: It includes $60,000 for grant matches, for Bataan or other uses. I am taking the CDBG grant home with me at night to get it done. It's a 10 percent match, but we can ask for up to $750,000. The minimum is $500,000. We have to have an architect or engineer to sign off on it to get the full amount. $60,000 won't cover the match, but we can do in-kind work, too.

Edwards: We talked about $65,000 to $75,000 for Bataan for immediate needs.

Webb: I will try to get it to you for this preliminary budget, but definitely by the final. The difficulty is deciding whether it is a walk in or drive in facility. There is a high cost difference. Typically, it is in the capital fund. It may be in the current budget. I need time to find it. The CDBG I have to have in in June. Typically, it is awarded between August and October. The budget has an increase in liability insurance of 10 percent and a decrease in workers' comp. The commissioners' budget is $150,000. I asked the university to give us information on the numbers of rounds at the golf course and the revenue. I want to be able to tell you why the numbers of retiree memberships are higher than others. I've had conversations with others that the goal for tourists is a three-day stay. A lot of people play golf, so it's a tool. I'm curious about statistics January to May this year.

Ponce: How much will come back into the county?

Webb: I'm not sure there's any way to figure that out. When the previous owner went bankrupt, we committed to being partners with Silver City and Western New Mexico University and that's important. I can look at lodgers' tax to see what it has to do with —the Blues Festival, Tour of the Gila, the rodeo, and whatever. Our gross receipts tax is up in different areas, but I can't figure out the source.

Browne: Do we have a sense if Western is profiting off the golf course, while Silver City and Grant County are paying in? In conversations with Dr. Shepard, he says it's important for their golf team and for recruitment. Is there a fair allocation of costs? Who is getting revenue from this?

Webb: We can ask for financials. The hospital physicians want golf. The realtors use it as a quality of life benefit.

Salas: For economic development we have the Blues festival and others, which put people in hotels and restaurants. Maybe it's not tangible, but when we have tournaments, they fill up the area. Instead of just golf, can we help with other thanks. Car shows and so many other activities bringing in people.

Edwards: It isn't just about attracting people from outside, but we need quality of life for our residents. The Bayard Library is critical to the youths.

Webb: Linda saw the request and will put it into the budget.

Salas: Is it important enough for us to have economic development staff?

Browne: I think I would like to see someone in charge of county recreation, maybe using the wind farm revenue?

Edwards: How can we be partners with Silver City, Hurley, Bayard and Santa Clara on a bigger vision?

Ponce: My idea for the $150,000 in the commissioners' budget was to have the different districts split it to different things for each district. All while following the procurement code, of course. But hearing what we need for catch up with the sheriff and the employees' needs now, I think it was a bad idea. It didn't get included. I think it can be better spent in other places.

Browne: What does the ag agent line item mean?

Webb: That's the Extension Office. That is how much we fund. They are funded by local, state and federal dollars.

Browne: What about the insurance rising from $7,000 to $10,000 and from $15,000 to $25,000.

Edwards: That is overbudgeting to cover the backlog.

Webb: We challenge most workers' comp claims. The New Mexico Counties helps us with a person.

For the Manager's budget, I added 25 cents an hour for Kevin Hubbs, as his duties have increased. I eliminated a position, so we no longer have a clerk in General Services. Kevin will do that, and he also will maintain the website.

Vasquez: I increased telephone costs last year, and I decreased them this year, because we had too much last year.

Webb: For equipment maintenance, the time clocks, new equipment and miscellaneous, such as content management with scanning documents so they can be found with more efficiency and easy availability. We want more training for staff, so they stay.

Edwards: I would like to talk about training budgets. It's part of long-term planning. I would like to see a proposal for annual training budgets. When we're talking about salary increases, we need training to remain efficient.

Vasquez: The $10,000 line item is to be split up for the time clocks.

Webb: We will be looking at total content management.

Edwards: Equipment and maintenance for documents?

Vasquez: It allows us to scan and put into the Tyler program we already have. It makes it a lot easier for IPRA requests, because it's easier to search.

Webb: I would equate it to the Clerk's office management.

Castrillo: I can hand you the document almost immediately.

Edwards: From your experience does it cut down on time spent on paperwork?

Castrillo: It's way more efficient and there is less room for error.

Webb: It's a cloud-based contract. We will have everything tied to it.

Edwards: Can it be expanded to allow access to the assessor or treasurer.

Vasquez: It's specifically for our system. They have a different system.

Turrieta: We scan documents, but they are stored in servers in the back.

Vasquez: We submit a lot of reimbursement documents for grants. It will save us time looking for all of them. We will start scanning documents now.

For the IT department. An increase in salary was requested. We recommended an increase in maintenance contracts and Adobe software. We put in an increase in capital outlay because we did a lot of upgrades last year.

Webb: We will do a contract with an outside provider for IT.

Salas: I think it is rational to have a technician in the officer to make sure we're current. What if a computer goes out? I think relying on a sole person for IT is not enough. It's critical.

Webb: We schedule a contract with our IT person. I've tried to collect data to justify another employee but haven't found enough data yet.

Ponce: Angela logs in from home.

Browne: Our choices is someone junior who we can't trust or a contractor, which we have.

Webb: Her request was for more money that any one of our directors, so I couldn’t justify it.

Salas: When are we going to approve the preliminary budget?

Webb: May 29.

Browne: This has been a great conversation.

Edwards: And great preparation.

Ponce: I'm big on development. I want more discussion on training down the road.

The budget approval will be covered in a future article.