[Editor's Note: This is the final article of the Commission work session of Sept. 10, 2019. Articles on the regular session on Sept. 12, 2019 will come later.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

As is customary at the Grant County Commission work session, County Manager Charlene Webb went over the regular meeting agenda for review and discussion. Previous articles from the work session can be read at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/53238-grant-county-commission-hears-public-input-at-work-session-091019, http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/53249-grant-county-commission-hears-updates-from-grmc-and-hms-at-work-session-091019-part-2, and http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/53291-map-added-grant-county-commission-hear-two-more-presentations-at-work-session-091019 .

The regular meeting would take place on Sept. 12, 2019, where items reviewed at the work session would be discussed and approved or disapproved.

In regular business, Commissioner Billy Billings introduced a proclamation that would name Sept. 11, 2019 as Patriot Day in Grant County, as established on the federal level in bipartisan legislation to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the U.S. "I know we will be approving it after Sept. 11 at the meeting on Thursday. I'll request it next year in August. I would like permission from you to read it at the Patriot Day commemoration to be held tomorrow at Gough Park, where will we honor first responders and remember those who were killed." He read the proclamation.

Commissioner Alicia Edwards said she would agree to his reading the proclamation, if he made sure to say that it had not yet been passed. The other commissioners concurred.

The next item of business was for the commissioners to approve the budget for Corre Caminos. Webb said the director, Kim Dominguez, would attend the Thursday meeting to answer any questions.

One applicant was received for the Lodger's Tax Advisory Board, Bruce McKinney, to represent the tourism sector.

Billings said he hears complaints that not everyone pays lodger's tax, even when they are required to do so.

Webb said enforcement is difficult. "The portion they pay to the county is the occupancy tax. We need a presentation on a piece of legislation that changed the law. The code enforcement officer enforces it. Advisory Board member, Becky O'Connor, does outreach to entities that should pay it."

Billings said it seemed like unfair competition for those who do pay from those who don't.

The next agreement was between the county and Hidalgo Medical Services to collect and analyze Detention Center Data regarding behavioral health services. Webb said it would not cost the county anything, but it aligns with the current intervention program. "The issue is a liability."

An additional agreement was considered between the county and Willscot for the lease of a temporary terminal building at the airport, during renovation of the main terminal. Webb said the lease cost is included in the budget for the renovation. To a question about the length of the lease, Webb said: "We think we have put in a cushion for the length of construction and temporary power to the temporary terminal. It's space for Advanced Air."

The next item of business addressed an agreement between the county and SapphireHealth LLC to provide electronic health care records at the Detention Center. The records will belong to the county. "They will provide the ability for a practitioner to share data."

Edwards asked if the jail has adequate hardware for the software, and Webb said it does.

"Will electronic medical records integrate with HMS and others?" Edwards asked. "And how will they be transferred?"

Webb said she didn't know, as it was up to the provider. "It is called a business associate agreement."

Chairman Chris Ponce asked why the records were needed.

"Sometimes, there are tort claims that we need a copy of the records for," Webb said. "The records can be shared with HMS or Silver Health Care, as needed, so they will have the data if the person is no longer incarcerated. This software brings us up to date and it is compatible with other software at other locations."

Edwards asked about the security, with some records in the cloud. "What happens if Sapphire goes out of business?"

"My understanding is that they are our records and we can access them," Webb said.

Under resolutions, the first was one requested by Chairman Ponce on support for the Wild and Scenic Designation to more than 440 miles of the Gila and San Francisco rivers and their tributaries.

Webb noted that Commissioner Harry Browne had provided changes that had been incorporated.

Browne said nothing in the resolution recognized that the county wants congressional legislation. "What we proposed is what the community seems like it wants, and it lets D.C. decide what it wants. I just want to see the legislation passed."

Billings noted that (Gila National Forest Supervisor Adam) Mendonca said in an earlier presentation that comparisons with what the Forest Plan cites as stretches of the river that are eligible would be available in January with the release of the revised plan. "I'm curious about people reading out of the plan in public input. It sounds to me like a danger to private property. I would ask that the resolution be tabled until we can see the comparison."

Ponce said Billings had a good point. "Everyone seems to have the plan, but nobody provided it to us."

Edwards agreed with Browne, saying she supports the legislation. "I don't think it's up to us to decide what sections are protected."

Billings said because he sees it as a threat to private property after 25 years, "I have unanswered questions."

Browne said he was reading the same language. "I believe that the 25 years only applies to property acquired by the federal government. It doesn't apply to tribes. The agreement can allow acquisition by the government, and the owner will have the opportunity to stay for 25 years or life."

Ponce said he had no problem with the resolution. "If we were misled, we can undo the resolution."

The next resolution would provide support and financial commitment for Corre Caminos Transportation services.

The first of the next three resolutions addressed the application for Water Trust Board funding for flood prevention projects. The following resolutions allocated funding for the Bandoni Flood Prevention project and the next for the Fleming Tank Flood Prevention project.

Community Development and Planning Director Michael "Misha" Larisch said the first was to allow for the application and the other two had to be independent, because the county has to agree to a 10 percent match for each. "We have already paid for design of both projects, but the matches will be $56, 720 for the Bandoni project and $85,000 for the Fleming Tank project.

The final resolution was authorization and approving submission of a complete application for financial assistance and project approval to the New Mexico Finance Authority for road equipment, consisting of three dump trucks at a cost of $599,000.

County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez said the project is outlined in the detailed resolution. It will be financed with the retired debt service from the county Fair building.

Webb said: "One piece of debt is falling off, so this expenditure is already budgeted."

Commissioners recessed as the Board of Commissioners and convened as the Grant County Health Care Claims Board to address the Gila Regional Medical Center claims of $19,439.45 last December that had been denied several times by the commissioners.

Webb said she had asked for a more complete explanation of the charges, whether they were to inmates' personal insurance or Medicaid, which is suspended when someone is incarcerated. "The new controller seems to understand that we must receive claims within 90 days and that Medicaid doesn't pay for inmates. Before she came, the hospital had billed to Medicaid and it shouldn't have. So, it's up to you for us to accept the claims or continue to make a statement."

After reconvening as the Board of Commissioners, during commissioner reports, Browne said he had already gone into the fear-mongering he heard during public input.

Edwards said she got an email from Randy Villa that came from CYFD recognizing the county DWI Coordinator Cindy Blackman for promoting the local surveillance program. "They expressed their extreme appreciation to her. It came from the JPO (Juvenile Probation Office) supervisor. So, I would like to say, 'Thank you, Cindy.' The other thing I got in email was that Lee Gruber, former owner of Syzygy Tile and the founded of the Clay Festival has been awarded the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. I think Lee absolutely deserves this award. In conjunction with that, the governor will be here during our Outdoor Recreation Conference, Oct. 3 and 4. She will be at a meet and greet at Syzygy Tile to recognize the business and to recognize that Lee and her husband David DelJunco, who started the business, sold it recently to one of their long-time employees."

The other commissioners had no reports and the meeting was adjourned.