[Editor's Note: Grant County commissioners held a short special meeting right before a long work session on Nov. 14, 2023. This is the second of a series of articles covering the work session.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

After the special meeting ended, the Grant County Commission on Nov. 14, 2023 work session began with the purpose of hearing county department director reports.

The first one came from Detention Center Joseph Andazola. He reported the Detention Center has five new officers in training, and four openings. He and Lt. Bonenfant represented the R.I.S.E. panel forum with the state attorney general, noting that the R.I.S.E. program at the Grant County Detention Center is one of only two in the state of New Mexico. "We talked a lot about problems and potential solutions. We talked about what our community is doing and what we are doing also. We had great speakers including a man from New Mexico State University, who studies ACEs (adverse childhood experiences). Dr. Bowen, several years ago, said the behavioral health and substance abuse is like a great flood, which washes everyone into the river, and it's getting so deep and high that it's almost impossible to do anything, so why don't we go upstream and try to figure out why they are falling in the river in the first place. The attorney general talked about that and said studies show that most people who fall into behavioral health issues have at least 3-4 and many all 10 ACEs. I will share that information, as we have more meetings."

He said the population at the Detention Center on Oct. 31 was 52 inmates. Average daily population for October 2023 was 63, "as we usually see a downturn in population in November and December." The R.I.S.E. program for October had 11 participants, with seven in the facility and four in the community.

Andazola talked about future projects. With the population decreasing, they are looking at moving some pods around to being to reseal and paint the shower areas in all the pods and in other areas of the facility. "Because many of our new officers are young, we plan to implement an FTO (field training officer) program to train the supervisors on how to do court paperwork, as well as intake and release paperwork. If the inmate has several charges, it's difficult to sort through the paperwork to determine if the inmate is eligible for release or not. Cpl. Ponce, who is very organized and good with the paperwork said she would help each shift so the paperwork is consistent, which will be good for accreditation."

He also said that the facility personnel are reviewing and updating emergency evacuation plans and will order proper signage for evacuation routes. "When we complete that we will move forward with our accreditation. So by next month, I should have the application to present to the commissioners."

For future dates, the FTO training that Cpl. Ponce will attend had to be rescheduled, probably for January. And "we will continue working on our five-year plan. I also want to thank the IT department for installing the new phone system in the facility."

District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne thanked Andazola for all he's doing in the detention center.

Finance Officer Linda Vasquez gave a short report, noting that her office is working to implement the OpenGov platform, which is a web-based solution designed to optimize the budgeting process with efficiency. "All department heads will have access. The goal is to go live in late January or early February."

Planning Director Randy Hernandez presented his report on current projects.

Projects funded by the Colonial Infrastructure Fund include:
• Arenas Valley Road design is 80 percent complete for the 2.56 miles;
• Little Walnut Road Phase 1 construction at 62 percent completion, set for substantial completion by December, with close out in January 2024;
• Crum Road and Franks Road design, as well as North Hurley Road phase 3 construction have authorization agreements on the agenda.

Projects funded by the Department of Finance and Administration include:
• Bataan Park Veterans Memorial walking path design is 75 percent complete, anticipated completion by the end of November; and
• The Hamilton Bridge replacement design and permitting in project, with anticipated completion by June 2024.

Projects funded by the New Mexico Department of Transportation include:
• Fleming Tank Road improvements project was awarded and the pre-construction meeting took place on Nov. 8, with construction set to begin; and
• The Truck Bypass Road construction at 20 percent completion and set to achieve substantial completion by February 2024.

Other projects include:
• Bataan Park Veterans Memorial access road, with easement agreement drafted and in final legal review;
• Courthouse needs assessment, with preliminary design plan to be ready for review in December, and a planned presentation to District Court judges and County Commissioner thereafter; and
• Upper Mimbres Volunteer Fire Department water storage tank, with design plans to be refreshed and pending new cost estimate for construction.

Future projects include:
• DFA economic recovery funding for mineral and energy development communities in review, with the conference center computer lab and audio/visual equipment at about $1,000 and a public safety building acquisition at about $600,000; and
• DFA regional recreation centers/quality of life grant, also in review for small field turf replacement at $480,000.

Browne asked about the public safety building acquisition and whether it included renovation.

County Manager Charlene Webb said: "We asked for plan, design, renovation and furnishing, and we got it."

District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards asked if the cost estimate for Arenas Valley Road at $3 million a mile is worth it.

Hernandez said that was the going rate. "It is just for widening it and doing culvert replacement but no sidewalks or bike lanes."

Edwards also asked if the little Walnut Road project is about $3 million a mile.

Hernandez said the phase 2 awaits the engineers' estimate. "so we can apply for funding. I don't remember the exact mileage."

The next article will continue with department director reports at the work session.

For the previous article, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81381-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-part-1 .