[Editor's Note: This is part 6 and the final article of the Grant County Commission work session on Jan. 9, 2024 and the regular meeting on Jan. 11, 2024. This continues the work session review of the regular meeting agenda and the decisions and actions taken at the regular meeting.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
County Manager Charlene Webb continued the review of the Jan. 11, 2024 regular meeting agenda at the Jan. 9, 2024 work session.
After the approval of minutes came the Financial report dated Jan. 2, 2024. Financial Officer Linda Vasquez gave the report at the work session. Expenditures totaled $3,859,872.41 including two pay periods and the clothing allowance and the LERF (law enforcement retention fund) for the Sheriff's Office, totaling $516,521.95. Extraordinary expenses are shown in the graph below:
Commissioners approved the expenditures at the regular meeting.
Procurement Officer Veronica Rodriguez presented the asset deletion request for a Whiskey Creek Volunteer Fire Department 2011 International Type 3 Engine as a trade in for a new E-One rescue pumper.
Commissioners approved the deletion request and to use it as a trade in at the regular meeting.
Under new business, the first item addressed the final terms certificate of the $2 million Grant County, New Mexico general obligation bonds, 2023.
"On October 26, we successfully sold $2 million of the $8 million in bonds that we have available. This portion will be used for road and street improvements," Webb said at the work session. "Just a reminder that we have chosen to stagger the sales so that we are cognizant of the need not to increase any of the property tax rates. Other portions of the bonds will come to you with separate resolutions. The bonds will mature on Sept. 1 of each year, with a final maturity of 2035. The true interest on the bonds was 4.49 percent. The maximum coupon rate was 6 percent, which does not exceed the capped interest rate in the ordinance. The bonds were sold by Cruz and Associates. I am working now with staff to determine what are the high-ranking projects for road improvements. I will bring them to you, hopefully in the next month or so, so you can decide how you want to proceed."
Commissioners approved the bond final terms certificate at the regular meeting.
Webb presented the list of 2024 Commission meeting dates at the work session, noting that the months of January, November and December would each have only one work session and regular meeting. Commissioners approved the list at the regular meeting.
The following item in new business addressed filling the vacancy on the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees.
At the regular meeting, District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce asked to table the item. "We've been getting more information and input. I have to weigh all the information. We want to do the best for the public, by determining who is best to work with the board. I care for the community and the hospital."
District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne said he agreed that is is always best to deliberate fully for a position that will last this long.
Commissioners approved the motion to table.
Next came the consideration of the 2024 Volunteer Fire and Rescue departments annual election of officers. They included Pinos Altos VFR, Sapillo Creek VFD, Tyrone VFR, Upper Mimbres VFR, Lower Mimbres VFR, Fort Bayard VFD and Whiskey Creek VFD.
Commissioners approved the election results.
The following new business item addressed the EMS (emergency medical services) Fund Act application and EMS annual reports. They included the Gila Valley EMS, Gila Regional West DBA as Gila Valley EMS, Gila Regional East and Fort Bayard Fire and Rescue.
Commissioners approved the EMS application and annual reports.
The first agreement addressed the sub-recipient agreement from the DFA (Department of Finance and Administration) Quality of Life program for turf replacement at Bataan Memorial Park in the amount of $480,000, as presented by Planning Director Randy Hernandez.
Commissioners approved the agreement.
The following addressed a sub-grant agreement with the New Mexico Environment Department under the Brownfileds Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund program for abatement at the former Grant County Detention Center in the amount of $100,000, also as presented by Hernandez, who said the next step was a request for proposal for professional environmental services to do the abatement.
District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards asked for an update on the status of the entire judicial complex.
Hernandez replied that the architect from NCA Architects as well as the Chief Judge would attend the February meeting to discuss the entire plan.
Edwards confirmed that the commissioners had decided to tear the building down, but it had to be abated first.
"Correct," Hernandez said. "And with the additional space, we will decide whether to expand into a judicial complex or renovate the existing courthouse or whatever. The architect will lay out the options."
Browne said he didn't realize that renovation of the courthouse was part of the plan.
Webb said the county had hired a contractor to help determine the best use of the facility moving forward, which is a phased project. "That's what has driven the decision that the old detention facility is an unusable facility. We went through the whole townhall process and a judicial complex rose to the top. We have to decide what is the best use of that space, and whether it should be an entire new judicial complex. Fortunately enough, the request from the district attorney for a needs assessment and the money allocated by the Legislature for new courthouses has tagged along with this process. We have done the needs assessment with Angelique Muñoz and Chief Judge Hofacket. I think we're going to address the needs assessment at the second work session in February. NCA Architects is doing a lot of courthouse work across the state, working closely with the Administrative Office of the Courts. We're hoping the needs assessment will give you enough information so that you can make a good decision on how you want to proceed. Mainly we are addressing space and code deficiency issues in the existing courthouse, which are hard to rectify with a 1938-model building."
Edwards asked about the Black Street building. Webb said it has the Magistrate Court in it, and "they seem to be pleased with it and the renovations we did in it. I don't think it will be an issue in the future."
Ponce said his concern is that this group of of commissioners started the process. "I would really like to see something set in stone that they have input into. In 2025 we will have three new commissioners, and I sure don't want to start all over with this process. I understand the laws, but the decisions need to come from this board."
Webb said that it is the goal, and she and Hernandez have been pushing, because they have no desire to start the process over again.
Commissioners approved the sub-grant agreement.
Item M in agreements addressed an intergovernmental agreement between the County of Hidalgo for fire protection and EMS services. Webb explained that there has been an ongoing issue with staff for the Hachita fire department and EMS services. "The state fire marshal suggested this route would allow Hidalgo County to staff the fire and EMS services. It seems to me that it would be a win-win. Residents of the area would have quickly response times by having individuals living in the area to respond, and a county willing to take it on is also a plus."
She said the map had been drawn using the county lines. Although she hadn't heard from Hidalgo County she didn't think there were any concerns. "We have to do this by April or the state fire marshal will pull the funding for the Hachita station."
District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina said he had some more questions, but "getting services down there has been a headache."
Ponce said he would also like to see an MOU also between the Sheriff's Office and the Hidalgo Sheriff's Office. "I'll have that discussion elected official to elected official on that issue, because our response time is slow. We are far away."
The next agreement addressed an MOU between the Grant County DWI program and the DFA and a statement of assurances. Webb said this MOU and a resolution to be discussed are required for the annual funding for the program.
Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.
Webb addressed the next item in agreements. "I am requesting retro-active approval for the lease purchase agreement for motor graders with Caterpillar. I signed it when it came in."
Commissioners approved the motor grader lease purchase agreement.
The last agreement also asked for retro-active approval for the second quarter 2024 safety net care pool payment program with NM Human Services Department. "It came when we did not have another meeting in December. It comes with a deadline and in lieu of not receiving that funding, I signed that agreement. It is just pass-through funding," Webb said.
Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.
The first resolution covered an annual requirement to pass an Open Meetings Act resolution.
Commissioners approved the OMA resolution at the regular meeting.
Resolution R-24-02 addressed member appointments to the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority. "I am the voting member, and Harry is the alternate," Webb said.
Commissioners approved the appointments of Webb and Browne.
Resolution R-24-03 authorizes the county to submit an application to the DFA Local Government Division to participate in the local DWI Grant and Distribution program. Webb explained it was the second requirement to receive the funding.
Commissioners approved the application at the regular meeting.
The following resolution authorized the purchase of Grant County Parcel No. R073935, commonly known as the "Old Aldo School," from URIC-GSA. "This is the formal action required by the state, although it has already been approved," Webb said.
Commissioners approved the resolution of purchase at the regular meeting.
Resolution R-24-05 authorized the sale of 2.017 acres of land contained within Grant County Parcel No. 3-080-101-264-396. "That is the two acres of land across from the hospital that I previously presented to you," Webb said. "This resolution is a requirement of the state Board of Finance to dispose of that property. Yes, it has sentimental value, but there's still 25 acres of land left in that parcel to be sentimental about."
Browne said that there is a possibility that the town may want to put a Pinos Altos Creek trail in the creek bottom of this parcel, and the new owners have said it would not be a problem.
Edwards said she just wanted to state that "I believe this sale and the preceding purchase are examples of the forward thinking of our county manager."
Ponce said when the trail is built, he will use it because of the sentimental value of his high school days.
Commissioners approved the sale at the regular meeting.
Resolution R-24-06 appointed Browne and Hernandez as voting members, and Assistant County Manager Andrea Montoya and Webb as alternates for the Southwest Solid Waste Authority Board.
Resolution R-24-07 appointed Webb as the voting member and Edwards as the alternate for the NM County Insurance Authority Pool Board.
Commissioners approved the appointments.
As the Grant County Health Care Claims Board, commissioners approved at the regular meeting the payment of $319.52 in indigent health claims to GRMC.
Rodriguez explained the request for $12,662 had $1,591.48 that was disallowed and $10,751 that was denied because those receiving care had not yet been incarcerated. She noted that $1,000 was paid for an indigent burial to Baca's Funeral Chapels. "The state recently raised the amount."
Webb noted that the amount had been $600 for maybe 30 years. "It was $600 when I started in 2001. It was time to raise the stipend."
Ponce asked about the backlog of bodies at the OMI in Albuquerque. Webb said they had worked through it with the funeral homes and the OMI to get the local bodies back to Grant County and taken care of.
At the regular meeting, commissioners approved the indigent claims and the indigent burial payments.
Back at the work session, in county reports, Edwards who attended by phone, Browne and Medina had no reports.
Ponce said: "On Dec. 14, we attended the Chamber of Commerce community awards. Grant County received the large business of the year award. It really reflects all the things our county is doing in projects right now," he read through the Planning Director report. "if you look at Randy, our county manager, Linda (Vasquez), and all the staff, bringing in all the funding and getting so many projects done. I think we're doing really well. I also want to thank the elected officials and all the departments. Congratulations on doing a great job."
At the end of the work session, the commissioners went into executive session for strategic and long range business planning for Gila Regional Medical Center. Ponce said they expected no action after the closed session.
At the regular meeting, for commissioner reports, Browne said he had one thing to announce. "I just saw this morning that the federal government approved $670 million in EV (electric vehicle) charging grants. New Mexico got the second largest amount at $63-$64 million for charging structure along I-10. You know this is something I care about. It's important for the future of our country and our county. It looks like progress to me."
Medina thanked the commissioners for electing him as vice chair.
Ponce, Edwards and District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings had no reports.
The commissioners went into executive session to discuss limited personnel matters, re the county manager and continued the strategic and long range business planning for GRMC. No action was expected. They adjourned after the closed session.
To read the previous articles, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82291-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-010924-part-1 ; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82325-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-010924-part-2 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82348-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-010924-part-3 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82371-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-010924-part-4; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82411-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-010924-and-regular-meeting-011124-part-5 .