[Editor's Note: This is the seventh and last of a series of articles on the Feb. 6, 2024, Grant County Commission work session and Feb. 8, 2024, regular meeting. This continues with the work session review of the regular meeting agenda and completes the business at the regular meeting.Article by Mary Alice Murphy
The work session of the Grant County Commission on Feb. 6, 2024 continued with the review of the regular meeting agenda on Feb. 8, 2024.
The first item of new business addressed the consideration of an appointment to fill a vacancy on the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees. for a term to run through June 30, 2025.
At the regular meeting, District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings nominated Jason Amaro.
District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards said; "I'm sure he's a fine human being, but I cannot vote for him."
Commissioners voted 4-1 to appoint Amaro.
The next item of new business considered approval to publish a notice of intent to adopt Ordinance No. O-31-01 providing for the administration of the County Fire Department.
County Manager Charlene Webb said the ordinance is the first step to create administration of a Grant County Fire Department to streamline the process of all the volunteer fire departments. "With a department they will provide coordinated efforts and will have the ability to streamline the policies into one location. We sent this out to all the VFD chiefs and got back a lot of feedback. They are in support of this, but there may be some changes to the policies. I also had our attorney Ben Young review the ordinance and he has provided some modification from the legal aspect."
District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina asked if the departments would have inspection authority, to which Webb replied: "No."
Under agreements, the first addressed Agreement No. A-24-07, an appropriation agreement from the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration's Economic Recovery Funding in the amount of $100,000.
Planning Director Randy Hernandez said the funding was targeted to the communities where there were mining and energy industries. "We submitted an application for $100,000 to create computer labs at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center. With this money, we will set up desks and computers, as well as audio-visual equipment. I will be working with Adam (IT Director Baca). We can accommodate those seeking workforce development training."
Commissioners approved the agreement at the regular meeting.
The last agreement considered a capital appropriation agreement from the Aging and Long-Term Services Department to purchase a vehicle for the Mimbres Senior Center in the amount of $38,620.
Hernandez said the county and HMS (Hidalgo Medical Services), which manages the senior centers in the county, continue to communicate on the senior centers.
District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce asked: "Are we caught up now with vehicles for each center?"
Hernandez replied that they are caught up. "We are awaiting a Hot Shot vehicles for Gila and this one is for Mimbres."
District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne said he remembers that this year's HMS ICIP (infrastructure capital improvement plan) was "exactly the same as last year's."
Ponce said that the vehicles had already been awarded, just not funded. "The only change in the ICIP was the date."
Hernandez said no vehicles are on the HMS ICIP for the years 2025-29, but HMS and the county will determine the wear and tear on the vehicles and when they need to be replaced. "Right now, they will have all they need. "
Edwards said she knows that county staff has been working on a vehicle plan. "Have we been evaluating how many miles are put on the vehicles?"
Webb replied that the county is "working on policy for evaluating mileage."
Commissioners approved the agreement.
Under resolutions, the first considered authorizing the submission of a Colonias Infrastructure Fund application for the Ridge Road improvements, Phase II construction.
Billings said he had talked to Priscilla Lucero (Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments executive director) because the wording in the resolution was "strange. Bottom line, the county will have a 10 percent match."
The wording has the amount, the 10 percent match and a 10 percent loan component for seemingly 110 percent, which confused all the commissioners.
Ponce said basically the state wants to make sure the county has the money set aside, "so we don't say we have it, but we don't."
Webb confirmed the county has the money set aside. "I can't explain the wording, except to say that the loan component simply obligates us to have the funds."
Edwards asked for confirmation that the match is in the budget, which Webb confirmed.
At the regular meeting, Webb said the match and the loan component are each $234,000. "We have the funds, and we have to pay only $234,000 once, not twice."
At the work session, Finance Officer Linda Vasquez explained that the county has to have the match funding set aside and budgeted, but it is paid out over the term of the loan, for 30 years.
Ponce asked:" And what are we getting for this?"
Webb replied: "A $2.34 million project for $234,000."
Browne said: "$468,000," to which Webb replied: "No, we're paying $234,000. And that's all we are paying. But it will be paid out over the term, however long it is. "
Hernandez explained: "It agrees that we have the loan component, but it is supplemented or paid for by the match."
Ponce said: "Got it. I think."
Hernandez said: "The county agrees to the loan, but the county will provide the match money to pay off the loan."
Webb said: "There is a reserve fund set aside that holds that money, for us to pay it off over the term of the loan."
After a great deal of discussion at both meetings, Ponce said: "I want to put it on the record that nobody listens to the chair, except for Commissioner Edwards who was not here on Tuesday."
"It's convoluted, but it's the way it is," Ponce said/. "And we're OK with it, right?"
Everyone nodded and approved the resolution at the regular meeting.
During the review of the agenda, Webb noted the next two resolutions are similar scenarios.
Henandez noted that the next two resolutions to apply for Colonias funding were the same thing, but one was for Phase II construction of Arenas Valley Road improvements . "Because the estimate for the entire Arenas Valley Road came in at $9 million, we have asked the engineers to phase it. We can do a phase for $3.9 million phase, which will fall in line with the Colonias requirement, which would call for a $391,000 match."
The second was for Phase II construction of Little Walnut Road improvements. Hernandez said the estimate came in at at little over $6.8 million, so the resolution calls for a $686,340 match. These three are all the same with the match and loan components.
Webb said the county received LATCF (Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund) funding, "which we chose to put toward the match for the three projects."
Hernandez noted that the county may or may not receive Colonias funding for all three projects, but the New Mexico Department of Transportation grants are coming up. "Our projects would quality, but we're a little over the cap of $13 million."
Commissioners approved all three resolutions at the regular meeting.
Ponce asked about Trout Valley Road. Hernandez said Lake Roberts would qualify for Colonias.
Vasquez presented the following resolution which considered budget adjustment requests, most included revenues from grants or agreements and the corresponding expenditures for the projects.
Browne, at the regular meeting asked for a designation of some funding in the first line of the BAR, the Sun Zia funding, for the purpose of hiring a Trails and Open Space Plan coordinator for the county. "Many of my recommendations cannot happen without that person."
Ponce, under discussion, said he had not had time to look at what Browne had sent out. "I'm taken by surprise by putting that in the motion. No. 1, it's not recurring money, and I would need more information. Are we looking at grants? I would need more discussion."
Browne said it is not recurring, but there should be another $200,000 that the county will receive over the next few years. "I think the person might be able to fund their position with grants and with all the trails money that is available right now. I recommend a full-time person, but it could be part-time or shared."
Ponce said he wants a conversation with Lee Gruber on the Five Points Project. "I want to get more information."
Edwards said she shares Browne's urgency, "but I also would like to have more information. The SE Group that finished our comprehensive plan had the conclusion of of an organization that was not seated in a local government, but was an executive director and board structure. I'd like to talk about that more. Are you opposed to that?"
Browne said he was not opposed, but one of the things the hired person would do is create that organization with Grant County as the lead agency. "Their recommendation is a staff person, but it could be a contractor."
Edwards said that's the question in her head, and it has to do with the idea of recurring funding. "I would like more discussion."
Browne said that there are many models out there that could create a basis for the organization. "If we don't do it and wait too long, it will disappear."
Edwards requested a deadline for discussion and decision.
Ponce said he could not vote for the resolution as amended.
Edwards suggested the second March work session to become a special meeting, so they could make decisions.
"Maybe we should make it a public meeting at the Conference Center," Ponce suggested.
Edwards said: "We need a list of and a plan to address all the things we three commissioners who are termed out at the end of this year want to accomplish before we're gone."
After discussion, it was determined the commissioners would hold a public special session on March 18 from 1-5 p.m. at the Conference Center for the purpose of discussion, with decisions to be made at the March 26 special meeting.
The BAR, as originally presented, was approved at the regular meeting.
A resolution also requested support for the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument application for designation as an International Dark Skies Sanctuary.
Webb said she recommends a resolution rather than a simple letter of support for their application.
Ponce said he was trying to understand what could not be done under the designation.
Browne said it was not about not building or stopping anything. "This is just our support for doing the application to get on the list of designations."
Jonah Sneed, a park employee, said it would increase eco- tourism, and the designation provides links for present and future generations to their ancestors who saw the same skies. "It's an investment in sustainable tourism and community development."
Billings asked for confirmation that a private property owner in the area would not be prohibited, for instance, from putting up a barn light. "There's no teeth to this resolution. It's just putting the monument on a list of dark skies."
Sneed said the sanctuary would be only the monument territory.
Ponce said he thought there should be something in the resolution about protecting the dark skies.
Medina said dark skies is nighttime. "Doesn't the park close at night?"
Sneed agreed that the gates would be closed, but people could hang out in the parking lot.
Browne said the campgrounds are part of the monument.
The employee said they are part of the Forest Service.
Billings said he is not opposed unless it was joining some organization that would infringe on private property rights, such as telling someone they could not put up a light.
Medina said he wanted to make sure that it wouldn't infringe on campers if they want generators or lights in their tents or RVs.
Ponce said the monument is actually in Catron County. "What do they want?"
Browne noted the Cosmic Campground, which promotes dark skies is in Catron County.
At the regular meeting, Billings asked for a word to be changed from preservation to recognition. "I asked for this change, so no one has to jump through hoops to preserve dark skies and so there is no burden on county residents."
Commissioners approved the amended resolution at the regular meeting.
The last resolution considered the amended travel policy and procedures to make sure the county is in compliance with new state rules. "We don't have a choice," Webb said. "We have to match the rules."
Commissioners approve the policy and procedures.
The commissioners heard from Procurement Officer Veronica Rodriguez at the work session and approved at the regular meeting, as the Grant County Health Care Claims Board, the claims of $4,285.17.
No commissioners had reports at the work session.
Billings had nothing at the regular meeting.
Medina announced that he would hold a public session on Feb. 21 at the Mimbres Senior Center. "Manager Webb, members of the Community Partnership for Children, and HMS Executive Director Dan Otero will join me. The issue of mental and behavioral health comes up more often and we will be discussing a solution for long-term care. As the director of EMS, we are also seeing more crises around the issue."
Edwards thanked the Lt. Gov. Sen. Correa Hemphill, Sen. Munoz, Sen. Crystal Diamond Brantley, Rep Terrazas and the Senate Finance Committee for voting unanimously to support $50 million toward rural hospitals, which will bring $5.7 million to GRMC.
She noted Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees and the commissioners had held a joint meeting. "A lot of challenges were related to the previous lack of communications between the two groups. When we were the governing board, we put it in the bylaws to meet twice a year. The trustees are highly engaged in what they are doing. There is lot of knowledge among them. We, the commission and the trustees, have a joint responsibility to ensure GRMC is a viable, productive and financially healthy organization whose first priority is providing excellent healthcare. The meeting was successful."
On her vote about the trustee vacancy, she said after seven years of being intensely involved with the hospital, "I have a pretty specific perspective on what I think are the qualifications to serve on the board of trustees. I will 100 percent support the board, but it's no surprise to anyone that I also firmly believe the more women we have in leadership and decision-making positions, the better off our world will be and I will advocate for that until my last breath."
In her final comments she said: "There's so much to say related to the 100th Anniversary of the Gila Wilderness, that it's hard to know where to start. I see my contribution to ensuring there are no F-16 flyovers from Holloman AFB as one of my biggest accomplishments of the last seven years. It took a long time and a lot of effort from a lot of people to get that done. In all that time, I did not meet or talk to a single person anywhere, anytime that didn't absolutely treasure the sacred land that is currently called the Gila Wilderness. There is so much divisiveness in our world today. It is my deepest hope and aspiration that coming together over this next year to celebrate and honor this incredibly rich, wild landscape gives us all an opportunity to recognize the things we have in common and build from there rather than to focus on our disagreements and continue destroying things we may never be able to get back. "
Browne echoed her thoughts by saying: "Think globally, act locally." He commented that he had read yesterday that globally, "We have now gone 12 months with the average temperature being more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (he emphasized) above the median. We shouldn't minimize that. I'm looking at it as a lay person. Many years it may not be 1.5 degrees Celsius above the median but there is no looking back. How high will it go?"
He said climate change has come quickly on the geologic timeframe, but not on the human timeframe, but he can see changes at his cabin in the forest.
"Overall, as humanity, it's hard to come to grips with the slow pace," Browne continued. "1.5 degrees doesn't sound like much, but the best scientists have identified increased desertification, lower ground water, crop failures causing rising food prices. They are causing migration, they are part of a longer term, declining life spans, and the huge press of migration from countries suffering more from the climate change. What is Grant County going to do for climate change? Basically nothing. But if we collectively say nothing, then nothing will be done. It's affecting everything, certainly our trails. We need for people to get out of their cars and enjoy Nature. We need to rely less on our fossil-fuel vehicles. I see this all tied together. Mainly I wanted to mark the 1.5 degrees milestone. I wanted to let you know why these things are so important to me. I have a grandson coming. I worry about future generations. If we double the 100 years of the Gila Wilderness, we will not have a livable world. It will take a lot of action to keep it livable. Thank you for indulging me as I think globally."
Ponce said he apologized to Commissioner Browne for not taking more time to read what he sent, and not being prepared.
"The other thing I want to talk about," Ponce said. "I had a homework assignment. I got with our attorney and with the legislative counsel in Santa Fe. There is nothing in law that says a person has to work 8 hours a month. The law says that a month without coming in to work is considered abandonment of their job. To me, the law says you should have to work every day. It's different because they are elected officials. There is no law saying 8 hours a month. I think the perception is if a person shows up to work, that starts the month all over again. Did I fulfill my job assignment?"
Check, the commissioners said.
Ponce repeated the March 18 public meeting at the conference center, and the March 26 special meeting.
The commissioners had gone into executive session at the work session, but no action was taken, and they decided to put the executive session on the Feb. 8 meeting on the first March work session.
The meetings adjourned.
To read the previous articles, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82709-grant-county-commission-work-session-020624 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82762-grant-county-commission-work-session-020624-part-2 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82781-grant-county-commission-work-session-020624-part-3 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82805-grant-county-commission-work-session-020624-and-regular-meeting-020824-part-4 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82824-grant-county-commission-work-session-020624-and-regular-meeting-020824-part-5 ; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/82937-grant-county-commission-work-session-020624-and-regular-meeting-020824-part-6 .