Grant County commissioners hear data center concerns, approve wind farm bond ordinance and review county operations, part 3

[Editor's Note: This is part 3 and the final part of the Grant County Commission Oct. 6, 2026, work session and October 8, regular meeting]

By Jason Weiland

Department head reports continued.

Grant County Planning and Capital Projects Director Joseph Holguin reported progress on several construction projects. The Arenas Valley Phase 3 project had received a recommendation for approximately $1.3 million in additional funding through the Colonias program. Final contract documents were still pending.

Work on Little Walnut Phase 2 was also progressing, although recent rains had caused some delays. Holguin said the contractor was working to make up the lost time.

Holguin also discussed the county's recent assumption of management responsibilities for the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center. He said county departments had worked together to keep the facility operating during the transition. An event was scheduled for the first day of county management, and staff had arranged coverage so the public would not experience a disruption. A larger event followed that weekend. Holguin said the county would honor existing reservations and asked people with questions to contact county staff.

Commissioners asked how the transition was affecting employees. Holguin explained that one former conference center employee had joined the county operation and that other county employees were temporarily helping cover the work. He acknowledged that the transition required staff to rearrange duties but said the immediate priority was keeping the facility available to the public.

The county was also planning additional work at the facility, including improvements to the grounds and trees.

Public Works reports fairgrounds and park improvements

Public Works Director Jason Lockett reported that a replacement fire truck had been delivered and was being prepared for service, allowing the county to retire an older vehicle. The county's fleet maintenance staff continued work on vehicles used by several departments, including motor graders and Sheriff's Office units.

Lockett also discussed improvements at Gila Valley Park, including work on the baseball field, restrooms, basketball goals and landscaping. He reported that the county continued placing sandbags at locations where residents could obtain them during periods of heavy rain.

Work also continued at county solid waste compactor sites. Lockett said concrete work had been completed at four of five sites, with electrical work still needed.

At the Grant County Fairgrounds, crews placed approximately 140 tons of gravel and completed restroom work in time for the fair.

Commissioners thanked the department for preparing the grounds and keeping the facilities available during the event.

Lockett also discussed training for county maintenance workers in tree care. The county was working with the Southwest New Mexico Community Forestry Network on the condition of older trees near county buildings and the possibility of planting replacements.

Commissioners asked about additional tree planting at parks and other county properties.

Road Department repairs storm damage

Road Department Director Mike Rocko reported that heavy rains had damaged unpaved roads throughout the county. Crews were working to reopen roads, repair drainage problems and continue scheduled road improvements. Rocko said the department was trying to keep roads passable while also completing projects funded through state agreements. Work included blading roads, hauling material, cleaning and replacing culverts, and preparing surfaces for fog sealing and microsealing.

The department had completed work on Airport Road and was moving to other scheduled locations. Rocko also described an emergency culvert replacement in the Pinos Altos area after an older culvert began collapsing. Crews removed the failing structure and installed a replacement.

Commissioners thanked the department for responding to damage from the storms while continuing its regular work. Rocko said he remained optimistic about finishing the scheduled road projects by the end of October. However, he had requested extensions on two state-funded agreements in case additional weather or construction delays prevented completion.

Those requests returned to the commission for action October 8.

Commissioners discuss employee health insurance costs

One of the longer discussions during the October 6 work session concerned the county's Blue Cross Blue Shield employee health insurance renewal.

County Manager Charlene Webb told commissioners that the existing plan would cost substantially more to renew because of the county's claims experience. The proposed increase for keeping the existing plan was 20.8 percent. Webb said that would increase the county's monthly premium expense by approximately $71,553, bringing the monthly total from about $344,000 to $415,000. The annual cost would rise from approximately $4.1 million to $4.9 million. The county had budgeted for a 10 percent increase.

Webb said the county's insurance adviser had worked with Blue Cross Blue Shield on another option. That plan would increase deductibles, copayments and some other out-of-pocket costs for employees, but it would reduce the premium increase to 12.15 percent. The alternative would add a little more than $37,000 to the county's monthly premium expense. That was still 2.15 percentage points above the amount budgeted, but substantially less than the increase required to keep the existing plan unchanged.

Commissioners discussed the balance between maintaining employee benefits and controlling the county's expenses. District 1 Commissioner and Chairman Chris Ponce said the county should explain the rising cost of insurance to employees. He also raised the question of whether future salary negotiations might have to consider the cost of benefits.

Webb reminded commissioners that the county's current bargaining agreement required it to pay 100 percent of the employee insurance premium. That provision could not simply be changed during the current contract period.

Commissioners also discussed the importance of the county's insurance benefit in recruiting and retaining employees. Several said they wanted to preserve the county-paid coverage while recognizing that employees would face somewhat higher costs when using medical services under the modified plan.

At the October 8 regular meeting, Webb returned to the issue. She explained that commissioners could keep the existing plan at a much higher cost or approve the alternative plan negotiated with the insurance carrier. "You can renew the Blue Cross Blue Shield policy as is," Webb said, but doing so would produce a monthly premium increase of more than $71,000. The alternative would increase monthly premiums by a little more than $37,000.

Webb described the difference between the plans in terms familiar to many residents. "I would say we have the Cadillac version now and, you know, maybe this is the Chevrolet plan," Webb said. "But it's still a very, very good plan.” She said commissioners had to consider the county's budget. "I think we just have to look at being fiscally responsible and a 21% increase is pretty substantial in my opinion," Webb said. The alternative, she explained, would bring the increase to 12.15 percent.

District 3 Commissioner Nancy Stephens moved to approve the alternative Blue Cross Blue Shield plan. District 4 Commissioner Tom Shelley seconded the motion. The commission approved the 1/2 percent increase  unanimously, 5–0.

The decision reduced the projected premium increase compared with keeping the existing plan, although employees would face higher deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses.

Comprehensive Plan approved

The commission approved Resolution R-26-56, adopting the 2026 Grant County Comprehensive Plan. During the October 6 work session, county staff explained that the final version included changes requested by Shelley concerning agriculture. Shelley said the changes were not extensive but better recognized the importance of agriculture in the county's planning and action items.

He thanked staff for making the revisions.

At the October 8 regular meeting, District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina moved to approve the resolution, and District 4 Commissioner Eddie Flores seconded it. The commission approved the Comprehensive Plan unanimously, 5–0.

Road funding agreements extended

Commissioners also approved Resolutions R-26-57 and R-26-58, extending the termination dates of two Local Government Road Fund agreements. The agreements concerned the School Bus Route Program and the Arterial Program. During the work session, Rocko explained that the school bus route work included Racetrack Road, while the arterial project involved Bill Evans Road. He said the department had encountered delays related to required studies, project preparation and weather.

Rocko believed the work could still be completed before the original deadline, but he wanted the extensions in place in case additional problems occurred. He said the department had received the necessary Department of Transportation approval and was working to finish construction.

At the October 8 meeting, Flores moved to approve both resolutions together. Medina seconded the motion. Both resolutions passed unanimously, 5–0.

Agave Street renamed Agave Lane

Commissioners approved Resolution R-26-59, changing Agave Street in the Mangas Vista subdivision to Agave Lane. Holguin explained during the work session that the county already had an Agave Street within Silver City. Having two roads with the same name in the county could create confusion for emergency dispatchers, first responders and delivery services. He said the county had posted the required notices for residents along the road. The resolution followed earlier commission consideration of the name change.

At the October 8 meeting, Shelley moved to approve the final resolution, and Flores seconded it. The measure passed unanimously, 5–0.

Elected officials report on election preparations and tax collections

During the October 8 meeting, County Clerk Connie Holguin reported on preparations for the November general election. She thanked her staff for their work and said the office was busy preparing for voting. "We are in full force," Holguin said. "It's been pretty busy in our office."

She said absentee ballots had been mailed beginning October 6 and reminded voters that completed ballots could be returned by mail or delivered to the county. Holguin also asked commissioners to schedule a special meeting to canvass election results. The regularly scheduled November meeting would fall after the required canvassing deadline.

Commissioners discussed November 10 as the date for the special meeting, avoiding the Veterans Day holiday.

The county treasurer reported on property tax collections and preparations for the next tax year. The report showed that approximately 92.23 percent of the 2025 tax roll had been collected as of September 30, leaving about $1.4 million outstanding. The treasurer also reminded residents to update their mailing addresses and notify the office if they had paid off a mortgage. Property owners who previously had taxes paid through a mortgage escrow account could become delinquent if they assumed the payments would continue automatically after the loan was paid off.

Commissioners also discussed the county bond questions appearing on the November ballot. Stephens referred to the county's bonding capacity and the requirement to seek voter approval periodically for capital funding. The treasurer confirmed the bond renewal process discussed by the commission.

Sheriff Raul Villanueva did not present an extended report but thanked his employees for their service to the community.

Consent agenda approved

The commission approved its consent agenda, which included minutes from previous meetings, an expenditure report, indigent burial matters and indigent and county health care claims.

Flores made the motion, Shelley seconded it, and the motion carried without recorded opposition.

Commissioners return to data center moratorium

The proposed data center moratorium returned to the discussion during commissioners' reports.

Stephens thanked residents for their participation and said she appreciated the information presented by Granite Renewables. She also responded to concerns that adopting a moratorium might stop communication between the county and developers. "One of the speakers mentioned a concern about a moratorium might halt communication," Stephens said. "And I just wanted to clarify that that's the opposite."

She explained that a moratorium would give the county time to gather information and consider how to proceed. "The moratorium just buys time to get communication, to collect information, to collect answers," Stephens said.

She noted that the presentation had left several questions unanswered. "We could see today there were a lot of questions and there's still a lot of unknowns," she said. Stephens said the project's permitting and power arrangements remained unsettled. ”I never close my ears to information," Stephens said. She welcomed the developer's presentation and said she did not consider it inconsistent with supporting a moratorium.

Ponce also thanked residents and the developer for participating. He cautioned that Grant County commissioners should not assume they could determine what was best for neighboring counties. He referred to comments about protecting Hidalgo and Luna counties from potential development impacts.” We do not know what Hidalgo County's financial situation is," Ponce said.

He said commissioners in those counties were responsible to their own constituents and had to make decisions based on their communities' circumstances. "Protecting them is one thing. Interfering with their constituents and who they've elected to hold these offices is another thing," he said. Ponce encouraged caution in considering the interests of neighboring counties while making decisions for Grant County.

The commission did not adopt a moratorium at the October 8 meeting.

County manager's retirement prompts leadership discussion

The commission also discussed County Manager Charlene Webb's approaching retirement.

Ponce raised the need to determine how the county would handle interim leadership and review applications for the position. Those discussions concerned the process for replacing Webb, not the appointment of a new county manager at the October 8 meeting.

The agenda included an executive session for pending or threatened litigation and limited personnel matters.
Commissioners entered executive session near the end of the available recording transcript.

Commissioners' reports address county projects and public concerns

During the October 6 work session, Flores thanked county employees for their work preparing the Grant County Fairgrounds. He said the fair had been successful and recognized the volunteers, exhibitors and others involved in putting it together.

Stephens discussed the newly acquired Mimbres Ranch Wildlife Management Area. She said residents had asked about access to the property and whether it would be available for hunting, hiking and other recreational uses. After contacting the New Mexico Department of Wildlife, she expected a presentation later in the year to explain plans for access and management.

Medina discussed a recent meeting with community members that he held in his district and thanked county officials who attended. He said residents had raised questions about county services, including solid waste issues.

Shelley again recognized the work of volunteer firefighters and encouraged residents to show their appreciation.

The county had approved the Great Divide Wind Farm bond ordinance, employee health insurance renewal, Comprehensive Plan, road funding extensions and Agave Lane name change.

The proposed Site Layer 1 data center remained under consideration, with questions about energy, water, permitting, employment and county regulation still unresolved.

The proposed data center moratorium was scheduled to return October 22.

[To read part 1 of this series, please visit: https://www.grantcountybeat.com/home/news-articles/grant-county-commissioners-hear-data-center-concerns-approve-wind-farm-bond-ordinance-and-review-county-operations-part-1, and for part 2, visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/home/news-articles/grant-county-commissioners-hear-data-center-concerns-approve-wind-farm-bond-ordinance-and-review-county-operations-part-2  ]