[Editor's Note: The Grant County Commission work session on March 9, 2021 and the regular session on March 11, 2021 will be covered in a multi-part series of articles. This is part 4, the review of most of the agenda and approval of items at the regular meeting.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County Commission usually reviews the regular meeting at the work session that precedes it on Tuesday of the same week. This was no different on March 9, 2021 in the review of the regular meeting, which took place on March 11, 2021.

A proclamation recognizing and celebrating the collaborate community effort undertaken to protect the county's economy, natural resources and way of life from the Holloman Expanded F-16 training airspace proposal was presented and read by the proponent, District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards, at the regular meeting. Commissioners approved it.

{pdf}mypdfs/Edwards-proclamation-031121.pdf{/pdf}

Financial Officer Linda Vasquez presented the expenditure report as of March 4, 2021. Expenditures totaled $3,291,564.69, including $460,174.32 for two payroll periods.

Extraordinary expenses above $10,000 are included in the following chart:

{pdf}mypdfs/expenditure-report-030421.pdf{/pdf}

The next agenda item addressed the 2020 volunteer firefighters annual reporting for PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association) for Cliff/Gila, Fort Bayard, Lower Mimbres, Pinos Altos, Santa Rita, Sapillo Creek, Tyrone, Upper Mimbres and Whiskey Creek.

Commissioners approved the reports at the regular meeting.

Also considered was the adjusted qualification report from the Santa Rita VFD 2018 and 2019 reports for PERA service credits for member Laura M. Breed. That, too, was approved at the regular meeting.

Edwards, who serves on the Tu Casa Advisory Board, requested on behalf of the board to amend the advisory board charter. Under item B of the Membership section, the amendment deletes "Terms shall not be renewable within 11 months after conclusion of an earlier term."

"We are requesting the changes so that those who want to serve more than one consecutive term may do so, if they so desire," Edwards explained.

District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked if Edwards recalled why the clause had been put there in the first place.

Edwards replied that she thought it was a mistake and "we didn't proof the original appropriately."

The following agenda item considered the New Mexico Counties Wildfire Reduction Program for Rural Communities 2012-22 application for funding for education and outreach activities General Services Director Randy Villa touched on the issue during his earlier report, which can be read at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/63601-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-030921 .

Commissioners approved the application at the regular meeting.

At the work session, commissioners considered a law enforcement protection fund application. County Manager Charlene Webb explained that it provides the Sheriff's Department with $600 annual funding per certified deputy, with state statute limiting what it can be spent on. Commissioners approved the application at the regular meeting.

Commissioners heard about the applications to be considered for adding to the Grant County Community Health Council Steering Committee. Proposed and approved at the regular meeting were applicants: Karen Whitlock for the Anti-Poverty and Economic Development Network; Cindy Martinez for the Children and Youth Services Network; Renee Despres for the Emerging Infectious Diseases Network; Jeff Fell for Government, Safety and Public Policy Network; and Steve Chavira for the Outreach, Prevention and Wellness Network, as presented by the council's Chair Evangeline Zamora and Co-Chair Marilyn Alcorn.

The next agenda item addressed the transfer of property of the old Gila Regional Medical Center clinic in Bayard on Tom Foy Blvd.

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said the proposed transfer has been worked on by Webb. "Bayard had a meeting yesterday (March 8) and councilors said they would accept the property. I'll talk to them about what Bayard plans for its future use."

At the regular meeting, Ponce said he wanted to make the commission's approval with contingencies to make sure they have all the proper paperwork from Gila Regional. "I know they have a verbal agreement."

Webb said a full packet of paperwork must go to the Department of Finance and Administration's Board of Finance and must include future use of the property. "We also need a resolution from the Gila Regional Governing Board."

District 2 Commissioner Javier "Harvey" Salas said he was under the impression that the building had big structural problems.

Edwards said there may be sewer issues. Ponce agreed and said he had talked to the Bayard mayor about that, and Bayard plans to get started on the sewer issues this week. "They will fix what needs fixing."

The motion with contingencies was approved by the Commission so that things could get underway.

Under agreements, commissioners approved at the regular meeting $200,000 grant funding from Fund 89200 Capital Appropriation from 2020 to reimburse work done to plan, design, and construct a plan for countywide trails and outdoor recreation in Grant County.

The next agreement elicited discussion at the work session, where Aaron Cannon of KWTHEM LLC discussed a potential memorandum of understanding with the county to develop part of a parcel of 8.036 acres beside the parking lot of the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center and Ace Hardware. KWTHEM wishes to purchase the parcel for development.

The existing covenant precludes development, so "we are trying to get a waiver in the event it is used for a coffee and tea shop and possibly food, as well as the potential for some alcohol," Cannon said. The MOU said the company wants to purchase 1.618 acres of the parcel, called Tract 1.

He said they might also want to refigure the parking on the west side of the tract.

Browne said he was curious about the clause concerning alcohol. "Is it just to keep your options open?"

"We plan for a coffee shop, but we want to include other opportunities for those who may want to serve beer and wine," Cannon clarified. "It would not be a bar, but we are asking for the right to have alcohol in the coffee shop depending on who takes it over."

Ponce said: "I hope we will soon get back to normal. Will it impact parking for the conference center?"

Cannon said for QSRs (quick service restaurants), 80 percent of the business comes at the drive-through. "It would be a good drive-through area. Our intent is to be self-sustained and not bridging over into the Conference Center parking lot."

Webb noted that it might actually improve the parking situation, if the parking were angled and not parallel parking as it is now.

Edwards asked for clarification. "The parallel area is shared?"

Webb said it is joint use for the two parcels.

Browne asked about the small trees in the parcel. "Would you guarantee not to remove them?"

Cannon replied: "We're in Lubbock, Texas. We put in bullet proof trees. We love them. We may need to relocate them. If we reconfigure the site, we will salvage them and relocate them if we need to."

Browne said because the parcel will be zoned by Silver City, they may encounter other issues. "My concern is where do they go when they pull out of the drive-through. I am concerned by the potential of increased traffic flow onto 32nd Street."

Cannon said when cars are released from the drive-through they are not stacked, as there are usually several minutes between vehicles. "I don't think there will be a bottleneck. In this layout, we have three different points of egress."

Webb noted there would be a conversation with Silver City and New Mexico Department of Transportation. "We had the same discussion about Tu Casa."

At the regular meeting, Webb said the MOU includes all easements and everything required for the purchase and development.

Edwards said she was not going to oppose the agreement, but "I'm not wildly happy about the alcohol piece." She noted that Starbucks might be a possibility, as it is experimenting with offering beer and wine.

The agreement was approved.

The following agreement addressed a Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management sub-recipient grant agreement with Grant County for a security grant.

County Emergency Manager Gilbert Helton said, at the work session, that the grant would give the county about $75,000 to purchase equipment for the current receiver sites to enhance transmission at no cost to the county.

Edwards asked if it would completely address current coverage issues.

"I don't think we will ever have complete coverage, because of topography, so we will never be able to cover all shadowed areas," Helton said. "But this will significantly improve it. It will connect all the receivers."

Commissioners approved the agreement at the regular session.

The last agreement would approve the county manager signature on a FEMA emergency management subgrant agreement. Webb explained it was for a 90-day vaccination program and was 100 percent reimbursable. "We were awarded $200,000, and we received 50 percent up front. It was a joint effort between Grant County and Silver City. We can extend it for 90 days if we need to. It's for community education and outreach, as well as myth busters. It will be a lot of one-time purchases to roll out points of distribution, signage and cones, for instance."

Edwards asked if it would help in other parts of the county, such as Faywood, Lake Roberts.

Webb said yes, but the county has to have state approval for the points of distribution. "We will need a number of staff to give the vaccinations. We are trying to get approval of the points of distribution, plus the appropriate coolers. We will have movable signage. Once we get the approval, we will be ready to move out into these parts of the county."

Edwards asked what professional licensure is required.

General Service Director Randy Villa said EMTs and intermediate or above paramedics are eligible to do the vaccinations. "That's the problem getting enough volunteers to do it."

Ponce asked if EMTs off duty could do it.

Edwards asked how many EMTs there are.

Villa said most of them reside in the Whiskey Creek, Tyrone and Pinos Altos areas. And there's "about a handful. That's the big challenge in getting the vaccines distributed. We're doing more than 500 a week at the DOH office."

Ponce said he knows the state has criteria, but some counties have more people than others. "I think sometimes the red, yellow, green is a hindrance."

Villa said the task force is working really hard. "We're working through it to get everyone who wants it to be vaccinated. In the meeting we had, Grant County is doing pretty darn good in vaccinations."

Browne said the task force is doing a phenomenal job getting volunteers. "I'm wondering if retired nurses can be tapped into."

Edwards said she had full confidence that the task force is maximizing what can be done.

Villa suggested people give a call to the Department of Health and volunteer, whether to direct traffic or give shots if qualified.

Edwards suggested the commissioners could also volunteer around the effort.

It was approved to provide funding for vaccinations.

Under resolutions, Webb brought up the annual resolution to approve the list of county-maintained roads of 690.73 miles to be certified, with the deletion of 0.9 miles of Turriets Road and the addition of 0.18 miles of Hermosa Road. Commissioners approved the list at the regular meeting.

A resolution authorizing submission of an application for airport aid to the NM DOT, Aviation Division, would obligate the sponsor (Grant County) to matching funds and the authorization to accept the resulting grant offers and execution of contract documents for the design of and bidding phases for six T-hangars at the Grant County Airport.

Rebekah Wenger, Airport manager, said Bohannon and Huston would come in and design, and engineer and come up with a cost estimate for the new T-hangars. "Then the state has been pretty solid that they will come through with the construction funding."

"We charge $125 a month right now," Wenger said. "Maybe the new T-hangars will be more valuable."

Browne asked why it was in the state's interest to subsidize private owners to use the T-hangars.

"The focus is to create economic development," Wenger replied. 'We have 11 on the wait list for hangars. The State Aviation Division has as its mission to support general aviation."

Browne questioned the low amount of $125 a month.

Wenger said she would have to defer to Webb or Villa on that one. "We have a lot of 1950-era aircraft. Some of these owners are not well-to-do. Yes, it's a good value, but it helps us support general aviation."

Browne asked why it wasn't a yearly amount.

Webb said changing it would be a long process because it would have to be approved by the Board of Finance.

Wenger also noted that some have privately owned facilities that lease the ground they are on. "The cost of construction is high. We're looking at smaller T-hangars. We also have tie-down spaces, but the weather makes people not want to tie down for more than a night or two."

Salas asked what the approximate cost of a T-hangar is.

"That's what we're trying to figure out, how much it would cost for six," Wenger said.

Edwards asked if the airport needs $9,100 to have a shovel-ready project and "you have 11 on the waiting list, why not build 12?"

Wenger said the county will always have a cost, a 10 percent match. "We're not sure the airport fund can afford that much more."

Edwards asked if there were anything like a short-term rental, like a hotel.

Wenger said: "We should explore that. In some other places, airport put in sunshades. We're looking at the airport plan now. Maybe we can hold on to that idea and make more money."

Edwards said shaded areas are a good idea. "I'm envisioning a solar array shading the areas."

Wenger said: "We have to make sure we are not impeding the pilot's field of vision. We have a lot of opportunities out at this airport."

Ponce said to Wenger: "You're doing an outstanding job out there."

Wenger said she was very pleased that they got a two-year approval for Advanced Air to continue to provide essential air service to the airport. "We're planning to do a grand re-opening of the terminal when we can. The bid meeting for the fuel farm upgrade is next week."

She said both ends of the taxiway are under construction. There are already fires in Arizona, "so the fire operations will start up soon."

The general aviation building needs stucco, so the airport will have a cohesive look.

Edwards asked if there is a concern whether the federal agencies will continue the ESA subsidy.

"We think it will continue," Wenger said. "We had three different bidders this go round. Advanced Air, Boutique, and Denver Connect. Denver Connect was not a good fit, because they would have fewer flights on larger aircraft. Advanced Air put in an honest bid and they do a first-rate job. They are hoping for more traffic, so next time they can lower their bid."

Commissioners approved the application resolution.

The next article will address the last item on the agenda, which took up a fair bit of discussion in both meetings—the resolution on House Bill 200 to take away the New Mexico CAP Entity and give the advisory role to the Water Trust Board.