Grant County Commission holds work session 101221, part 10, addresses regular meeting new business

By Mary Alice Murphy

[Editor's Note: The meeting went for a bit more than five hours, with a very short break. Part 10 covers only the one item under new business.]

In the continuation of the Grant County Commission work session held on Oct. 12, 2021, Chief Procurement Officer Randy Hernandez presented the expenditure report. In the month ending on October 12, 2021, county expenses totaled $2,876,966.78, which included two payroll periods, which totaled $422,777.23. Below you will find a PDF of the expenditures above $10,000.

The only item under new business addressed consideration of adding an item to the ICIP (infrastructure capital improvement plan). Planning and Community Development Director Priscilla Shoup asked to put a behavioral health addition at the Detention Center into the top five on the list.

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said he knows how important addressing behavioral health is. "I'm looking at it for the next few years. The request is for $5 million over the next five years. I'm not convinced it should be in the top five. I look at the lack of training and a shortage of staff. I know we need to put things on the ICIP, but I want the commissioners to have a complete understanding of the Detention Center. Are we going to be treating people at the Detention Center? I would love to see an assessment of the Grant County jail by someone independent, so we can look at what we can and can't do. What do we need to correct before we add on?"

County Manager Tim Zamora said: "We do treat right now. We have a small medical staff for which we provide funding. They take care of the health and behavioral health issues. They follow Covid protocols. Yes, we are treating, but right now it is not a good setup. We gave them basically a corridor. We currently have counseling. We have the RISE program that supports re-entry for inmates into society. We want the commission at your visit to the detention center tomorrow to learn how it is operating. We treat them, we release them, and in a couple of months, they're back."

Ponce said he was aware of problems. "I want the commissioners to know if it's policies that need addressing, before we put on an addition. Here are the problems and how do we fix them. I would like a professional to explain the problems to us."

Zamora said they would have the opportunity the next day. "You hired me to take care of this piece and I need you to support it." He noted the detention center is running 12-hour shifts, with 8 officers on duty during the daytime and seven at night. "We're been recruiting and we are in the process of hiring six more, because there are times when current personnel are working overtime, sometimes 16 hours. If we are not planning ahead to be short- staffed by three or five, we will set them up for failure. We have to find the money to fix staffing. This is a problem across New Mexico."

District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings thanked Zamora for tackling the issue. "You're right on track for staffing. I think the problems are deeper. There are other things that need to be fixed; we need a second opinion and an assessment to reassure us that yeah, this is what you need to do. Where are you in the hiring process for an administrator?"

Zamora said the county had received six applicants. "We just received the background investigations and will be scheduling interviews. I'm not new to the county, and this problem is not new to the county. We have problems we need to tackle. I have no problem with us coordinating someone to come in and evaluate us."

District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne said he was a little unclear about what could be done with staffing. "Is it a problem with the budget?"

Zamora said he would request additional funding for staffing. "The ones we have recruited need training. I expect we will need new officers. I'm going to request ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars. A lot of the problems there are related to Covid, including the behavioral health issues. I talked to other counties that are doing the same."

District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards said she appreciated the amount of work Zamora has done. "I'd like more details on the short-term needs. I'm in favor of using ARPA money. I know a couple of counties are doing modular buildings for behavioral health issues. I would like to move forward quickly on the security issue in the short-term. For the long-term, I have question. I support an assessment."

Zamora said he is working with New Mexico Counties on the assessment.

Edwards said she would need to know a lot more about how to pay for and about the required licensures for those treating the inmates. "I would like to know what we're doing overall as a community. How many people do we need beds for that have behavioral health issues? We already have Tu Casa, HMS, Border Area and the hospital. How can all these groups come together to reduce recidivism? I also wonder why we need it in the top five."

Zamora said he wanted to talk to the commissioners before he approached the legislators. "We need to determine what 30 beds could provide and if we need a building to house those with behavioral health issues. It would help with disruptions in the detention center to segregate them. What is the true medical capability we need to house people? Currently we are doing everything at a small level."

Edwards said the licensing requirement for Tu Casa (she serves on the board) are so extreme that "we can't charge enough to pay for the services. Yes, we need to explore the issues, but I would like to see a separate of the short-term and long-term needs. What would be the cost for a preliminary plan?"

Zamora estimated about $500,000.

Edwards said she would like to see that addressed in the short term, with more discussion on the long-term needs and plans.

Ponce said that the county had recently spent about $160,000 on jail improvements. "We haven't had a report. We haven't seen a plan. We need to be updated."

Zamora said, with the current number of detainees and the behavioral health problems at the jail, treatment will help.

Edwards asked for the average stay of an inmate and the statistics on recidivism. "We can't invest a lot at the Detention Center and rehabilitate them to sink or swim. Part of our long-term investment should be in how to invest in their success. There is so much in the county we need to do—detention center, roads, all the services we provide. We have to have a discussion with the public all about the safety and welfare of our constituents. How everything fits together and how to fund it. How would we authorize the county manager to spend ARPA money on this issue?"

Hernandez said the finance department had put together a simple form for use of ARPA funds. "It will be for outside funding and internal funding. It would provide justification for the expenditures of ARPA money, the requested amount and what is awarded. I don't know if it is appropriate for you to authorize the expenditures."

Ponce noted that on Nov. 8 or 10, the commissioners would hold a special meeting for approving the election and could also further discuss detention center expenditures.

Administrative Assistant Kevin Hubbs noted that the commissioners would decide the date for the special meeting. The work and regular meetings will take place in November on Nov. 16 and 18.

Commissioners through considerable discussion agreed at the regular meeting to continue the discussion at the Oct. 26, 2021 special meeting.

The next article SHOULD conclude the two meetings.