This one continues the review of the regular meeting agenda, as well as presentations and decisions made at the regular meeting.
[This is the ninth in a series of articles on the Grant County Commission meetings.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
After a discussion and county reports, [links at the bottom of this article] at the work session on June 21, 2022, commissioners continued reviewing the regular meeting agenda.
The final public hearing addressed the potential of placing a bond issue to be put on the General Election ballot.
[Editor’s Note: The title of the ordinance is unbelievably long and goes through the titles of each section and what New Mexico statute it follows.]
County Bond Counsel Luis Carrasco of Rodey Law Firm said the ordinance authorizes a gross receipts tax-funded fixed bond not to exceed $5.5 million. Part of the bond would refinance and reissue the 2014 bond issue, depending on state Financial Authority approval. The interest for the new bond would be paid on January 1 and July 1 and can be redeemable prior to the maturity date. “The bonds will be paid only through gross receipts taxes. Three-eighths of 1 percent is what funded the hold harmless ordinance from 2014, which would be refinanced by this bond, at a lower interest rate. We are not seeing market conditions where the bond would be issued in the near future. This ordinance allows bonds to be sold through a public competition or through a negotiated sale. The maturity date would be July 1, 2044, not to exceed 5 percent per annum. The underwriting would not exceed 1 percent of the total bond amount, which is fairly standard. If the bond were not issued within 120 days of issuance of the ordinance, you would have to bring it back under a new ordinance. It would take effect 30 days after the recording of the ordinance.”
David Buchholtz, also of the Rodey Law Firm, said the main purpose of the bond is to refinance the existing debt from 2014. “The present uncertainty of interest rates may be problematic. It, as Luis said, also depends on Finance Authority approval. I think the overriding question is whether this is a good time to pass the first step of multiple steps.”
Still at the work session, District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings asked if Carrasco and Buchholtz recommended passing the ordinance at the regular meeting.
District 5 Commissioner and Vice Chair Harry Browne, leading the meeting, said he had the sense the “we should pass it to wait for details.”
Billings opined that he didn’t think interest rates would drop over the next 120 days.
Browne said the state would not approve the issuance of the bond if it would not give the county at least a 3 percent savings on the interest rate of the 2014 bond.
Billings said he would like to hear the opinion of county financial bond counsel, Mark Valenzuela of Bosque Advisors, who would attend the regular meeting.
At the regular meeting, contracted County Counsel Ben Young of Mynatt, Martinez and Springer of Las Cruces, noted that Carrasco was on the phone, but “there may be an issue to delay this ordinance to a future date.”
Carrasco said the minimum quorum of three commissioners at the meeting, due to the absence of District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce and District 2 Commissioner Javier “Harvey” Salas due to illness, that statute states that the ordinance on refinancing a bond can pass with three out of the five votes, but if it’s less than four, it might be a problem.
Valenzuela said he didn’t see a problem with putting it off for another month. Commissioners at the regular meeting tabled the issue to the July meeting.
In public input at the regular meeting, April Lee said she wanted to speak on the Wildlife Services contract on the agenda. “I am opposed to this funding. I don’t think it’s a good use of public funding. The documentation doesn’t follow the use of non-lethal methods first. To me the documentation shows that non-lethal methods were never used. Having a unilateral decision outside of other agencies just to kill wildlife is an antiquated anachronism. I feel it is not viable.”
Candace Breen-Lee said she also opposed using taxpayer dollars to fund this service. “The benefits are for too small a population. We try to save wildlife to promote tourism. I see no non-lethal methods being used.”
The next item on the regular meeting agenda was the monthly report from Gila Regional Medical Center Interim Chief Executive Officer Marion “Tony” Thompson and Interim Chief Financial Officer Paul Rogers.
District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards, who also serves as GRMC Governing Board Chair, at the work session, said as the two administrators are very busy with the Cancer Center transition and other issues at the hospital and would be presenting the afternoon of the regular meeting at the governing board meeting, she requested that the item be removed from the agenda. The other commissioners agreed.
At the regular meeting, Sheriff Frank Gomez gave his monthly presentation. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office will do its biennium state-mandated training in August and would, as always open the training to other local law enforcement agencies at no cost. “We’ve been able to share instructors with the Silver City Police Department on a cooperative basis to greatly benefit both agencies.”
He said advanced training continued with several deputies attending or scheduled to attend specialized training in Advanced DWI Enforcement, Field Training Officer, Street Crimes, Advanced Interview Techniques and more.
Nine cadets recently graduated from the Western New Mexico University Police Academy and passed the state law enforcement certification examination. “One of these quality graduates, Marcus Salas, received his deputy sheriff badge pinned by Lt. Michael Burns at the ceremony. He is now in field training as a fully certified deputy sheriff with us.”
Gomez noted the courts have fully re-opened for in-person business. “We are now fully staffed with two court security officers at the District Court.”
In cases of interest, he said, although the department had no cases of particular criminal severity, they did have to address a complicated animal-related case in Gila, “which highlights our need for a full-time trained professional animal control officer. Due to a Gila resident with at least eight dogs and a long history of complaints because of her refusal to contain or restrain the animals, a shooting occurred as a result of one of the animals aggressively harassing/attacking a neighbor with small children. The lengthy investigation showed no licenses or vaccinations for any of the dogs and continual running-at-large issues. Deputies completed a search warrant and complaint documents that the magistrate judge signed under Grant County ordinances, allowing them to remove the animals about one week ago.”
He said the Silver City ACO, Vickie Toney, also assisted in the investigation and seizure. The animals were taken to the High Desert Humane Society to be held pending the owner paying for necessary veterinarian checks, vaccinations and licenses. Gomez noted the case highlighted the need for a trained ACO, as well as the need for updated Grant County ordinances to be accessible by the GCSO and any other county department. “With respect, this must be a priority for the Commission and the County Manager. We are dangerously exposed to liability in the absence of our ordinances being readily accessible internally and to the public.”
He reported the department had had three recent Covid illnesses, with all back at work, having had only mild flu-like symptoms.
On Operation Stonegarden, a federally funded program for border control, Gomez said field activities continue in the Hachita and surrounding areas. “The U.S. Border Patrol has reported staff shortages and not being able to field a full complement of agents in recent months. The Department of Homeland Security has issued bulletins with potential significant impacts to all federal, state and local governments if Title 42 is ended. Migrants and others continue to be transported and released to multiple locations within the interior of the U.S. With summer, we are aware of the lethality of the low-desert country and its extreme dangers. We have and will continue to provide assistance to those in need, regardless of their nationality or status, while patrolling these areas of Grant, Hidalgo and Luna counties. Lt. Burns has ordered two new patrol vehicles with fiscal year 2020 Operation Stonegarden funds, which will also cover their outfitting. He will order a third vehicle with FY21 funds in the next few months.”
With the State Homeland Security Grant Program, Burns has recently ordered $12,000-worth of state-of-the-art handheld radios. “This will augmentsthose already in service and move us toward retiring 15-year-old radios that are failing on a daily basis. He will also use part of the funding source to fully outfit a new patrol vehicle, which was purchased for us with county funding.”
Gomez noted that the 15 percent increase in the cost of vehicles will impact the capital outlay funding received for vehicles.
“We continue to suffer the effects of the supply chain failure particularly in the micro-chip shortage,” he said. “Lt Burns was able to secure three 2022 Ford Expedition SSVs by working with the state contract vendor. Another two are earmarked for us. The vehicles were built by Ford a few weeks ago, and the first three will be delivered to the outfitter in Albuquerque in a couple of weeks. The price increase will have a significant impact on the budget, because it was nothing that could be anticipated months ago. Many vendors are reporting a hurried effort to get the state contract amended and updated to reflect this double-digit cost increase. I’ll also mention that continued fuel cost escalations will also impact the budget. Prices of parts, tires and lubricants also continue to escalate, so we need to consider the effects on the budget.”
Gomez said the U.S. Forest Service contract for GCSO patrol and the Black Fire had brought significant responsibilities to the department. “We have provided roadblock staffing and assistance to the Black Fire management team as requested. We have also continued our general forest contract patrol work as possible. We will be reimbursed for deputy overtime on any Black Fire-related details or incidents.”
He noted the remodeling of the Sheriff’s office is complete with the new internal-access public lobby being fully open. “I hope the remainder of the improvements to our parking area, including the motorized gate to restrict access and to enhance our security, will be complete by fall.”
Dr. Troy Rogers from the Public Safety Psychology Group has been visiting and making himself available to GCSO staff, individually and collectively. “This is a tremendous resource to have him here at the office to interact with our deputies and give them the opportunity to speak with him.”
Gomez said that the department initiated Patrol Districts on May 15, 2022. “Thus far, we have decreased our response times to these areas and especially to outlying areas of our county, such as Mimbres and Cliff.” He said he plans to give a more detailed presentation on the effort in the coming months.
“I would like to recognize a valued member of our team, who has served the public and communities of Grant County and its municipalities for more than two decades,” Gomez said. “Lt. Sam Rodriguez announced his retirement several months ago. On June 23, 2022, he will close a career, which has spanned more than 20 years. Lt. Rodriguez has faithfully served our communities, most recently as a value dmember of my command staff. I salute him and offer my hopes and prayers for a long and active retirement.”
Gomez then proceeded to give statistics for the month of May, including a report that the HIDTA (high-intensity drug trafficking area) task force had so far in 2022, confiscated 2,865 fentanyl pills.
Edwards noted the 2,800 fentanyl pills as compared to in 2021, 1,900 pills. Gomez said the previous weekend, his deputies had confiscated 300 pills in the Mining District.
Edwards asked if it was simply an increase, or officers are better at finding them.
“Both,” Gomez said, “but unfortunately, it is easier to get. And when we arrest, it is catch and release within hours of an arrest.”
“Would this be a legislative issue on the catch and release?” Edwards asked, to which Gomez replied: “Yes.”
Gomez said his department collaborates with Silver City Police Department in the D.A.R.E. program, but fentanyl, unfortunately, is the easiest drug to get. If someone is addicted to opiates, “we’re seeing fentanyl laced into marijuana or methamphetamines. Just a gram of fentanyl or smelling it can make one sick and even kill them. We all carry Narcan. D.A.R.E. doesn’t teach about drugs, it teaches tools to address any situation such as drugs or alcohol.”
Browne referred back to the animal control issue and said he was surprised the woman would be able to get her dogs back.
Gomez said it is possible under the county ordinance, but if a dog attacks a child, then it can go to state statute.
Browne noted the commissioners could change the ordinance.
Gomez said it’s rare for people to be causing this sort of problem.
“Ben (Young), I would appreciate your looking at the animal control ordinance and maybe prevent someone from owning dogs in a case like this,” Browne requested.
“I don’t think we can remove ownership of dogs,” Young said. “It’s similar to the vehicles and other properties ordinance.”
The next article will continue the review of the regular meeting agenda, with decisions made at the regular meeting.
For previous articles on this meeting, please visit: https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72686-grant-county-commission-holds-lengthy-work-session-062122-part-1 ; which addressed the Gila National Forest presentation on the Black Fire and potential flooding impacts; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72716-grant-county-commission-hears-several-presentations-at-work-session-062122-part-2 ; which addressed the SE Group presentation on the Outdoor Recreation Plan; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72717-grant-county-commission-hears-several-presentations-at-work-session-062122-part-3 , which addressed the Lodger's Tax Advisory Board report; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72765-grant-county-commission-hears-several-presentations-at-work-session-062122-part-4, which addressed the Tu Casa update; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72852-grant-county-commission-hears-several-presentations-at-work-session-062122-part-5 which addressed the potential of a general obligation bond issuance on the General Election ballot; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72896-grant-county-commission-work-session-062122-part-6, which addressed possible abandonment of a county road and county reports from the Detention Center and the Planning and Community Development Department; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72926-grant-county-commission-work-session-062122-part-7, which addressed the remaining county reports at the work session; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/72951-grant-county-commission-work-session-062122-part-8, which addressed several public hearings and the decisions made at the regular meeting.