[Editor’s Note: This is part 2 of the Grant County Commission’s special meeting held July 26, 2022. Prior articles in the series are linked at the bottom of the article]
By Mary Alice Murphy
Following presentations at the Grant County Commissioner special meeting on July 26, 2022, commissioners discussed various issues.
The first addressed the ICIP (infrastructure capital improvement plan), as presented by Planning and Community Development Director Randy Hernandez. He gave a review of the public meetings that he held as a requirement of the statute.
The first one at the Gila Community Center brought in 43 residents, who gave a great deal of feedback and presented a petition with 182 signatures supporting a new community center. The two held at the Grant County Administration Center and the Mimbres Roundup Lodge each brought zero participants.
District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce noted at the beginning of the presentation that he hates to see vehicles in the top three every year. “I think vehicles should be the county’s responsibility.” He also said he thought the county is in the design phase for projects in Arenas Valley and North Hurley.
Hernandez said the two projects are being funded under the Colonias Infrastructure Fund or the Department of Transportation. “We need them to be somewhere on the ICIP to show that we consider them viable projects. Colonias and DOT both require that they be on the ICIP.”
“Those in the top 10 on the ICIP are eligible for legislative capital outlay,” Hernandez said. “The projects we receive funding for usually are in the top five.”
District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked where the Outdoor Recreation Plan was for requesting quality of life funding.
Hernandez noted it was No. 12.
Browne asked if the county could pair the Bataan Memorial Park improvements and the Gila Community Center.
Hernandez said any projects could be paired for grants other than capital outlay. “There is no county match required on the quality of life funding.”
“Weren’t we talking about not using capital outlay funding for the Gila Community Center?” Browne asked. “Can’t we do that with other grants and funding?”
District 2 Commissioner Javier “Harvey” Salas said the county has invested in the Gila Community Center, “but there’s nothing on the other side of the county in Mimbres. We need to be equitable to both sides of the county.”
District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards said that’s why the county has been having a conversation on county parks to make sure the entire county has facilities. She also said the Grant County Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan shouldn’t be so far down the list at No. 12.
Browne suggested it be moved up to No. 3, where the Gila Community Center is, because the center will be covered in the plan.
Salas asked for a refresher on what No. 5, the Crisis Intervention Facility, is.
Edwards said it is attached to Tu Casa to make it possible to have the facility provide a 14-day intervention stay. “Hidalgo Medical Services applied for $100,000 for a plan and this funding is for construction.”
Salas asked if the Community Development Block Grant program could be applied for to pay for construction.
Hernandez replied that the county could not apply this year for CDBG funding, because it had not yet completed the project at Bataan Memorial Park that is funded by CDBG. “We can apply next year.”
Browne asked how the crisis intervention center would differ from the hospital’s former behavioral health unit.
Edwards said the licenses are totally different. “It is much cheaper to do a crisis intervention center at Tu Casa. It would be focused on substance abuse.”
Ponce said his request would be to leave the Gila Community Center at No. 3, but to replace No. 2, fleet replacement, with the parks and recreation comprehensive plan. “How about moving the crisis intervention plan to No. 4 and moving the shooting range down?”
Hernandez noted that the session was for discussion only. “At the Aug. 11 meeting, we need the final draft, which we must submit by Aug. 19. There will be other funding sources available as long as the items are on this list.”
Ponce asked how long it would take to get the parks and recreation plan done. “In 2 ½ years I’ll be the only commissioner left out of this group of commissioners. Things can change in that time frame.”
Hernandez said he doesn’t know if the plan is a priority or is it to continue improvements on the local parks first.
Browne said he appreciated its being brought to their attention. “I would sooner see a plan developed than see things done without a plan. I want a rational process in place. My preference is a plan, even if we don’t see things completed during our tenure.”
Ponce said he would like to see the plan done sooner. “How long will it take?”
Edwards echoed the sentiment by saying: “I think the comprehensive plan comes first. If we have set plans, it’s harder to go off on tangents. I’ll remind the commissioners. We wanted the Outdoor Recreation and Trails plan done the year Covid hit. No plan should take more than a year.”
Salas agreed with having a plan. “I think it’s needed, but things do not come to a standstill. Doing things shows that we are serious about our job.”
“We’ve put about $500,000 into Bataan,” Browne said. “Don’t we have about that much unspent?”
Hernandez said he is working with Jason (Lockett, facilities and grounds maintenance supervisor) on getting the drainage and vaulted toilets done. “It’s in the works. He’s not confident about the turf, because it’s more expensive than we thought. He is looking also at upgrading the electrical system. That and the vaulted toilets are priorities. The unspent money is for the turf and drainage of one of the fields.”
Salas said: “We have to have the electrical upgrade to make use of the money we have and any new funding we get.”
Edwards asked if the turf could be phased for the three fields and was told it could be.
Salas said the logical first step is to bring power into the pavilion. “Getting an estimate will help us know what money we have to improve other things.”
Browne said he did not want HVAC installed in the pavilion until the doors were fixed, so the air would not escape. “It would be a waste.”
Salas noted that Horace Jaramillo, who was in charge at the time the pavilion was built, would know why the overhead opening doors were put into the facility.
Browne said: “Back to the ICIP, I don’t think our top 3 will exhaust the capital outlay available. I think we need to put something in the top 3 asking for a big chunk of money, like Little Walnut Road improvements. When we became a part of the Continental Divide Trail, we said we want to make connectors. It would be nice to take a bike ride on the road, but right now the shoulders are not wide enough, so it is not comfortable to walk or ride on. The town is putting a lot of money into the road, so why aren’t we doing Little Walnut?”
Hernandez said the county has already received $1.2 million from Colonias for Little Walnut. “We are getting ready to proceed.”
“I want a big request if there is extra money at the legislative session,” Browne said.
Edwards said it would be nice to see somewhere on the ICIP the pending $1.2 million for Little Walnut.
Ponce said in a meeting he had with the county manager, he told him “we want a list of everything that is pending and what we’re spending funding on. The list should be coming out soon.”
Edwards asked for a list of priorities from the facilities and grounds viewpoint.
Lockett said he could provide that.
The next article begins with a discussion on the application for the Quality of Life grant.
To read the prior article, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/73463-grant-county-commission-holds-special-meeting-072622-part-1.