[Editor's Note: The Grant County Commission work session on Sept. 6 and the regular meeting on Sept. 8, were both long meetings, so this series of articles will be numerous. Part 8 gets into and completes the review of the regular meeting and decisions made at the regular meeting The previous articles are linked at the bottom of this article.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Grant County Commission work session on Sept. 6, 2022, commissioners and staff began the review of the regular meeting agenda.

The first item in the regular meeting would be the public hearing on Bald Knoll Road [which was covered in part 5 of this series. Proclamations and public input were covered in Part 6 and presentations in Part 7.]

County Financial Officer Linda Vasquez presented the financial report. For the period ending Sept. 1, 2022, the sum of expenditures totaled $3,474,176.64, and included three payroll periods totally $452,780.54. Extraordinary expenses above $10,000 are in the chart below:

Commissioners approved the financial report at the regular meeting.

Kim Dominguez, Corre Caminos manager, reported on the 2024 fiscal year budget. The operation is federally funded, so the fiscal year begins Oct. 1. "We are on track for 61,000 rides this year. We started charging for Corre Caminos again, after not charging during the pandemic. The fee is $2 per stop and $3 for a round trip. It didn't change during the pandemic. We continue to run fixed routes for free, at least for a while. On demand trips are $2. We made substantial changes to salaries for staff. We raised them to the mid-point and put in raises for two administrators and the dispatch clerk. We raised the drivers $2 an hour, but they are still under minimum wage. All the other employees, except for the administrators are Grant County employees. The county's only impact is the $80,000 yearly cash match."

District 5 Commissioner Harry Brown asked why, if the salaries were going up, why the FICA and PERA were going down.

Dominguez said as the DOT makes changes, it moved the salaries into operations.

Commissioners approved the Corre Caminos budget.

The next item addressed an asset deletion/transfer request. Procurement Officer Veronica Rodriguez said the deletion was for old laptops from the Sheriff's Department.

Commissioners approved the request.

A following new business item considered the Grant County Sheriff's Office court security officer step plan revised salary structure. Vasquez said the salary equated to a Detention Center officer. "We must amend the Sheriff's step plan for that position only."

Commissioners approved the change, and Sheriff Frank Gomez thanked them for "all your support."

Under agreements, the first addressed the ratification for legal services with Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin and Robb P.A. for bond counsel related to series 2023 general obligation bonds.

Luis Carrasco of the firm said the first agreement made with his firm was for Series 2014 bonds. "This is the second agreement for the GO bonds for 2023."

Vasquez noted that the county had never exceeded the threshold of $60,000 for the agreement.

Vasquez said the fee is hourly based on their hours for advice and resolution creation. Carrasco said it is hourly and not percentage-based. "Once we have tracked our hourly rates and as soon as the bond sale is completed, it comes out of the sale."

District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards asked if the sale doesn't go through if the county is on the hook for the costs. Carrasco said the county must pay, but there is a cap if it is not accepted and that cap is $20,000., which is consistent with other bond counsel contracts he has seen.

Commissioners approved the agreement at the regular meeting.

An agreement with the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration under the statewide Local Emergency Infrastructure Project allocated $300,000 to the county for sidewalks and ADA access at the Bataan Memorial Park.

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said that Armando Amador of the Vietnam Veterans of America, which has created the Forgotten Veterans Memorial as part of the Bataan Memorial Park had talked to the governor and gotten the funding. "County staff will be in touch with you, Armando (who was in the audience)."

Edwards said that Armando had made so much possible for the veterans in Grant County.

Amador replied: "What I've done is from the heart. We knew nothing about PTSD, when I started with this project. We started working together. The veterans had mental issues, but they were committed to doing the best we could. Priscilla Lucero (Southwest New Mexico Council of Government executive director) helped us. We first got $20,000. The government sent it to Santa Clara. We learned the hard way about government. But we kept on moving on the project. This was mind settling and helped the veterans with PTSD. They were talking together and making themselves feel better with what they would doing. David Pratesi and his wife continue to work there every day. That memorial has kept him alive. We started with nothing. I told one veteran that this project will never end. We have our meetings there. We enjoy being there. It is our home. Thanks to the county for letting us do something at Bataan Memorial Park. When we came back from Vietnam, people threw rocks at us, but we, the veterans, have accomplished a great place. We were all moved to do what we wanted. We made a pact to never have an argument. We will be building a sidewalk, so the disabled veterans can visit. We have had visitors from all over the country, as well as from Japan and Italy."

Commissioners approved the agreement.

Under resolutions, the first agreed to give support and financial commitment for the Corre Caminos Transportation System. Dominguez explained that it was a standard county cash match, no increase.

Commissioners approved the resolution.

The following resolution considered the adoption of the infrastructure improvement plans for the Mimbres Valley and Gila Senior Centers.

Jon Prejean of Hidalgo Medical Services, which manages the senior centers, two of which are owned by the county, said the ICIPs are for the years 2024-28. For the Mimbres Senior Center total costs for the period are $535,000, with the first for a transit and delivery vehicle for $85,000, next is for interior improvements for $150,000 and lastly for solar panels, which would be $300,000. For the Gila Senior Center, facilities improvements for $120,000, $46,000 for a transit vehicle and $300,000 for solar panels, he said. "We've been using Ford Escapes, but economically, they are not as sound as Toyota RAV4s, which are more reliable and have better safety. We want them more for transit and delivery."

Edwards said and asked: "I know they used to do this, back in the day. What if 10 people want to go to a casino? What will you use? Seniors want to get out and go somewhere. If you had a van, you could use it for travel."

Prejean said some of the other centers do have vans and could be used. "But I'm not sure about that. I will get an answer and get back to you."

The next resolution was the certificate of property tax rates in mills for tax year 2022.

County Assessor Raul Turrieta said the rates had come in late. "The whole state was wondering when we would get them. The numbers matched the July numbers I reported to you. Copper production went up in valuation, up to $7.5 million in valuation compared to last year."

No one had questions and the commissioners approved the resolution on the certificate at the regular meeting.

Vasquez listed the items that required adjustments to the accepted fiscal year 2023 budget. Most addressed grant funding received and expended Commissioners approved the resolution.

The next resolution addressed an amended Grant County ICIP. County Planner Randy Hernandez said the vocational school had been moved from No. 14 on the list to No. 6, which moved all the ones below it down one notch.

District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings noted: "Dr. Shepard said he wanted it in the top 5."

Hernandez said because the county is a partner in the vocational school, "we support it, but it doesn't impact our priorities. And I don't know where the $5 million number came from."

Browne said the number might have come from when Silver Schools was working with the county and Silver City

Interim County Manager Randy Villa said the amount is for utilities. "They are not counting on us to do anything other than our commitment to help with utilities."

Browne suggested perhaps bond funds could be used for it. "But we're only asking for $4 million on the bond."

Ponce said he would ask in the next meeting. "I'm not sure about the size of the facility. Western has funding for a study."

Edwards said she wondered if the total price of $20 million was enough if it's going to be highly energy efficient. "I'm fine with putting it at No. 6, but it would be nice to have more information."

Commissioners approved at the regular meeting the revised ICIP, as they had discussed at the work session.

The last resolution addressed support of the merger of the Santa Rita and Fort Bayard volunteer fire departments into a single district.

Villa, who also serves as the county fire management officer, said merging the two into the Fort Bayard Volunteer Fire Department makes sense. The Santa Rita VFD chief has retired.

FBVFD Chief Enrique Rodriguez said he would oversee the Santa Rita VFD also.

Villa said several steps had to be done before the resolution came before the commissioners. "The district met to agree on the merger, and they got permission from the State Fire Marshal to merge. Most of our volunteers are 60 or older. We're working on recruitment and retention. Training is free and is a step toward a job as a paid firefighter. I support this merger."

Rodriguez said the Fort Bayard VFD would encompass the Hanover, Santa Rita and Fort Bayard areas. "The Fort Bayard area is larger and has more apparatuses.

Villa noted that the multiple stations would remain, but would be one department.

Rodriguez noted that it was similar to the Pinos Altos and Tyrone VFDs, which have numerous stations. "I will still have to do the paperwork for all of them until we get a new insurance rating. I've already got a list. Fort Bayard will have four stations; we were the only one in Grant county with only one station. Silver City has four stations. He said water might be an issue, but I think it will be easy to get the insurance rating lowered. I'm a retired firefighter from the Silver City Fire Department."

Commissioners approved the merger.

The final item before commissioner reports was consideration of the Grant County Health Care Claims Board. The commissioners recessed from the Board of Commissioners to be members of the health care claims board. They approved six claims for a total of $6,791.70

Commissioners approved indigent claims.

At the work session, no commissioner had comments, although Billings said he had already said everything.

At the regular meeting, Ponce said he knew Billings had been working hard on the emergency declaration on the flooding in the Gila Valley and on connecting with FEMA for potential funding for repairs. Ponce said he also appreciated the meeting to take place in Cliff on potential funding.

He said he had heard some misinformation, and his concern was on the filling out of forms for funding. "What I decided with Mr. Billings was to set up a meeting with Reps. (Rebecca) Dow and (Luis)Terrazas and Sen (Siah) Hemphill along with a representative from Sen. (Martin) Heinrich's office. It will be Tuesday at 10 to determine where we go from here. There are different forms for different things that happened in the flooding. We have the meeting in Cliff, and we will have one in Mimbres. I think after that our emergency manager (Justin Gojkovich) and Ashley Byer from Sen. Heinrich's office can take care of it. We will ask Justin to give us a report at the next work session."

Edwards noted the meeting on Tuesday would not be a public meeting. "We need to work as quickly as possible. Livelihoods are at risk. I appreciate your moving on this."

Kevin Hubbs, administrative assistant, said as he received information, he would post it on the county website and on the county Facebook page.

Villa said he would be notifying residents in Mimbres and in Cliff-Gila "that we are working on getting the information compiled."

Browne said that several speakers mentioned that private and public funding are available for different types of damage.

Villa said he was working with Gojkovich on the FEMA funding for public infrastructure and with NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Services) for private needs.

Ponce noted the misinformation getting out is too much. "We are trying to clarify it and sort it out."

Villa said it was critical to get the public infrastructure done to help the private owners get water into their acequias.

Billings noted that all three diversions were washed out. "This flood happened in growing season, not in the winter like most floods."

Browne said he was concerned about references to people hauling water for their cattle. "Can the county help with hauling water to fill a few-week gap?"

Billings said he would ask the question at the meeting that evening. "I'll put it in Justin's ear."

Edwards asked a similar question if county heavy equipment could be used to remove debris.

Autumn Bruton, who gave public input earlier in the meeting, said that a representative of the state Acequias Association came to the ditch owners. "He toured Cliff and Gila, but not Mimbres."

Billings said it took most of a day for him to get with the right people.

Edwards guessed that Mimbres hadn't gotten as much attention, because they don't have an association like the Gila Basin Irrigation Commission.

Villa said he had also sent a letter to the NRCS and the Grant Soil and Water District regarding the Black Fire damage. "The whole state is underwater, so NRCS is swamped. We're trying to get the ball rolling with the NRCS by creating maps and assisting with getting information to the right people, including Ashley."

Edwards said she was glad they were getting Byer to the area. "And the misinformation is bad. People are shocked when they hear it is an 18-month wait for NRCS funding."

Ponce said he was thankful the governor had signed the emergency declaration for the Cliff-Gila Valley the previous day. "Without that, these steps we're taking wouldn't be possible."

Billings thanked Ponce for meeting with Byer. "Too many of us are going in different directions. And Hidalgo County, which also had damage from the same flooding as Cliff-Gila, missed getting into the emergency declaration. I think Ashley will be able to help us, so we're all on the same page. I thank Howie (Lt. Gov. Morales), too, because on Friday, he knew the emergency declaration was coming. Justin has really hit the ground running. He is already going back to 2013 to fix something by September 2022."

Villa said he and Gojkovich are working together "and we will have all the resources to get it done. I'm pretty impressed with him. The 6 p.m. meeting was put together by citizens of Cliff and Gila, with Autumn helping, to get and give information. It has been an idea for the governor to declare emergency flooding for the entire state."

Edwards said she appreciated all the work that's been done—"Villa's leadership and everyone showing up today. Hopefully our meeting on Tuesday will get everyone going in the same direction."

Distrcit 2 Commissioner Javier "Harvey" Salas said: "I echo that. It's what county government should be doing with everyone working together."

Browne had no additional comments.

The commissioners went into executive session but said no action items would take place after the closed session, and that they would adjourn from the executive session.

For the previous articles, please visit: https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/74190-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-090622-part-1 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/74224-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-090622-part-2; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/74257-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-090622-part-3; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/74283-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-090622-part-4; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/74382-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-090622-and-regular-meeting-090822-part-5; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/74408-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-090622-and-regular-meeting-090822-part-6; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/74425-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-090622-and-regular-meeting-090822-part-7 .