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Published: 16 November 2022 16 November 2022

[Editor’s Note: This is part 4 of a multi-article series on the Oct. 11, 2022 work session and the Oct. 13 regular meeting. This one continues with county reports.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

Grant County Detention Center Administrator Joseph Andazola presented the first county report at the Oct. 11 work session.

“We have four new officers in training and one officer opening,” Andazola said. “We are working hard on recruitment. We battle with schedules and losing people. We lost one to Catron County and one to Fort Bayard. We are also working on retention and will promote some to sergeant, so we have a sergeant on each shift and then we will promote some to corporal positions.”

He talked about the JUSThealth program contract, which has been reviewed by the attorney and was ready for signature. “We plan to move forward on an additional contract for the state to provide funding for the PE position to be placed on the commission agenda for approval.”

Andazola reported the jail, as of Sept. 30, 2022, housed 94 detainees, with the average daily population in September at 99. “Today we have 89.”

The RISE program in September 2022 had 24 participants, with 12 in the facility and 12 receiving services in the community. He said a report was due the following week.

“We plan to go live on Guardian RFID on Nov. 8,” Andazola said. “We are working with IT and WNM Communications for a new link to the new magistrate court building for teleport hearings. We are also working with IT on issues with our internet and phone service at the jail. IT is asking for a full review of the equipment and service provided to the facility. We have been having outages due to rain.”

He said one of the discussions in the upcoming New Mexico Counties Detention Affiliate Retreat will address staffing. Another may be on state funding for hiring and retention of officers.

Andazola said he has asked a member of the state accreditation team to assess the detention center and help in the application for accreditation next year.

“We are also updating policies and procedures,” he reported. “It has been almost three years since we were put on Covid protocols. We still are under strict requirements. Idle hands and idle minds cause problems. We need to bring back programs into the facility at the beginning of the year. Our five-year plan is close to being submitted. We request support for a body scanner, which will cost about $120,000 to $130,000, but it will keep the facility safer.”

District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards asked how much an IT improvement for the jail would cost. She was told about $600,000.

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said the New Mexico Counties have talked a lot about detention centers and the need for more funding and support. “When grants are available, are we assessing and applying?”

General Services Director and Interim County Manager Randy Villa said he looks at what is available and “I give the information to department heads and elected officials. I also work with the Planning Department to determine the criteria and how much the county match is.”

Andazola said the Detention Center affiliates are staying in touch. New Mexico Counties got a grant for personal protection equipment.

 

Villa noted the County Managers Affiliate is also tracking grant opportunities.

[Editor’s Note: Due to the length of many meetings and the editor’s and main reporter’s limited time to write, because of deluges of email and the fact that since the pandemic is no longer raging, everybody and his or her uncle is having meetings and events that should be covered by the Beat, the format of some meetings will change. Be prepared. And it will start here in this article now.]

Next county report: Planning Director Randy Hernandez

Current projects include the Arenas Valley Road (Design). According to Hernandez, the scoping and development are scheduled to be complete with 30-45 days. Engineering is working to determine and identify any right-of-way processes. Colonias has provided the funding

The grant writing consultant is in the process of providing a grant plan, funded by an ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) allocation. Hernandez noted the consultant, Incite, would meet in an informal retreat with the commissioners once Manager Charlene Webb is back in the position.

Little Walnut Road design is expected in October 2022, with the readiness to proceed items due by Oct. 10, 2022 to access construction funds. Colonias funded

The North Hurley Road Phase III final design is 100 percent complete. Staff will meet with the engineer and review and accept the final plans and work toward funding for construction. Colonias funded the design portion.

Pinos Altos VFD in Dos Griegos loan application has been submitted to the New Mexico Finance authority, with expected determination of loan on Oct. 27, 2022.

The Ridge Road design is scheduled for 100 percent completion by the end of October. Colonias funded.

The Trails and Outdoor Recreation Plan final draft by SE Group will be submitted in October and will be considered for approval at the November meeting. A Legislative capital appropriation funded the project.

The Truck Bypass Road construction redesign stands at 60 percent complete. “We will meet with the engineer and finalize the design to prepare for a re-bid.”

Future projects include the Quality of Life grant, which was supposed to be determined by the end of August, but everyone is still awaiting the award status. The request would fund the Gila Community Center and Park, and the Bataan Memorial Park.

Hernandez said he would submit a funding application to the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for turf at Bataan Memorial Park.

He noted two items on the regular meeting agenda included a resolution of real property for the Whiskey Creek volunteer fire department and an ordinance for the Bald Knoll Road possible vacation and abandonment.

Hernandez also informed the commissioners that Linda Fernandez has been hired as code enforcement officer.

Ponce asked if the department was doing any ads in support of the bond issues on the election ballot. Hernandez explained: “We can’t use public funds to advocate for support, but we are doing what we can.”

General Services Department

Jason Lockett, facilities and grounds supervisor, reported:

The Grant County Airport would issue a bid for fuel farm upgrades.

In maintenance, personnel are stuccoing the front pillars at the Courthouse.

The Cliff-Gila playground equipment was scheduled for installation the following day.

Painting projects continue at the county Silver Street building.

Maintenance and clean up at Bataan Park continue from washouts due to runoff after recent rains.

The DWI program continues to work on the client database transition. New drug testing is in progress. Program policies and procedures were updated, and the October anti-bullying campaign is in progress in the schools.

Corre Caminos is preparing for the Department of Transportation drug and alcohol program technical assistance review. The program has an opening for one driver. The program also is preparing for the NM DOT compliance site visit and program review, Nov. 1 and 2.

Future projects: The airport runway-taxiway maintenance is projected to begin, with work completed at night so air service is not disrupted.

Maintenance includes the Guardian RFID tracking system installation at the Detention Center and the manager’s office covid-safe remodel, which includes the Clerk’s office.

DWI is working on a float for the Lighted Parade, MRT (moral reconation therapy - a cognitive-behavioral treatment system) begins in November; the accreditation process has started for the misdemeanor compliance program and the YSAPC (Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition) has kicked off its fall ad campaign

Corre Caminos has installed metal structure bus stops at pre-determined locations.

Lockett noted that Mike Davila has started at the airport, so the facility is now fully staffed. The Corre Caminos new fiscal year began Oct. 1, as it is federally funded. The DWI program would work with several events in October.

Financial Director Linda Vasquez was reviewing the banking services request for proposal and preparing for the auditors to continue audit field work.

Road Department Superintendent Joe Grijalva said blademen continue their routine work, when possible, as well as providing spot blading to complaints received on troubled areas due to wet conditions. Truck drivers haul material to operators; the road crew addresses complaints as they come in; the road crew is thinning trees and shrubs on Little Walnut Road for an upcoming special project; and a construction crew is preparing Aqua Blanca Street for curb and gutter.

Future projects include installation of School Bus Loading Zone signs and lights in the Tyrone townsite; and installation of flashing warning lights on Airport Road.

Grijalva noted he continues to compile cost on work on flooded roads and bridges and estimates it is up to $42,000. He also works with the Emergency Management office on flooding information. “As always we ask for patience and understanding from the public as we work to address work orders.”

Ponce asked about Rock Road in Pinos Altos. Grijalva has talked to the NM DOT District Manager Trent Doolittle about the issue.

Edwards thanked Grijalva for the department’s quick response to complaints. “I appreciate that you are doing the best you can.”

Grijalva pointed out that 620 feet of Casas Adobes Road in Mimbres was never taken up for maintenance by the county. “That road is one of the main arteries in the subdivision, and it gets rough. It goes up to the water supply. Our chip seal ends right at where we’re proposing one of my special projects to get chip sealed.”

IT Director Report: Villa presented in the absence of director Adam Baca.

Current projects included replacement of the network firewall in the Administration Building; tightening down network security for elections’ efforts, increasing wireless networking at the Detention Center; preparing the Detention Center network for the Guardian-RFID system and the Encartele/CIDNET tablets.

Future projects including beginning the architecting and designing of the managed network switching environment and beginning the review of CIS-CAT (center for internet security) Pro Assessor (software) for the desktop fleet. As of September 2022, the early termination of the contract with IT support group Spectrum was complete. Villa noted that would bring a $70,000 annual savings to the county.

District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings asked if the county has plans for any other communications providers, as he had received an email from Baca concerned about the current provider.

Villa said: “If we’re not getting services, then we need to terminate the contract.”

On the issue at the Detention Center, Billings said that WNM Communications is “becoming famous for not delivering what they promise.”

Villa said he would look into it, and he didn’t know if the county has a fixed-line contract with WNM. “If we need to change providers we will.”

Billings said especially the Detention Center needs internet access for safety purposes and reliability is a concern, if they can’t communicate.

Emergency Manager Justin Gojkovich:

“From Aug. 20-22, we had multiple different flooding events,” Gojkovich said. They include in Cliff-Gila, the Upper Mimbres, the Lower Mimbres and Faywood areas, which were all severely impacted by the floods.”

FEMA and the state of New Mexico conducted damage assessments on Sept. 26 and 27, 2022. “I completed the assessments on Sept. 19 and 30,” Gojkovich said. “The preliminary numbers of about $115,000 in damage meet the threshold to receive funding.”

He noted that some areas did some ditch repairs on Sept. 22 and got washed out again. “We walked the ditches with FEMA and the state. About three miles on the Lower Mimbres were totally washed out. My estimates of damage in Cliff and Gila are about $118,000. In the Mimbres, we started the same process from McKnight Canyon to the Luna County line. I turned in my report on Oct. 3.”

He said he had an in-person visit set up for Oct. 13 with FEMA representatives to go over the hazard mitigation application. “We have not updated the hazard mitigation plan since 2008.”

Gojkovich has sent letters to individuals along the rivers who live within half a mile of the river. “I’ve had varying responses, and I’m getting emails asking about different kinds of resources that may be available for funding.”

Gojkovich: “I spoke with NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Services) and they said damages were more than $3 million. I expect to see that quadruple. We have 90 days to get the report to the NRCS, but we’re at least 18 months away from their funding anything. I will get the document submitted, so we don’t get dropped.”

“The fire plan is due by Oct. 31, if I can get it done. I will try. The next step on the flooding is that FEMA will get together all the records. Thirteen counties are eligible, if they get the documents ready. We can get up to $3.4 million if we get a federal emergency declaration. If not, we’ll get state funding of $750,000, only for public ditches for repairs, not for any improvements. For assistance, they have to do their own work and get reimbursement.”

Billings asked about the flood damage to the school grounds at Cliff. He noted the well was not breached.

Gojkovich said by his estimate about 90 percent of the damage was to private land.

District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked about the asphalt spill on highway 15 above Pinos Altos.

Gojkovich said the driver was not where he was supposed to be. “Doolittle said the chip seal project was not where the driver was.”

Villa said it was a few days after the asphalt spill that he found out about it. “All my questions were about where we were in the response.”

Ponce said it happened on Sept. 26 and Oct. 4 was the first time he heard about it and that was also when the lt. governor heard about it.

“Wouldn’t a closed toad trigger a response to us?” Browne asked.

“A lot of the responsibility was on the truck driver and the company,” Ponce said. “It would be better for people to call us rather than just posting on Facebook.”

Villa noted: “Definitely policies and procedures were not followed.”

The next article will address the review at the work session of the regular meeting agenda of Oct. 13, 2022, and it will include the reports and decisions at the regular meeting.

For the prior presentation from GCWEDA, please visit: https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/75074-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-101122-part-1; on the chamber and conference center, visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/75124-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-101122-part-2; and for the discussion on essential air service, visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/75141-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-101122-part-3 .