[Editor's Note: This is part 6 of a series of articles that will cover the Grant County Commission work session of Jan. 10, 2023, as well as the regular session of Jan. 12, 2023.)

By Mary Alice Murphy

To continue the Grant County Commission Jan. 10 work session and Jan. 12, 2023 regular meeting, County Manager Charlene Webb began with a work session review of the regular meeting agenda, and this report also presents the decisions commissioners made at the regular meeting.

Financial Officer Linda Vasquez, at the work session, presented the monthly expenditure report ending Jan. 4.

Expenditures totaled $2,576,231.32, including three pay periods totaling $476,007.76. The chart of extraordinary expenditures is shown below.

Commissioners approved the report at the regular meeting.

The first item of new business under review considered using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding for internet infrastructure for the Detention Center and an overhaul of the county managed network.

"We're trying to chip away at the needs," Webb said. "We are asking for $40,000 for WNM Communications to upgrade the system at the Detention Center; and for the managed network overhaul we are requesting $56,978. So, we are asking for a total of about $97,000 to complete these components as recommended by (IT Director Adam) Baca."

To a question, Baca replied that the fiber optic to the Detention Center was put in by a different vendor but would be utilized by WNM Communications. "We will leverage the existing fiber optic already in the area, which can be tapped into and is much closer to the Detention Center."

Webb noted the switch was supposed to be a temporary solution, but "it fell through the cracks." She said after research they contacted the company and came up with a permanent solution.

District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards thanked Webb and Baca for their work on the issue.

District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings said he sees the quote from WNM, and it mentions the 50/50 bandwidth. Baca explained that it is 50 megabits download and 50 megabits upload, "which are available for video arraignments."

Billings said he would like to see more words in the quote, because he has been on the losing end of one of "these contracts. When it says up to 50 Mb, that means anywhere from zero to 50. My experience was closer to zero. I won't vote for something that says up to. We need a minimum, and they need to guarantee that minimum."

Baca said he would follow up. "But the percentage is that they achieve 98 percent most of the time. The reason I didn't ask for a guarantee is that this is only going to be leveraged for the video arraignment. It's essentially a separate service. It will not be coupled with the internet connection at the Detention Center. That's why it's a separate item on the quote."

"So, you're satisfied they will come through?" Billings asked.

Baca said he would definitely look at the service. "I am comfortable with that because it is a separate item. I do see your point."

Edwards asked what DIA meant. Baca said: "Direct Internet Access."

"For internet they are saying 1 gigabit up and 1 gigabet down," Edwards continued. "The video is for arraignment, so what about the video surveillance?"

Baca said the video surveillance is actually internal and not connected to the internet service.

Webb said the connections would work similarly to what "we have in this building."

Baca noted: "We've had drops in service very few times, and they were usually only for a moment."

District 5 Comm issioner Harry Browne noted that Zoom calls have been unreliable.

Baca said that laptops might not have the latest software. "It can be our laptops or their laptops. We have run more wires in this room that should help. It is a lot of factors."

Edwards confirmed that the gig up and gig down would help the safety and security of those at the Detention Center, while the 50/50 would be only for the arraignment, so they could be rescheduled.

Commissioners approved the expenditures at the regular meeting.

The following new business item addressed consideration of a notice of intent to apply for 2023 Colonias funding.

Planning Director Randy Hernandez said it involved three projects. The first for $4.9 million would be for North Hurley Road Phase 3 construction. "I understand that there isn't a lot of Colonias money this year, so we might not get that one."

The second project is for $264,000 for design of 2.5 miles of road drainage projects on Crum Road. The third project requests $150,000 for design of 5.5 miles of Franks Road to connect to Crum Road.

Commissioners, at the regular meeting, approved the notice of intent to apply.

The next item considered the 2023 Volunteer Fire and Rescue annual election of officers: 1. Cliff/Gila; 2. Fort Bayard; 3. Lower Mimbres; 4. Pinos Altos; 5. Sapillo Creek; 6. Tyrone; 7. Upper Mimbres; and 8. Whiskey Creek.

Webb noted a correction for one assistant chief.

At the regular meeting, commissioners approved the officer elections.

The following item considered the EMS (emergency medical services) Fund Act local funding program applications and EMS annual service reports for fiscal year 2024 for 1. Gila Regional; 2. Gila Regional East; 3. Gila Valley West; 4. Pinos Altos; 5. Tyrone District 1; and 6. Tyrone District 2.

Commissioners approved the applications and reports.

After considering, at the work session, the asset deletion/transfer request No. 4 for the fiscal year 2023 from Procurement Officer Veronica Rodriguez, in which she said the 1994 Chevy Kodiak from the Road Department would be put up for auction, commissioners approved the item at the regular meeting.

Also in new business, commissioners considered the purchase of a Caterpillar motor graders for the Road Department. Webb said the county leases the graders. "We need to order them now. It's a bit of an emergency. Because of supply issues, we are looking at a year out. Our monthly payments will double, and right now the leasing costs $11,000 a month. Every five years, we trade in all six graders to get new ones. And we trade in the old ones."

Browne suggested getting one new one a year, if it would benefit the county to always have one new one on hand.

Webb said she had never seen it done that way, but she would ask.

District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina asked if the trade in changes if it's a year out. Webb said it is estimated using the number of hours of normal annual use and a year out. "I asked that question, also. We protect the value of those machines as much as possible."

Commissioners approved the order.

Next, the commissioners considered the 2023 County holidays. Webb noted that the number had grown to 13 holidays instead of 12, because of the addition of Juneteenth. "We also traded out Presidents' Day for the day after Thanksgiving and Indigenous People's Day for the day after Christmas."

Commissioners approved the holidays.

The final item of new business considered using ARPA funding for the GovPros credit card payment services. Webb said the cost is just shy of $13,000 and would provide new credit card machines and replace the manual system the county uses at present. "It's critical. The policy was added to the budget, but the purchase, although you talked about it, was never approved by you last year, so I'm asking for your approval for compliance with our own policy. It will tie in with Tyler and will run all the reports the treasurer is required to do."

Medina asked if the cost would include training for IT or the treasurer. Webb confirmed that it does include the training, but she would check other details before the Thursday meeting. At the regular meeting, commissioners did approve the purchase using ARPA funding.

The next article will get into agreements and resolutions.

For the preceding articles, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/76055-grant-county-commission-work-session-011023-part-1; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/76085-grant-county-commission-work-session-011023-part-2; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/76114-grant-county-commission-work-session-011023-part-3;
https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/76169-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-011023-and-regular-meeting-011223-part-4; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/76178-grant-county-commission-hears-presentations-at-regular-meeting-011223-part-5 .