Photo and article by Mary Alice Murphy

img 6363From left are Commissioner Billy Billings, Commission Chair Chris Ponce, representatives of Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Services, Chelsea Cooper and Rosalind Burns, and Commissioner Harry Browne.

[Editor’s Note: This is part three of the Grant County Commission work session on March 7, 2023, and the regular meeting held March 9, 2023. This one begins with the review of the regular meeting and gets into the first  presentation that took place at the regular meeting.]

In the review of the regular meeting on March 9, 2023, at the work session on March 7, 2023, County Manager Charlene Webb noted public input was early on the agenda. 

Three people gave public input at the regular meeting. 

Dusty Hunt of the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District spoke first. “We met yesterday and decided we would take the lead on the $3 million in funding provided through the NRCS (National Resources Conservation Services) as a co-sponsor with Grant County to distribute the funds to those affected by the August 2022 flooding, [as a result of the Black Fire]. The funding will make irrigators whole. It is incumbent that we give them the opportunity to repair their ditches. We will meet with County Emergency Manager Justin Gojkovich to form an effective team.”

Cross Point Church Pastor Tim Heyer said: “Any contact I have had with the county has been stellar. If there is any way I can help, I encourage you to contact me. The best is yet to come.”

The third speaker was Joe Griswold, who owns property next to the County Administration Center. “I have tried a bunch of times to talk to the Sheriff and the supervisors about access to my property. This building was originally a TGY property with which we had common parking to everyone. We have a commercial property next to the east side of this building. You moved the sheriff’s department parking next to the east entrance to the department’s office. The sheriff started parking trucks all over that lot. I can’t let you do that. Between the properties, there is an easement, but the sheriff’s department put up a chain link fence and cut my easement on my side of the property. I can’t get into that lot. The fence is on about six to 12 inches of my property. Then they put a gate and their four-wheelers in front of it as well as garbage. If I were interested in selling it, we would sell it for what we put into it. I tried to find someone to appraise it, but there’s nobody to appraise it. All I want is the rights of ownership. Cars are stopping my ingress and egress. Should I be put on the agenda? They’re talking about putting in more fence.”

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce advised Griswold to be put on a future agenda by talking to the county manager.

Webb reported a proclamation would declare April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. 

At the regular meeting, Executive Assistant Crystal Arellano read the proclamation, which was received by Executive Director Chelsea Cooper and Rosalind Burns of SRSASS (Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Services).

Commissioners approved the proclamation and presented it to the two representatives of SRSASS.

Heidi Ogas of the High Desert Humane Society presented the annual report from the agency. She reported that 73 dogs were impounded, 145 stray dogs were taken in with 166 owner turn ins, totaling 383 for the year, 94 of which were returned to owner. Twelve cats were impounded 211 picked up as strays, and 154 owner turn ins, for a total of 377, but only two had been returned to owner. Impound fees totaled $2,543 and license payments totaled $6556.35.

For the humane society as a whole, 399 dogs and cats were adopted, with 231 of those to Grant County residents. “We issued 1,090 spay and neuter assistance coupons. Our dog and cat numbers remain fairly consistent.”

She showed a graph of a yearly comparison from 2022 back to 2007, with totals ranging from 1,262 in 2011to a low of 674 in 2016. The total in 2022 was 760.

“Chairman Ponce and I will set a meeting with the sheriff on how we can work together to make sure our policies and procedures are consistent with the county’s,” Ogas said. “Our owner turn in numbers were kind of high. We work to help owners keep their pets. We receive $9,000 from the state to help owners spay and neuter their pets. Owners can match our coupon with state funding for the spay and neuter fees. We hold monthly vaccination clinics, and the shots cost less than they do at veterinarians’ offices. Albertson’s gave us a grant and their motto is feed the hungry, so we put dog and cat food into Ziploc bags, which are given to pet owners at the food distributions at The Commons. In the winter we give out straw to help owners have bedding to keep their pets warm and dry. We also offer a 30-minute training with Wilderness Kennel Club to those who adopt from the shelter.

"Our downtown thrift store, Our Paws Cause, donates 100 percent of its earnings to the shelter," she continued. "It has paid for new HVAC and new outdoor runs. We put a lot back into the community. Excess books that we get we take to SWAG, which is another non-profit. We take excess hardware and building supplies to the Gila Repair and Resale. We provide jackets, blankets and sheets to SPIN and SOS, the overnight shelter. We provide excess toiletries and clothing to the Gospel Mission. Anything they cannot use they donate to a place in Texas that donates to third world countries. They also take in medical supplies, such as ankle bracelets and crutches. Broken glass and ceramics, artist groups like. Nobody is now taking in aluminum cans, so we are not collecting them anymore. We are still working toward building an adoption shelter. One concern we have is the location is near where one cavern on our property caved in on Boston Hill. We want to put in a bat entrance there. We have extremely low water pressure at the shelter, so we are working on that. And in 2023, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary, and we are getting new T-shirts. We will have a celebration in September, but we’re not sure what yet.”

Ponce said: “Thank you for everything you do.”

The next article will complete the presentations and get into the full agenda for review and decisions.

For the previous articles, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/77046-grant-county-commission-work-session-held-march-7-2023-part-1; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/77082-grant-county-commission-work-session-held-march-7-2023-part-2 .

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