[Editor's Note: This is the fourth of a multi-part series of articles on the Grant County Commission's work session on May 9, 2023 and regular meeting on May 11, 2023. This article continues with Commission updates from county department heads.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
The next county report came from the General Services/Fire Management Director Randy Villa.
He spoke first about the airport. "Alamogordo and our fire base are the only ones open for fighting fires in the state at this time. We are ready for any fire in New Mexico, West Texas and Eastern Arizona. We have an air tanker, a spotter plane, two Type 1 helicopters and a medical helicopter with two seats."
Villa said April fuel sales for Advanced Airlines had totaled $79,835 for 15,558 gallons. All other sales totaled $111,852 for 16,238 gallons. "We added another 5,000-gallon Jet A fuel truck. For the fuel farm project, Airport Manager Rebekah Wenger has made a change to the FAA grant to increase the request by $475,000 to relieve the financial stress on the county. We thank staff for working with us in meeting grant deadlines."
He noted that the DWI Program has a new vehicle and will also get a new display trailer to set up at events. "They are also updating the compliance equipment, including breathalyzers and ankle monitors."
"On maintenance, we worked with IT to get the Detention Center ready for the body scanner," Villa reported. "We started cleaning up the grounds at the administration building and at the (Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and) Conference Center. We started striping parking lots. We are working on sliding doors at the Detention Center. We are moving from heating to cooling for the summer and checking filters on all units. Now that we have a parks person, things are working well. Victor (Placencio) is doing a great job at Bataan Memorial Park and the Fairgrounds."
On the fire side, he said they had put together a training committee to map out trainings for all the departments to train together. "Maybe we will have some all-day trainings on Saturdays, so we know who's qualified to do what and when." He reported a grass fire in the Indian Hill area that Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department and Silver City Fire Department put out. A small fire on Western Drive was put out by Tyrone VFD and SCFD. A large tire and grass fire south of town involved Tyrone, Whiskey Creek, Fort Bayard and PA VFDs, along with SCFD. He said they had also attended the prescribed burns in the Mimbres area, with Sapillo Creek VFD helping to fill the pumpkin water tanks. "You have the run numbers showing what the VFDs are doing. They were called out 121 times for fire and EMS calls."
Villa said Corre Caminos Manager Kim Dominguez had planned to attend to give her report but had a bus problem that morning. "The Department of Transportation is looking at rebranding the program. She's hoping it will be another year or more before she will have to increase the cash match. "
For future projects, the parking lot at Silver Street will begin soon; the apron maintenance project at the airport will go out to bid this month, and the fuel farm project should begin soon.
He said Jason Lockett of Facilities and Grounds Maintenance would talk about the Shooting Range project.
Lockett said the county had signed a 30-year lease with the Forest Service for the shooting range property in 2019 and the years are ticking down. "We want to reach out for some Pittman-Robertson funding under Fish and Wildlife. Any funding received from the program has a 90-10 split, with 90 percent being the Pittman-Robertson money and 10 percent the county. We want to be able to depreciate the metal building over a certain number of years. We want your support and guidance on this project. We started the NEPA process years ago. We wanted about $100,000 for design and construct. Then everything shut down when we realized we needed the 30-year lease to proceed. If the county could commit $100,000 that could get us $1 million worth of work."
District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked if the $1 million was the amount of work that needed to be done.
Lockett said that's a ballpark figure. If the county put in $50,000 then it could get $500,000.
Browne asked if an assessment had been done for what was needed.
A representative of New Mexico Game and Fish was ramrodding shooting range projects across the state, Lockett said. "I think that's how much we had earmarked for the shooting range, but it got spent on another project. I wanted to make sure we have your support."
District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings asked what improvements Lockett had in mind.
"We want to improve the berms and we would like to add another skeet island on the skeet range so we could have competitions for shotguns on that side," Lockett replied. "We have water to the edge of the property, and we would like to bring water and sewer in. We would like a 30X30 metal building with ADA access to the bathrooms and to the shooting platforms. We would be removing the vault restrooms that are out there. On the upper range, we would be doing some berm work to allow shooting competitions. We have three clubs that shoot out there regularly. We could host some competitions, if the area is large enough and maybe build some shade structures. We could possibly do some reclamation. The range has been in sure for 40-45 years, so we need reclamation, such as copper and lead. That could also support the project."
District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards said: "I remember this conversation a long time ago. I remember the $100,000 match. So, you're talking about using that $100,000 to come up with the plan to do all these improvements."
Lockett said the match had to be cash, not in kind. "We would work hard with the public, the gun clubs and maybe even put an archery range out there. If you come up with a $1 million plane, we would have the $100,000 match."
Browne asked if the design part could be part of the match, and Lockett confirmed that part would be.
Browne also asked if there were any other funding sources other than the Pittman-Robertson funding. Webb said she wasn't sure.
"I would like to know what we are not doing if we put the funding toward this," Browne said.
Edwards asked if it could be phased. She said she would be in support, but she would like answers to the questions.
Lockett said he was not sure how often the county would be eligible for the funding.
"I think it's just picking a number for ease of estimates," Webb said. "Costs for design are also going up."
Lockett said he would get answers to all the questions. Game and Fish has helped with other shooting range improvements and may have estimates of how much this project would cost.
Billings asked about the usage of the range.
"In 2022, we had 5,500 shooters," Lockett said. "The year before, we had 6,500. In the summer, we have about 120-130 every weekend and I've seen up to 170 on a weekend. Around hunting season, about 100 or more. 4-H uses it regularly. They have shooting competitions out there regularly. We have a 1,000-yard range, and there are only a few in the state."
District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said: "I would like to see this happen to keep people from shooting in the forest. What about the fees at the range?"
Lockett said the advisory board was starting to meet again, and they would be determining the fees. "Right now, it's $5 a day and an annual pass is $75."
District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina said he supported the effort.
Edwards said even $5 for one day use would bring in a substantial amount of money and $75 for an annual pass seems reasonable.
Locket said he has seen other states charging $100 for a half day. "The Forest Service loves that we have this range."
Edwards said she supports the reclamation piece for improving the environment.
"We have a plan for reclamation," Lockett said. "Every 10 years, we test for lead. The soil we have out there keeps the lead from traveling."
Browne asked Villa about the tire fire.
Villa replied that the landowner had told them he was using a pitchfork and struck a rock that sparked and started the fire. "The Silver City Fire Department is investigating it."
Browne said that he understood that poorly stored tires could spontaneously combust.
"Could be," Villa said.
The next article will continue Commission updates from department heads.
For the previous articles, visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78186-grant-county-commissioners-choose-new-grmc-board-of-trustees-members-051123; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78245-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-050923-part-2; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78277-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-050923-part-3 .