Commissioners Billings, Kasten, Ramos, Browne and Edwards give a proclamation on Fiesta Latina to Raul Turrieta, Manuel Rodriguez, Rosemary Grijalva, Monica Cuevas and Faye McCalmont.

Photo and article by Mary Alice Murphy

The first person to give public input at the Grant County Commission regular session on May 18, 2017, was Glen Navarro of Loma Verde subdivision, which recently had its roads improved.

"I have talked to the manager, but at the intersection of Loma Verde West and Ventana going south, it doesn't made sense to have a stop sign," Navarro said. "They chopped down trees to clear the view for drivers at the intersection. I walk the road all the time and I have gotten hit twice. I would like both stop signs removed. There is no need to have them there. I also talked to Earl about the ice, and he said it was from a groove from putting water on the road. The manager told me the stop signs were according to the uniform traffic code."

 

The next speaker was Ron Henry, who spoke to the commissioners with the same statement he had read at the Forum on the Cancer Center on Tuesday evening. "I said then, the reason I stay, is because of the strong sense of community here. I was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago and was told it would likely recur. I stand here healthy 10 years later because of community support and the professional care I received at the Cancer Center. The strong sense of community is alive and well at the Cancer Center."

He said he had friends who went to UNM for treatment. "It's a bureaucracy that can't support the same quality of care of this Cancer Center. When I would call, I would get a return call within minutes. I was shocked to find out that it had been decided to go with UNM and they were already doing negotiations and the only thing that would save our Cancer Center was if negotiations were to break down. I am here to ask you to get more involved, so that we have more control. We don't want outsiders to come in. Time is of the essence."

Frank Bielfeldt of Wind Canyon thanked the commissioners and especially Commissioner Alicia Edwards, his commission district representative, and Michael "Misha" Larisch, the county planning director, who got the road improvement through. "The project is going well."

Commission Chairman Brett Kasten was heard to say: "That doesn't happen often that we get thanked for what we are supposed to do."

Chris DeBolt, who retired from the hospital, but continues to be active in the community, expressed her appreciation to Commissioners Billy Billings and Edwards for organizing the Cancer Center forum and to the others who attended. "The numbers were outstanding. We were heard."

She said her second comment was that she remembers a few short years ago, "and while it appears your tools are limited, I want to ask you to consider what happened a few years ago. We saw the positive effects of what you did then, when you declared no confidence in the hospital administration. I think you have the responsibility this time for what you heard from us on Tuesday night. We depend on you to address this unfortunate decision."

"I hope everyone speaks to the board of trustees with the passion they spoke with that night," Kasten said. "The No. 1 thing they can do to help themselves is to attend the next Board of Trustees meeting on May 26 at noon."

"I will do my best to see a line coming out the door," DeBolt said.

The financial report was the same as what given at the work session. Refer to http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/36812-grant-county-commission-reviews-regular-session-agenda-at-work-session-051617

In reference to an item among the expenditures, Commissioner Gabriel Ramos asked why the county was using Don Chalmers for a vehicle purchase when Lawley Ford can provide the same vehicles.

"I think, at the time, we were not aware that Lawley Ford had everything in place to meet the state prices," County Manager Charlene Webb said.

Melanie Goodman, field representative for Sen. Tom Udall, gave an update on the Secure Rural Schools and Payment in Lieu of Taxes funding.

She explained that because federal lands cannot by taxed by local entities, counties are compensated for not being able to tax. One program, the Secure Rural Schools, is a royalty program, and the second is a payment in lieu of taxes to help counties defray costs. The PILT is paid on national forest and parks and supplements the SRS.

"New Mexico received about $37 million in 2016, with Grant County receiving about $1.23 million for about one million acres of federal land," Goodman said. "In 2016 PILT was fully funded. The omnibus bill just signed provides for full funding for 2017."

She noted, however, that the president's proposed budget calls for a $50 million to $80 million cut in PILT by setting it at a 10-year average. "It could be a 10 percent cut in 2018."

Secure Rural Schools paid $712,000 to Grant County in 2016. "It provides for stewardship of national forest lands. The funding comes primarily from timber sales. Timber sales have declined substantially over the years, up to 99 percent. Congress restored the funding by replacing the royalty funding with guaranteed funding. But Secure Rural Schools was last funded in 2015 and has not been reauthorized. Unless it is reauthorized, it will revert to 25 percent of timber sales. This year it was $26,000 to the county. It needs to be retroactively reauthorized. It was never designed to be permanent funding. The president's budget is silent on Secure Rural Schools."

Goodman said a hearing of the Senate Natural Resources Committee has bi-partisan agreement that more active participation in forest management is required. The Finance Committee would extend Secure Rural Schools for two years.

"Sen. Udall's position recognizes the uncertainties of funding make it difficult to plan budgets," Goodman said. "He supports long-term reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools. He has also advocated for PILT and supports permanent PILT funding. He will continue to fight for this funding. He also supports more than $400 million funding for fire suppression."

Browne asked for clarification on Goodman alluding to a connection between SRS and PILT.

"If a county has been receiving SRS and receives more than average, it may reduce the PILT payment," Goodman replied. She said SRS has three pots of funding—Title 1, Title 2 and Title 3. The first two are for schools and the third for items such as Firewise education.

Edwards asked about the more than $400 million for fires.

Goodman said she thinks it goes directly to the Forest Service to fight fires. "There hasn't been enough funding for the scope of recent fires, and the Forest Service has had to use operating funds that should have been used for managing the forests. Indirectly this money will help Grant County."

Kasten noted that the amount of funding is spread all over the nation, not just in the West.

Billings thanked Goodman for bringing up the point of the need to manage the forests.

Sen. Martin Heinrich field representative, Cynthia Hull, said: "Heinrich does fight for permanent funding for Secure Rural Schools and permanent funding for PILT. He had the opportunity to highlight the tremendous impact on New Mexico if it is not funded. They help pay for essential local services. He has proposed legislation to reauthorize SRS for two years and retroactively fund it for fiscal years 2016 and 2017."

She said the main challenge to reauthorization is the House's reluctance to spend if it's not attached to forest management. SRS is attached to timber sales, which she also said have declined. "Heinrich thinks we need to fix SRS now. He highlighted the need for full funding for both, but it will take time to resolve the differences in forest management."

Hull said several congressmen want to add 25 percent to PILT. "Heinrich has been vocal in attempts to enabling more certain funding."

Browne noted that Grant County received $400,000 for SRS in FY 2015; $200,000 in FY 2016 and $12,000 in FY 2017. "If it is reauthorized retroactively, that could be $600,000 for Grant County."

Billings said Congressman Pearce could not have a representative at the meeting, but in the letter he sent he mentioned all three, including forest management. "We can realize that things we did in the 1960s, '70s and '80s are things we are not doing now."

In his letter, Pearce wrote: "I have long been an advocate for the payment in lieu of taxes program. This only makes sense as local governments have no other choice, as they cannot tax the large parcels of federal land in their backyards." He reported the fiscal year 2017 Omnibus Bill that passed two weeks ago included $465million to fully fund the program. "I have also requested that the FY 2018 Interior Appropriations bill fully fund this program."

Pearce's letter also said: "Decreased active management in our national forests has resulted in lower revenues from timber sales for local communities, which led to the creation of the Secure Rural Schools program. I do not believe that local communities should be punished for the U.S. Forest Service's decision to stop managing our national forests. This lack of management also leaves our local communities at risk for catastrophic wildfire and threatens the watersheds we all rely on."

He was a signatory on two letters that requested that PILT and SRS be funded by the 2018 Interior Appropriation Bill.

"But I believe we must work together to increase forest management to reduce dependence on this programs," Pearce said in his letter. "I will continue to fight to ensure that active forest management is revived in communities, like yours, that are forced to rely heavily on SRS."

Commissioner approved a proclamation naming June 16-18, 2017 as Fiesta Latina Days. To find out more information on the family-oriented event, visit fiestalatina.org.

County Assessor Raul Turrieta said in Spanish and English, the committee members are creating "una experiencia de nuestra cultura for kids, with music and dancing, cultural bridges and borders."

Browne said he understood the group needs volunteers and more information could be found at the website.

Ted Martinez, who collects the solid waste payments at a window in the Treasurer's Office said: "I seek approval for the 107 delinquent solid waste accounts. We send out certified letters to each account holder."

At the work session, it had been explained that when a solid waste account reaches above $100 in delinquencies, a lien is placed on the property.

Edwards asked how the lien could be removed and if it involved a fee.

Martinez explained that if the person comes in to pay the delinquency, "we don't record the lien. But if we record the lien, when they pay, including a fee, we can go into the Clerk's Office and take the lien off. I will record all of these once this is passed." Commissioners approved the list, so liens will be placed on the properties.

Cerisse Grijalva, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments transportation planner said the New Mexico Department of Transportation through federal mandates, requires each region to do planning. "We created a Regional Transportation Planning Organization for each COG. I act as the liaison from the four counties (Grant, Luna, Hidalgo and Catron) to the NM DOT. We elicit transportation projects from the counties, provide data and hold public meetings. We solicit funding every two years from the Transportation Alternatives Program, which receives $25 million per year. The Recreational Trails Program receives $1.3 million a year, and we solicit funding every two years. Local governments have to provide a 14.5 percent match."

The SWNMCOG received Highway Safety Audit funding for Santa Clara and Bayard. The audit provided suggestions to provide pedestrian safety.

"NMDOT District 1 received an agreement from Santa Clara to maintain lighting and a pathway between the village and Bayard," Grijalva said. "We are working on the application for Copper Trails. If the application is accepted, the project will be fully funded, but not until 2020.

Ramos said the county began working on the Copper Trails six years ago. "Through your efforts," he said to Grijalva, "we got involved with the NM DOT. I have asked Turrieta to put together a trails plan. Silver City was awarded trails money to fix the parking lot at the Visitor Center because it is part of the Continental Divide Trail."

Edwards said: "There are a number of road safety audits the district can pursue. We were happy the NMDOT has chosen to fund Copper Trails."

Commissioners approved seven applicants to the Grant County Public Shooting Range Advisory Board. The first three in the list: Neal Ackerly, Milo Lambert and John Little were appointed to three-years terms; the next three: Robert Love II, Philip Mickey and Scott Nielson to two-year terms; and Sean Rees to a one-year term. These were in order of the list, which was in alphabetical order.

Two resolutions were addressed by commissioners.

The first authorized and approved submission of a completed application for financial assistance and project approval to the New Mexico Finance Authority for bringing roads in Wind Canyon and Fleming Tank to county standards.

Browne asked why the timing of the loan came after people were already paying.

Webb said that many of the property owners had agreed they would pay in full, so there was no need to get a loan for the full amount. At the work session, Larisch had explained that about 50 percent had paid in full, so the loan amount reflected the remaining funding needed. The request was approved.

The second resolution addressed the preliminary budget.

"I think the worst thing to do in bad times is to cut off potential revenue generation," Browne said. "It appears to me there is no reason to freeze the appraiser position. I think there is plenty of money."

Edwards said her perception is: "I don't think we have enough information to know how much additional revenue can be brought in. At what point can I change my position? If we unfreeze the position, we would not hire until the final budget anyway."

Webb said she always waits until the final budget to hire anyone. And Edwards can change her position at that point.

"I want to see what the revenues are," Kasten said. "If the assessor wants this position, he needs to assign people to getting net new revenue. The past two years, he has been at full employment and has had time to get new revenues. We had a $163,000 drop in one year and about $100,000 drop in another year."

The commissioners, including Browne, voted unanimously to approve the preliminary budget.

A bid to Western Builders LLC was approved for construction of the Santa Rita Volunteer Fire Station.

"It has been six years in progress," Kasten said. "We had to do land swamps. I think we need a couple of more stations, but this is a good day for Hanover."

As the Grant County Health Care Claims Board, the commissioners approved $8.078.12 for indigent claims to Gila Regional Medical Center and an indigent burial payment to Terrazas Funeral Chapels.

Returning as the Board of County Commissioners, they heard elected official's reports.

The reports will be covered in a subsequent article.

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