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Published: 29 March 2019 29 March 2019

[Editor's Note: This is the fifth of a multi-part series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session of March 19, 2019 and regular session on March 21, 2019. It covers elected officials' reports and some public input.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

Presentations and department head reports were heard at the work session and can be read at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/50065-grant-county-commission-hears-presentations-at-its-work-session-031919-part-1  and http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/50095-grant-county-commission-hears-presentations-at-its-work-session-031919-part-2 

At the regular session on March 21, 2019, elected officials gave updates.

Probate Judge Mary Ann Sedillo said she really enjoys her job. "I have never felt so in touch with the community. Get your paperwork in order and take care of it while you're still alive. I've been in office for 12 weeks and during that time I've been in the office 43 of those days. I've made appointments with citizens and attorneys. I've met with between 63 and 80 people. I've officiated at five wedding ceremonies. I'm working on my website and setting up workshops in the community. Thanks to the county clerk's office everything is flowing smoothly. I've had 26 probate cases."

Sheriff Frank Gomez compared statistics between 2019 and 2018. "Between Feb. 20 and March 20, we've had 12 burglaries as compared to five last year. Domestic violence cases this year, 16 compared to 13 last year. Accidents and property damage, seven compared to two last year and we've had 33 welfare checks this year. Suspicious activity, 26, compared to 11 in the same period last year; 204 traffic stops to 207 last year, even though we're short on staff this year. Our deputies are going from call to call. We've done 144 license checks compared to 176 last year. We've issued 11 domestic violence orders. We are very active with the D.A.R.E. program. This weekend we will be in Santa Clara to introduce ourselves. I will implement crisis intervention training, and I want to provide another training, but it's expensive—high tech voice stress analysis. If we have our own it will be minimal cost, and we can use it with other agencies. Theft of mail is very bad. We are advising people to pick up their mail as soon as possible or have it sent to the post office. I will award a letter of commendation to a deputy for his service in giving CPR to a lady in the mall in Las Cruces, who was unresponsive. He saved her life. As short of staff as we are, morale is high, and I thank everyone in the office for the great job they're doing."

Commissioner Billy Billings said he appreciated the very comprehensive report from Gomez. "Crime is up and staff is down. My No. 1 priority is safety and security for our residents. I would like to see more progress. Maybe we can come up with a plan of action and implementation. How can we help you facilitate your plan?"

Gomez said he is in frequent communication with County Manager Charlene Webb. "She is instrumental in helping us look at cost and how to implement our plan. We have five deputies. Two just left. We are nine deputies short. I offered a position to an applicant, but when he saw the pay, he declined. We're working on other incentives. We're in the steps of making an impact. I want the best of the best. When we are at full staff, I have a vision. I want to revamp and start a special response team, but my priority is to get staff on board."

Billings asked for the report in written form. "I support D.A.R.E. My feeling is that getting kids with officers is a good thing. It instills in them that law enforcement is a good thing. I'm glad you've shown leadership in it."

Commission Chairman Chris Ponce said what he would like to see is a tracking of calls that the Sheriff's Department is taking for other entities, such as Santa Clara, Bayard and Hurley. "I agree with Commissioner Billings that keeping the community safe is our No. 1 priority."

Gomez said he has met with the Tri-City chiefs of police on "how we will address calls in the Mining District."

Commissioner Alicia Edwards said she would like to see the number of calls on state highways.

Gomez said the New Mexico State Police are taking more of the calls on accidents on the highways. "We made an agreement. If they are in the area, they will be answering the calls."

He also noted that the catch-and-release of burglars is making them have to make more calls on the same person sometimes before they have completed their paperwork.

Edwards asked, with incredulity: "You get a call and before your paperwork is done, the burglar is back on the streets?"

"They are released on any misdemeanor, even domestic violence," Gomez said. "For criminal trespass, within 30 minutes they are released, because bonds are no longer constitutional. Judge (Maurine) Laney gave an impassioned speech against it. It was passed by the New Mexico Supreme Court."

Edwards asked again: "No bail bond for a misdemeanor, even if it's domestic violence?"

"Correct," Gomez answered. "Now there is no bond."

Commissioner Harry Browne said that bond can still be set if the person is a danger to themselves or the community or if they are a flight risk.

Edwards asked whose responsibility it is to make the case to the courts.

"When we make the report, we fax it to the judge, who determines, using the laws," Gomez said. "Even if it's battery, the person is released within hours and we're getting dispatched again."

Billings asked if it was a legislative issue and legislators could change the law.

Gomez said it was a Supreme Court decision, and he didn't know if the legislature could change it.

Commissioner Javier Salas asked if wages were the biggest hurdle to getting more officers.

"It's one of the main issues," Gomez said. "Even Silver City is short on officers. We're working on incentives."

Salas noted that in Bayard, it is a revolving door of officers.

Browne asked for data on the risk of letting criminals go without bond. "My understanding is the Supreme Court made the ruling because a lot were being held that were not convicted. Poor people couldn't afford bail. So, the perception was of people not being able to afford it. How much of the increase in burglaries and other crimes is attributable to being let go? I would like the data."

The next elected official to speak was Assessor Raul Turrieta. He said he and his Chief Appraiser Misty Trujillo took classes and kept their certifications. "I will be sending half my staff to get certified. It takes a lot to get certified. We will send out notices of valuation next week. If you want to protest the valuation, you have 30 days to do so. We will still accept veteran exemptions, head of household exemptions and over the age of 65 valuation freezes. We have $689 million net taxable value. That is a 3.6 percent increase. Business personal property is self-rendering and we have $8,926,070 in valuation—a 9.3 percent increase. Livestock valuation increased by 8.4 percent. Exemptions total $24 million, a 2.1 percent increase. We will be evaluated by the Property Tax Division. We got dinged on certifications, but we are now up to date. They will review all elected officials. We have the parcel mapping correction ongoing, redrawing our subdivisions. It will enhance our mapping."

Ponce asked what Turrieta has done to get the valuation freeze information out to residents.

"I've gone to all the senior centers and food pantries, and I've talked about it on the radio," Turrieta said. "The state will increase the income level for those 65 and older to be eligible."

Treasurer Steve Armendariz introduced his Chief Deputy Veronica Rodriguez. "We have received 63.8 percent of our collections with $3.9 million for the county. May 10 is the deadline for $2.2 million. Our total collection for all entities is $17 million. We have the state Property Tax Division here right now. They looked at 139 accounts, did background investigations and got it down to 87 delinquent accounts. We red-tagged 59 properties. After red-tagging, some came in and paid their delinquent taxes. Thirty-nine properties would be auctioned on April 24. All 39 have been contacted, some paid, and we still have 23 on the auction list. We have been diligent in contacting them. We said we have to do something. Several properties have been on the delinquent list forever and they will go to auction. I kept taking them off thinking they would pay. Then I said maybe we can get the properties back on the tax rolls with new owners. An employee will come in to assist with the second half collections. I am working with (Financial Officer) Linda (Vasquez) on the preliminaries for an account for the bond proceeds."

In public input at the regular session, Billings said the Silver City Daily Press had an error on saying that public input must always be on a topic on the agenda. "Yes, it does for public input at the work session, but public comment doesn't have to be on an agenda topic at the regular meeting."

Edwards asked for a newspaper correction.

Glenn Griffin gave public input on wildlife services. "You are signing a blank check for a part-time job for Brandon Jones at $82.50 an hour. He worked for 12 weeks and makes $82,000 annually. On Dec. 24, were animals left unattended in traps? The report you got is the worst report I've ever seen. How many coyotes did he get? For $20,000 a quarter, you should expect a better report. You guys step up and ask for a better report. Ranchers could be paid to do a better job. Together we can come up with better ways to deal with nuisance wildlife. Jones' boss said coyote killing contests will be banned on public land. You are giving a blank check for possibly inhumane treatment of animals. What other services do you pay for that way?"

Al Gamboa asked, in public input, a question on the bond issue and Fort Bayard. "Is any of this bond revenue going to promotion of the Mining District and Fort Bayard?" He made a similar request at the work session.

Roger Groves, Tyrone Volunteer Fire Department chief and vice chair of the Grant County Rural Fire Chiefs association said the departments would hold an Emergency Services Day at the Conference Center parking lot on April 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. "We will have free health screenings, fire trucks on display, and giveaways, including hot dogs. We are recruiting for all our fire departments, volunteer and municipal. We answered 353 combined calls for fire, accidents and EMS services last year."

Sen. Gabriel Ramos thanked all the of commissioners and county staff "who guided us. It was a great experience and I owe it to you. The guidance from our Lt. Gov. Howie Morales was also great. Capital outlay was a great gift this year. We spread it across the whole district. It looks like we will be able to bring baseball back to Western New Mexico University. The Tour of the Gila will be funded this year up to $100,000. The Heart of the Gila is funded. The Early Childhood Department was a great bill. I am on the Education Committee. They were promoting use of the Land Grant Permanent Fund, but it didn't get through. It was asking for half of 1 percent for early childhood education. Thank you for stepping up for mining. I wanted to make sure that didn't get through. We worked hard with the House and it died in the House. We had a Fort Bayard meeting with all the municipalities. I'm happy to support Santa Clara. They have the only business plan for the fort. My serving this year was a great experience. Get hold of me, give me a holler any time. I'm looking forward to working with you and with all the entities this year and next."

The next article will get into the agenda items and the discussion on them at the work and regular sessions.