[Editor's Note: This is the final of three parts of the work session and regular meeting held by Grant County commissioners on Aug. 20 and Aug. 22, 2019.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

In the Grant County Commission work session on Aug. 20, 2019, the commissioners reviewed the regular meeting agenda.

The first item was to consider a proclamation for the annual proclamation declaring Sept. 18-22, 2019 as Grant County Fair Days. It was approved at the regular meeting, but no one attended to accept it.

Next on the regular meeting agenda was elected officials' reports.

Sheriff Frank Gomez said, in response to a recent incident, he had received a letter of thanks from the homeowner. "I appreciate Officers Vega, Mays and Torres for being thorough in making sure our home was secure. I am grateful for your services. Please know that the majority of residents respect law enforcement."

"We need to realign our domestic violence policies and enhance traffic enforcement," Gomez said. "Our agency assists continue to increase. We need to also realign livestock and pet incidents. The New Mexico Livestock Board needs to address damaged fences that allow livestock to get out on roadways. I will also require training for my officers for animal control."

He said his resources are impacted by emergency intervention. "We help out a lot in Hurley and Santa Clara because they have staffing issues, without 24/7 coverage. Hurley calls are minimal, but we've had several for Santa Clara. Bayard is now mostly taking care of its own. We received three calls from Dispatch related to Bataan Park, where we also regularly patrol."

Gomez said the training at the recent New Mexico Sheriff's Association conference he attended was outstanding, including on the D.A.R.E. program.

"We will be doing a countywide active shooter training, starting at Cobre Schools in October, and we're working on a date for Silver Schools," Gomez said.

He presented a detailed report of statistics, including domestic violence calls, which have increased. Burglaries were down for the month, but up for larcenies. Batteries were up to three this month, as compared to 2 last year.

Assessor Raul Turrieta said his office will receive tax rates in September, although there may be a delay. He then introduced Traci Burnsed, who is in charge of the parcel mapping correction plan.

"We are proceeding with regular Skype meetings with Bohannon Huston working on redrawing the 321 county subdivisions, using legal language," Burnsed said. "At this end of this stage is the adjustments to property boundaries, which in our area are inaccurate to a large degree. We will make adjustments and changes will be made. The faster stages will follow. We will train county staff on the new environment. We are eight months into a 15-month contract, with 195 of the subdivisions done. It's a new type of work for Bohannon Huston, but the firm is still confident the project will be completed on time. They are at about 50 percent completion. The remainder of the portions of the county are by section for surveys. The resulting parcel map will never be a survey, but it will be more correct than it has been. We are now in a digital world, and we have parcel ownership data for many other entities."

Commissioner Browne asked if the extra time Bohannon Huston used at the beginning of the project to get up to speed would change the amount of money owed to them.

"There will be no change orders," Burnsed said. "We won't be redrawing most of the rest of the map. Seventy percent to 80 percent of the work is around the subdivisions. We'll see what it's like. It will depend on how accurate the work is. If it's inaccurate, we may look for additional funding in the next budget cycle."

Treasurer Steve Armendariz said he was getting ready to advertise for a seasonal employee, "which is not my choice."

Browne asked if the commission could hear from the treasurer about the county investment policy—"our role in developing it and your role in implementing it."

"The investment policy was established in 2010 or 2011," Armendariz said. "It was approved by the county commissioners at that time."

"We don't feel we have a good grasp of policy," Browne said. "Please give us a review."

Armendariz said the biggest underlying philosophy is "We don't buy and sell. We buy and hold to maturity. It's a self-directed fund with no broker fees. Everything goes into the investment fund. I suggest if you have questions that we have one-on-one meetings."

He said even though last year's audit incorrectly read the investment numbers, "we have always out-performed in investments. The auditor admitted he did not use the correct figures. $80,000 was projected, but we had $100,000, which was better than what was recommended in the budget."

Browne said he would prefer the discussion be in open meeting and he would put together some questions for an open meeting on the policy.

In public input, Robert Lucero said he was there to address an issue in Hanover. "I have lost 15 to 20 animals. My neighbor lets his dogs out at night, and they mutilate my animals. I had to put down a turkey this time. I have addressed the issue with Animal Control, with the Sheriff, with State Police, but the dogs were out again night before last. Please stop what's going on. I don't know how or who to address."

Turrieta, in public comment, said the Morning Star Governors team went to El Paso for a tournament. "There were more than 20 teams, and we took second. There were eight games, four on Saturday and four on Sunday in 104-degree weather." He listed the team members. "I acknowledge these guys. It would be nice to bring these guys here to Scott Park or Bataan for the tournament. The We've Got Talent preview is tomorrow night, Friday, and the show on Saturday night."

Commissioner Javier Salas was on the phone for the regular meeting. Commissioner Alicia Edwards was out of town.

The financial expenditure report was presented by Randy Hernandez, chief procurement officer, at the work session. The total for the period beginning July 19, 2019 and ending Aug. 15, 2019 was $1,978,616.48, which included two pay periods for $448,859.02.

Extraordinary expenses are shown in the table below.

CHART

The expenditure report was approved at the regular meeting.

The first agreement discussed at the work session was on legal services to be performed by Holt, Mynatt and Martinez, PC, out of Las Cruces.

Ponce said he would like to have a quarterly report on the expenses. "We will have to evaluate as we go."

Billings noted that expenses in the past few years had been both for the in-house attorney and outside services that the county had to use.

Webb explained that the expenses for the outside attorneys were a separate line item in the budget and in expenditures.

At the regular session, Salas said he would like to know if a fee schedule had been determined for when commissioners would want to call in with a question.

Damian Martinez and Brad Springer, shareholders and directors, attended the regular session. Martinez said the firm bills at a tenth of an hour at $165 an hour. So, a tenth would be 6 minutes. "We have 12 attorneys at the firm. If it's one of the associates they bill at a lower rate. There may be times when you call that you will not get a bill. Our deal is to serve you."

To a question, he replied that they act as in-house county and contract attorneys for Hidalgo County. "We have a separate account for overflow with Dona Ana County, and the same with Otero County. We also have a contract with New Mexico Counties, and provide services for Anthony and Hatch and others. We also do litigation and have a mix of specialties among the 12 that can help you. We're not charging today. We're here to meet you and get to know you."

Billings asked what they do with New Mexico Counties. Martinez said employment law, but the bulk is civil cases and jail cases. "We're in federal court a lot and in state court a lot. Ninety percent of my work is for New Mexico Counties and Dona Ana County."

Browne asked if they attend all meetings.

"We are involved in the agendas," Martinez said. "We talk to the manager on a weekly basis. We can be available as much as needed, here, by phone or through Skype. We do work with other government agencies who are going from in-house to contract, as you are. The first year, you will probably see you are spending more money, but it usually drops in the second, third and fourth years. Then it's easier to project how much it will cost. We work flawlessly with New Mexico Counties. I will not be micro-managing outside of litigation."

Ponce asked if the firm could set up meetings with individual commissioners. Martinez said he could be available after the next meeting of the Commission.

The contract was approved at the regular meeting.

The next agreement was for an Emergency Management Performance Grant, which pays for half of the County Emergency Manager Gilbert Helton's salary. Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.

The next agreement was for the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration Intergovernmental Grant.

The grant will assist with the 2020 Census. For $30,569, the grant will assist with education so the county will have a successful census count.

"The Complete Count Committee has done a preliminary budget, which is in the grant agreement," Community Development and Planning Director Michael "Mischa" Larisch said. "The Committee will continue to whittle down on outreach. We lose $3,700 per uncounted individual. We will do the outreach and education."

Webb noted that it is important to have a proper count. "Our congressional representation is based on the census."

Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.

The ICIP (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan) was discussed again at the work session.

"We finessed it a bit," Webb said.

The priorities have slightly changed. The top item is a Grant County Comprehensive Trails and Outdoor Recreation Plan at $200,000 for the 2021 fiscal year. No. 2 is Bataan Memorial Park ADA and Drainage improvements, at $500,000, and No. 3 is the County Fleet replacement, including county vehicles, road equipment and a Corre Caminos bus for $500,000.

Webb noted that because of changes in statute, Regional dispatch is part of the county ICIP, instead of having its own ICIP. "It's in the top five, and runs with the new CAD program being put in."

She noted that putting the drainage as part of the Bataan Park request will require a county study estimating what needs to be done.

"The top 3 total is $1.2 million," Webb said. "We have to justify the amounts with numbers we have."

Pertinent to prior conversations on the ICIP and how Western New Mexico University always gets large amounts of capital outlay, Browne said he had talked to President Joseph Shepard who told him they have access to three pots of money, whereas the counties only have legislative money.

Webb said the $750,000 amount for fiscal year 2022 for Bataan could change if the county is awarded a Community Block Development grant for that amount.

At the regular meeting Salas said he had talked to Sen. Gabriel Ramos and was told to ask for as much as possible. Ponce cautioned that anything asked for has to be justified with concrete numbers.

The ICIP for Grant County was approved.

The county owns the Mimbres Valley and Gila Senior Centers and must develop their ICIPs. The requests were for solar panels and a transit vehicle for Gila and solar panels, transit and delivery vehicle and facility interior improvements for the Mimbres Valley. Commissioners approved the ICIPs.

Browne questioned why the senior centers have their own ICIPs, but regional dispatch doesn't.

Larisch said it came from Santa Fe that "we had to do ICIPs for the senior centers, so we did."

The next resolution was to change language in the document specifying salaries of elected officials and chief deputies, simply to change Ponce's District 1 to District 4, and Billings from District 4 to 1. It is just a number change to follow the new election code, so that terms don't have to be shortened or lengthened.

The resolution was approved, as was resolution ratifying an agreement between the county and the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments for the county to pay $7221 annually for COG services. Larisch is the voting member, with Browne and Edwards as alternates.

A bid for Tyrone townsite ADA improvements was awarded to Deming Excavating Inc. for the lower bid of $596,881.45 plus gross receipts tax.

Webb said bond funds will provide the match. Billings asked who holds the contractor to performance standards.

"We do," Webb said. "It's up to us to make sure it is properly done."

The commissioners recessed and convened as the Grant County Health Care Claims Board. An appeal was made from GRMC for a denied December 2018 health claims in the amount of $19,439.45.

Webb said receipt of the claim had exceeded 90 days, and there was a question. Webb said the hospital said it had accidentally been billed to personal insurance instead of the county. "I'm still recommending we deny it. Inmates keep their personal insurance. Medicaid is suspended. I will call Richard (Stokes, GRMC CFO) about it. The hospital can write it off as uncompensated care. We can't."

The hospital is working on processes to keep indigent claims separate from other claims.

Detention Center Administrator Mike Carillo said the jail's medical group tries to validate whether inmates have personal insurance. "Because he was incarcerated, it might have lapsed because of lack of payment."

At the regular meeting, the item was tabled until Stokes came back with an answer.

Commissioners approved the July 2019 claims for $45,199. Webb said it has been verified that the people making the claims were incarcerated.

No commissioners had reports and the meeting adjourned.