[Editor's Note: This article is the seventh and final of a series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session on June 6, 2023 and the regular meeting on June 8, 2023. This article heard county reports and continued review of the regular meeting agenda and decisions made.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
This article continues the Grant County Commission June 6, 2023 work session review of the June 8, 2023 regular meeting agenda and begins with elected official reports at the regular meeting.
Treasurer Patrick Cohn presented his tax maintenance report. "In May, for our 2022 taxes, we collected $1,279,336.82. That is a 90.35 collection rate to date for 2022 taxes. For the 10 years, our collection rate was 95.29 percent, leaving us an uncollected $5 million over the period. We are working on getting taxes paid on manufactured homes. Owners who have not made one payment in 10 years, we're notifying them and starting to get a bit of money in. We sent a courtesy letter to those who were delinquent. We will go out in the field to reach out to find out issues. We'll work with the assessor to find where some of the places are. We will send out about 4,300 delinquency notices."
District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked: "Those 4,300 deliquency notices are out of how many parcels?
Cohn said about 30,000 land parcels. "It's about the same number of delinquencies as when I came into office. I think it was about 5,000 at that time."
Browne asked if Cohn knew the causes of non-payment.
Cohn said they say they can't pay, they didn't know they had to pay, and "there are a lot of false valuations, such as on a manufactured home that is nothing but a shell, but they are still getting taxed."
District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards asked if there was a process to get off the tax rolls.
"Absolutely," Cohn replied. "That's why I'm working with the assessor, so if they are out in the field and find an issue, we will work to get it corrected. It helps to talk to the property owner. They don't know how to correct it."
Edwards said: "That is one of the ways to mitigate the percentage of delinquencies if you get rid of false value. Every time I look at this report, it makes me cranky that we are not collecting enough, but the number would be better if we got rid of the false valuations."
Cohn said he talked with the property tax division, and a lot of it is connected to old mining claims, which are uncollectable, because some of them are on public land.
He noted his office is going through a software conversion to GovPro to where people can get their statements online and make payments online. He confirmed that it will work with the overall Tyler Technologies system.
"We continue to look for the PILT (payment in lieu of taxes from the federal government on federal land in the county that cannot be assessed for taxes) and copper production payments that we hope will come in before the end of the fiscal year," Cohn said. "We continue to have some tax bills come back as undeliverable, so we're working to sort that out, too. We have 282 liens that will be filed if not paid for before the end of today (June 8, 2023)."
Browne asked: "If they pay by end of day today, they can avoid a penalty of $25?"
Cohn said: "Yes. When they get red-tagged, they come in to pay, but then many of them go back to being delinquent. They can pay online, call us and pay over the phone, mail a check or come into the office to pay."
County Manager Charlene Webb noted that property owners had the rest of that day to pay, but "you're approving the liens this morning."
Cohn confirmed the liens could be removed if paid that afternoon.
Webb suggested changing the process next year.
Browne said it might be an issue of convenience of payment for property owners.
Webb asked if a taxpayer could set up automatic payments, and Cohn said he believed it would be an option with the new upgrade. "We hope so, so that we won't be having to send out so many certified letters."
At the regular meeting, commissioners approved the delinquent liens.
On a slightly different topic, Webb said: "We don't need to be a utility company for North Hurley. I will begin that conversation again."
District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said he thought the last conversation had been about the county fixing up the lift station. "It would be a good idea to talk to Mayor Stevens."
Webb said she would be discussing the issue with Stevens. Treasurer Cohn said he would help, and Webb said she would appreciate his help.
Sheriff Raul Villanueva gave his monthly report covering the month of May. He said the department had received 1,466 calls, with 551 self-initiated by deputies. "These include 30 calls deputies responded to in Bayard, 21 DWIs, seven unattended deaths, and 51 animal complaints. We made 35 arrests and responded to 21 vehicle collisions. On April 30, we had a missing person report, and on May 3, the Forest Service found a body, which was positively identified as the missing person. We made an arrest and charged one with one count of homicide. The suspect is still being held and the case is still being investigated. On May 7, on highway 180, a motorcycle was doing 96 miles per hour. Deputies pulled him over, and he was charged with reckless driving. Silver City Police Department found a reported runaway near the golf course. On May 9, a domestic violence incident was reported. The suspect became very aggressive and was a threat to himself and others. It was a mental issue. On May 11, a structure fire in Bayard was started by a butane candle."
He said the department continues field training and officer training. "We have four cadets from the academy. Local agencies are also trying to recruit them, although they are our cadets."
Villanueva said the department has a lot of high-mileage vehicles. "We still have four units sitting in Albuquerque. We have found a vendor closer to home to equip the vehicles. We have been doing patrols in the forest. We are on 8-hour shifts, to keep 24-hour coverage. If we continue to lose staff, we will have to deal with it, although I believe we should have 24-hour coverage."
"I hope you take into consideration what our deputies said today," Villanueva continued. We need to invest in them to keep them here. Our starting pay is the same as it was in 2018. I hope you evaluate and look at this. We did receive a resignation yesterday that is moving because of money."
He thanked the Road Department for keeping the Sheriff's vehicles on the road. "I'm thankful for my staff. I'm thankful for our citizens that come out to talk to us. I appreciate the staff support."
District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina asked if there was any ability to talk to municipalities about sharing the costs that the Sheriff's department expends going to the calls at night, when the towns don't have coverage.
"I have been talking to Santa Clara and Bayard," Villanueva said. "I've haven't yet met with Hurley. They are aware of our staff shortage. Each municipality is responsible for its coverage. I have told the staff that if they have no coverage, we will cover their calls."
District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings asked if the Cliff-Gila and Mimbres areas were suffering from less coverage because of the municipalities.
"Yes, the rural areas are suffering, because we are covering the municipalities," Villanueva said.
Ponce said: "If your deputies covered 300 municipal calls last year and are at 50 already this year, somewhere down the road, we'll have to say to the municipalities that they must take care of themselves, and we take care of the county. The municipalities need to work with other municipalities and the state police."
Villanueva said he would not refuse to serve anywhere in the county, "but I will work with the municipalities. I support my staff, and I want to retain them. They are good people. Everyone is suffering from recruiting, because not many people want to do this job."
Edwards said often they have conversations on the money, but "I think there is a disconnect between how much we appreciate what you do and the hard cold reality that the reason why the municipalities pay their officers more is because they don't have to pay for overnight coverage, because we are covering the calls we are not compensated for. I respect your wanting to cover the whole county, but we're in a tough spot. We want to show our support for everyone in law enforcement, but we're losing people to state police, because the state has more resources. We have to take a hard look at Mimbres and Cliff-Gila not getting service. The tough conversation on money doesn't mean we don't fully appreciate our law enforcement personnel."
Medina said he feels strongly about public safety. "I want to ask you something. The amount of money you're asking for is significant. Could we look first at the entry level?"
Villanueva said the goal of the department is for the officers to be at the same level as in local municipalities. "The step plan that my predecessor did took care of the upper levels and forgot the lower levels."
"I appreciate what they all do," Medina said. "I understand that you can't forget those with higher experience, but we must help the entry level and uncertified ones."
Edwards said one of the things "we have been dealing with is that a lot of the county staff who have been here for a long time, but at lower levels and then some new ones come it at higher pay. If you want to hire a new one, say at $22 an hour, then there is a gap between those with no experience and the number of ones who are very experienced. I don't know how to deal with that. We want to keep the younger guys on the force, but we need experienced ones, too. Salaries commensurate with experience then decreases when a new one comes in at a similar salary."
Medina said he put the amount request on paper. "The amount is huge."
Ponce commended the deputies who spoke. "Your message is clear. We have 204 employees. We voted on the pay plan. We may have fallen asleep on it. These discussions take time."
Billings thanked the deputies for coming forward and starting the conversation. "I can speak for citizens I know. We appreciate your service. We really have to support you, but it's not as simple as just putting money in. It's complex to figure out where we can cut. We have a process for the budget. We have to compare our benefits with other agencies' benefits. If they are offering the same benefits and more pay, we will have to address it."
The financial report was presented in a prior article. Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.
Procurement Officer Veronica Rodriguez presented the asset deletion and transfer report, which the commissioners had in their packets. One deletion was a 2005 Dodge Stratus, which would go to auction. A group of deletions included furniture and file cabinets, as well as a shop vac and overhead projector, all of which were obsolete and no longer needed. Also included were transfers of fire equipment from Sapillo Creek to the Upper Mimbres Volunteer Fire Department.
Another transfer would take a 1995 Ford Escort from the airport and transfer it to the Road Department. A 2008 Ford-150 pick up no longer needed at the Maintenance Department would transfer to the Road Department. A Power Pro X-T Styker Gurney would transfer from Sapillo Creek VFD to Gila Regional Medical Center. It went with an ambulance that had already been transferred.
Commissioners approved the deletions and transfers at the regular meeting.
Also under new business, was a New Mexico Human Services Department safety net care pool payment program certification for local government entity participation in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023.
Commissioner approved the certification.
Under the agenda item, agreements, the first one addressed a government-to-government agreement between the Department of Health and Grant County.
Webb said: "Jason (Lockett, facilities and grounds supervisor) and I met with the DOH. They are doing a local office renovation in our Swan Street building. The agreement has the county providing oversight. The DOH will give the funding to the county to oversee. Jason will work with the contractor. It is not an overly burdensome agreement."
Commissions approved it at the regular session.
At the work session, Webb talked about the NRCS (National Resource Conservation Services) project for the Gila and Mimbres rivers. "All the paperwork has been approved. This agreement will set off the process to get the money flowing." Commissioners approved the agreement.
Under resolutions, commissioners approved the first one, which designated the locations of election day polling places for all statewide elections conducted in 2024 and 2025 and appoints a board of registration members for the county.
The following resolution would form a loss prevention committee. Webb said it will see more activity to improve safety among employees. Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.
The next three resolutions entered into cooperative agreements between the county and the New Mexico Department of Transportation to improve roads within Grant County. Commissioners approved the three resolutions.
The final resolution amended the approved 2023 fiscal year budget through transferring and appropriating funds. Commissioners approved the amended budget for the year.
Under bids and requests for proposal, Rodriguez recommended the first one for Truck Bypass widening and culvert replacement be awarded to Deming Excavation as the lower bidder. "I recommend we use ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) or LATCF (Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund) money for the shortfall."
Webb said the shortfall was due to the culvert replacement. "We had a $180,000 shortfall."
Edwards said the damage was done by the work on the Highway 90 bridge, which required the detour on Truck ByPass Road, but NMDOT refused to pay for the damage done.
"This has driven me crazy," Webb said. "I have fought long and hard to get them to replace the culvert to no avail. I did not involve our attorneys, because I was just unwilling to pay the cost. At least, NMDOT did do the asphalt overlay. I never dreamed it would be this costly. It went back to the lack of adequate inspection records."
Billings said it's just like when the DOT didn't inspect the bridge that washed out between Silver City and Cliff.
Ponce asked: "Don't they inspect the road before they use it as a detour?"
Webb said she has heartache over using $422,000, but "if we don't do it now, it will cost $800,000."
When the commissioners approved the allocation of funding for the culvert replacement, Billings expressed his disappointment in the outcome with the NMDOT.
Rodriguez said the county received only one bid for airport apron pavement for $265,000. "I recommend we award this subject to concurrence with the FAA and New Mexico Aviation. We did get FAA approval. Commissioners approved the award to Maxwell Asphalt Inc..
Commissioners approved the Little Walnut Roadway and Drainage Improvement project with Southwest Concrete and Paving Inc.
They also approved the Airport engineering contract with Bohannon and Huston.
Rodriguez recommended the Tu Casa consultant services award go to Recovery Innovations depending on successful negotiations. Webb said the $100,000 comes from capital outlay. Edwards noted that Tu Casa has $2 million for a crisis intervention center, but nothing can be done until this consulting project is completed. Commissioners approved the bid.
The final bid award approved by the commissioners went to Carr, Riggs and Ingram CPAs and Advisors for external auditor services.
As the Grant County Health Care Claims Board, the commissioners approved indigent health care claims for $2,162.32.
No commissioners had reports at the work session. At the regular meeting, Billings had nothing. Browne said he would attend a workshop of local government participation in affordable energy.
Medina said he would hold a meeting in Mimbres. "I want to have a similar meeting every quarter. The residents are looking forward to the improved senior center and a new HMS clinic."
Edwards said sometimes something happens that is the straw that broke the camel's back. "I spent a lot of time at this year's legislative session. I realized how difficult it is to work with this state. The state is losing good people over and over. What's happened with the acequias is a perfect example of how working with the state simply doesn't work. We have 30 rural counties. That's one reason why the state is last in everything. The counties cannot get things done with the state. There is a totally rudderless bureaucracy at the state. You may hate bureaucracy, but it is impossible to work without it. It's discouraging to be a county official, a county employee. We are losing the best people leaving the state. Less than four percent of college graduates go into government work. If you can't attract young people, we will face a grim situation in this state."
Ponce had no report.
The commissioners went into executive session, but they expected no action afterward.
They adjourned from the executive session.
To visit the previous articles, go to https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78763-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-060623-part-1; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78798-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-060623-part-2 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78852-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-060623-part-3 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78852-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-060623-part-4 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78935-grant-county-commission-060623-work-session-and-regular-meeting-060823-part-5 ; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/78958-grant-county-commission-060623-work-session-and-regular-meeting-060823-part-6 .