Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

At the regular meeting, Sheriff Raul Villanueva recognized Executive Assistant Cynthia Campos for 15 years of service.

Corre Caminos Manager Kim Dominguez recognized Driver David Sanchez for five years of service.

Chief Deputy Assessor Raul Turrieta recognized Appraiser Associate Audra Hernandez for five years of service.

[Editor's Note: This is part 3 of multiple articles on the Grant County Commission work session on Aug. 8, 2023 and the regular meeting on Aug. 10, 2023. It begins the review of the regular meeting agenda, as well as a public hearing, public input, presentations at the regular meeting and a review of the monthly financial report.]

County Manager Charlene Webb began the review of the regular meeting agenda for Aug. 10, 2023 at the Aug. 8, 2023 work session. "We
will have a public hearing on Ordinance No. O-23-06. It addresses an amended ordinance regulating the siting and permitting of wireless telecommunication facilities."

No one commented at the regular meeting, so Planning Director Randy Hernandez explained the changes address safety issues. "It adds a limit to the capacity of a tower to 100 percent of its capacity, so people don't try to add more things to it and violate the limits. Adding more could cause dangerous conditions."

Commissioners approved the ordinance at the regular meeting.

During public input at the regular meeting, Eric Hutter, Mimbres Valley resident, said it had come to his attention that the volunteer fire departments have an excise tax that funds them. "But more than $100,000 has disappeared from our Lower Mimbres VFD account, leaving only $12,000 in the account. The money we saved was going to be used for equipment. No one seems to know where $2.2 million went. Only having $12,000 limits what we can do."

[Editor's Note: The Beat wrote in a previous article about this issue. Please read https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/79680-grant-county-commission-holds-special-meeting-july-26-2023 for more details on where the money is being used, and also explaining that a separate fund has been set aside for volunteer fire department needs.]

Webb said she has been working with Human Resources Specialist Renae Calloway on a recognition plan and these are the first. "We have employees with significant years with the county, so these are a token of our appreciation showing them they do matter and we appreciate them."

Presentations, as shown in the photos above, included employee recognition of Grant County Sheriff's Office Executive Assistant Cynthia Campos for 15 years of service; Corre Caminos Driver David Sanchez for five years of service; and Assessor's Office Appraiser Associate Audra Hernandez for five years of service.

The commissioners went into executive session at the regular meeting to discuss collective bargaining and a real property issue. When they came out of session, District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said no action had been taken and none was forthcoming at the meeting.

Ponce apologized for putting the executive session in the middle of the meeting. "I don't like putting it here, but we needed the attorney to discuss with us these issues, so he didn't have to wait through the whole meeting. We are trying to save taxpayer money!"

Next in line at the regular meeting was the Gila Regional Medical Center report from Interim Chief Executive Officer Margie Molitor.

She reported that the newly appointed GRMC Board of Trustees had met and named Dr. Fred Fox as their chairman, Betty Vega as vice chair and Pat McIntire as secretary-treasurer. "They also passed the open meetings act resolution and set the fourth Wednesday of each month to meet at 4 p.m. I have been working with Scott Manis (regional vice president of Health Tech, the consulting firm serving the hospital) and hopefully we will be bringing some CEO candidates in soon. We held interviews with four chief nursing officer candidates and Jessica Workman has accepted the position and will start work on Sept. 18, 2023. She is excited to get back to New Mexico. We look forward to her coming to work with us."

Molitor reported the replacement of lighting in the operating room had been completed. "We also received approval of the changes to the Maternal Child [also known as the labor and delivery area] plan from the Department of Health. We hope to be ready to submit final plans by Sept. 5. The OR air handler has a scope of work presented by the provider Trane. We are waiting for it to be approved by the DOH. Silver City Assistant Town Manager James Marshall has given the OK on a contract with Silver City and GRMC Emergency Medical Services to where we can compensate the city when they help us out. The hospital had 130 days of cash on hand at the end of June, with a net operating surplus of $219,000. We had a $404,000 net loss, but that is in comparison to last year's fiscal year end of $1.4 million loss. So, we're hopeful to have a break-even year for fiscal year 2024. On our short list is replacing telemetry equipment and replacing our MRI equipment."

She also reported that the community engagement survey had improved from the January number of 13 percent, who would recommend GRMC, to at the end of June with 55 percent who would recommend GRMC. She noted that Dr. Jesus Carreon was a new employee of Gila Regional as an orthopedic surgeon, with an office at 1260 E. 32nd Street. "We also are happy to report that Dr. Arsenault has been fully certified and will come in in September as radiation oncologist when Dr. Hayostek retires. "We have also engaged a second recruiting firm to help us find a cardiology nurse practitioner for Dr. Norman Ratliff's practice."

On a lighter note, she said the hospital Fourth of July float had brought mixed reactions. "We had a copper-colored Lady of Liberty. Some understood it was the new shiny version, and others wondered about the color."

At the work session, Financial Officer Linda Vasquez gave the financial report from July 8-Aug. 4, 2023. She reported total expenditures of $2,820,324.21, which includes two pay periods and other employee items at $547,263.73¬¬."

The expenditures above $10,000 are listed in the PDF below.

At the work session, District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked about the four checks to Ascent Aviation. "Will we be continuing to use this group, and will we be assured that the snafus won't happen again?"

Webb replied that she would be discussing the issue with them and how to hold them accountable for cancelling fuel delivery right in the middle of fire season. "Thankfully, (Airport Manager) Rebekah (Wenger) was able to reach out to a prior vendor to get fuel to make sure the Forest Service was fueling here. It was not a pleasant situation, and I'm pretty disappointed with their performance. So, we are working on it, but I don't have any answers. We will remember it when it comes up for bid next year."

District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards said the check to Roadrunner Medical Services (which serves the Detention Center) "seems rather astronomical."

Vasquez said she was looking into it to find out why it was so high.

Detention Center Administrator Joseph Andazola explained it was actually two bills. They charged a start-up fee and a month and a half to begin service. "We are on track from now on to be monthly charges."

Ponce had a question about jet fuel times 4 on July 31. Webb said it was probably four loads.

Commissioners approved the financial report at the regular meeting.

The next article will begin elected official reports at the regular meeting.

For the previous articles in the series, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/79844-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-080823-part-1 ; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/79871-grant-county-commission-holds-work-session-080823-part-2 .