By Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County work session took place on May 7, 2024.

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said the county regularly does not allow public input via Zoom, but because it was left in the legal notice, "we will allow it today, but from here on out, it will go back to just being in-person public input."

Glenn Griffin, county resident of District 4, thanked the commissioners for allowing input via Zoom. "Thank you for allowing my public input on the Wildlife Service agreement listed on today's agenda. In section 11 P, last year in June, in discussion among the commissioners, they voted to renew the contract but the agency will be spinning out of control. In the last quarterly report, March 31, 2024, only 66 hours out of the required 250 hours were worked. That means a pay raise up from an already high $86 an hour. It's a three-fold increase to $320 per hour work. All while the county offers a 5 percent raise to their valuable county road workers. Commissioners, read the report and ask what the agent was doing with the three mountain lions he was tracking on four different ranches. Are they being pushed away from the Wildlife services co-operating ranchers to the other side of the fence? I'm not asking for more lion kills; just wondered why the number of kills is down. In three years, no non-lethal relocations of wildlife have been conducted, as is mandated first in the contract instead of lethal killings. Maybe the landowners should secure their property and not rely on taxpayers to remedy their problems every few months. "

With no other public input, the new Solid Waste accounting specialist for Grant County, Rachel Torres, presented the list of solid waste accounts subject to lien for non-payment for commission approval at the Thursday regular meeting. "I mailed 135 certified letters, and as of, today, I have a total of 73 liens. As of today, I have a list of 93 subjects to lien, down by 17, and the total amount is $11,221.31."

Next came county director reports, with the first coming from Detention Center Administrator Joseph Andazola. He said "Happy Correctional Officers Week," and the facility had planned a celebration for the officers on Friday, May 10.

The facility has five openings, with three officers in training. "We did get approval to continue the accreditation process. On Thursday, I will give a detailed report on the accreditation process."

At the end of April, the facility had 89 detainees, with an average daily population for the month of April of 92. The R.I.S.E. program had 27 participants, with 10 in the facility and 17 in the community.

Andazola said he was looking forward to working with the statewide IGNITE program, on their tablets, and perhaps visiting an already established program to learn more about it. He noted the officers have voted on a supervisor of the year and officer of the year, which will be presented on Friday, but would bring them to a future commission meeting. He said he continues to work on the acquisition of a portable building to house the R.I.S.E. program. "We are down in sergeants, so I will be conducting sergeant position testing and interviews. I will also participate and present at the Western New Mexico University Criminal Justice Forum June 10-13. I've been asked to present to the classes once a semester. We are also working on our five-year plan update for 2024-25."

Ponce said he had received a couple of phone calls "expressing gratitude for what you are doing in the facility and how you have helped the detainees. Another piece we may not have control over, I guess some of the inmates that go to rehab, they require a lot of items they have to take with them. A lot of families can't afford to send them with 10 pairs of pants, and other items. The other phone call was about the cost for the detainees to to call their families. I want to help these families, and the detainees need the support of their family."

Andazola said with the RISE program, they do have wellness funds to help those going to rehab. "A lot of the churches and organizations help those who aren't in the RISE program. I know the state is happy with what we're doing with the program. I would like to expand it so that all detainees can go to rehab. One of our staff took it upon herself to go to all the rehab centers to learn what the participant can and cannot take with them. Now that I think about it, maybe I need to do another RISE presentation and introduce our staff, because they work hard. On the phone calls, we are working on switching to tablets and on a new contract, which would cut the phone prices about in half. The new company also gives the opportunity for indigent detainees to be able to talk to their families. The staff, when not too busy, tries to give free phone calls to the indigent detainees, as well as two free letters a week. Every inmate will have a tablet and be able to correspond through email and messages."

Planning Director Randy Hernandez gave the next report. [The agency names fund the projects following them.]

Colonias
Little Walnut Road Phase 1 (Const.): Completed at end of April 2024.
Crum Road (Design): Design in progress.
Franks Road (Design): Design in progress.
North Hurley Road Phase 3 (Const.): Bid anticipated bid in early May 2024.
NM Dept. of Finance & Administration
• Bataan Park Veterans Memorial Walking Path: Seeking gap funding. On agenda for consideration.
Hamilton Bridge Replacement (Design): Design is 80% complete.
Bataan Park Small Field Turf Replacement: Contractor secured, set to begin work in May 2024
Capacity Support: Draft SOP was sent to Hernandez and Deputy County Manager Andrea Montoya for review/feedback on streamlining processes for pre/post grant awards.
NM Dept. of Transportation
Fleming Tank Road Improvements: Pending utility pole removal by PNM and seeding.
Truck Bypass Road (Const.): Pending completion of punch list items. BOP/EOP (beginning of project/ end of project): Entire Road
Others
EDA Grant: Free workforce development trainings; registration remains open to the public. Pending award for comprehensive plan contractor.
Old Jail Brownfields Project: Pending award for contractor.
Upper Mimbres VFD Underground Water Storage Tanks: Construction set to begin in May 2024
SWNM Collaborative: Working with the facilitators to interview key partners/groups on outdoor recreation efforts. Will convene with GNF, BLM, and Town to begin project mapping.
FUTURE PROJECTS
Ridge Road Improvements - Phase II Construction • 0.85 Miles; Estimated Cost: $2.3M
• Colonias Application & TPF Application
Arenas Valley Road Improvements – Phase II Construction • 1.3 Miles; Estimated Cost: $3.5M
• Colonias
Little Walnut Road Improvements – Phase II Construction • 2.58 Miles; Estimated Cost: $6.8M
• Colonias
District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked County Manager Charlene Webb about the Hamilton Bridge project, which he thought was being re-evaluated.

Webb said the funding source is being re-evaluated, but the county needs to complete the design process to determine if it needs to be changed. "We have determined the federal DOT funding source we had identified is not suitable. That's when we have to determine how we will move forward or if you want to move forward."

Browne also appreciated the comment about the Southwest Collaborative. "Is this the report we will get on what we discussed in the Trails and Open Spaces plan?"

Webb said a working group is looking at all the recommendations, and "it will decide how to collaborate with all the partners, how they fit in and how we tie it all together. I will get the timeline and let you know."
Next came the Maintenance Department report from Public Works Director Jason Lockett.

He reported the department is doing spring cleaning at the Detention Center sally port; painting the front rails at the Courthouse; and working on installing a concrete ramp on the north side of the Courthouse, for easier access to the grounds. Lockett said the maintenance crew had fixed the baseball field irrigation system in Cliff; completed the scrap metal recycling and cleanup at the Fairgrounds and completed the Rodeo Arena dirt work. He said the new secure shade structure for the Shooting Range mower had been installed.

Future projects included Detention Center laundry room washer upgrades and reconfiguration; Bataan Memorial Park electrical service upgrade to the Pavilion and vault toilets; replacement of the ceiling tile at Ace Hardware; and remodel of the Manager's Office break room.

He also reported members of the Maintenance Department have completed CPR training.

Lockett also presented the Road Department report. Current and finished projects included continuing the special project on Little Walnut Road with the setting of culverts and hauling in 350 tons of material, with the possibility of capping the road within the following two weeks with 650 tons of road course topper. The department also installed 750 tons of material brought into build up Radar Station Road and Brushy Mountain road. Noonday Canyon had a little over 1000 tons of material hauled in by Grant County and a contractor for road build up. The department would continue routine patching, trimming trees on chip seal project roads and resume the special project on Noonday. Chip seal projects would begin in June.

District 2 Commissioner and Vice Chair Eloy Medina noted that Noonday Canyon was on every report. Lockett said they were trying to finish up projects. "A lot goes back to the weather and staffing. A lot of things have to line up for a project to be completed."

Ponce aside if the commissioners could have a list of roads coming up for projects.

The next article will begin the review of the regular meeting agenda for Thursday, May 9, 2024.