[Editor's Note: This is part 3 of a multi-part series of articles on the Aug. 10, 2021, work session. It will begin with county reports.]

The two presentations at the Grant County Commission Aug. 10, 2021 work session can be read at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/66731-grant-county-commission-hears-updates-at-work-session-081021 and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/66741-grant-county-commission-hears-updates-at-work-session-081021-part-2 .

Next came county reports. County Planning and Economic Development director Priscilla Shoup led off the updates.

"The Bandoni Drive drainage project has been awarded to Southwest Concrete and Paving for $428,000," Shoup said. "The project should be completed by the end of the year. The Bataan Memorial Park drainage and ADA project began July 26 and should be completed in October and no later than November. The park is closed while the construction is continuing. The Bataan Memorial project has Architect Mark Richard and advocate Donnie Turner, who is back on board, together working on the final design. We will work on a committee to plan the 80th anniversary of the Bataan Death March. If any of you want to be a part of this, please let me know. We have junior legislative money for the Bataan trails project. I have reached out to Martyn Pearson, and we will meet sometime this week to get started on the design. For our Trails and Outdoor Master Planning, we plan to keep the survey open until at least the fall. We've received about 150 responses so far. We are planning to start the stakeholder process in August and close it around the same time as we close the survey. The SE Group plans a public meeting around mid-November.

"As for the ICIP (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan), we did have our public hearing yesterday evening," Shoup continued. "There are two road projects that were not on the list, but have just been awarded for the design phase. They are the Arenas Valley Road and the North Hurley Road Phase 3. I suggest we add those, as well as the ones that were talked about last night that are not on the list, such as the Tyrone water improvements and the Arenas Valley and Spring Creek Road sewer projects."

She noted that a few projects on the list are rather generalized, and last year, the state indicated it wanted more specifics.

"I will ask that you place the ICIP resolution on the Aug. 24 meeting agenda," Shoup said. "It needs to be approved at the Sept. 9 meeting to get to the state by the Sept. 17 deadline."

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said he appreciated Shoup's and Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments Executive Director Priscilla Lucero's participation in the ICIP hearing, "as well as all the citizens who showed up. Hearing from citizens helps us prioritize what the citizens want. They gave some amazing presentations, which were very beneficial to help us make decisions. We may need a special meeting just for the ICIP."

Acting Road Superintendent Joe Grijalva gave the department report. "We are almost finished with chip sealing projects, except for striping. In our special projects, the low water crossing at Red Rock where we lost the crossing on Anderson Road is about 60 percent done. Because it was a fairly new project, we're trying something new this time. We are taking it as it comes, trying to get bus routes ready. We're doing a lot of routine work and trying to take care of complaints. We are behind on grading because of some major rains. We'll get back to it when it starts to dry up a bit. We got the mower out to San Lorenzo and then we'll move to Cliff and come back toward town. We are doing some tree trimming, but we need to come up with a plan. We've been short a mechanic for a while. I hope we find a new one soon."

Grijalva said he had put in for a couple of trucks, a trailer and a steel well. Smith Ford had responded that the F-150s would become available before the F-250s, and "the dealer would get back to me hopefully by November."

Ponce asked about Hurley chip sealing. Grijalva said the town was waiting on getting the money for the materials. "If he can't get it soon, it will be at least September before we can do anything."

Ponce also said he has received compliments on how receptive Grijalva has been in responding to complaints and questions.

Interim County Manager Randy Villa thanked the staff in the manager's office. "They do their work with great professionalism. They have been making my job as interim as easy as possible."

The next article will address the beginning of the regular meeting, with a proclamation and the Gila Regional Medical Center monthly report, as well as elected officials' reports potentially.