[Editor's Note: This is the eighth and final of a series of articles on the June 11, 2024 Commission meeting and the June 13 regular meeting. It continues and concludes the work session review of the regular meeting agenda and decisions made at that meeting.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The June 11, 2024 Grant County Commission work session continued with the review of the June 13, 2024, regular meeting.

The discussion continued on the agreements, resolutions and bids and requests for proposal.

The next agreement considered the safety net care pool fourth quarter payment, which County Manager Charlene Webb noted comes before the commissioners every quarter and the payment comes from a gross receipts tax increment.

Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.

Webb said the next agreement was a cooperative agreement between the county and the state of New Mexico Tourism Department. "We have participated in this for many years with the Lodger's Tax Advisory Committee. We pay $26,600 and the state matches it with $53,200 giving us $79, 800 for advertising purposes and being part of New Mexico True." At the work session, Webb noted that The Lodger's Advisory Committee Chair Becky O'Connor presents regular reports to the Commission on how the funding is spent.

Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.

Webb explained the transport road use and road maintenance agreement with Great Divide Wind Farm LLC. She said minor changes had been made to the agreement.

Commissioners approved the road use and maintenance agreement at the regular meeting.

The final agreement addressed the R.I.S.E. Program fiscal year 2024 scope of work in the amount of $375,000. Commissioners approved it.

Next came resolutions.

The first resolution No. R-24-27 addressed acceptance of a wildfire risk reduction grant, which gives the county $20,000 as part of the National Fire Plan through the Bureau of Land Management in cooperation with the New Mexico Association of Counties.

Commissioners approved it at the regular meeting.

The following resolution, No. R-24-28 considered adoption of the Grant County Information Technology Policy.

Deputy County Manager Andrea Montoya, at the work session, said she and IT Director Adam Baca had been working on the policy for several months and she asked Baca to speak more about the policy.

He said the policy basically expands on what is laid out in the employee manual and said the policy has eight bullet points that lay out the dos and don'ts of using the IT systems in the county.

"The intention is to break it down into a granular level," Baca said. He gave examples of it expanding general things like "don't install software on the computer. It goes deeper, such as not installing malware or implementing hardware that shouldn't be implemented within the network."

Baca said the policy also states things such mandatory cybersecurity trainings. He said all employees will go through the trainings and they have to sign documents stating they completed the trainings. The eight bullet points are being expanded into about 11 sections that provide deeper information on each point, regarding the governance of the IT systems. "It will also allow us to have a leg to stand on regrading the implementation of adherence to this policy."

Webb said having the policy in place when they apply for cybersecurity insurance, "allows us when they ask us if we have such a policy, we can say yes, and shows them we have internal controls in place."

Commissioners approved the policy at the regular meeting.

Montoya also presented the BAR (budget adjustment requests) at the work session.

Commissioners approved the BAR resolution at the regular meeting.

Under bids and request for proposals, Procurement Officer Veronica Rodriguez reported the county had received two bids for the North Hurley Road Phase III roadway and drainage work. She recommended it be awarded to Southwest Concrete and Paving Inc. at a bid price, including gross receipts tax of $4,235.451.73. She noted the bid was within budget.

Commissioners awarded the bid at the regular meeting.

Rodriguez, at the work session, also presented the burial and health claims to be considered at the regular meeting.

Commissioners, as the Grant County Health Care Claims Board at the regular meeting, approved the amount of $2,000 for two indigent burials provided by Baca's Funeral Chapel.

They also approved a total of $68.52 for the one allowed indigent claim.

During commissioner reports at the work session, District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings thanked District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina for his presentation on getting defibrillators into the Gila and Mimbre senior centers and for the life that was saved at the Mimbres center because of the defibrillator.

Billings also said the commissioners as well as constituents have questions about the Rodeo Road fire and the junk yards and environmental waste. "We passed an ordinance in 2022 on junked vehicles. We have to make sure the ordinance is working. I think 'hoarders' see the value of a vehicle where a normal person wouldn't. We need to consider that we are dealing with a big issue here. We will do our due diligence to see that places that need it get cleaned up."

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said co-ed softball teams had started up using the Bataan Memorial Park fields. "It's first come, first serve. We put money into the park, and it's great to see people are going to use the fields as intended." He noted he heard a rumor that the county wants to sell Gila Regional Medical Center to Health Tech. I want to dispel that rumor. The hospital is too important to the county and the surrounding area."

He then said: "I'm sad to say that on Sunday, Mundy Amador passed away. I remember when he asked for funding for sidewalks for Bataan Memorial Park Forgotten Veterans' Memorial. He and other Vietnam veterans had worked hard to get it built. The governor sent $300,000 down to do the sidewalks. It breaks my heart that Mundy won't be here to see that happen. I thank him for his service and helping all the veterans. My condolences to his family. Mundy, we will get this project done for you.'"

During Commissioner reports at the regular meeting, District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards asked if anything was being done about the Rodeo Road fire. Webb replied they the county is exploring legal options and working with the Planning Director Randy Hernandez and code enforcement with the potential of more ordinances.

Edwards noted clean ups would cost a lot of money and suggested that the ordinances in place have "more teeth to them for enforcement."

Medina noted that about 90 percent of what code enforcement does is related to track. 

Edwards said she saw it as personal responsibility issue, especially with the trash she sees along the roadways. 

Ponce said he thought more community involvement was needed. "If we talk about economic development such things shouldn't even happen.

Edwards asked if it was a possibility for the county to reinstate a bottle and can deposit. The county attorney Ben Young said he would look into it. 

Browne said the abandoned vehicle ordinance was good, but he didn't think they had tested the limits of it. The ordinance empowers citizens to act, and they can go to Magistrate Court to file an injunction. "But as Commissioner Billings said, not everyone sees a junk yard as a junk yard."

Billings said he saw a need to pursue charges when an area is a danger to the public. "Trash on the side of the road, isn't a danger, but it could be a danger next door.

He also said he had a question from a constituent asking if the county was flying a helicopter over Cliff. I told him the county doesn't have a helicopter.   About the fire, he said the response to contain the fire was impressive.  "And if we don't enforce the ordinances, what's the use of having them?"

Edwards said it seemed to her that code enforcement can cite people, but it doesn't get to compliance. 

Billings suggested a lien on the property.

Ponce said they were told that it took 400,000 gallons of water to contain the fire. "What civil action can the county do?"

Billings said he had talked to the solid waste manager and she had said the in Valencia County to clean up a property, they brought in a car crusher to crush the vehicles. 

Edwards said it is challenging for people to dispose of cars.

Ponce noted that HMS had hired Aaron Holmes to take care of the senior centers. "i think he will do a good job."

The meeting adjourned after the executive session where they discussed a real property issue

To read the previous articles, please visit: https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/grant-county-commission-work-session-061124-part-1 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/grant-county-commission-work-session-061124-part-2  ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/grant-county-commission-work-session-061124-part-3 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/grant-county-commission-work-session-061124-part-4  ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/grant-county-commission-work-session-061124-and-reg-mtg-061324-part-5 ; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/grant-county-commission-work-session-061124-and-reg-mtg-061324-part-6 ; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/grant-county-commission-work-session-061124-and-reg-mtg-061324-part-7