[Editor's Note: Grant County commissioners held a short special meeting right before a long work session on Nov. 14, 2023. This is the eighth of a series of articles covering the work session. It continues with a review of the regular meeting agenda for Nov. 16, 2023 and will include decisions made at the regular meeting.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
The Grant County Commission Nov. 14, 2023 work session continued with the review of the Nov. 15, 2023 regular meeting agenda, continuing with the rest of the resolutions.
The next resolution addressed a collaboration with the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District for the control of noxious weeds.
District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards, at the regular meeting, said the effort was "a great example of us working with other community partners."
Commissioners approved R-23-70 at the regular meeting.
R-23-71 addressed a Colonias loan/grant agreement for the North Hurley Road Phase III improvements.
Planning Director Randy Hernandez said the resolution, along with R-23-72 and R-23-73 are Colonias loan/grant agreements for North Hurley Road, Crum Road and Franks Road improvements. "We have received the documents. The North Hurley project is for construction and the other two for design. Your approval allows us to get the process going for bids and awards to get the projects off the ground."
County Manager Charlene Webb said each resolution needed to be approved individually, which the commissioners did at the regular meeting.
The final resolution was a budget adjustment request amending the fiscal year 23-24 approved budget. Financial Services Director Linda Vasquez listed the revenues and expenditures, which were added to the approved budget.
Commissioners approved the BAR at the regular meeting.
Two bids and requests for proposal came next on the agenda.
Procurement Officer Veronica Rodriguez said the committee recommended that banking services be awarded to Wells Fargo and credit card services to Washington Federal, both contingent on successful contract negotiations.
At the regular meeting, Ponce asked if anyone from the county goes to the applicants to tell them why the recommendation was made.
Webb said procurement code "does not allow us to do that. There is a 15-day protest period that gives any bidder the chance to protest the bid. After the decision is made they can get all the information as well as protest."
Commissioners approved the recommendation at the regular meeting.
The second RFP addressed airport fuel services. Rodriguez said the evaluation committee recommended the award go to World Fuel Services, again contingent on successful contract negotiations.
Commissioners approved the airport fuel services recommendation at the regular meeting.
The commissioners at the regular meeting recessed as the board of commissioners and convened as the Grant County Health Care Claims Board to approve $531.02 in claims.
At the work session, Edwards had no commissioner report.
District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne said he had a couple of thoughts about the legislative priorities. "To me every elected official is accountable to the voters, so I'm surprised that there is any minimum number of hours they must work. And if we're lazy the voters will notice. And on the volunteer firefighters retention stipend. I would like to see training covered with a stipend, too, and might be worth more." After a comment from Edwards, he agreed that perhaps the stipend could be for training, so that it is a schedulable part of the job and there is no surprise on the amount for training, which takes up volunteers' weekends."
District 2 Commissioner Eloy Medina said the training is the most important part , so the firefighters don't get hurt." I would like to see them get a stipend for training.
Browne said he wouldn't mind saving the money that was going to be spent on repainting the room.
Edwards said she was going to think about the accountability, but "I still think the legislation needs to be cleaned up. I think tax assessors and treasurers should not be elected officials, because their jobs are incredibly necessary for the county operations.My comments are not directed at our local elected officials."
District 1 Commissioners and Chair Chris Ponce said he saw no problem with the county's employees. "I would like to believe that if extra hours are needed, they will put them in."
Medina had no report.
Ponce said: "Looking at the director reports, I take my hat off to all of you, directors, manager and her staff. If you look at all our projects, I think Grant County is doing an excellent job. I thank each and every director. Randy and our manager have full plates and we keep adding things. Thank you for helping your constituents. Thursday, manager Webb, Freeport managers, school superintendents, Mr. Trujillo and I went to Los Lunas for Be Pro, Be Proud. The governor was there, and they brought in a semi with a simulator in it for the students at Los Lunas. It was showing the students who don't want to go into teaching or finances or business what the different trades are. It seems like there is more and more need for vocational education to give students other opportunities to work with their hands. During the chamber luncheon we talked about vocational, called CTE, career technical education, and the need for a place. We're looking at the armory. I need to talk to the new mayor for Santa Clara. The other route was Freeport was looking to donate a piece of land, but that would have a $30 million to $35 million price tag to build a structure, plus the cost for the necessary infrastructure. We want to keep our people here to do plumbing, construction, electrician. It's quite a wait right not for someone to get out to fix things. I want to give our Grant County people options. It was an awesome simulation. I think Silver City is 43rd in line for the simulation. Both superintendents are great supporters of the technical school."
Webb said the website Be Pro, Be Proud has the information. "We're pleased the state is funding this simulator. It's really neat."
The work session adjourned.
At the regular meeting, Medina said he and the hospital CEO and CNO would go to the Dec 6 meeting with Mimbres residents.
Edwards had nothing.
Browne said he found a study about lighting. which said that after the addition of five lux of lighting, adding more does not necessarily make for a safer road and that crashes go up once they go beyond 17 lux. Shadows can be deceptive and going from too much light to none is dangerous.
Edwards said she thought there should be some standards on vehicle headlights, because some are dangerous and too bright.
Ponce said he wanted to thank HMS on their Thanksgiving dinner for seniors
"On public comment, one said the county had hired a union buster," Ponce said. "I wanted to clarify that it is not our county manager. It is a labor attorney we hired to take care of the negotiations. I feel it is my job to make sure the public does not think it is our county manager."
Regular meeting adjourned. This completes the series.
For previous articles, please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81381-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-part-1 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81427-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-part-2 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81509-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-part-3 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81548-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-and-began-regular-meeting-111623-part-4 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81565-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-and-regular-meeting-111623-part-5 ; https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81584-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-and-regular-meeting-111623-part-6 ; and https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/81621-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-111423-and-regular-meeting-111623-part-7 .