GRANTS, NM – This month’s Regular Commission meeting was held on November 16. At this meeting the local election results were certified by the Canvassing Board, two new deputies were sworn in for the Sheriff’s Department, and two graduates of the Public Safety Telecommunicator Program were recognized for their dedication in the three-week long program.
The meeting began with the Commission Board convening as a Canvassing board to certify the results of the 2023 Regular local Election. It was stated that in Cibola County there were 14,835 eligible voters and in the Local Election 1,732 voted, which is 11 percent. In New Mexico there were 1,219,760 eligible voters and in the Local Election 250,824 voted, which is 20 percent. The Canvassing Board Certified the Local Election results. The County Clerk’s office also stated that a lot of people came in to vote thinking it was the Presidential Election, but upon realizing that it was just the local election they decided not to vote. This led to them having to spoil those ballots or mark those individuals as flag voters.
The board reconvened as a commission board. The only public comment was by County Manager Kate Fletcher. Fletcher stated that earlier this week in Santa Fe she spoke with the General Services Department. The GSD was letting her know that all counties and municipalities, not only will they be receiving an invoice of $300,000 in May, but they have a short fall. On Monday they said that the short fall was $60.9 million, which turns out to be a $150.2 million short fall. This short fall is for all the health insurances for all employees. It was said that all municipalities and counties would be getting a 10 percent increase every six months until the short fall is paid off. Since the county pays 100 percent of all employee insurance, this increase falls on them. It was also said by Fletcher that they were told that a 10 percent increase will occur in January 2024, which will be about an increase of $130,000 and then in July 2024. While in Santa Fe Fletcher reached out to Harry Garcia regarding this issue due to him being a member of the Legislative Finance Committee. Fletcher thanked Garcia for his help in addressing this issue at the Legislative Finance Committee Meeting all those that assist in Local Government. Following Fletcher’s comment, State Representative Harry Garcia went before the board to thank everyone for their service in the community.
The Commission approved their Regular Commission Meeting Minutes for October 25. Following this there was a presentation of the swearing- in ceremony for two new deputies for the Sheriff’s Department. Joshua Pacheco and Monica Young were sworn in. Deputy Pacheco will be a School Resource Officer at Grants High School and it was not announced the position Deputy Young will be taking. There was also a presentation regarding the recognition of Public Safety Telecommunicator Graduates. Allyssa Whetten and Emily Naef were both graduates from NMLEA PST 161. The Public Safety Telecommunicator program is three-weeks long, this class also had two valedictorians, with Whetten tying with another graduate.
This meeting had two new business items, the first was consideration of the Northwest New Mexico Solid Waste Authority yearly service agreement which is $300,000 a year. The commission approved the NWNMSWA yearly service agreement. The second was consideration of requisitions over $20,000. The requisition was dell laptops for $69,656. It was also said by Fletcher that the money for this purchase will not be coming out of the Sheriff’s Department Budget but the IT Department Budget. The laptops will be used by the Sheriff’s Department because according to Fletcher the current laptops are not strong enough to handle the data from the new Axon body cameras. The Commission Approved the requisition.
There was an executive session on the agenda for the Commission to discuss pending or threatened litigation, real property, personnel, and other specific topics in a closed session. After hearing from the attorney and Fletcher the Commission decided it was necessary to skip the executive session due to there not being anything new to discuss.
The meeting ended with two announcements, Cibola County Offices Will Be Closed, Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24, in observation of Thanksgiving and Family Day Holidays. The Next Regular Commission Meeting will be on Thursday, December 21, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.