GRANTS, NM – The Cibola County Commission held their regular meeting on August 24. During this meeting there was a presentation on DWI, a report on the budget and finances, a public hearing regarding the subdivision claim of exemption and multiple new action items.
The meeting began with comments from the public. The first individual to comment was Julie Junod, she came forward to ask the commission to vote aye on resolution 2023-42 which is supporting utilization of constitutional referendum process. The second individual to comment was Paul Spencer, who said he wanted to use his time during the consideration of resolution 2023-42 to speak about the utilization of constitutional referendum process. The third individual to comment was NM State Representative Harry Garcia, he came forward to speak about highway barriers. He said that commissioner Lucero had asked for highway barriers for a project the county is working on. Garcia said that he reached out to the NMDOT and that they are going to be getting the highway barriers, which is 200 ft. He said that this will help the community and the county will not be having to pay for them. Garcia also said that a lot of the commissioners and attorneys are thankful for what the commission does for the city and the county.
The meeting moved forward with the agenda. The commission approved the regular commission meeting minutes for July 24. Following this was the budget and finance report by County Manager Kate Fletcher and Finance Director Paul Ludi. Paul Ludi began the report by saying that the county’s is reconciled through June 30, 2023, for their main operating accounting and the Treasurer’s office is reconciled through June 30, 2023, for the tax operating account. He said they are still working on the one audit find in the reconciliation. Ludi said they have started on their audit, and they are hitting the ground running. The audit team will be on the ground on September 18, and they will be working with the team on what they need, and the audit will be done on time. The county will start reporting on property taxes again when new collections start.
Following the budget and finance report was a DWI Presentation by DWI Coordinator Vicki Kramer. She first began with introducing her staff. She said that they are strictly funded DFA, they are funded to supervise misdemeanor compliance, DWI, DWI Compliance, and Domestic violence involving alcohol. They are not funded for felony cases that are pled down to misdemeanor. She said that they have been receiving a lot of felony cases that are pled down to misdemeanors. Kramer also said they do not receive funding for those cases, and they have been seeing an increase in those cases coming their way. She said they are not trained for these cases, and they do not have the resources to supervise the clients. Kramer said that she has contacted the District Attorney’s Office and let them know that they can’t take the cases anymore. She said she wants to put it on the record that they are no longer supervising felony cases that are pled down to misdemeanors.
The agenda moved forward with a public hearing regarding ordinance 2023-01 subdivision claim of exemption. The ordinance is due to laws changing regarding exemptions and the ordinance is to update the exemptions in order to be in compliance with the subdivision law. Following the public hearing they began with new business. The first action item was approval of ordinance 2023-01 subdivision claim of exemption, the commission voted to approve the ordinance.
The next action item was consideration of resolution 2023-43 FY24 BAR #1 with schedule 2023-43 A, which according to Ludi the legislature does this once a year and it is a normal process, so he recommends the commission approves the BAR. The commission motioned to approve BAR #1. The agenda moved forward with the next action item Consideration of DWI advisory board bylaws, according to Fletcher the DWI bylaws are mandatory through the DFA. Kramer spoke about the board and that the board assists in determining where funds go, following the approval the DWI Advisory will have to vote in new board members. The commission motioned to approve the DWI advisory board bylaws. The next action item was consideration of NWNMCOG contract for project management for drainage master plan project. Fletcher said that they cannot work on any roads without a drainage master plan. She said that the contact will not only service the county but the city and the village because it is all connected. Fletcher also said that she recommends they approve the contact so they can get the master plan done and they can fix the roads. The commission motioned to approve the contract with NWNMCOG.
The agenda moved forward with the next action item consideration of resolutions for LGRF COOP agreement. The commission motioned to approve the consideration for the resolutions. The next action item was consideration of Resolution 2023-42 Supporting Utilization of Constitutional Referendum Process. The presentation for the resolution was done by County Captain for the referendum petition Paul Spencer who is a member of the Republican Party of Cibola County. Spencer said that it provides a democratic process in shaping policies and ordinances throughout the state, and that it allows them to have the opportunity to be directly involved. He introduced Cibola County Captain for the Referendum petition Harry Hall who is a member of the Republican Party of Cibola County. Hall said that a lot of people including republicans, independents, and democrats are upset with the new laws being passed recently. He said he thinks that the citizens of New Mexico should be able to vote on the laws. The commission motioned to approve the resolution of supporting the utilization of constitutional referendum process.
The next action item was consideration of FY24 Capital Asset Inventory List. Fletcher said that they do this list every year and that she recommends they approve the list. The commission motioned to approve the capital asset inventory list. Following this was the action item of Consideration of FY2024 NWNMCOG Membership Agreement. Once again Fletcher said that they do this every year and she recommends that the commission approve the membership agreement. The commission motioned to approve the membership. The next action item was consideration of USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services Agreement. Fletcher said once again that this agreement is done every year. The commission motioned to approve the agreement. The final action item was consideration of requisitions over $20,000 this includes two RAM 1500 SSV Pkg from Melloy Dodge for the Sheriff’s in the amount of $86,896, one RAM 2500 Crew Pkg from Melloy Dodge for the Sheriff’s Department in the amount of $53,127, and Maintenance of three HVAC units by Kirk Air Co. for the Public Safety Building in the amount of $23,441.84. The commission approved all of the requisitions.
Following this the commission went into executive session but no action was taken on any of the matters. The meeting ended with announcements; the Cibola County offices will be closed Monday September 4 in observation of Labor Day. The next Regular Commission Meeting will be on Thursday September 28 at 5 p.m.