GRANTS, NM – The Cibola County Commission Meeting included a budget and finance report from County Manager Kate Fletcher and Finance Director Paul Ludi, a presentation regarding a Solar Battery Storage Project on Route 66, payment of invoices for Smith’s building capital repairs, and approval of a Brush Truck for the Sheriff’s Department.
City Manager Fletcher and Finance Director Ludi gave a presentation on the budget and finance report. The county is reconciled through January 31 for their main operating account and the treasurer’s office is reconciled through December 30 for the tax operating account. The county’s audit has also been published and is public to view. The county took a hit in February in the GRT’s. The county was $246,952 below their projected budget for February. The county experienced this significant drop in revenue due to a legal ruling. The County’s local government liaison David Monteith said, “A home health care agency filed a refund for $2.2 million dollars that was denied by the department. A recent court ruling ruled in favor of the agency requiring that the refund be given.”
There was a presentation on a proposed project, the Route 66 Battery Storage Project. The company that will be in charge of the project is NextEra Energy Resources which is a clean energy provider in 37 states and four provinces. The proposed project will be adjacent to Route 66 Solar and will be a 49.5 MW battery storage project. The project will tap a PNM owned 115 kV Bluewater – West Mesa line and the project will create up to 100 construction jobs for approximately one year. The total capital investment for the project is approximately $70 million. The company is targeting a December 1, 2024 start of construction with a February 1, 2026 for the project to be complete. Commissioner Christine Lowery raised concerns over if certain chemicals were used and if there will be issues regarding storing batteries. The project itself has many guidelines over decommissioning the project and many of the materials being used will be recyclable or reusable. The county voted to consider a resolution for the issuance of industrial revenue bonds for Route 66 Solar Battery Storage Project.
The county also held a public hearing to codify the New Mexico Enabling Act, the Act itself was codified by the county in January 2019 when Cibola County announced itself as a Second Amendment Sanctuary. The Act states, “The Cibola County Board of Commissioners that any Law, Mandate or Order issued by the Government of the State of New Mexico or agent thereof that is contrary to the Constitution of the United States is void and not enforceable within the boundaries of this County. Following the public hearing the commission approved to consider the ordinance for codifying the New Mexico Enabling Act in a three to one vote with Commissioner Lowery voting in opposition. During discussions Lowery said, “I too believe in the constitution of this country, and I believe it is strong enough to withstand any types of challenges. I really do believe in our three-tiered system, executive, judicial, legislative. It is the judicial branch that gets to rule on this and I really appreciate the roles of all within these three branches of government. I believe our country is strong to withstand these types of assaults, it is not up to public officials to make decisions about what is good for all of us. We really do stand on the constitution and I really believe that it has the strength to stand against any kind of personal or professional opinions about what needs to happen next, especially in regard to gun laws. I think it protects the sheriff’s as much as it protects other citizens. I believe in the constitution strongly, although it didn’t consider people of color as full human beings at one point.”
The commission approved the consideration of an amended resolution designating the location of Election Day polling places for all statewide elections conducted in 2024 and 2025, County Canvassing Board duties and appointing the Board of Commissioners as the Canvass Board for the County. The county also approved the consider to fill two Cibola General Hospital Board Member Positions, the two individuals that would be considered for positions is Carlos Tapia and Victoria Gastonguay.
Due to water line issues underneath the Smith’s Grocery Store the county approved the consideration of payment of invoices for Smith’s building capital repairs in the amount of $25,145.58. The company in charge of the repairs is TLC. The cost to replace the pipes will cost approximately $1.2 million to 1.4 million. County Manager Fletcher said, “This is going to be an ongoing sort of planning. They are thinking that it’s going to take months to fix, so we need to really need to look at the benefit, we need Smith’s open and the pipes are collapsing at a daily basis… It’s doable that we can maintain [the pipes] but not for long.”
San Rafael’s Water District requested for the county to be a fiscal agent on a capital outlay project. The capital outlay project is to purchase and equip heavy equipment and machinery for the San Rafael water and sanitation district. The request is for $125,000. The time of expenditure is extended through fiscal year 2026. The commission approved the request to be the fiscal agent for San Rafael’s Water District.
There was one consideration of requisitions over $20,000. The requisition is for a brush truck from Midwest Fire Equipment for El Morro Valley Fire District. 21 in the amount of $242,811. The commission approved the requisition.
Arieanna Crowson – CC