GRANTS, N.M. – The Cibola County Board of Commissioners met for one of their regular meetings on September 22. The topics of interest on the agenda included a biannual report for Cibola General Hospital by hospital C.E.O. Thomas Whelan, and several considerations to be voted on by the board. Whelan spoke at length on the past six months to a year giving an overview of the financials and statistics of the hospital to the board as usual. He also expressed gratitude for the hospital staff and their constant efforts to help keep the community safe with the resources that they had available throughout Covid. Whelan mentioned that although the volume of patients has gone down a little, the numbers are still higher than they have been in previous years. They are currently looking to add another professional part-time medical staff member, to help serve the many patients still coming in. The hospital will also be making an expansion on its emergency department along with the addition of a safe room and private rooms. The safe room will have limited equipment, cameras, sound monitoring, and an outside code lock that law enforcement will have access to for certain patients. He anticipates that the work will be done before the end of November. The hospital is also in the process of buying a new building to move their maintenance space to in order to renovate the room and put their new MRI unit in its place. It will be able to offer better images and additional services that they haven’t been able to provide previously. Whelan ended his report by saying that on September 30, the hospital’s flu pod will also become available. It is a drive through clinic where the public will be able to go to get their flu vaccine.
The Board fully passed “Resolution 202252 Policy for Employee Time Keeping”. This is to ensure that Cibola County departmental staff get paid for their real work time through the use of time clocks. With this policy, staff will now be required to clock in and clock out to keep track of their work hours. Kate Fletcher stated, “Some of them are refusing to, that’s why we need a policy.” Those who don’t comply will face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
The Board fully passed “Resolution 202253 Participation in Transportation Project Fund Program Administered by NMDOT for County 5Moquino Llano Bridge”. Fletcher stated that they had already received two million dollars from NMDOT and only needed approval from the board to start the project.
The Board fully approved “Selection of Hospital Board Member”. Harry Sheski is now the new Hospital Board member.
The Board fully approved both requisitions over $20,000. The first was for Eaton Sales and Services / (2) Eaton Fireguard Tank Split for $301,951.99. The second purchase was for Artesia Fire Equipment / RASD Commercial Pumper for $469,565 from their Fire Protection Fund.
During the executive session no final action was taken.
The Board fully approved the contract drawn up for “Collective Bargaining Agreement with CPSO”. The County negotiated a collective bargaining agreement with dispatch. Dispatch are not technically county employees. The Board of Commissioners must approve the contract first because they act as a fiscal agent administering all fiscal and personnel matters.
The next Regular Commission Meeting will be on October 27 at 5 p.m.