Nathan Chavez, Reporter
GRANTS, N.M. - On August 25, the Cibola County Board of Commissions held their Regular Commission Meeting. Parts of the agenda include a presentation for Overdose Death Prevention, Consideration Resolution 2022-47 Outside Agency Reporting Requirements, and Consideration of Outside Agency Funding Requests for the Chamber of Commerce and Grants Mainstreet.
Overdose Death Prevention Presentation - Bernie Lieving Bernie Lieving is the Statewide Overdose Prevention Education Coordinator. He is a consultant contractor, not a state employee. Bernie has worked on behalf of the state in all 33 counties in person before covid. He also makes an effort to keep the community supplied with Narcan to reduce the likelihood of overdose related deaths. Part of the reason this meeting came to the floor is related to the three recent overdoses on the same day in Cibola County. One of which was fatal. Bernie Lieving continued on to highlight several facts on substance abuse.
According to the New Mexico Department of Health, fentanyl related deaths had increased by 136 percent over the five-year period from 2016 to 2021. The number one drug involved in overdose deaths in that time frame was methamphetamine. While both are dangerous on their own, the combination of the two puts a person in a state of extra risk of an overdose. The leading cause of death for New Mexicans however, both chronically and acutely, is alcohol. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, shows statistically that New Mexico has the highest amount of illness and death from alcohol in the United States. Bernie also brought to attention that the lack of trained healthcare professionals and clinics in the state of New Mexico can also be attributed as a part of why many people will go without the help, they need to rehabilitate themselves and reach recovery.
Consideration Resolution 2022-47 Outside Agency Reporting Requirements The Board passed with full approval. This will set new standards for funding. It will require outside agencies that are funded to produce reports on time or risk being blocked from further funding for two years.
Consideration of Outside
Agency Funding Request: Chamber of Commerce
The Board denied the $25,000 funding on a three-totwo vote. A concern raised was lack of tracking on the spending of the money.
Consideration of Outside Agency Funding Request: Grants Mainstreet The Board passed the $25,000 funding on a three-totwo vote. A concern raised was lack of tracking on the spending of the money. Commissioner Ralph Lucero and Chairman Daniel Torrez mentioned a workshop in the future for Grants Mainstreet. Cibola County offices will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day. The next Regular Commission Meeting will be on September 22 at 5 p.m.