The county commission signed two ordinances following a poorly attended public hearing. Sierra county resident Tom Sharpe provided coverage of the enabling act ordinance in his December 20 posting and the Indigent Health Care ordinance was described on Dec 17 . The entire meeting can be heard here. The public hearing begins at minute 4. The commission discussion of ordinances begins at minute 55.
In other business county manager Amber Vaughn provided a 6 month report for this fiscal year’s county budget (FY24). The county had set its budget for over $8.3 million based on projected revenues. Vaughn told me in an email that the county is required maintain a reserve fund that would cover expenses for 3 months in case of emergency. This year the emergency fund is about $1.6 million. Of the remaining $6.7 million budget, the county so far has spent about 36% or $2.4 million. Vaughn told the commission that since 2019 the county has averaged $732,000 under budget. The money not spent does not need to be returned but the county can “invest excess funds or keep a fund balance to fund future projects or expenditures” she emailed.
On the meeting agenda was the report of the Flood Commission Annual Report. However, there was no representative from the Flood Commission to give a report. According to New Mexico statutes, “Between the 15th day of December of each year and the succeeding first day of January, each county flood commissioner shall make full and detailed report to the county commissioners of their respective counties, giving a detailed description of all work constructed, built or maintained by them during the current year, together with a full and true account of all expenditures made by such county flood commissioner.”
The commission signed a contract with local company “The Olive Tree” to administer a grant through the New Mexico Human Service Department. The grant, Reset Rental Assistance, as described by former detention facility administer, Virginia Lee, is specifically designed for housing assistance to homeless clients who have recently been released from jail or prison. “The housing program is the teeth to the success in the program”, to help people with substance use and mental health disorders, who have been released, said Lee.
The Reset grant will help fund transitional housing provided at the Trails Reentry Housing Center. It will also help residents with first and last month’s rent down payments when they are ready to move to private housing. The strength of the housing center is that residents have agreed to participate in five classes and therapy sessions every week explained Lee. It has been reported that, recidivism rates of people who have gone through the program are significantly reduced.
Lee assured the commission that accepting the Reset grant would not be a financial burden on the county. It “doesn’t cost the county anything” and the county will actually gain $500 per month to offset grant management.
The commission approved the purchase of a new armored vehicle for the Sheriff’s department. The BearCat G3 4-wheel off-road vehicle will replace the Mine Resistant Ambush Protection vehicle that had previously been available to the department. Sheriff Baker told the commission that use of MRAPs are currently limited to active shooter incidents.
Baker explained via email that the MRAP had been “obtained through a federal program, and these types of vehicles are basically on loan from the federal government, they do not belong to the agency utilizing them”. While the Sheriff’s department had use of the vehicle they were responsible for maintenance and upkeep.
To justify the purchase of a $335,000 armored vehicle, Baker told the commission that his department averages 10 violent encounters per year and 1 or 2 hostage situations, usually domestic. “Those are true hostage situations”, elaborated Baker, “where subjects are holding someone against their will at gunpoint”. For these occasions, an armor vehicle is needed but it would take 3-3.5 hours to get the closest comparable vehicle to the scene, “an eternity” when shots are fired or “if an officer is down and we can’t get to him”.
Baker told the commission that his department is able to pay for the vehicle with a combination of unused capital outlay, legislative junior funds and funds remaining from this year’s department budget.