The Hillsboro community petitioned the commission for assistance in reducing their vulnerability to fire damage. They requested assistance in removing abandoned trailers and enforcing open burn regulations. Other fire and safety needs were addressed. Assessor Houston provided a report detailing anticipated property tax revenues.
Fire safety at front and center in April meeting
This month’s county commission meeting included topics regarding safety, especially fire safety, in Sierra county.
Hillsboro resident Steve Dobrott presented the commission with a petition signed by 77 citizens. The petition was started following a house fire that occurred under red flag conditions on April 2. The house was destroyed and a homeowner injured. Thanks to the combined efforts of three volunteer fire departments and neighbors no additional structures were damaged despite winds of “30-40 miles per hour and gusts to 70”.
The fire served as a wake-up call to the Hillsboro community and stressed their fire vulnerability. In particular, Dobrott described two abandoned structures that were illegally located. The first was a mobile home that has been an obstruction in a county road easement for “3 years despite complaints by [local] owners to the sheriff and commission”. According to Dobrott, that structure was “in the way” of emergency vehicles on April 2
Sheriff Baker told the commission that his department is actively working to remove that mobile home. They have tracked down the owner who said they’d be out by the end of the week.
The petition also requested the county contact an absentee owner of a second abandoned mobile home which Dobrott said was sited illegally within six feet of neighbors’ fence and garage. During discussion Dobrott said that he had been in contact with the owner of the mobile home and that they would help but didn’t know how to proceed. According to Dobrott the condition of the home is so bad it would have to be taken apart, not towed away.
Included in the petition was a request “Adopt and enforce open burning regulations during dry and windy seasons”. The county does annually adopt a no burn ordinance early in fire season. They also list a phone number, 575-894-7111, to call dispatch for all planned burns. This provides the county with advanced notice and location of potential problems.
During discussion following Dobrott’s presentation, the commission expressed concern and desire to help Hillsboro. Commissioner Paxon worried, however, that residents would be reluctant to remove brush and other fire hazards. He cited the county’s experience with some residents in Kingston who had been resistant during last year’s Black fire. Despite that resistance, other Kingston residents encouraged their neighbors and “Kingston looks better than ever”. Dobrott assured the commission that Hillsboro has at least 77 residents who know the value of planning for fires.
Dobrott made an additional request for the county to supply a dumpster to help residents clean out brush. The county is currently in the process of the annual “Spring Cleanup” campaign that lets residents freely discard acceptable trash at the transfer stations. For information on times and locations call 575-894-6881.
Travis Atwell, in emergency services, updated the commission on work towards accepting fire vehicle donations from Doña Ana and Eddy counties. Two class A pumpers are being donated to Sierra County from Doña Ana county. Those vehicles will be placed at fire departments in Arrey and Monticello. Eddy county is also donating a class A pumper, a 2500 gallon pumper tender and a pallet of extrication equipment. All the equipment is free and will arrive after paperwork to accept the donations is completed and the commission has made its approval.
New Mexico State University is expanding its array of weather stations, ZiaMet , throughout the state. Sierra county government will host three sites at Cuchillo, Caballo and Poverty Creek fire stations. Between these stations, the current station at the airport, and other stations to be sited on private property throughout the county, emergency personnel will have access to real time weather conditions.
In other county safety news, Keith Whitney in the GIS department said that he has begun loading location information into the Google directory. This will allow emergency personnel and others to accurately locate structures in the county. County manager Amber Vaughn thanked US representative Gabe Vasquez for submitting a request for $2.625 million in federal funds for an emergency operation center.
Travis Atwell described an agreement between Doña Ana and Sierra counties that will transfer the use and maintenance of a communication tower and facilities on Caballo mountain to Sierra county. Doña Ana is moving its equipment from Caballo to Salem. Atwell said that Sierra county uses the Caballo tower as its main computer site but the generator, which tends not to work when power is down because Doña Ana does “not want to fix it”, can now be maintained by Sierra. The radio shelter on Caballo can also be maintained by Sierra county. It currently has a roof leak. Atwell stressed the importance of having a communication tower in good condition on Caballo. There are thirty sites on Caballo, but “half of them are abandoned”, he said. The reliability of communications through Caballo will be enhanced with Sierra county in charge of it.
Budget information
County manager Vaughn announced the county budget workshop is scheduled for May 11. County assessor Michael Huston provided an annual report to help with budget planning. Via email Huston confirmed the pre-certification estimate for revenue from property taxes is just over $4.1 million. The exact value depends on appeals and exemptions. The 2022 property tax income was $3,939,041.
New construction in the county was down significantly, according to Huston, from over $11 million last year to over $7 million this year. The decrease was likely due to “slowing of construction at the spaceport”. The new construction that did occur and increased property values as the result of the Valuation Maintenance Program are the reasons for increased property tax revenue. Huston described the VMP as being the “taxable value which is the result of 3% increase to some vacant land and residential properties as well as revaluation by reappraisal of an area. This revaluation is an ongoing statutory requirement and in an increasing and ever changing market it is the only way to meet current and correct values. By law, residential properties can only increase in value by 3% per year no matter what they appraise for. All sales go to current and correct values at the time they sell.”
Sierra Vista Hospital
Commissioner Day confirmed that the county government is supporting the initiative for a special hospital district (more information from the Citizen, go here and here or to other local news). Day encouraged people who have questions about the initiative reach out to both county and municipal representatives.
The county also signed a contract with Sierra Vista Hospital to provide a number of services and the fees. The new contract consolidates previous contracts. Services will be provided to the Sheriff’s office, inmates, the indigent and serve for required physicals and drug testing as needed by the county departments.
Waste Collection
The county has published a new draft of the ordinance for collection of waste (see p.205 of the packet). Attorney Pato explained that the draft includes current ordinances but also will allow for an exclusive franchise. There will be a public hearing on May 16 before the commission decides on the fate of the draft ordinance.
correction: Mr Dobrott’s name was spelled incorrectly in an earlier version of this posting