County manager outlines bills that could impact Roosevelt

PORTALES — County Manager Amber Hamilton outlined for county commissioners on Tuesday which state legislative bills could harm the county.

Hamilton told commissioners at the Tuesday commission meeting that the New Mexico Association of Counties is watching closely certain legislation that could greatly impact county governments, such as the immigration legislation that is trying to make New Mexico a sanctuary state.

“There may be some last minute trips that need to be scheduled (to Santa Fe), so be prepared if you hear from me,” she told commissioners.

Commissioners approved opposing House Bill 175 and 242 and Senate Bill 185, relating to the enactment of the Isolated Confinement Act, which Hamilton said would highly impact the county’s detention center.

Hamilton said one of the things the revision to the act would cause is requiring detention centers to have a mental health official on site 24 hours per day, which the county cannot afford at this time. She said the county’s detention center currently has one on site two days per week.

Commissioners also approved opposing House Bill 278.

“This is just another bill we’re seeing where they would further restrict and place undo administrative burdens on local governing bodies — i’s all to do with procurement; they’re wanting us to have to advertise another 30-day posting before we can make the award, which would cause further delay. As you are aware, it’s already a very delayed process,” Hamilton told commissioners.

Hamilton said in the county’s opposition letter to the state imposing more financial burdens on counties, she highlighted the many services the county has to pay for, many of which they are required to provide by the state but receive no help in paying for by the state.

“They also require us to provide a 1/16 of 1 percent of the state Medicaid fund. That is an almost $200,000 per year allocation. Then they came back and said that wasn’t enough, and they took another 1/12,” Hamilton told commissioners. “This year alone, we’re going to be paying $254,000 just over that (Medicaid costs).”

The following were other actions taken Tuesday in the Roosevelt County Commission meeting in the county courthouse:

• County Treasurer Layle Sanchez reported to commissioners that the county had $3.5 million in its general fund for the month of January.

• Hamilton reported to commissioners that she has been working with the Elida, Dora and Floyd communities for the use of their community centers for town hall meetings for public input on revising the county’s land use plan.

She said the town hall meetings will be held from March 21 to March 29 in all four Roosevelt County communities.

• Commissioners approved the Roosevelt County Vehicle Accident Preventing Program Policy.

• Commissioners approved the 2017 Annual Certified County Maintained Mileage, which is 1,232 miles for this year.

• Commissioners approved Hamilton applying for hardship funds with the New Mexico Department of Transportation to see if the county can be allotted a certain amount of state funds to purchase road equipment at the state auction as they did last year.

• Commissioners approved a contract with Voiance Language Services to provide language translation via telephone for the county. Hamilton said the county will only be charged when it uses the service.