Roosevelt officials approve budget

Fuel cost increases for the Roosevelt County Road Department are budgeted to rise by more than 73%, or $275,000, over the next fiscal year, compared to the current fiscal year’s total of $360,000, in the county’s preliminary fiscal year 2023 budget approved Tuesday by the Roosevelt County Commission.

Fuel costs for the county sheriff’s department are expected to rise by 64% from about $70,000 to $115,000, in fiscal 2023 in next fiscal year’s budget, according to figures presented to the commission by County Manager Amber Hamilton.

The fuel cost estimates are based on assumptions of $6 per gallon for gasoline and $7.50 per gallon for diesel, Hamilton said.

In all funds, the county is expected to see revenues totaling $19.4 million and expenses totaling more than $19.6 million. With a starting balance from the current fiscal year of nearly $8 million, the county is expecting to finish fiscal 2023 with a balance of $13.4 million, according to a summary of the budget presented to the commission.

In the county’s general fund, which receives local property tax and gross receipts tax revenue, the budget shows revenues of nearly $10.8 million and expenses totaling more than $9.1 million. After considering the opening balance of $3 million and adjustments of $2 million in fund transfers and nearly $2.3 million in reserves, the general fund is expected to have a balance of just over $8 million at the end of fiscal 2023.

Fiscal 2023 begins on July 1 and ends June 30, 2023.

The preliminary budget must be reviewed by the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) and adjusted after the DFA review. The final budget is expected to be approved by July 31.

Hamilton said the preliminary budget does not account for an expected $1.8 million in American Rescue Plan funds expected in the next fiscal year. Hamilton said county officials want to receive the funds before making decisions on how it should be spent.

The $3 million balance expected at the beginning of fiscal 2023 is greater than the $2 million balance from fiscal 2021 that started the current fiscal year, she said.

In other action Tuesday, the commission:

• Agreed to provide law enforcement services to the town of Elida, as well as other county services. Elida will offer ambulance services for the county, as well as access to radio signal towers and the county agrees to pay $22,500.

• Approved scope of work agreements to continue New Mexico Behavioral Health Department counseling services aimed at preventing reincarceration and homelessness, and treat opioid addiction among Roosevelt County Detention Center inmates. The scope of work agreements are needed to secure continued funding for these programs in fiscal 2023, Hamilton said.

• Accepted a grant of $131,900 to provide part-time summer jobs to students through the Summer Enrichment Project of the New Mexico Public Education Department.

• Accepted a grant of $22,204 from the New Mexico Environment Department for a program that removes and disposes of tires from roadways.

• Approved a grant of $99,600 from the DFA for driving-while-intoxicated prevention programs.

• Approved the donation to the Arch Volunteer Fire Department of the Arch Community Center. Fire Chief Jay Lang said the community center includes meeting and gathering space for firefighters, as well as warehouse space for sheltering firefighting vehicles.

• Approved the Arch Fire Departments plans to auction off a 1974 Ford fire truck and to donate a 1975 International fire truck to the Causey Fire Department.

• Approved Volunteer Fire Insurance services for the Arch and Milnesand volunteer fire departments and paying a premium of about $8,800 for both.

• Heard comments from Deena Kinman of the Border Soil and Water Conservation District Land Use Plan that included discussion of cloud-seeding efforts designed to increase rainfall over parts of New Mexico. Kinman said cloud-seeding over eastern New Mexico could end up bringing rain to Texas, but eastern New Mexico might get more rain from cloud-seeding over central New Mexico, which may bring more rain east to the eastern New Mexico plains.