County discusses wildlife, flooding, mutual aid

GRANTS - Issues relating to wildlife, flooding in the Plano Colorado and mutual law enforcement aid for the Child Abduction Response Team were topics of discussion at the meeting of the Cibola County Commission last week.

Jon Grant of USDA Wildlife Services reported to the commission on efforts his agency has taken on behalf of livestock and human safety in the county. “We do disease monitoring and direct control of livestock if problems are detected,” he said. “We have protected livestock on more than 358,000 acres on 16 active agreements with ranchers. More than $1.5 million in calves have been protected.”

The agency also has a gopher and prairie dog damage program and has sold and distributed rodenticides to local ranchers and conducted human health and safety classes in district schools.

“We also reach out with public education at Ag Day and we had 625 students participants last year,” he noted.

In regard to the federal Mexican Wolf Project, Grant explained that one collared wolf had come up from the Gila National Forest into Cibola County. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed him back to the Gila and we have noted no movement of wolves since,” he said. “Our service will go out to a ranch if the owner suspects wolf predation on his stock.”

Commissioner Lloyd Felipe asked if poisoning of prairie dogs was the norm for his agency and Grant replied in the negative.

Commissioner Patrick Simpson announced that he had reached an agreement with the county Maintenance Department to blade 200 yards of County Road 51. “Every time it rains, that section of the road becomes a mud bog,” he said.

Director of County Roads and Maintenance Jimmy Chavez said that the work would not adversely affect his regular maintenance schedule.

Simpson further said that money from the Rio San Jose Flood District is available to address flooding on the Plano Colorado. Chavez noted that the relevant area of road is 3.8 miles and that his department has observed areas causing the flooding. “A 3,000 foot ditch would really help the residents and the county would be reimbursed for the cost,” he said.

Chavez announced that Laguna Industries had submitted the low bid for the work. “It's a win-win situation. It's the low bid and it employs local people,” he commented.

The commission approved a mutual aid agreement with regional law enforcement agencies on the Child Abduction Response Team. Parties to the agreement include the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, the 13th Judicial District Attorney, the Laguna Police Department, the Acoma Police Department, the Grants Police Department, the Milan Police Department, the Ramah Police Department and the Cibola County Sheriff's Office.

The subject of the Labor Department now being housed at Future Families Foundation building stimulated discussion. Many parolees are required to register for work with the department, yet some of them are prohibited from being in close proximity to children. Since there are children regularly in attendance at the building and there are two schools nearby, it creates an untenable situation. The commissioners committed to look into it.

A resolution praising Pioneer Associates Corporation for attempting to bring jobs into the county was tabled on advice from county attorney Joe Diaz. “It isn't appropriate for the county to recommend one particular company over another others,” he said. “It would be fine to welcome the wood industry as a whole into the county.”

The resolution was tabled based on a motion by Commissioner Felipe.

Commissioner Walter Jaramillo announced a town hall meeting at the San Rafael Water and Sanitation Department on March 23, 2009. He also mentioned a local cleanup day on April 4. Details will be announced.

Randy Hoffman of Grants MainStreet announced a new outreach program and website for the organization. “We are now the leader in the state for outreach to historical cemeteries preservation groups. There is now a bill in Santa Fe which could help historical cemeteries,” he related.

The next meeting of the commission will be held April 8 at 5 p.m. at the commission room.