Ponce hints at new life for Wildlife Services

During the Grant County Commission’s Tuesday morning function session, the prospect of renewed county funding for controversial federal wild animal management companies was raised by District 1 Commissioner and Chairman Chris Ponce.
At their June 23 conference, District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne and District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards voted to reject the renewal of a agreement with the Animal and Plant Wellbeing Inspection Service, an agency beneath the U.S. Department of Agriculture that eliminates nuisance wildlife, from smaller animals like coyotes, raccoons and skunks to big animals like mountain lions and bears. District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings was the lone vote to proceed funding for the agreement at the June meeting, arguing that the then-absent Ponce and District 2 Commissioner Javier Salas ought to be allowed to weigh in on the choice.
At minimum 1 of people commissioners would seem open to ongoing county assist for the federal deal, primarily based on opinions designed Tuesday. The dialogue started when District 4 resident Glenn Griffin took to the podium to inform commissioners that a whole lot of taxpayers are with them on their final decision not to renew the Wildlife Products and services agreement.
“Wildlife Solutions wishes our tax pounds, and will most likely check with for complete pay retroactively back again to July 1,” he reported. “The contract’s revenue that arrives from the Taylor Grazing Act and the AUM [animal unit month] grazing expenses on federal land has been coming up limited of the 30 percent, or $25,000, so that Grant County has been paying out some $5,000 a calendar year into the ranchers’ matched portion for four or 5 several years. This requirements to end.”
Ponce tackled the situation towards the conclusion of the conference, all through his commissioners report. He explained he and the relaxation of the commissioners have obtained what he referred to as “chain letters” from the neighborhood opposing Wildlife Solutions.
“Most of them, I read through the to start with line — I’m not likely to sit there and squander half a day looking through the identical letter in excess of and above with the exact same level,” Ponce reported. “I’m remaining trustworthy with you. What bought me wondering to where by possibly we do need to have to set it again on the agenda was just one of the paragraphs that was put in in this article.”
He read from a printout in his hand:
“‘Mountain lions, bobcats, black bears, coyotes assist retain the balanced nature of the Gila National Forest and in other places in the county,”’ Ponce reported. “And I thoroughly concur with that — they do. But this a person line, suitable listed here, thoroughly created me change my intellect and put me back again on the Wildlife Products and services deal. Simply because I do not know why any individual would place this line in there. I never know why anyone would not browse as a result of it: ‘Livestock owners must acquire accountability for defending their possess home.’”
Ponce reported there are a large amount of livestock homeowners who are extremely dependable, and are employing Wildlife Companies. He claimed they are making use of the solutions for the reason that they are getting liable, and when anyone puts that in an e mail, it is telling them “to take issues into their own arms.”
“What I have been pushing for and chatting about and expressing is, I really do not want individuals to choose items into their personal arms, due to the fact now some creatures are going to be getting killed that shouldn’t be killed,” he claimed.
Fireplace Administration Officer and interim County Manager Randy Villa declared that Randy Hernandez is the county’s new planning and community progress director, and stated he is operating on obtaining a new executive assistant in and functioning with Director of Fiscal Solutions Linda Vasquez on finalizing the budget. He also released the commission’s new emergency manager, Justin Gojkovich.
“I began with the county again in 2011, with the Grant County Detention Centre. I was there for a very little about six years,” Gojkovich said. “I then proceeded to get the basic safety officer work at Fort Bayard, which I held for about a year and a half, and then I was promoted to the security manager, unexpected emergency supervisor for Fort Bayard with the state. I was there for about 5 yrs, and now I’m back with the county, complete circle, and I’m pleased to be back.”
He stated he options to get the job done on bringing unexpected emergency management back again to where it requires to be in the county. By means of numerous mentors and contacts he has in the state, Gojkovich reported he is keen to get working.
Hernandez gave the commission his report, starting with the county’s 5-calendar year Infrastructure Money Improvement Prepare. He said he will be getting ready suggestions for commissioners, and is at the moment conducting general public enter conferences.
“We were being awarded a Colonias venture for the Very little Walnut Highway improvements Stage 1 — we are in the see of award section, so we’re finding the readiness to move forward items off the floor,” Hernandez reported. “For the Bald Knoll Road abandonment, we’re at this time doing the job with the lawyers to handle some challenges that have come up above the last few of months for the duration of this changeover time period of the previous director heading out and myself coming in. That one’s kind of been on maintain, so I’m on the lookout to choose that back again up and convey this to you, [hopefully] within the following fee meeting.”
Hernandez claimed the very same goes for a North Hurley land exchange with Freeport-McMoRan, wherever they have tackled some difficulties that have occur up and are seeking to make a recommendation to the commissioners. He also introduced that he experienced been approached by Stream Dynamics for a county roads collaboration.
“They are making use of for a river stewardship grant,” Hernandez claimed. “They approached the county on addressing streets and drainage around some watersheds. They would be the grant holder, and they are on the lookout just to have collaboration with the county to use our roadways as some web pages for their grants. So we’re presently exploring that prospect, as well.”
He also mentioned the county had received an announcement from the N.M. Division of Finance and Administration for a New Mexico Regional Recreation Center Good quality of Lifestyle grant, which aims to create new or increasing regional leisure services, with a deadline of Aug. 12. Hernandez questioned commissioners if they have tasks that he could submit for the grant.
“Just in conversations with County Supervisor Villa and the routine maintenance superintendent, we discovered the Gila Park and community center, as properly as Bataan Park, as two submittals,” he explained. “There are 3 tiers to this grant, centered off of what our needs are and some preliminary price tag estimates.”
“Randy, you talked about that the High quality of Lifetime Recreation Centre grants have a deadline of August 12. Our subsequent frequent meeting, right after Thursday’s, is August 11,” Browne said. “Do you foresee us giving you some form of enter in advance of August 11, so that you can make the August 12 deadline?”
“At this point, I was much more hoping for just normal suggestions,” Hernandez mentioned.
“Just to allow you know, the operate session at the conclude of this thirty day period is likely to go into a particular assembly, because we require to approve our spending plan for the up coming fiscal 12 months — the last price range,” Ponce mentioned. “So I’m not positive what day that is on, if you feel comfortable placing it on the agenda to examine this or nonetheless you want to do it for that assembly.”
Browne declined to have it place on that agenda given that Hernandez is seeking only feed-back and not a official decision. He questioned Hernandez what tier of funding the two assignments would in shape beneath. Hernandez stated that would be identified by the projects’ expense estimates.
“There’s a few tiers, I feel, from $10,000 to $50,000, and then $60,000 to $80,000 and then $90,000 up to above a million bucks,” Hernandez informed Browne.
Commissioners also introduced the retirement of Accounting Professional Teddy “Ted” Martinez following 30 several years of really hard get the job done. The commission introduced Martinez with a plaque honoring his devotion.
“Ted has an great heart. I have recognized him considering the fact that elementary — not just one signify bone in his overall body,” mentioned County Assessor Raul Turrieta. “I employed Ted from the Every day Push to the Assessor’s Workplace. Randy Villa was the main deputy. We did a large amount of instruction. We relished his enterprise. He was constantly on time. I known as him the stealth employee — he never ever skipped perform, he was always stressed out about missing do the job. He did phenomenal, he did effectively.”
The complete fee gave their many thanks to Martinez, wishing him a pleased retirement, and Turrieta thanked him many moments for getting a mate and co-employee, even though cracking a couple jokes about their days participating in basketball.
“I want to give my gratitude for currently being able to have served Grant County and to provide for my relatives,” Martinez explained. “I’ve worked with awesome co-staff, produced a ton of close friends, the two co-employees and consumers. Thirty several years … a lengthy time ago, but I keep in mind the initially day like it was yesterday, and once again, I want to thank you for the opportunity.”
Tuesday morning’s conference also included public enter from county resident Paul McMaster, who alerted commissioners of his concerns with burglaries given that shifting to Grant County 5 several years in the past. He explained he has experienced five crack-ins in the five decades he has lived in this article, and he is familiar with a lady who has left her property due to the fact of them.
“It appears to me that we have become traumatized and inundated with trash and meth properties on Cottonwood, Whispering Hills and so forth, with no obvious answer,” McMaster explained to commissioners. “Would you like to dwell up coming to a meth home? Most men and women would not — I individually would not. An case in point is a household within just a quarter of a mile or even fewer of a State Law enforcement officer. I’ve talked to him many situations. He’s involved that he are not able to do anything.”
Commissioners also received updates from different departments in advance of examining their agenda for Thursday’s frequent conference, which is established for 9 a.m. at the Grant County Administration Creating.
— Jordan Archunde