News and Articles

Below is a summary of action taken by the Santa Fe Board of County Commissioners (BCC) at yesterday’s BCC meeting:

• Proclamation – Heritage Culture Week: A resolution was unanimously [5-0] passed recognizing the importance of Fiesta de Santa Fe and the 400th anniversary of the oldest capital in United States.
• Agua Fria: Area residents have been inconvenienced by detours where archaeologists have uncovered 15,000 artifacts from a large pueblo that pre-dates the Spanish by hundreds of years. Sewer pipes and drains are being installed and motorists are advised to use caution until the excavation is completed.
• Pojoaque Satellite Office: Moves to a new, larger, and more centralized location on September 1 at 5 W. Gutierrez, Suite 9 in the Pojoaque Town Center.
• Road Advisory Committee: the Board with their appreciation for his service accepted Larry Des Jarlais, Jr.’s resignation. Linda McThoy was appointed to fill the vacancy by unanimous [5-0] vote.
• Health Policy & Planning Commission Appointments: The Commission expressed their gratification with the tremendous community interest in serving on this commission and selected the following new members from a group of qualified individuals: Fiquet Hanna Duckworth, Judith Wilson, Patricio Larragoite, Ardis Thomas, and Nancy Adelsheim. Special appreciation was extended to Dan Burke who recently resigned.
• Community Funds were approved [5-0] for the following:
  
  
  • $500 to Pandemonium Productions for 2009-2010 main stage production programming & educational outreach
  • $5,000 to the Applied Solutions Workshop Santa Fe, to be used for educational materials & equipment rentals
  • $2,500 to Santa Fe County Natural Resources Water Conservation Program
  • $2,000 to the Community Services Department Housing Division to support the community garden project at Santa Fe County’s Camino de Jacobo public housing site
  • $2,500 to the farmers market fall fiesta
  • $3,000 to hire a contractor for grant writing
  • $25,600 for the Administrative Services Department to fill service delivery gaps in the Anti-Graffiti Removal Program
  • $500 to Victory Outreach of the Española Valley for event sponsorship and outreach of Operation Hope event
  • $120 for the Pojoaque Satellite Office grand re-opening event

• The Commission unanimously [5-0] approved the following budget related resolutions:

• An operating transfer from the general fund to the law enforcement operation fund for capital purchases for the County Sheriff’s Office: $532,866.
• An increase to the general fund to budget available cash balance for additional set-aside needs for the Santa Fe Business Park, water rights purchases, the growth management plan, and energy efficiency initiatives: $5,000,000.
• An increase to the state special appropriations fund to budget grant agreements awarded through the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department for Capital Expenditures for various senior centers and meal site centers located in Santa Fe County: $314,310.
• A budget increase to the state special appropriations fund for the Women’s Health Services ($100.00) per receipt of 2005 state appropriation grant agreement amendment #1.
• An operating transfer from the general fund to the water enterprise fund for a water rights purchase agreement between Santa Fe County and Louie Gonzales: $169,142.37
• An increase to the road projects fund to budget cooperative grant agreements awarded through the New Mexico Department of Transportation for various road projects: $359,003.
• An increase to the general fund to budget a grant awarded through the New Mexico Environment Department for the Santa Fe County/BLM Illegal Dumping Cleanup Program: $10,065.48.
• An increase to the general fund to budget a grant awarded through the New Mexico Environment Department for an Eldorado Convenience Center Recycle Area Improvement Program: $3,200.
• An increase to the fire impact fees fund for the Agua Fria Fire District to carry forward the available cash balance of $48,171 to be expended in FY 2010 to finish the Medic 61 Quarters addition and for the La Tierra Station project in the amount of $550,000 for a total of $598,171.
• A budget increase to the fire operations fund for the Chimayo Fire District to bring forward a previously budgeted vehicle grant awarded through the State Fire Marshal’s Office: $100,000.
• An increase to the fire impact fees fund for the Chimayo Fire District to bring forward available cash balance to be used as the 20% match to a vehicle grant awarded through the State Fire Marshal’s Office: $20,000.
• An increase to the fire tax ¼% fund to budget the available cash balance remaining from the Thunder Mountain Station project: $78,248.
• An increase to the fire operations fund for the Edgewood Fire District ($786) and the Stanley Fire District ($652) to budget forestry reimbursement revenue received for personnel and equipment utilized on the Mclntosh, Powerline, and Charlotte fires.
• An increase to the fire operations fund to budget two grants for the wild land urban interface program to be utilized for fuel reduction and community education, which were awarded through the NM Association of Counties and will continue to support the team of wild land urban interface specialist: $39,646.
• A budget increase to the water enterprise fund to budget available cash balance from capital reserves for the Agua Fria / Ben Lane sewer extension project: $50,000.
• An increase to the capital outlay GRT fund to budget available cash balance to implement amendment #4 to memorandum of agreement between the City and County of Santa Fe for improvements for the Railyard Park as approved by the BCC On November 18, 2009: $200,000.
• An increase to the capital outlay GRT Fund to budget available cash balance to implement amendment #2 to the memorandum of agreement between the City and County of Santa Fe for improvements to the Siler Road project as approved by the BCC on May 26, 2009: $250,000.
• Authorization to execute land lease agreement by and between the BCC of Santa Fe County and the Santa Fe Mountain Center for property and facilities at 131 La Cueva Road in Santa Fe County and authorizing the BCC Chair to execute same

• Miscellaneous action that was unanimously [5-0] approved included:

• A resolution authorizing execution of a land lease agreement by and between the BCC and the Santa Fe Recovery Center, Inc. for property at 4100 Lucia Lane Road in Santa Fe County and authorizing the chair to execute it.
• A resolution authorizing execution of a building lease agreement with the Santa Fe Recovery Center, Inc. for the use of a County owned modular building to be placed at 4100 Lucia Lane Road, and seeking approval by the State Board of Finance for the lease.
• Approval of 2005 grant agreement amendment #2, which reauthorizes $120,000 for public housing projects to include language change for a total grant agreement amount of $3,400,000.
• Approval of 2008 grant agreement amendment #3 which reauthorizes $225,000 for County projects to include language change and decreases Women’s Health Center Project by $200,000 per SB 443 for total grant agreement amount of $1,720,000.
• Approval of amendment to Value Options New Mexico agreement for $59,740 for crisis intervention services.
• Approval of Maternal and Child Health Council professional services agreement with Las Cumbres Community Services, Inc. for $712,000 for years 2010-2013.
• Approval of lease agreement between Santa Fe County and the Pojoaque Pueblo for the Pojoaque Satellite Office.

• First Public Hearing – ICIP: Staff distributed a draft list of recommended infrastructure and capital improvement projects (ICIP) for FY 2001-2015. The list was compiled following eight public meetings held throughout the county. The second hearing is scheduled for September for additional public input.

• Courthouse Update: County Manager Roman Abeyta said progress continues with the cooperation of NMED. Staff will make a presentation to the BCC in September.

• Federal Stimulus Funding: Santa Fe County received $1.6 million in stimulus funding through Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, and federal substance abuse programs. The entire Santa Fe County community (non-profits, the City, etc.) has received a total of $45 million.

• Action on Santa Fe Film and Media Studios, Inc., La Luz Holding LLC land transfer agreement, and related items were unanimously tabled by the BCC

All BCC meetings are broadcast live at www.santafecountynm.gov, SFG-TV Comcast 28, KSWV, and KDCE. To view recorded video of this BCC meeting, go to http://santafecounty.org/video_on_demand/or check SFG-TV 28 listings. Transcripts of the meeting will be available within 10 working days at www.santafecountynm.gov.