Eddy County commissioners were asked to review proposed legislative priorities Tuesday during a regularly scheduled Eddy County Commission meeting.
Eddy County Manager Roberta Gonzales presented legislative priorities for the 2023-24 legislative session from the New Mexico Counties (NMC) Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is asking that all 33 New Mexico counties pass a resolution in support of the following priorities:
• House Bill 2 appropriations requests:
– $5 million for the detention reimbursement fund to reimburse counties a percentage of the cost for housing felony offenders. The fund was previously created with an appropriation of $5 million and currently has a balance at $2.5 million. Eddy County receives about $100,000 from this appropriation.
– $10 million for detention workforce to attract and retain employees. Most counties in New Mexico struggle with vacancies, pay increases, and retaining detention officers.
– $750,000 to fund prisoner transport and extradition. Currently Eddy County does not get a reimbursement for prisoner transport and extradition.
– Increase in funding for the Reach Intervene Support and Engage (RISE) program, a partnership between the state and counties to provide behavioral health, housing, and other vocational services. The program is managed by the state Human Services department. The Life House in Eddy County receives a grant from the RISE program to work with our detention center.
– $10 million to support emergency medical services. The current state appropriation is $2.8 million.
– $25 million for construction, renovation, and other needs of state district court houses.
– A long-term, sustainable solution to the $149-million deficit in the New Mexico employee health benefits fund.
• An increase to elected official salaries, which are capped by New Mexico state law. House Bill 410 passed unanimously during the 2023 legislative session but was vetoed. Counties have historically received an increase to the salary cap every four years. The cap was last amended in 2018 and currently 14 counties are at the cap.
• Firefighter recruitment and retention for the Department of Homeland Security, Emergency Management, and state Fire Marshal’s office to assistant local government with critical needs for career and volunteer firefighter and emergency services staffing.
A resolution will be presented at next commission meeting.
In other business, the commission heard updates on various county projects.
The Extension Office renovation project is 60 percent complete and is anticipated to be complete in 30 days. Electrical and HVAC updates have been completed at the Eddy County Detention Center, DWI Program Building and Voting Center. The first floor remodeling of the Eddy County Courthouse is also 90 percent complete, and the District Attorney’s office will be moved to the first floor.
Gonzales issued a reminder that the Regular Local Election is taking place, with extended voting hours to start this Saturday. Election day is Nov. 7. All three school districts have a tax question, as well as school board elections. During the commission comment time, District 4 Commissioner James Bowen said voting in local elections is extremely important.
It was also reported that Dr. Kramer Winingham, program director of the Arrowhead Center and director of New Mexico State University’s National Science Foundation I-Corps Site, will be attending the Dec. 7 Eddy County Commissioners meeting to share results of the latest study on the Economic Base of Eddy County.
District 1 Commissioner Ernie Carlson said he was excited the Arrowhead study has been recognized and noted the section on alternative energy and the effect it has on New Mexico state lands.
