The New Mexico Association of Counties

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1 2015 VOLUME 2 AT A GLANCE COUNTY OBSERVER th Annual Conference COUNTY CHARACTER Board Members ON CAPITOL HILL...3 Extension of MAP-21 COUNTY FOCUS...4 Risk Management Intern Program AROUND THE STATE...5 Legislative Update SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT...5 Professional Document Systems CRITICAL ISSUES...6 IN YOUR COUNTY...6 NMAC Accreditation Programs PULLOUT: 2015 FINAL LEGISLATIVE REPORT COUNTY COLLABORATIONS...7 BLM Hydraulic Fracturing Rule SOUND BITES...7 Affiliate Bylaws NACo TRAINING...7 NM CONNECTION Wildfire Grants CELEBRATING COUNTIES...8 Lea County Budget Award ADVANCING COUNTIES...9 NM EDGE News COUNTY FOCUS...10 MOU with CYFD & Supreme Court MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS...11 NMAC Business Partners MOVING FORWARD... (Back) Calendar of Events COUNTY OBSERVER The New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAC) 79th Annual Conference will be hosted by Bernalillo County at the Albuquerque Convention Center, June 16th-18, Situated along the central Rio Grande corridor at the foot of the Sandia Mountains, Bernalillo County welcomes our NMAC members to experience New Mexico s largest urban hub. The Annual Conference provides county leaders and professional staff the opportunity to come together to learn, collaborate, and network with colleagues from across the state. Conference participants also have the opportunity to view the services and products available from our sponsor and exhibitor partners. This year we are pleased to present four workshops for our attendees on Wednesday, June 17th, just prior to our opening session. The topics include: Having an Allergic Reaction to Taxes? GRT Reform A Crucial Step Toward Economic Development; Miracle at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center! How Counties Can Reduce Jail Population and Provide Meaningful Programs to Those in Need; To Preempt or Not to Preempt? Why Local Government is Best Positioned to Protect the Health, Safety, and Welfare of its Citizens; and finally How to Jumpstart Your Local Economy-Who Are You Going to Call? Economic Development Busters. Make sure By Jennie Harvey you don t miss these great opportunities to meet with experts and local officials and get their perspective on the topics affecting all of our counties. Our keynote speaker this year is prominent comedian, Tom Ryan. Ryan has made several appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman and has also been featured on Showtime, A&E, Comedy Central and NBC. He has performed as the opening act in concert for B.B. King, Natalie Cole, Jeff Beck, Earth, Wind and Fire, Aretha Franklin, Tim Allen, Steven Wright, Jerry Seinfeld, and Dennis Miller just to name a few. The theme for this year s event is Spotlight on Counties with special events that include a golf tournament at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course on Tuesday, June 16th, a host county reception at Isotopes Park for a baseball game on Tuesday evening, a Countywide Event showcasing filmmaking in New Mexico with a reception and dance on Wednesday night, and the Presidential Awards Banquet and dance on Thursday evening. We look forward to seeing all of you the week of June 16th - 18th! 2015, VOLUME 2 1

2 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bernalillo County...Maggie Toulouse Oliver Catron County... Susan Griffin Assessor Chaves County... James Duffey Cibola County...Corrine Padilla Probate Judge Colfax County...Bill Sauble Curry County... Wesley Waller Sheriff DeBaca County...Rosalie Gonzales Joiner Doña Ana County...Andy Segovia Assessor Eddy County...Glenn Collier Grant County...Brett Kasten Guadalupe County... Patrick Martinez Harding County... Pete Callahan Assessor Hidalgo County... Tyler Massey Treasurer Lea County...Pat Snipes Chappelle Lincoln County... Rhonda Burrows Los Alamos County... Sharon Stover Luna County... Dora Madrid Treasurer McKinley County...Carol Bowman Muskett Mora County...Paula Garcia Otero County... Cathe Prather Treasurer Quay County...Mike Cherry Rio Arriba County...Barney Trujillo Roosevelt County... Jake Lopez San Juan County... Clyde Ward Assessor San Miguel County...Nicolas T. Leger Sandoval County...Glenn Walters Santa Fe County...Liz Stefanics Sierra County... Kenneth C. Lynon Socorro County...Danny Monette Taos County... Gabriel J. Romero Torrance County...V. Linda M. Jaramillo Union County...Mary Lou Harkins Valencia County...Jhonathan Aragon Ex-Officio Members NACo Urban Board...Liz Stefanics Santa Fe County NACo Rural Board... Tyler Massey Hidalgo County Treasurer NACo WIR Board... Susan Flores Otero County NACo WIR Board...Danny Monette Socorro County Multi-Line Board... Wendell Bostwick Curry County Workers Comp Board...Robert Anaya Santa Fe County Executive Director... Steve Kopelman , VOLUME 2 NM ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES LEADERSHIP A Message from the President Dear County Elected Officials and Staff, As we approach the NMAC Annual Conference, I would like to express my gratitude to friends and colleagues from throughout the state for the opportunity to serve as President. It has been a great honor and privilege to serve as we celebrate our 79th anniversary. Our work as the statewide association of counties has never been more important. During the past year, NMAC advocated for a robust legislative agenda in the areas of tax policy, natural resource management, criminal justice reform, and community health. In addition, we created a committee to address issues unique to Native American communities. We have been steadfast in protecting the authority to make decisions about local tax policy so that counties can be responsible in providing for basic needs at the local level. Likewise, we have defended local authority to enact appropriate land use regulations to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our communities. I would like to thank the NMAC staff and board members for their outstanding commitment and dedication. I would also like to thank everyone in county government for serving the communities of our great state. Yours in service, Paula Garcia COUNTY CHARACTER A Closer Look at Our Members Board of Directors Announced Bernalillo County: Debbie O Malley Catron County: Assessor Susan Griffin Chaves County: James Duffey Cibola County: Probate Judge Corrine Padilla Colfax County: Bill Sauble Curry County: Sheriff Wesley Waller De Baca County: Becky Harris Doña Ana County: David Garcia Eddy County: Glenn Collier Grant County: Ron Hall Guadalupe County: Patrick Martinez Harding County: Assessor Pete Callahan Hidalgo County: Treasurer Tyler Massey Lea County: Rebecca Long Lincoln County: Rhonda Burrows Los Alamos County: Sharon Stover Luna County: Linda Smirkovsky McKinley County: Carol Bowman Muskett Mora County: Paula Garcia Otero County: Assessor Steven Boyle Quay County: Mike Cherry Rio Arriba County: Barney Trujillo Roosevelt County: Sheriff Malin Parker Sandoval County: Glenn Walters President Paula Garcia This past year, we have been steadfast in protecting local authority to make appropriate decisions to protect our communities San Juan County: Assessor Clyde Ward San Miguel County: Nicolas T. Leger Sandoval County: Glenn Walters Santa Fe County: Liz Stefanics Sierra County: Kenneth C. Lynon Socorro County: Danny Monette Taos County: Gabe Romero Torrance County: Assessor Betty Cabber Union County Mary Lou Harkins Valencia County: Jhonathan Aragon

3 Executive Director s Report Dear County Members, As the fiscal year draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to say a special thanks to our outgoing NMAC Board of Directors members. These folks have devoted a significant amount of time and energy to helping steer the ship for NMAC and in carrying out their duties as board members. The Board has a broad spectrum of responsibilities, including general supervision over all affairs of NMAC, selecting and prioritizing NMAC s annual legislative package, adopting the annual budget, establishing NMAC policy positions, appointing and setting terms and conditions of employment for the Executive Director, employing a certified public accountant to audit NMAC s financial records and approving the completed audit, election of NMAC officers, adopting and revising NMAC bylaws, adopting and reviewing annually the NMAC Code of Conduct, and reviewing and approving recommendations for new staff positions at NMAC. The following elected officials have served admirably and their efforts are truly appreciated: Maggie Toulouse Oliver (Bernalillo), Rosalie Gonzales Joiner (De Baca), Andy Segovia (Doña Ana), Brett Kasten (Grant), Pat Snipes Chappelle (Lea), Dora Madrid (Luna), Cathe Prather (Otero), Jake Lopez (Roosevelt), and Linda Jaramillo (Torrance). It should be noted that Lopez was a member of the NMAC Executive Committee and served on the Board for six years. Kasten also served on the Executive Committee and was the first chair of the Tax Policy Committee. In addition, thanks are in order for our outgoing Immediate Past President, Wendell Bostwick from Curry County. I am looking forward to working with all our new incoming board members: Debbie O Malley (Bernalillo), Becky Harris (De Baca), Dr. David Garcia (Doña Ana), Ron Hall (Grant), Rebecca Long (Lea), Linda Smrkovsky (Luna), Steven Boyle (Otero), Malin Parker (Roosevelt), Glenn Walters (Sandoval), and Betty Cabber (Torrance). Welcome to the NMAC Board! Finally, I wanted to thank Mora County Paula Garcia, who served as NMAC President for the past year. Paula provided strong and focused leadership for NMAC while at the same time exhibiting exceptional skills as a diplomat and mediator. I am now looking forward to working with our new incoming President, Sharon Stover from Los Alamos County, and with Paula in her capacity as Immediate Past President. Sincerely, Executive Director Steve Kopelman I truly appreciate the outstanding work of our outgoing Board members and look forward to welcoming the new members following the Annaul Conference Steve Kopelman ON CAPITOL HILL Federal Update Congress Passes Two-Month Extension of MAP-21 Excerpt from NACo On May 23, the Senate passed H.R. 2353, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015, a bill to extend the current surface transportation law known as MAP-21 through July 31, The extension passed the House on May 19 and, following the Senate s vote, was signed into law by the President on May 29, averting the expiration of MAP-21 which was scheduled to occur just two days later. Had Congress failed to act, spending authority for federal surface transportation programs would have expired and the Federal Highway Administration would have been unable to reimburse states for construction costs incurred after May 31, including costs associated with many county projects. While a long-term bill would be most ideal for counties and transportation projects across the county receiving or expecting federal-aid, it is unlikely that Congress will produce a multi-year reauthorization of the nation s surface transportation programs before the end of July. Even if a longer-term solution for the Highway Trust Fund is adopted this summer, the authorizing committees are not on track to conclude their work before the July 31 deadline. 2015, VOLUME 2 3

4 DIRECTORY OF RESOURCES Executive Services Steve Kopelman, Executive Director Grace Philips, General Counsel Andrew Johnson, Attorney Susan Mayes, Executive Services Aelysea Webb, Executive Coordinator Tasia Young, Ph.D., Lobbyist Brian Moore, Lobbyist Finance & Administration Santiago Chavez, Finance & Admin. Director Carolin Rios, Senior Accountant Charlotte Martinez, Accountant Clarissa Baca, Receptionist/Office Mgr. Assist. David Borton, Senior Systems Administrator Intergovernmental Relations Joy Esparsen, Intergov. Relations Director Katelyn Quiroz, Intergov. Relations Assist. Jennie Harvey, Meetings Coordinator Risk Management Taylor Horst, Risk Management Cynthia Stephenson, Risk Management Specialist Rahwa Asghedom, Risk Management Data Analyst Loss Prevention Sal Baragiola, LP Manuel Romero, LP Specialist/Public Safety James Chavez, LP Specialist Art Murphy, LP Specialist Caryl Rodriguez, LP Coordinator COUNTY FOCUS Risk Management Update 2015 Risk Management Intern Program As we have done since 2010, NMAC s risk management department has hired a college intern from New Mexico State University s Insurance Studies Program to work with us through the summer of Interns work in several departments such as finance, loss prevention, and claims management to gain a broad experience that will help them decide whether they are interested in pursuing a career in any of the areas of risk management and insurance. Their work is beneficial to NMAC, as they complete research projects, do data analysis, help with meeting and events, and assist with an assortment of projects. Because of their basic knowledge of both risk management and insurance (and many times finance, actuarial studies, business administration, and marketing), they are able to jump in and provide essential help. NMSU Insurance Studies Program Offered through the Finance Department, the risk management and insurance minor offers students specialized coursework in insurancerelated topics that include investments, property and liability insurance, business risk management, and life/health/employee benefits insurance. The program has been in place since 2006, with more than 125 students graduating with the risk/insurance minor. By Cynthia Stephenson Each student is assigned an advisor with industry experience and contacts who guides the student through the program and provides industry and career insights. In some cases the connections made with industry professionals through the program have resulted in job opportunities for the students. Guest speakers have come from such diverse organizations as GEICO, State Farm, and the Doña Ana County Office of Emergency Management. In addition to internship opportunities, select students are invited to attend various conferences including the Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico Convention and the Risk Management Society s annual conference and western regional conference. Rahwa Asghedom, NMAC s Risk Management Analyst, began as our 2012 summer intern. Before this internship, I knew nothing of selfinsurance pooling or the operations of county government. After graduating, NMAC hired me on a temporary basis to help with projects and later brought me on permanently. Without the NMSU Insurance Studies Program and the NMAC internship experience, I likely would not have begun a career in risk management, said Asghedom. Workers Compensation Theresa Griego, WC Claims Steve Chappell, WC Claims Adjuster Pamela Lowrance, WC Claims Adjuster Ray Mengel, WC Claims Adjuster Sal Ongaro, WC Claims Adjuster Annemarie Hill, WC Admin Assistant Multi-Line Robin Martinez, ML Claims Jeannette Chavez, ML Sr. Claims Examiner Velma Herrera, ML Sr. CLaims Examiner Jennifer Ortiz, ML Sr. Claims Examiner Randy Chavez, ML Claims Examiner Christina Galvez, ML Claims Examiner Darlene Salazar, ML First-Party Claims Examiner Bobbie Dalton, ML Claims Assistant , VOLUME 2 Meet Zach! Raised in Colorado Springs, Zach Jones just completed his junior year and is majoring in finance, with a minor in marketing. He will earn academic credit for the summer internship with NMAC through the NMSU Insurance Studies Program. As a former student athlete, he s well versed in managing his time and prioritizing projects. Many of you will meet Zach at the Annual Conference in Albuquerque. He will be helping out in a variety of areas, so please stop to welcome him! Zach Jones Risk Management Intern

5 AROUND THE STATE Legislative Update NMAC Reviews Legislative Session, Looks Forward to Interim Committees NMAC held post-session district meetings in Grants, Hernandez (Espanola), Santa Rosa, and Truth or Consequences in the last two weeks of April. Approximately 120 county members and 18 legislators were in attendance, to review the successes and unfinished business of the 2015 regular legislative session. By Tasia Young Energy will now be focused on potential issues for the day session, which is limited by Article IV, Section 6 of the state constitution, to matters related primarily to budgets, appropriations, and revenue. Legislative resolutions will be proposed by NMAC affiliates during the June Annual Conference and by the Association s four standing policy committees, and priorities for 2016 will be selected by the Board of Directors at their August meeting in Doña Ana County. The Legislative Finance Committee held its first meeting in May, and the other legislative interim committees will begin meeting in early June, at first in Santa Fe, and then at locations around the state. Committee membership lists can be found at: Tentative committee dates are at: StateLegislativeCalendar.pdf. The work plan for each committee will be posted after the initial meeting, and will contain a proposed list of issue to be covered in the interim, as well as meeting dates and places. Committee meetings in the Capitol will be audio and video taped. Look for the Webcasting link on the right hand side of the screen on the legislature s ebsite home page: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Paula Garcia, Mora County President Elect Sharon Stover, Los Alamos County Vice President Clyde Ward, San Juan County Assessor Past President Wendell Bostwick, Curry County Treasurer Liz Stefanics, Santa Fe County District I Liz Stefanics, Santa Fe County Los Alamos, McKinley, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan & Santa Fe Counties District II Gabriel Romero, Taos County Colfax, Harding, Mora, San Miguel, Taos & Union Counties District III Danny Monette, Socorro County Bernalillo, Catron, Cibola, Socorro & Valencia Counties District IV Jake Lopez, Roosevelt County Curry, De Baca, Guadalupe, Quay, Roosevelt & Torrance Counties District V Brett Kasten, Grant County Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna & Sierra Counties District VI James Duffey, Chaves County Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln & Otero Counties SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT Featured Business Partners Professional Document Systems By Jennie Harvey At Professional Document Systems, we believe our firm s success can be directly attributed to the extraordinary people on our team. Everyone is an individual with particular talents and creativity, each contributing something different on a daily basis. Since 1995, PDS has provided document and content management software, document scanners, scanning services, automated forms and custom software solutions to government, education, business, financial and healthcare organizations throughout the United States and Mexico. We have encountered and solved a wide variety of document management challenges. Our solutions are customer focused and specifically designed to meet the varying needs of a diverse client base. Professional Document Systems has been a partner of NMAC for over twenty years, participating as both a sponsor and exhibitor in every conference since PDS has helped several counties and departments in New Mexico take the first step towards creating paperless offices. Just recently, the Town of Mesilla, New Mexico selected PDS to implement a city-wide document management system to scan, index, and manage the town s critical records. In addition to the document management solution, PDS will also scan and index the town s historical records including minutes, ordinances and resolutions dating back to the towns Inception. The project will be implemented first in the s and Treasurers offices, as well as in the Utilities Department. 2015, VOLUME 2 5

6 CRITICAL ISSUES The NMAC Board of Directors met on January 20, February 14 and May 8, 2015 and took the following actions (not including legislative actions): Elected the following to serve on the NMAC Board of Directors: Liz Stefanics for the NACo Urban position, Tyler Massey for the NACo Rural position, and Susan Flores for the WIR position. IN YOUR COUNTY Loss Prevention Update Accreditation - Enhancing Professionalism, Uniformity and Consistency The New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAC) and New Mexico Municipal League (NMML) administer 4 different accreditation programs. Each of these programs, Adult Detention Accreditation, Law Enforcement Accreditation, NM Emergency Communications Accreditation, and the Adult Misdemeanor Compliance Accreditation Program have developed a set of standards that enhance each agency s mission, continues to promote best practices and improves delivery of services to the community. By Sal Baragiola Gabriel Romero was elected to represent District II on the Executive Committee. Reaffirmed the policy statement that NMAC has a standing position to oppose legislation that significantly erodes its revenue base and preempts local autonomy. Accepted the finance reports for November 30, 2014 and March 31, 2015 Approved to support NMAC staff moving forward with the County Employee Voluntary Benefits Program. Approved the Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program awards as recommended. Approved the Memorandum of Understanding with CYFD and the New Mexico Supreme Court. Accepted the NMAC Financial Audit, as of June 30, 2014, with a note of commendation for the NMAC accounting staff. Approved the NMAC Budget Every county is eligible to participate in these programs and with NMAC and NMML support, not only are they very affordable, but cost effective even for small departments and organizations. The NMML and NMAC are proud to recognize the two latest county/municipal agencies who have recently been awarded accreditation. They are the Lea County Communications Authority (911 Dispatch Center) and the Chavez County Detention Center. The Lea County Communication Center s 28 dispatchers and senior staff support numerous Law Enforcement and Fire Departments throughout the county in dispatching emergency and non-emergency calls. The New Mexico Emergency Communications Accreditation Program was approved by NMAC and the NMML in September The program consists of 108 mandatory accreditation standards. In March 2015 after a rigorous audit and inspection the Lea County Communications Authority was notified that they would be awarded full accreditation under the program. The Chavez County Detention Center was the first facility that was accredited under the Adult Detention Accreditation Program in June of Chavez County recently was re-accredited for another 3 year period after having passed a full accreditation audit earlier this year. The Lea County Communication Authority and the Chavez County Detention Center will be receiving recognition awards at the NMAC 79th Annual Conference in June in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lea county will receive their formal accreditation certificate at the NMML annual conference in September. Lea County will also receive national recognition at the upcoming National Association of Counties Annual Conference. The NMAC and NMML joint accreditation programs provide counties with best practices to improve service delivery , VOLUME 2

7 COUNTY COLLABORATIONS NMAC Partnership Update By Acting New Mexico State Director Aden Seidlitz NACo TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES The Bureau of Land Management recently adopted new rules for hydraulic fracturing to increase protections for envirnomental safety and increase ransparency BLM Publishes Final Hydraulic Fracturing Rule You may have heard about the BLM publishing a Final Hydraulic Fracturing Rule (Rule). We would like to share some information with you about this effort. On March 20, 2015, the BLM published the Rule. The regulations seek to ensure that wells are properly constructed to protect groundwater; make certain that fluids that flow back to the surface as a result of hydraulic fracturing operations are managed in an environmentally responsible way; provide public disclosure of the chemicals and additives used in hydraulic fracturing fluids as well as information such as the geology, depth, location and water use of the operation; and improve measures to prevent cross-well communication. SOUND BITES Affiliate Update GIS/RA Affiliate will hold the GIS/RA Quarterly and fall meetings in conjunction with the Public Safety Communicators and GIS Conference in Las Cruces, November 3-6. Affiliate bylaw reminders: 1) Membership Membership shall be limited to county elected officials currently serving and employees employed in the affiliate office of member counties. Affiliate Bylaw Reminders 2) Affiliate Secretary Provide draft minutes of the Annual and Legislative Conference and other regular or special meetings to the affiliate members and NMAC ([email protected]) within 45 days of conclusion of each meeting, and provide final approved minutes to NMAC office within 45 days of approval by the affiliate; and provide notice to NMAC of affiliate meetings at least 15 days in advance. The Rule addresses these goals by requiring strong cement barriers between the wellbore carrying fracturing fluids, requiring interim storage of all produced water in rigid enclosed, covered or netted above-ground tanks, requiring chemical disclosure to the public through the website FracFocus and requiring operators to submit information to the BLM so that the agency can determine the potential for crosswell communication. The BLM is coordinating with the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division and industry to ensure successful implementation of the Rule which becomes effective June 24, Any questions? Please feel free to contact me at (505) or Lisa Morrison, NMAC Liaison, at (505) As always, we are proud to be a partner with the NMAC! 3) Affiliate Treasurer Provide a financial report to the affiliate members at the Annual and Legislative Conferences and other regular or special meetings; and provide a financial report to NMAC within 45 days of the conclusion of the Legislative and Annual Conferences including bank statements covering that period. Stepping Up: Strategies to Measure Prevalence and Assess the Needs of Individuals with Mental Illnesses in Jails Jun 30, 2015 Join NACo to learn about key strategies for screening and assessing for mental illnesses in jail and methods for collecting and reviewing prevalence numbers to set baselines for tracking the numbers of people with mental illnesses in your jail. National and county behavioral health and criminal justice experts and practitioners will discuss how they are able to identify people with mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders at jail intake and effective practices for screening and assessing for risk of recidivism. They will also outline effective methods to more accurately count the number of individuals with mental illnesses in their jails and how they have been able to use this information to inform policy, practice and resource allocation decisions. U.S. Supreme Court Decision: Health Insurance Marketplace Tax Credit Subsidies Jul 30, 2015 A critical provision of the Affordable Care Act is to provide tax credit subsidies to qualifying individuals and families purchasing health insurance coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. The Supreme Court case King v. Burwell challenges whether the subsidies can be provided to those who obtain coverage via the federal marketplace. The Supreme Court s ruling may have a profound impact on counties as the local safety net and as employers. Join us to learn the implications. For more information on any of these NACo training opportunities, please visit org and click under Conferences and Events for the Webinars and Seminars link. 2015, VOLUME 2 7

8 WORKERS COMPENSATION POOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lance Pyle Curry County Chair Danny Gonzales Luna County Human Resources & Payroll Director Vice Chair Gloria Jean Chavez Guadalupe County Finance & Safety Officer Secretary/Treasurer Robert Anaya Santa Fe County NMAC Representative Joy Ansley Torrance County Kristi Galloway San Juan County Risk Wayne Hancock Doña Ana County Kevin Kinzie Bernalillo County Risk Phillip Rios Sandoval County Brenda Sanchez Chaves County Public Service Administrator Delilah Walsh Socorro County EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Paula Garcia Mora County & NMAC President Dan Bryant Otero County Attorney NMAC Attorneys Affiliate Representative , VOLUME 2 NEW MEXICO CONNECTION Intergovernmental Update Wildfire Risk Reduction Grants Awarded On May 8, the NMAC Board of Directors approved 11 grant awards totaling approximately $200,000 for the Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program. The funds will assist with the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plan Updates for 61 at-risk communities, fuel reduction and thinning in 7 high at-risk communities, and education and outreach projects in 52 rural communities through the Chimayo CELEBRATING COUNTIES Highlighting County Achievements Conservation Corps., Inc., Claunch-Pinto Soil and Water Conservation District, Curry County, Hidden Lake Subdivision, South Central Mountain RC&D, Council, Inc., Torrance County, Valencia County, and Village of Angel Fire. NMAC has allocated over $6 million to New Mexico communities for wildfire risk reduction through this joint partnership with the Bureau of Land Management since the program s inception. Lea County Wins Budget Award The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded Lea County, New Mexico the GFOA s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2014 budget. Lea County Mike Gallagher said this award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and represents a significant achievement by Lea County elected officials and staff. We consistently strive for a budget that is conservative and transparent. Lea County Board of County s Chairman Gregg Fulfer comments the award reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meet the highest principles of government budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. The guidelines assess how well an entity s budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device. Budget documents must be rated proficient in all four categories and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories. Lea County Rebecca Long congratulated Lea County Gallagher, the Lea County Directors and the Lea County Finance team of Sherri Bunch and Noah Hicks for their professionalism, hard work and dedication in winning the GFOA s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The Finance Department is commended for their quality of budgeting and providing an excellent example for other governments throughout North America. By Joy Esparsen Submitted by Lea County The Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of more than 18,000 appointed and elected local, state, and provincial-level government officials. It provides top quality publications, training programs, services and products designed to enhance the skills and performance of those responsible for government finance policy and management. The association is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in Washington, D.C. The GFOA s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting. The Lea County Finance Department has a history of winning accolades and awards for their work. The New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAC) selected Lea County for the 2011 annual Audit Accountability Award that was given out at its Legislative Conference in January The award is given in recognition of a large, mid-sized and small county that have done outstanding work on their audits and have sustained excellence with the highest audit opinions for the past three years.for more information: Lyn Edwards Lea County Government ledwards@leacounty. net mobile

9 ADVANCING COUNTIES NM EDGE Update By Mary DeLorenzo MULTI-LINE POOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS The NM EDGE County College News from the EDGE Ron Lethgo Chaves County Assessor Chair Katherine Miller Santa Fe County Vice Chair Nita Taylor Lincoln County Secretary/Treasurer What started as a very good idea between NMAC and Cooperative Extension Service to create a County College for counties only, has evolved into a program for State and Local Government with deep roots in practical application. And it started right here; thank you NMAC! We are growing stronger every day, thanks to your vision and on-going support. Since January we have kept very busy with a variety of projects. Thanks to our partnership with NMAC, NMML, and State Purchasing (SPD), the NM EDGE has assisted with the CPO (Chief Procurement Officer) certification of more than 250 individuals; 24 having earned the full certification as NM Certified Public Purchasing Professionals and the rest taking the Public Purchasing Foundation Classes and Culminating Test which were offered around the state in Las Cruces, Roswell, Ruidoso, Las Vegas, and Albuquerque. At our March offering for Honing Your NM EDGE Week we took a new approach to our Cooperative Extension Service classes and added them all to the schedule so that agents can take these specialized classes in one week. This approach jump-started the certification process for new agents. In June we will be graduating our first ever NM Certified Extension Professionals; a first nationwide! We also participated in the Spring Conferences for Assessors and for s. This fall we plan to test the CES approach to class delivery with Risk Management and Detention by offering the full range of specialized classes in one week each to jump-start the students on their path to certification and improved performance. In June we will be graduating approximately 40 county students in a variety of designations in conjunction with the NMAC Annual Conference. Please join us and cheer on your colleagues! In August we will conduct graduation with the NM Municipal League for over a dozen graduates in Certified Public Official and Public Purchasing. Three Certified Public Candidates are completing their project and will be eligible to graduate with our highest achievement (CPM) this summer. Congratulations to Dan Zolnier (Valencia County), Conrad Cordova (Town of Taos) and Lawrence Esquibel (State of NM Education Retirement Board) for earning the nationally accredited, nationally recognized CPM! Last but not least, a special acknowledgment of the students who graduated in January with a perfect score of 10 out of 10 on their culminating experiences. Congratulations to: Adam Bailey- 10 points- Treasury Official Mini-portfolio Kelly Jean Bouska- 10 points- CPO Essay Maryln Chewning- 10 points- Assessing Officer Mini-portfolio Adam Leigland- 10 points- Public Supervisor Assessments Part I Rick Reiss- 10 points- County Councilor Mini-portfolio We look forward to seeing you in Albuquerque this June! Your NM EDGE Team Wendell Bostwick Curry County NMAC Representative Javier Diaz Luna County James Dominguez Sandoval County Lloyd Felipe Cibola County Wayne Hancock Doña Ana County Shirley Ragin Bernalillo County Deputy County of Finance Rick Rudometkin Eddy County EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Paula Garcia Mora County & NMAC President Doug Decker McKinley County Attorney Attorneys Affiliate Representative Patrick Snedeker San Miguel County Warden/Detention Administrator LEDAC Chair 2015, VOLUME 2 9

10 LAW ENFORCEMENT & DETENTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Patrick Snedeker San Miguel County Warden/Detention Administrator Chair & Multi-Line Representative Chris Barela Doña Ana County Adult/Juvenile Detention Director Lou Burkhardt Valencia County Sheriff Matt Elwell Luna County Detention Director Garry Gold San Miguel County Sheriff COUNTY FOCUS Innovative Solutions By Patti Vowell, NM State JDAI Coordinator and Steve Brooks, NM DMC Coordinator NMAC Enters Memorandum of Understanding with CYFD and Supreme Court Since the mid-1990 s we have seen a steady and consistent decrease in juvenile crime. However, youth incarceration has remained fairly constant despite the drop in criminal behavior. To combat unnecessary incarceration, CYFD partnered with the Annie E. Casey Foundation in 2001 to implement their juvenile detention alternative initiative (JDAI). Through JDAI, communities improve their justice systems without sacrificing public safety using objective data to guide decisions. The goals of JDAI are: 1. Youth Accountability 2. Public Safety 3. Reduction in unnecessary or inappropriate detention 4. Reduction in the number of youth who fail to appear in court or re-offend pending adjudication 5. Redirection of public funds from detention to effective public safety strategies 6. Reduction in Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) (defined by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) as the disproportionate number of minority youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system ) 7. Improved conditions in secure detention Johna Gonzales Taos County Juvenile Detention Administrator Johnathan Moordian Luna County Sheriff Malin Parker Roosevelt County Sheriff EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Paula Garcia Mora County & NMAC President Ken Christesen San Juan County Sheriff One of this year s most notable steps towards achieving these goals has been to formalize the partnership between NMAC, CYFD, and the state Supreme Court in a Memorandum of Understanding. This unprecedented partnership created the JDAI Statewide Leadership Team to bring JDAI system reform to each urban, rural and frontier NM county. The MOU solidifies the roles of each party and allocates the responsibilities required for successful implementation of statewide reform. It marks a significant step forward in the partnership between CYFD, the Supreme Court and New Mexico counties and builds the capacity to continue JDAI efforts at both the state and local level. Costs of incarceration are unsustainable and don t provide for positive outcomes for youth. It is our obligation to intelligently re-invest these dollars into more effective programming for low level offenders who stand a very low risk of re-offending. Stephen Archuleta Taos County Gregg Mercantel Secretary New Mexico Corrections Dept , VOLUME 2

11 MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS A Tribute to Our Members Enchantment Members Coast2Coast/well dyne Rx 1102 North A1A, Ste 202 Ponte Verda Beach, FL Marty Dettelbach (919) [email protected] Kofile Preservation, Inc Cedar Springs Road Dallas, TX Eugene Sisneros (214) [email protected] Professional Document Systems 1414 Common Drive El Paso, TX (800) Matt Bowman [email protected] Zia Members Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. 15 Enterprise, Ste. 200 Aliso Viejo, CA (949) Nasreen Kopecky [email protected] DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS, INC Prospect NE Albuquerque, NM (505) Philip Houser [email protected] LAW OFFICE OF MARY T. TORRES 201 Third St. NW, Ste. 500 Albuquerque, NM (505) Mary T. Torres [email protected] REDW, LLC 7425 Jefferson St. NE Albuquerque, NM (505) Christoper Schmitz [email protected] Triadic Enterprises PO Drawer 471 Deming, NM (575) Mike Hofacket [email protected] AT&T N Tatum Blvd., 4th Fl. Phoenix, AZ (480) Jerry Fuentes [email protected] EQUIAN 5975 Castle Creek Parkway, Ste. 100 Indianapolis, IN (317) Brad Devorkin [email protected] New Mexico Finance Authority 207 Shelby St. Santa Fe, NM (505) Gloria Castillo [email protected] SIDDONS-MARTIN Interdive W Houston, TX (800) Kirk Givier [email protected] Trinity Services 6216 Sutter Avenue Carmichael, CA (855) Don Lee [email protected] AUTOMATED ELECTION SERVICES 7000 Zenith Ct. NE Albuquerque, NM (505) Tiffanie Oneal [email protected] ConocoPhillips 3401 E 30th Street Farmington, NM (505) Frank Santiago [email protected] HEALTH CARE PARTNERS SYSTEMS, LLC PO Box 37 Pueblo, CO (877) Rita Torres [email protected] INLAND KENWORTH US, INC 7711 Fortuna Rd. NW Albuquerque, NM (505) Mike Schreiber [email protected] NM s, LLC 1420 Carlisle Blvd. NE, Suite 208 Albuquerque, NM (505) Daniel Ivey-Soto [email protected] PNM RESOURCES PNM Alvarado Square Albuquerque, NM (505) Matthew Jaramillo Matthew.jaramillo@pnmresources. com Souder, Miller & Associates 3451 Candelaria Rd. NE, Ste. D Albuquerque, NM (877) Karen Serio [email protected] Southwest Correctional Medical Group 6303 Goliad Ave. Dallas, TX (214) Todd Murphy [email protected] Tri-State Generation and Transmission Assoc., Inc Fulcrum Way NE Rio Rancho, New Mexico (303) Sarah Carlisle [email protected] WAGNER EQUIPMENT 4000 Osuma Rd. NE Albuquerque, NM (505) Rick Sena [email protected] Cooperative Educational Services 4216 Balloon Park Rd. NE Albuquerque, NM (505) Robin Strauser [email protected] J-MAR AND ASSOCIATES, INC 4501 Bogan Ave. NE, Ste. A-4 Albuquerque, NM (505) Kevin Phillips [email protected] RBC Capital Markets, LLC 6301 Uptown Blvd. NE, Ste.110 Albuquerque, NM (505) or (877) Paul Cassidy [email protected] SYSTEMS MD 9664 Eagle Ranch Rd. NW, Ste. 5 Albuquerque, NM (505) Kelly Haddock [email protected] WESTERN EMULSIONS, INC 8516 Kenosha Dr. Lubbock, TX (806) Rusty Smallwood [email protected] Roadrunner Members 4 RIVERS EQUIPMENT ENGINEERS INC. OLSEN PARDEN WILLIAMS, P.C. SUMMIT TRUCK GROUP ACC HEALTH, LLC AMEC Automated Recovery Systems of NM Basic IDIQ CONSTRUCTION BIG R BRIDGE BOHANNAN HUSTON, INC. Brewer Oil Company COBB FENDLEY & ASSOCIATES, INC CompassTools CORRECT CARE SOLUTIONS Correctional Healthcare Companies CurrentC Energy Systems inc. DENNIS ENGINEERING CO. DON CHALMERS FORD FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SANTA FE/ FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF THE RIO GRANDE FORTE PAYMENT SYSTEMS GEORGE K. Baum & Company Gila Regional Medical Center Golden Equipment HollyFrontier Refining & Marketing, LLC LAW OFFICE OF JONLYN M. MARTINEZ LLC MCT INDUSTRIES, INC. Modern Medical Motorola Solutions, Inc. MRWM LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS NCA ARCHITECTS NUCLEAR WASTE PARTNERSHIP LLC PREFERRED BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PROPERTYINFO CORPORATION PUBLIC TRUST ADVISORS, LLC RICOH-USA Robis Elections, Inc. Robles, Rael & Anaya, P.C. RoofCARE SAN BAR CONSTRUCTION CORP. SDV Construction, Inc. Simplifile Smith Engineering SPINE SOLUTIONS, INC SPRINT SUMMIT FOOD & SERVICE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE DATA SYSTEMS TECHTONIC ENGINEERING & SURVEYING CONSULTANTS THE SIDWELL COMPANY TITAN MACHINERY TRIAD INDUSTRIAL CONSULTING, LLC TODAY S RESTORATION DKI Total Assessment Solutions Corp. TYLER TECHNOLOGIES VOLUNTEER FIREMEN S INS. SERVICES, INC (VFIS) WASTE MANAGEMENT WELLS FARGO WHPACIFIC WILLIAMSON RESTORATION, INC. WILSON & COMPANY Yucca Members Eastern Plains Council of Governments Mid Region Council of Governments Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments Southeastern New Mexico Economic Development District Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments 2015, VOLUME 2 11

12 MOVING FORWARD Calendar of Events JULY NACo Annual Conference (Mecklenburg County, NC) 22 Legislative Resolution Review (Santa Fe) AUGUST Board of Directors Legislative Priority Meeting (Doña Ana, NM) 19 Multi-Line Board Meeting (Santa Fe) 20 Workers Comp Board Meeting (Santa Fe) OCTOBER Board of Directors Meeting (Socorro) Infrastructure Finance Conference (Albuquerque) Multi-Line & Workers Comp Board Meeting & Retreat (TBD) NOVEMBER Executive Committee Meeting (Santa Fe) 13 NMML/NMAC Joint Legislative Meeting (Santa Fe) SEPTEMBER th NMML Annual Conference (Albuquerque) NM EDGE Classes (Albuquerque) 17 Gathering of Counties (Albuquerque) DECEMBER Advisory Council Meeting (Santa Fe) 16 Multi-Line Board Meeting (Santa Fe) 17 Workers Comp Board Meeting (Santa Fe) 18 NMAC Holiday Open House (Santa Fe) 2015 NACo Annual Conference - Still Time to Register! Mecklenburg County/Charlotte, North Carolina July 10-13, 2015 NACo s 80th Annual Conference and Exposition provides an opportunity for all county leaders and staff to learn, network and guide the direction of the association. This year, the conference will be held in Mecklenburg County, (Charlotte) North Carolina. For additional information or to register visit the NACo website at New Mexico Association of Counties 444 Galisteo Street Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501