DOÑA ANA COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

AUGUST 23, 2005

 Commissioners Butler, Curry, Evans, McCamley, and Saldaña-Caviness were present.

 Several issues were broached during public input including a recommendation for a tax increase to support the Sheriff's office, better regulation of subdivisions, and cleanup of burned-out houses.  One resident from Chaparral spoke against a 'junk' vehicle that's been parked in front of the fire station for a while.  It sounded like a clear case of negligence until another resident identified it as a representation of antique fire-fighting equipment.  Did you ever think that running a county was easy?

 After a presentation by the Utilities Department on construction projects for water and waste water a consent agenda of 17 items was passed.

 Approval was given to a resolution calling for special meetings of the Board in outlying communities and joint meetings with the City Council.  This was a result of the discussion held during the July 26, 2005 meeting of the Board.

 A group from Chaparral is asking for an election to incorporate.  To do so requires a census of the area to be incorporated.  The Board was asked to establish a census method and fee.  The petitioners are required to fund the census.  Questions arose as to why the most recent census was not sufficient, who should do the census and how, how the boundaries for the census should be drawn, and what incorporation would do to the lifestyles of residents who moved there to be independent.  In the end it was agreed that Les Olson would head up the census effort and the county would certify the results since law requires that a government entity be responsible for a census.  One estimate presented is that Chaparral consists of approximately 7000 people in about 2000 households.

In a previous meeting of the Board a presentation was made on the possibility of a misdemeanor compliance program to help correct a glaring problem with compliance.  At this meeting the county manager was authorized to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the county magistrate court to develop and implement a compliance program.  This has been done with good results in other places.

 Other business included approval of the transfer of a liquor license, the appointment of two people to the Dona Ana County Labor Management Relations Board, and the appointment of a member to the Dona Ana County Airport Advisory Board.

Charlie Welch

Southern NM Common Cause