Commissioners Discuss Multi-Million Building Projects and Return to Cannabis Issues
$14 Million Administrative Offices Project
Grants administrator Amanda Lujan and architects from Wilson & Company presented updates regarding the plans for the new Torrance County administrative building. Wilson's representative said the new design for the county administrative building would cost the county $22 million. Still, the representative said, the team had sought to create three cost-cutting options to reduce that expense. The first cost-cutting option would cost $18.86 million. The second cost-cutting option would cost $14 million. The third option would cost $12.9 million. Wilson's representative said that the county had indicated to them that the second of these options, costing $14 million, would be the best option.
County commissioner Sam Schropp questioned Wilson about retrofitting the new building with updated audio/video equipment as technology changed. He expressed his hope that the county moves quickly on the new building in case the Trump administration stops federal money for the project.
Commissioner McCall expressed concerns regarding the reductions in the project cost. McCall asked, "Are we getting the Cadillac or the Hyundai version [of the project]?" McCall said the county would borrow $9.9 million for the project at an interest rate of 3.45%. The commissioners debated how to approach the building project regarding cost and overall square footage, but no final votes were taken.
$4 Million Fairgrounds Buildings Project
Amanda Lujan then asked the commissioners to provide direction on the design for the county fairgrounds based on the plans provided by Studio Southwest Architects. Lujan and McCall said that the $4 million project had been a previous recipient of funding. Lujan presented numerous options for the fairgrounds project, some of which cost over $500,000 more than the budgeted amount and others that included a surplus over the budgeted amount for the project. Lujan cautioned that $700,000 granted to the county for the fairgrounds project would revert to grantors at the end of the fiscal year if not used or apportioned, and this amount was needed for the project's completion. McCall said he was concerned with spending money on the fairgrounds project when the commission knew what was necessary for the administrative building. Nonetheless, he said he would approve one of the options for the fairgrounds project. After discussion, the commissioners approved a motion to proceed with this project version.
Review and Certification of the Canvass of the 2024 Election
Jaramillo said all but three absentee ballots without return addresses were returned without issue to the county. She cited assistance from local branches of the US Post Office as part of this resolution of the missing return address issue. Jaramillo said that 445 people engaged in same-day voter registration on Election Day 2024. The county finished its vote reporting on election day just two hours after polls closed. Jaramillo invited the county commissioners to audit the ballots. County commissioner Schropp asked Jaramillo to confirm the chain of custody of the ballots, then suggested to the other county commissioners that they forego their own count of the ballots. Jaramillo confirmed that there were no significant issues during the election at the polling stations.
Jaramillo thanked Sylvia Chavez, Senaida Anaya, and the poll workers for their work during the election. Jaramillo said there were 30-minute waits for same-day registration, but the wait for voting was not affected. Commissioner Schropp commended County Clerk Jaramillo for the operation of the election before voting to certify the canvass of the election. Commissioners Schwebach and McCall also voted to certify the canvass of the 2024 election.
Public Hearing Regarding the appeal of a denial of Conditional Use Permit for Quick Grow, LLC, cannabis greenhouse.
Commissioner Schropp recused himself from this matter because his residence is close to the proposed cannabis operation. Bunting Chen spoke on behalf of Quick Grow. Chen said that the revised application had improved provisions for eliminating light leaks from the greenhouse and the cannabis scent from the operation.
Todd Smythe, Hayley Malchak, Donald Romero, John Humphries, and Brandon Fuchs spoke in opposition to the conditional use permit appeal. Smythe said that this would turn agricultural land into a commercial business. Malchak said she was concerned regarding the approval and enforcement of the permit's conditions imposed on the applicant. Romero pointed out the limited resources of local law enforcement to deal with additional problems related to the cannabis operation. Humphries expressed frustration that the application did not include commitments not to expand. Fuchs said the applicants needed to provide more data in response to the commission's request for air filtration, light pollution, and fire suppression information. Fuchs said that the commissioners should invite the applicants to their properties if they want to approve their application.
In rebuttal, Chen said he already provided the necessary information regarding the facility to the county commission. He said Quick Grow should not be required to make improvements to local infrastructure in order to obtain a conditional use permit. After Commissioner Schropp requested a 20-minute break, the commissioners voted to uphold the county planning and zoning board's denial of Quick Grow's conditional use permit.
Following the public hearing, Planning and Zoning Director Don Goen pointed out that cannabis greenhouses collapsing due to recent snowfalls constituted a solid waste violation that can be used against cannabis operations. Commissioner Schropp said that he felt that the grow operation on NM-41 had human trafficking going on there because of the RVs and trash he saw there. Commissioner McCall said he believed that cannabis grows had hazardous waste. Commissioner Schwebach said he did not know how cannabis waste was disposed of properly but was concerned that the waste could be hazardous to residents.
The McIntosh Senior Center
Estancia Mayor Nathan Dial questioned whether Torrance County operated the McIntosh Senior Center. The county attorney said the facility was not operating as a senior center. Dial asked whether the property was used for other purposes, and County Clerk Linda Jaramillo confirmed that it was used as a polling station. Dial asked whether the county intended to use the property as a senior center. Commissioner McCall said that the county could not speak for the contractor it used for senior matters as to how the facility would be used. Dial asked if the property would be returned pursuant to the quitclaim deed for the property. Dial said he represented an organization comprised of himself, his wife, and his sister to see that the property was either returned or used as a senior center. Schwebach said he needed more information to address the matter, and Dial pointed out that he had requested this matter be an agenda item throughout multiple county commission meetings.
Dial's concern appears to relate at least in part to an incident at the McIntosh Senior Center during a county Republican Party meeting, during which Sheriff David Frazee threatened to arrest Dial.
Schwebach reiterated that he needed more information to determine whether the county would maintain or return the property to a group that Dial was involved with and wanted to use as a senior center.
Commissioner Schwebach thanked Dial for bringing the matter to the county's attention. The commissioners took no action regarding the property.
The Manzano Well and Meter Project
Orlando Lopez of the Manzano Domestic Water Association asked the commission about the status of the Manzano Well and Meter Project. He expressed frustration that the county did not give Manzano a voice in the negotiations with New Mexico Meters regarding the meter project. Lopez said New Mexico Meters billed for more work than it had actually done. "Is somebody taking notes on this?" Commissioner Schropp asked. Lopez continued that New Mexico Meters charged for 40 installations but only did 10 for Manzano. Commissioner McCall said the county needed to get money back from New Mexico Meters.
The meeting closed with statements from the commissioners, during which Commissioner Schropp praised himself and the other commissioners for their fiscal responsibility. The commissioners then went into executive session to discuss the county's acquisition of water rights.