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Grant County updates grants, airport shortfall, IT notification rollout and roads work
Summary
Department heads briefed commissioners on grants and projects: airport parking bid leaves a $395,000 shortfall, emergency management won a Hewlett Foundation award for Starlink devices, IT will roll out a TextMyGov notification system, and road crews reported chip‑seal and water‑crossing progress.
Multiple department heads gave routine reports at the Grant County Board of Commissioners work session on Dec. 9.
Airport: The airport director reported Hamilton Construction as the low bidder for terminal parking‑lot improvements with a base bid of $1,056,000 and said the project budget is short approximately $395,000. He has requested additional funding from the New Mexico Division of Aviation and said staff will pursue value engineering options.
Emergency management: The emergency manager said applications remain pending for the EMPG and State Homeland Security grants and highlighted an awarded Hewlett Community Foundation grant to buy several Starlink devices and a few generators to provide communications at disaster sites. He also noted the community wildfire protection plan public meeting scheduled Jan. 22 for risk assessment.
IT and communications: The IT director summarized an Office 365 migration and an enterprise backup project, and previewed a countywide TextMyGov mass‑notification system to allow targeted alerts and simple two‑way reporting (opt‑in number and opt‑out instructions will be published).
Roads and facilities: The road department reported completion of 2025 chip‑seal projects (including school‑bus routes) and ongoing water‑crossing concrete work; facilities maintenance presented concept drawings for Gila Valley Park improvements (playground, ADA paths, new surface coatings for courts and a quarter‑mile walking path).
Grants and budget adjustments: Finance staff summarized multiple grant awards and budget adjustment requests, including Emergency Watershed Protection Program corrections, Freeport McMoRan Foundation funding for an emergency operations plan ($60,000), volunteer fire department grants and insurance recovery for a totaled Whiskey Creek command vehicle. Staff also explained a DWI grant amendment application that would add $32,000 to local outreach and treatment programming; commissioners asked for more program specifics and requested the DWI director attend Thursday's meeting to present details.
No new votes were taken on these items during the work session; several items remain on the consent agenda or are scheduled for future meetings.
