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Cibola County Commission Awards FFFC $14K

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GRANTS – The Cibola County Board of Commissions met May 25 in the standing room only Commission Chambers to discuss regular commission business, fiscal year and budget concerns.

The unusual number of citizens packing the spacious chambers were drawn in by the opportunity to speak on the issue of the Commission’s contract with Future Foundations Family Center, which expires at the end of the fiscal year, June 30. The contract has been known to be in question this year because of  funding cuts at the state and federal levels affecting the County’s funds.

FFFC is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization established to serve the children and families of Cibola County and is overseen by a board of directors. The foundation is supported by the County, the City of Grants and other donations. The Cibola County contract historically has provided about $60,000, or 20 percent of the FFFC’s budget, per fiscal year in support.

Grants City Manager Laura Jaramillo said, “If the County drops the ball the City will pick it up.” She added the City would find money to help keep the foundation’s programs running, if it had to.

Homestake Mining Company representative Joanne Martinez told the commission that Homestake had donated $20,000 to FFFC in response to a request for help from Commissioner Robert Windhorst, sent out when the county realized there would be a shortfall because of cuts from from the state and other agencies. “We need to accept responsibility,” Martinez said, and suggested self-help actions, including a GoFundMe internet campaign. She added that another private organization donated $5,000 in response to the commissioner’s outreach, as well.

“You don’t have to worry about next year, just today,” said New Mexico State Representative Harry Garcia (D, District 69), attending as an audience member. Garcia also told the room, “If you come together as a community – not your turf, my turf – you can find solutions to funding problems.”

Citing the lack of funds and the need to trim services and expenses at least in the short term to keep the county running, the commission voted to not renew the contract at the past level, instead voting to provide $14,000 for the upcoming fiscal year.

In other actions, the Commission passed the preliminary budget, renewed that contract with the New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension program, renewed the current contract with Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation, renewed contracts with the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments, renewed the $46,000 annual contract with the Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce and awarded a $2,500 contract to the New Mexico State Library’s Rural Bookmobile program.

The preliminary budget will be passed on to the state for review and may be amended before it is finalized by the Commission for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

After a lengthy closed session, action on the County’s contract with County Manager Tony Boyd, which expires June 30, was tabled. A special meeting to discuss the contract renewal was scheduled for May 31 at 5:30 pm in the  Commission Chamber Room at 700 East Roosevelt Ave., Grants.

The next regular commission meeting was moved to June 15 to accommodate a conflict in schedules.

By Helen Davis

Sun Correspondent

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