David Black

The 2020 Otero County Community Wildfire Protection Plan updates previous efforts, providing a framework to reduce wildfire risk and its negative impacts on residents, firefighters, property, and natural resources. The plan focuses on educating residents, reducing fuel loads around homes and forests, decreasing structural ignitibility, promoting forest health and resilience, and identifying collaborative areas for mitigation. It aims to guide future protection efforts, building on past accomplishments including over 129,000 acres of treated land.

The DWI Planning Council meeting covered several key areas. Statistics for November and December 2016 were reviewed, and a request for funds was planned for a commission meeting. Data was reviewed for January-March, including DWI offender statistics (number of offenders, BAC levels, cases, active clients, successful/unsuccessful closures), Teen Court statistics (MIP cases, juvenile charges, active offenders, community service hours, completions), and Prevention statistics (community outreach activities, school-based activities, student and adult attendance). Open discussion included topics related to October and the DWI program.

The meeting reviewed and approved the May 4, 2017 minutes. New business included a review of DWI statistics for April-June 2017, covering various metrics such as the number of offenders, BAC levels, and case outcomes. Teen Court statistics were also presented, including the number of cases, community service hours, and completions. Prevention statistics were reviewed, covering community outreach and school-based activities. Discussions included updating Teen Court classes and curriculum, exploring alternatives to long-term suspensions, and the possibility of School Resource Officers referring students to Teen Court. The cost of the NEEDS survey was raised from $32.00 to $40.00. Information was shared about upcoming events, including a Victim Impact Panel and a presentation on updated substance abuse statistics.

The meeting reviewed statistics for January through March 2017, including DWI offender data, Teen Court statistics, and prevention program statistics. Discussions included the results of a DWI grant meeting, a final evaluator report, and the application for a JAF grant. Future plans were discussed, including a VIP event, the elimination of the Domestic Violence component, a new curriculum for DWI School, and the absence of a July DWI School class. Information was shared regarding Mescalero's graduation, a planned Sticker Shock event, and recent suicides and heroin overdoses.