Jason Bean

The meeting agenda includes a budget and finance report, an introduction of the new Cibola General CEO, and consideration of several resolutions regarding the Milan Industrial Park development and fiscal budget adjustments. The board plans to discuss uranium mining policies and review feasibility study costs for the upcoming fiscal year. Additionally, the commission will consider delegating authority to the County Manager for a professional services agreement related to a public safety training center and a letter of contract termination for services with Core Civic and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Board of Commissioners discussed the Budget and Finance Report and welcomed the new Cibola General CEO. Key agenda items included the consideration of a joint resolution to support the development of the Milan Industrial Park, the approval of a budget adjustment, and an evaluation of feasibility study costs for the upcoming fiscal year. Additionally, the board addressed policy directions regarding local uranium mining, authorized the County Manager to execute a professional services agreement for a public safety training center, and approved the issuance of notices for the termination of contractual agreements with CoreCivic and Immigration and Customs Enforcement related to civil immigration detention services in compliance with state law.

The document presents the Finance Report through January 31, 2026, detailing financial reconciliation status, including an ongoing issue with the Tax Operating account in the accounting software (TYLER). Key financial updates included the approval of Budget Adjustment Resolution (BAR) #6 by the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) and the second quarter report. The Advisory Investment Committee recommended maintaining current investment strategies pending more pre-Covid data on Federal Rates. The discussion provided an analysis of Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) history, noting distributions remained above projections for FY26, and detailed the allocation of various GRT increments. Property tax collections were reviewed, noting that December collections, which posted in January, significantly impacted the General Fund revenue increase. The recap also highlighted two fund deficits (Farm & Range Fund and Cibola EMS Enterprise) and discussed the need to maintain a minimum cash balance of $6,000,000 in the General Fund. Budget Adjustment Resolution (BAR) 2026-18 (#7) was presented to increase budget authority for the Sheriff's department's Law Enforcement Liability Insurance and the TPF County Road Grant Fund. Public comment procedures were also outlined, emphasizing that the session is not a Q&A period.

The meeting focused on the consideration of a budget adjustment resolution aimed at addressing rising server costs caused by semiconductor memory shortages. The Commission evaluated a requisition exceeding $50,000 for computer hardware and reviewed an infrastructure modernization plan intended to strengthen system reliability and disaster recovery. This plan includes the deployment of new server and storage platforms, utilizing a five-year lease structure to ensure financial predictability and mitigate the impact of price volatility.

Key discussions and actions during the meeting included reviewing the January 31, 2026 Finance Report, which detailed account reconciliations, Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) tracking, and property tax collections. The Commission addressed Budget Adjustment Resolution (BAR) 2026-18 for FY26. Furthermore, the agenda covered several New Business items such as the RFP selection for the Public Safety Building Training Facility, a request for Cibola County to act as Fiscal Agent for the Pueblo of Acoma EMS Funds, appointments to the Rockin' 66 Transit Board, and the amendment of election day polling locations. A presentation was also given regarding water use by extractive industries, detailing water loss associated with uranium extraction and water at stake in local mines.