Southern New Mexico Common Cause
Minutes of the Governing Board Meeting
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
· Meeting Location: J.W. Flours Restaurant, El Paseo, Las Cruces, NM 88001
· Attending: J. Asche, J. Bloom, R. Gurley, W. Jenkins, J.M. Kadlecek, M. McCamley, V. Quiroz, T. Smith, and C. Welch.
· J. Kadlecek called the meeting to order at 11:45 a.m.
· The minutes of the SNMCC Board Meeting of December were approved as amended.
Annual Luncheon Report
J. Asche made a few suggestions for next year: 1) choose the committee to begin working in September, 2) choose the date based on the legislative session, 3) check the date with class and local official’s schedules, etc. It was a success, we had a good size attendance, but for next year we should consider larger venues with audio and visual capabilities.
Monitoring Meetings
J. Asche handed out a new list of names, dates and locations for meetings, the list will be e-mailed to A. Burr to place on the website. Due to the number of meetings, we need more volunteers to monitor the meetings. And, please remember to wear your Common Cause button when you attend.
A. County Commission – C. Welch
Kent Evans, along with cameras and friends, appeared at the last County Commission meeting. Mr. Evans handed out a packet of information on his issues of concern. In his speech, he stated that Brian Hanes only listens to two of the other commissioners and that a lot of county business is handled behind the scenes. This is an issue of concern for SNMCC.
The document will be given to V. Quiroz to scan and e-mail to A. Burr.
As SNMCC we should be concerned with what the County Commission is doing. There were other concerns about the Commissioners being more involved in personnel issues, rather than just being policymakers. This is an issue that we can pursue.
1. M. McCamley
2. R. Gurley
3. C. Welch
4. J.M. Kadlecek
There were no objections to pursuing this issue.
B. Board of Regents – J. Bloom
A folder was put out on the presidential search procedure. Bill Funk is the professional who was hired for the search. On Monday, February 23, 2004 the five candidates will be announced.
Another issue of concern is the need for more Native American programs on campus. There are certain programs in place to get Native Americans to campus, apparently the bigger issue is retention. This will be looked into as well.
Memorial Medical Center Update
The current discussion is that Province will provide funds to clinics, which will be open on the weekends and during the evenings. Although, the clinics in the area have not heard about any potential funding from Province to support their clinics during the off hours.
The two major issues are
1. we should follow the lease negotiations, and
2. ask the question for those who are uninsured and indigent … how will they be treated and cared for?
Issues to keep in mind: the lease will be to a “for profit” but, we want to keep the terms of the lease public. As SNMCC, we will continue to raise public interest on this issue.
R. Gurley read a letter into the record regarding the care of the mentally ill, stating that “under no circumstances can they close the psychiatric ward” in Memorial Medical Center. This letter was written mainly because it came out that after the new lease, MMC would refuse to treat the psychiatric patients and they would refuse to deliver babies.
According to R. Gurley, Las Cruces’s MMC has the only locked and secured, 24 hour a day, psychiatric ward, that is staffed by competent and qualified individuals. If this is shut down, psychiatric patients will unnecessarily be held in county jails, which is not an appropriate location.
When asking questions about the psychiatric ward, Council member Jose Frietze stated that the behavior health will be taken care of, unfortunately the questions have not been answered clearly.
Apparently when Province was asked if they would keep the locked, secured, 24 hour psychiatric ward, the response was “only if we make a profit.” This is not an appropriate answer for the mentally ill.
New/Other Business
See handout
Due to certain concerns about City Council action, Council members ignoring recommendations of the committees that are established, J.M. Kadlecek will ask P. Banks to reconvene the Citizen Charter Review Committee. SNMCC will continues with the CCRC and push to endorse some of the proposals, since none were every moved for acceptance.
Budget
The budget was approved at the last state meeting and for the first time SNMCC was granted a portion of the budget.
State Report
There is an opening on the state board. There is a nomination and election process that occurs at the state level, if you are interested please talk to G. Bigelow.
On another note, Sally Davis, current Director for Common Cause NM, will be resigning. The current directorship is part-time, Sally will donate $10,000 to create a full-time position.
Board Vacancies
J.M. Kadlcek will talk to Vicki Simons of the League of Women Voters to sent another member to sit on the SNMCC Board.
There are currently three vacancies on the Board.
Land Use
There is a new land use commissioner and he has a different approach than the last commissioner. There used to be a master plan on how to use the land, now no one is sure what to do with it. There will be a meeting on February 25, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. at Good Samaritan.
Office Space
Steve Klinger sent J.M.
Kadlecek a letter regarding the use of office space. The Bulletin will be moving
to a new location and the old offices will be converted into 5 cubicles for
local non-profit groups. The rent will be approximately $80.00 a month,
utilities included. There is a large conference room and a kitchen area that
will be shared with all organizations in the building. The rent would be around
$970.00 a year for the office space.
Closing
Respectfully submitted,
Vanessa Quiroz
Board Secretary
Signature and Approval Date