2013 Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments Annual Report
Cibola McKinley San Juan www.nwnmcog.com
Leading the field to empower communities
&
move the region
Table of Contents
REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
4
MESSAGE FROM BOARD CHAIRMAN
8
WELCOME FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
9
REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
10
40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE COG TIMELINE COG LEADERSHIP
12 14
REGIONAL SOLUTIONS BROADBAND ECONOMY ENERGY ENVIRONMENT PANORAMIC QUALITY OF LIFE TRANSPORTATION TOURISM WATER
16 18 20 22 24 26 28 31 32
LOCAL INITIATIVES CDBG FUNDING CWPP
34 36
NMCOG STAFF
37
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Regional Leadership: FY 2013 2012-2013 Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments Board of Directors Executive Committee:
Voting Representatives:
Chairman of the Board Billy Moore Appointee at Large
Jim Crowley Mayor Pro Tem
McKinley County
Immediate Past Chairman Dr. William A. Hall Appointee-at-Large
City of Farmington 1st Vice-Chairman
Dr. Jim Henderson County Commissioner San Juan County 2nd Vice-Chairman Joe Murrietta Mayor
City of Grants
Treasurer Louie Bonaguidi Citizen Appointee
City of Gallup
City of Aztec
Scott Eckstein Mayor
City of Bloomfield Mike Enfield City Councilor
City of Gallup
Allan Landavazo City Councilor
City of Gallup
George Kozeliski City Attorney
City of Gallup
Ruben Sandoval City Councilor
City of Grants Tom Ortega Mayor
Village of Milan
Pat Simpson County Commissioner
Cibola County
Lloyd Felipe County Commissioner
Cibola County
Genevieve Jackson County Commission Chair
McKinley County
Carol Bowman-Muskett County Commissioner
McKinley County Doug Decker County Attorney
McKinley County Kim Carpenter County Executive Officer
San Juan County
Alternate Representatives Joshua Ray City Manager
Bob Horacek City Manager
T. Walter Jaramillo County Commissioner
David Fuqua City Manager
Bill Standley Former Mayer
Richard Kontz County Manager
Jackie McKinney Mayor
Ellen Baca Village Trustee
City of Aztec
City of Bloomfield
City of Gallup
City of Grants
City of Farmington
Cibola County
McKinley County
Village of Milan
Member Governments Cibola County McKinley County San Juan County
City of Gallup City of Grants Village of Milan
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City of Farmington City of Aztec City of Bloomfield
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Regional Leadership: FY 2013 Affiliate Member: Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority
Northwest Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) Committee Royce Gchachu (Pueblo of Zuni) Chairman Pueblo of Zuni Pueblo of Acoma Pueblo of Laguna
The Navajo Nation City of Grants City of Gallup
COG Headquarters 409 South 2nd Street Gallup, New Mexico
Village of Milan Cibola County McKinley County San Juan County
Moving “Main emphasis is improving road conditions. Without good roads you can’t open up employment opportunities or improve the quality of life in the County”
“Regionalism is a
concept that will be as good and as strong as the members themselves”
George Wolf McKinley County Manager
Jeff Meyer MACOG Director 1973
1978 New Mexico Legislature
The “It’s important that we work together and it is important that we make the region strong”
“McKinley Area Council of Governments… is one of the strongest in the state. The guts of any COG are the officials selected to the board”
Patty Lundstrom New Mexico Legislator th 40 Annual COG Gala 2012
David King NM State Planning Office 1973
Region
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Our Region, Your COG
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Message from the Board Chair I wish to thank the Board for the honor of serving as its Chairman for the last three years. This experience has given me a chance to connect with and understand the issues and needs facing each of our members. Therefore, it is my pleasure to present this FY 2013 Annual Report for the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments (“the COG”). The last three years embody a very significant period for our organization and I believe this report serves to provide the broader regional community a small glimpse into the big picture of the COG’s work. All COG members and partners should be proud of the many challenges we have met head-on and for which we have successfully found solutions and new opportunities. Not only in this past period but over the last four decades, we have faced issues that needed our attention and COG has been the vehicle to get us through them. Local communities in our region are more capable of meeting challenges due to the work that has been and is currently being done by this agency and its members. I want to express my deepest gratitude to our “Regional Champions”, who are being recognized at this year’s Annual Luncheon. Special thanks to Joe Murrietta and Bill Standley, who both served as the backbone of this organization and helped form it into what it is today, and, to Bill Lee for his tremendous leadership in business and regional tourism. These gentlemen have served with honor, dedication, and an ethic of service to our region and our communities. The COG has always offered an outlet for those who want to work collectively to improve the lives of our citizens. The COG staff continues to promote one of the West’s largest infrastructure projects, the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project (NGWSP). The recent construction start for this project offers a wonderful bookend to the celebration of the close of our 40th year, as well as vital improvements to the US 491 corridor. This corridor is now ripe for economic and community development and capacity which did not exist historically. I believe the COG and its staff will continue to remain relevant and responsive to the region’s needs, issues, and opportunities. Enjoy the Annual Report, and I encourage all of you to give us any feedback you may have and to join me in letting Jeff and the COG staff know that they are appreciated.
Billy Billy W. Moore Chairman of the Board, 2012-13
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Welcome from the Executive Director Dear Friends of the Region, Another robust and rambunctious year under our belt… and I welcome you to our Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2013. Our COG team is proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish this year, as we continue to build on the organization’s great legacy while forging ahead toward new opportunities and challenges. We saw the first round of Federal investments in the actual construction of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, and the COG staff had the chance to go onsite and see for themselves that it was actually happening!
Beginning in 1992 and
for 17 more years, Patty Lundstrom chaired and I provided staff support to the interagency Steering Committee for this project, a body of work that culminated in Congressional authorization and Presidential signoff in Spring 2009 on this $1 billion water supply initiative designed to bring “Real Water to Real People in Real Time.” Under our $1 million Brownfield Assessment grant from EPA, we concluded our three-year management of the work of four scientific firms in carrying out the environmental assessment of two dozen contaminated properties in the region that were identified as potential sites for redevelopment. With a McKinley County contract, we helped manage a DOE Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) by subcontracting with Eaton Energy Solutions and conducting energy auditing of all County buildings. The resulting report includes plans that will save the County big dollars in the coming years. We worked with private and public sector leadership in San Juan County to help establish an expanded economic development effort under Four Corners Economic Development, Inc., and helped develop the CEO recruitment prospectus that culminated in the hiring of Ray Hagerman to help lead it forward.
And in Cibola
County we held the “Getting HIP” seminar on developing the “Highly Investable Project.” We energized our leadership role at the state level through active participation in the New Mexico Association of Regional Councils (NewMARC) – including helping land an EDA grant to produce a statewide Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), and our piloting of Panoramic© cloud-based technology to revolutionize project tracking and collaboration in transportation, capital outlay and economic development. another leadership step at the national level with my recent election as 2
nd
And we took
Vice President of the National
Association of Development Organizations (NADO). Well, you’ll learn more about these highlights – and more – as you dig into this Annual Report.
My thanks to
the COG team – the staff, the Board of Directors, and all of our amazing partners and supporters – for doing the good work that this report attempts to capture.
And my special thanks to COG Planner Prestene Garnenez
for her authorship of this important document.
Jeff Jeffrey G. Kiely Executive Director
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Dedicated to Empower & Move the Region Regional Champions 2013
Joe Murrietta—Cibola
County
It was about time the COG recognized its steadiest, longest-serving champion!
Joe Murrietta has had a long and varied career, but it is his
dedication and public service to Cibola County and Northwest New Mexico that truly distinguishes it.
A lifelong resident of Cibola County
and a Vietnam Veteran, Joe first worked as an Editor at the Grants Daily Beacon way back in 1966.
He then spent 15 years working in one of
Cibola County’s “boom businesses,” the uranium mining industry.
During
that time, Joe began seeking public office, first winning a seat on the Grants-Cibola County School Board. for public office and Cibola County leadership.
It seemed Joe was the perfect fit
He once served as Cibola County Treasurer, and more
recently and to the present day, he serves as Mayor of the City of Grants.
Joe also worked for more
than 10 years as Cibola County Manager, for 3 years as Milan Village Manager and for several years as Executive Director of the Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste Authority.
Along the way, the COG
found a steadfast and supportive leader, partner, and friend, as Joe has served for over two decades in various Board capacities for the COG, and in recent years as a Board Vice President.
We also know
where to find him any time or season: he’ll be out there on the golf course sticking it to his playing partners!
Thank you, Joe, for your consistent support as a vital member of the COG family.
Bill Lee—McKinley
County
The COG Executive Committee didn’t have to look far to find this regional champion. Bill Lee is a Gallup native, and it’s guaranteed he was raised on some great green chili, as well as on ample helpings of love and community in this truly unique frontier town.
Bill currently serves as
President and CEO of the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce, and he has recently also served as President of the Tourism Association of New Mexico. Springboarding from his college days as a member of nationally recognized speech and debate teams, Bill has also been a wellknown radio broadcaster (with 30 years in the broadcasting business from West Texas to Southern California to New Mexico), as well as a licensed commercial Hot Air Balloon pilot (and a big promoter of one of New Mexico’s great events, the Red Rock Balloon Rally).
There is no more
conscientious or effective voice and advocate for the Gallup area and the northwest New Mexico region than Bill Lee, and his reputation is solid as a caring friend and colleague, a consummate and ethical professional, and in indefatigable promoter of New Mexico and its many treasures.
Bill has also been a
great partner with the COG for many years on a broad range of efforts in economic and tourism development.
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Dedicated to Empower & Move the Region Regional Champions 2013
Bill Standley—San
Juan County
After enjoying a full and rich life in California following distinguished service in the Marines, Bill Standley and his wife Karen moved to Farmington to retire.
Bill wouldn’t settle for the quiet life of a retiree, but
soon found himself working as General Manager of Construction Supply Co. until he was elected as Farmington’s Mayor in 1998, an office he held for three terms until March 2010.
While Mayor, Bill worked tirelessly
to improve economic conditions in the Four Corners region, and he focused hard on improving relations with the government and people of the Navajo Nation – an effort well rewarded by a profound friendship and partnership with the late Dr. Taylor McKenzie, then Navajo Vice President, which involved their common work in combating alcoholism in the regional community and the founding of Totah Behavioral Health Authority, a project in which the COG was an important facilitator.
Bill also
tapped the COG to assist with his work in championing civil rights causes and the advancement of quality of life facilities in Farmington, and he was actively involved in many community organizations such as the San Juan Wildlife Federation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Four Corners Better Business Bureau, and the San Juan Economic Development Service, just to name a few. currently a Farmington Alternate Municipal Court Judge.
Not one to sit on the sidelines, Bill is
Throughout his time as Mayor, he served as a
member of the COG Board of Directors, and has continued serving as an Alternate to the Board.
Sam Ojinaga—Special
“Friend of the Region” Award
If ever there was a time for the COG Board to establish this special award, this is the year.
For nearly two decades, Sam Ojinaga served as the “Go-
To Guy” in Santa Fé for the COGs and local governments throughout the state.
Sam has 23 years of experience in New Mexico state government,
the last 18 of which were with the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance & Administration, until his recent transfer to PERA. After years as senior staff in the Community Development Bureau, Sam served as Deputy Director for the past 7 years, and several times was designated as interim Director. The Northwest COG, and all of our fellow COGs, came to trust and appreciate Sam for his professionalism, integrity, problem-solving attitude, fairness and incredibly hard work under the highest stress.
In fact, that stress eventually landed Sam in the hospital, and truly all of us felt that a member
of our family had gone down.
He was responsible for many programs working directly with County and
Municipal governments including E911, DWI, Capital Outlay and the CDBG Programs.
Recently he accepted
a position with the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) serving as the Bureau Chief of Employer Contributions Accounting, once again working with his beloved County and Local Governments, Water and Sanitation Districts and other local entities who participate in the PERA retirement program.
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Pre- COG
• July 1, 1972: Articles of Agreement document is signed by founding members, establishing the McKinley Area Council of Governments (MACOG) • 1972: Jeff Meyer is selected to be the first Executive Director of MACOG • January 10, 1973: Governor Bruce King issues Executive Order authorizing the establishment of 7 state planning districts. • 1973: McKinley County develops 20-year Comprehensive Master Plan • 1975: PWEDA Amendments establish the Four Corners Regional Planning Commission
P. Lundstrom 1985-2010
K. Landolt 1983-1985
D. Carter 1979-1983
E. DiGregorio 1976-1979
• 1965: Public Works & Economic Development Act (PWEDA) is passed establishing the Economic Development Administration and providing for regional planning districts. • January 1, 1969: Governor issues Executive Order authorizing role of Regional Planning Organizations • 1970: Governor King designates Regional Planning and Development Districts as official clearinghouses under Federal A-95 requirements.
J. Meyers 1972-1976
40 years of the Council of Governments
• 1976: Elizabeth DiGregorio replaces Jeff Meyer as Executive Director of MACOG • 1978: New Mexico Legislature passes the Planning District Act NMSA 4-58-1 and Regional Planning Act NMSA 3-56-1 as further instruments supporting the work of regional councils of governments. • 1979: David Carter becomes Executive Director of MACOG • 1979: Senator Pete Domenici pushes to get feasibility study complete for the “Gallup-Navajo Water Pipeline.” • 1980: Interstate 40 (“I-40”) opens in October 1980. • June 19, 1981: Cibola County becomes New Mexico’s 33rd County.
• 1983: Keith Landolt is named MACOG Director • 1984: Navajo Tribal Chairman Peterson Zah gives support for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project in December 1984.
• 1985: Patricia “Patty” Lundstrom becomes the new Executive Director of the COG. • 1985: MACOG begins providing services to the City of Grants in February 1985 and is also a member of the Mid-Region Council of Governments for a short period of time. • June 24, 1987: MACOG changes its name to the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments. • July 1987: Cibola and San Juan Counties officially join Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments. • July 1987: The Village of Milan joins NWNMCOG.
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Council of Governments Timeline
J. Kiely 2010 to Present
P. Lundstrom 1985-2010 Continued
T • 1990: NWNMCOG receives a 2-year Robert Wood Johnson Foundation “Fighting Back Initiative” planning grant in February 1990. Jeff Kiely is hired by the COG to coordinate this regional project. • 1991: The US Department of Commerce designates Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments as an Economic Development District March 1991 • 1991: NWNMCOG facilitates the creation of the San Juan Forum. • 1992: NWNMCOG chairs the inter-agency Steering Committee on the NavajoGallup Water Supply Project from 1992-2009, culminating in March 2009 in Congressional authorization and commitment of about $1 Billion in funding. • 1992: Northwest Regional Planning Organization (the “RPO”) forms in November 1992. • 1993: NWNMCOG is awarded a 5-year, $3 Million implementation grant by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the “Fighting Back Initiative”; this is subsequently transferred to the new 501(c)(3) nonprofit Northwest New Mexico Fighting Back, Inc. • 1993: NWNMCOG receives its first of 4 grants from The Ford Foundation, starting with the “McKinley County Public Partnership” and including formation and operation of the regional Community Development Corporation (CDC) in December 1995. • 1994: NWNMCOG competes for USDA designation under the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) program; achieves 3rd-tier “Champion Community” status after Federal regulations exclude most of the region. • 1996: Future Foundations Family Center is created in Cibola County. • 1996: NWNMCOG partners with the City of Farmington to garner $1 Million in support of the “Enterprise Center” small business incubator and to establish the Northwest New Mexico Enterprise Loan Fund (ELF) to improve access to capital for small businesses throughout the tri-county region. • 1997: NWNMCOG provides Board leadership and town hall facilitation support for the Colorado Plateau Forum, 1997-2003. • 2004: The State of New Mexico lifts its moratorium to designate the “Native Heritage Trail” as a Scenic Byway, later taking on the title “Trail of the Ancients” to align with byways in Colorado, Utah and Arizona, and to gain Federal designation. • March 2009: U.S. President Obama signs the Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009, including authorization to fund and construct the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. • October 2009: NWNMCOG receives a 3-year, $1 Million ARRA stimulus grant to implement the Northwest New Mexico Brownfields Assessment Coalition Program. • March 2010: Patty Lundstrom retires from the COG, and Jeff Kiely takes the helm as Executive Director of Northwest New Mexico COG. • 2010: NWNMCOG leverages a US Department of Energy grant to establish a regional Energy Efficiency & Conservation program. • June 2011: New Mexico House Memorial 18 designates Gallup as the “Adventure Capital of New Mexico.” • June 2012: National Geographic celebrates at Aztec Ruins its designation of the Four Corners as one of its 17 “World Class Destination” regions in the world and launches its 4 Corners Geotourism MapGuide and interactive website. • August 2012: The Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments Celebrates its 40th Anniversary • April 2013: NWNMCOG launches and leads the “Panoramic” software project to support statewide coordination of data and planning work in transportation, capital outlay and economic development.
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40 years of COG Leadership Year
COG Director
Board Chair
1972
Edward Junker
1973 1974 1975
Jeff Meyer, a 1967 graduate from the University of Wisconsin
1976
Jeff Meyers continues as Director and in the Summer of 1976 Elizabeth DiGregorio becomes MACOG Director
1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
J.A Abeyta; Dan Gutierrez gets elected in July 1975
Elizabeth DiGregorio Elizabeth DiGregorio leaves MACOG in early 1979 & is replaced by Acting Director David “Dave” Carter; a graduate from ASU with a degree in Economics.
Dan Gutierrez
David Carter officially named COG Director in October 1980 David Carter leaves in February 1983 and replaced by Keith Landolt in March 1983 Keith Landolt Keith Landolt (9/85) leaves the COG and Patty Lundstrom becomes Director
1986 1987 1988 1989
George Hight, Gallup City Councilor (5/1983) Gloria Howes, McKinley County Tom “Speedy” Trujillo City of Gallup Gloria Howes, McKinley County Tom “Speedy” Trujillo, City of Gallup Tom Trujillo, City of Gallup; in April 1989 Ronald Morsbach, McKinley County Ron Morsbach, McKinley County
1990 1991 1992 1993
J.A. (Red) Abeyta
Patty Lundstrom
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Keeping the Vision, Moving the Region
Dr. William Hall, City of Farmington Dr. William Hall, City of Farmington, in 11/93 Charlie Chavez, City of Gallup Charlie Chavez, City of Gallup Warren H. Mathers, Village of Milan Ron Morsbach, Ramah WSD
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Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
COG Director
Patty Lundstrom
2011 2012 2013
Jeff Kiely
Board Chair Ron Morsbach, Ramah WSD
Dr. William Hall, City of Farmington Patty Lundstrom retires May 2010; Jeff Kiely becomes Executive Director Billy Moore, McKinley County
The Common Denominator: “What’s good for me, is good for you and what’s good for you is good for me... that is always what I have seen as Executive Director in 25 years…,” Patty Lundstrom
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Regional Solutions: Broadband At a Legislative Forum held in Grants in December 2012, the Cibola County Economic Development Foundation (CCEDF) requested assistance in Broadband planning and development. The message was clear: Broadband is a critical piece needed for economic development and recruitment opportunities in Cibola County and throughout the region. Following the forum, the Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) of the tri-county area met with the COG and jointly developed a strategy for financing this planning effort. The COG partnered with CCEDF, Four Corners Economic Development, Inc., and Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation to develop the “I-40 Connect� Broadband Plan, later evolving into the NW New Mexico Broadband & Telecommunications Plan. The COG then conducted extensive research into Broadband planning nationwide, including working with North Central New Mexico Economic Development District, leader of a regional Broadband deployment strategy in Northern New Mexico through REDINET. The COG developed additional partnerships with REDINET, CenturyLink, New Mexico Economic Development Department, New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission, New Mexico Department of Information Technology, Navajo Nation Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, and Sacred Wind Communications. During the 2013 Legislative Session, the COG facilitated a second meeting with NMDOIT presenting on a Statewide Broadband Plan and regional pilot planning projects. The group discussed including San Juan County and making this a truly regional endeavor. The Statewide Plan and the regional pilots must have broad-based support from four sectors: economic development; health; education; and tribal.
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Based on NMDOIT’s guidance, the COG worked on developing a grass-tops stakeholder list that could be recruited and involved in the regional planning in each of the four targeted sectors; the COG continues to look for partners in these areas relative to Broadband planning. The COG was also recruited to represent the region on the New Mexico First/DOIT Leadership Team for developing the Statewide Plan. The COG will be working with regional EDO’s and their Boards to catalyze regional and local involvement, including the first phase of conducting a public survey. The survey is a general survey with three add-ons for each sector (education, health, and business). The COG will be collaborating with its regional partners to distribute and collect feedback from strategic participants. In efforts for financing strategies for the regional Broadband Plan, the COG and its partners worked with Representative Patty Lundstrom and Senator George Munoz to advocate for $50,000 for Broadband planning focused on Cibola County and the Navajo Nation; however, this was line-item vetoed by the Governor. The CCEDF has been working with the COG on utilizing NMFA Planning grant funds. Initial conversations with NMFA staff have determined that broadband planning is not eligible; however, the COG is working to deepen and re-frame the engagement with NMFA. Lastly, NM DOIT had $150,000 in technical and broadband planning consulting services available to fund pilot broadband initiatives in two regions in the State. The COG subsequently applied for this designation, but was not selected for the pilot due to higher levels of need demonstrated by applicants in the Northeast and Southwest regions of the State. For the New Mexico Broadband portal, go to: http://www.doit.state.nm.us/broadband/index.shtml
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Regional Solutions and Highlights: ECONOMY Rural Microenterprise Incubator Project Last year, the Council of Governments received a $29,000 subgrant from New Mexico Community Capital under a W.K. Kellogg Foundation/Tides Foundation grant to support “women in enterprise” in New Mexico by establishing a rural “micro-enterprise incubator.”
The COG’s
partner and subcontractor in the field is Tohatchi Area of Opportunity & Service, Inc. (TAOS). The COG and TAOS further partnered with the University of New Mexico via UNM-Gallup’s Business Technology Department and Rural Entrepreneurial Institute (REI), to develop and deliver an
all-encompassing
curriculum
covering
marketing,
customer
service, business management practices, finance, development of a sound business plan, ethics, and internet and web-based marketing. Courses also incorporate guest presentations from a variety of organizations throughout New Mexico and the Navajo Nation The program was designed to work with micro-entrepreneurs from rural Navajo communities along US 491 by utilizing the new Navajo Tourism Welcome Center at Sheep Springs, New Mexico as a rural micro-enterprise incubator. The grant is primarily intended to help reduce poverty (34%) and unemployment rates (averaging 20%), and assist female single-parent households by providing technical support and training in growing small family businesses.
However,
other rural micro-entrepreneurs are also welcome to participate, and the first milestone for participating businesses is to achieve a 75% increase in sales in the course of a year. Recruitment of participants into the project proved more challenging than expected, and additional outreach methods have been used (including radio PSAs) to engage the interest and enrollment of area micro-entrepreneurs.
Program Statistics: 18 interested in December 2012 Orientation Session 13 started the program in January 2013 7 graduated in September 2013 Classes were held every Thursday for 6 hours
The first round of micro-enterprise classes began in December 2012 and ended in the Summer of 2013, resulting in seven graduates of the program.
Classes were
held on Thursdays, alternating between the UNM-Gallup campus and TAOS class facilities in Tohatchi.
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Building on this Micro-enterprise Incubator grant project, the COG and UNM-Gallup applied for and was awarded a USDA-Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) for $40,000.
The grant will
help compensate UNM-Gallup staff for their instruction and management of the training. Additional expansion of the program includes an agricultural component—a Farmer’s Market Project.
The COG, TAOS, and UNM-Gallup, with further support from New Mexico Community
Capital and USDA are working to develop local and regional farmers’ markets in efforts to increase “farm-to-table,” organic produce opportunities for local farmers and ranchers.
It is
hoped, that local farmers markets can lead to larger organic produce opportunities and eventually supplementing or supplying entire local grocers and area school systems and other institutions.
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Regional Solutions and Highlights: ENERGY Regional Energy Efficiency Program In 2012, the COG executed a contract
with
Eaton
Energy
Solutions, Inc., a full service and turnkey energy services company or aka, an “ESCO”. The
COG
created
a
comprehensive energy services and solutions contract which would allow our members to piggyback energy
for
any
and
management
all and
efficiency needs. There are 5 key services: 1. audits; 2. commissioning 3. retro-commissioning, and 4. retrofits. The fifth is a specific one that will support upfront hard costs for
capitalizing
energy
efficiency
projects.
financing
mechanism
This is
performance contracting. The Performance Model
Contracting
allows
the
ESCO
to
identify and evaluate energysaving opportunities and then recommend
a
package
of
improvements to be paid for through
savings.
The
ESCO
guarantees that savings will meet or exceed annual payments to cover all project costs—usually over a contract term of 7 to 10 years. If savings don't materialize, the ESCO pays the difference, not you.
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Through the last year, COG staff worked tirelessly in translating McKinley County’s facility energy audit recommendations into an investment grade package.
On August 29 th, the McKinley County
Commission approved a $2M package of proposed energy efficiency projects that will be financed by local bonding.
The guaranteed savings will pay back this initial investment and is
estimated to reduce the County’s $680,000 utility bills and $120,000 in outside maintenance annually by $238,000 (including $174,000 in utility costs and $64,000 in maintenance and capital costs).
The graph shows this distribution over the life of the performance contract.
The COG has also been working on a grant application with the City of Gallup to NM Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department for funding to start energy audits at all City facilities.
Initial meetings in Cibola County about pursuing this same strategy for all members
and even the School District and NMSU-Grants are underway.
Eaton Energy Solutions has also
been an important technical consultant of solar installation and production projects, and brings a diverse knowledge base that can be brought to bear for our members.
Finally, the COG has
been researching and improving its own working knowledge on natural gas
demand
including
side
fleet
filling stations.
strategies,
conversions
and
The COG sees this
regional program as a mechanism that
can
reduce
operating
and
capital improvement budgets during a
time
of
intense
government
budget pressures.
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Regional Solutions: ENVIRONMENT Brownfields: Building Sustainable Communities & Revitalizing Our Region In 2009, the COG applied for and was awarded a 3-year, $1 million Brownfields Assessment grant under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Since 2009, the COG has successfully administered this Brownfields program by working with COG member governments and tribes in the region. The program has flourished over the last three years as a result of intensive COG outreach efforts. The COG successfully completed the ARRA Brownfields Assessment program in the first quarter of FY 13, working hard to finalize environmental assessments on brownfields sites throughout the region and to close out the three-year grant. In 2013, the COG revitalized its coalition of support and re-applied for additional assessment funding to complete some projects in the region; unfortunately this was not funded. The COG is excited at its chances of being awarded again, and needs input on potential sites or redevelopment efforts. The COG continued its collaboration with the EPA and New Mexico Environment Department, as we worked to help transform “brown to green” with cost-effective and sustainable redevelopment in our communities. The COG helped to kickstart tribal participation in the Brownfields program in the region including Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni Pueblos. Regional partner, Zuni Pueblo was recognized for its efforts and a model as a tribal community with a legacy of past contamination. Zuni Pueblo’s Brownfield efforts inspire new EPA redevelopment guide. This new resource, Equitable Redevelopment of Petroleum Brownfields for Zuni Pueblo and Other Tribal Communities , is a step-by-step guide that will be of assistance in navigating the unique circumstances that face tribal communities in brownfields redevelopment. You can access the guide here: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/specialprojects.htm.
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Regional Solutions: TECHNOLOGY Tapping the Power of “Cloud” Technology To Transform the Planning & Development Process
Year after year, COG staff have heard the complaints from our partners (and from ourselves!): “We made our case, but they didn’t buy it.” read it.”
“We gave them a complete packet, but they didn’t
“I don’t think they understood the project.”
all sounded the same.
“By the time the committee got to us, it
They couldn’t tell our proposal from anybody else’s.”
“They kept asking
us where the project was, and we explained it, but they still didn’t get it.”
“They asked
questions I wasn’t ready for. I didn’t have the maps with me.” Now, we have a way forward.
It’s called “Panoramic.”
The Northwest COG is serving as the
lead agency on behalf of the COGs in the State – the New Mexico Association of Regional Councils (NewMARC) – on a pilot project to design and build a special Panoramic website to capture, map, manage and present projects in transportation, economic development, capital outlay, and other development areas.
Panoramic© is a cutting-edge, web-based (or “cloud”-based) software tool that provides a userfriendly, flexible, visual and interactive platform for managing complex systems of projects and initiatives in a streamlined and collaborative way.
Panoramic is a software product and service
of Paladin Data Systems of Poulsbo, Washington.
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The COG discovered this new planning tool during Executive Director Jeff Kiely’s participation in the April 2012 RPO America Rural Transportation Conference held by the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) in Burlington, Vermont.
Paladin Data representative Jeff
Pavey provided a presentation and hosted an exhibit booth at the conference.
Mr. Kiely was
impressed by the presentation, which showcased applications of Panoramic in Washington State, managing information and communication among 10,000 salmon recovery projects and hundreds of
transportation
projects
for
the
state’s
14
RTPOs
(regional
transportation
planning
organizations) and the Washington Department of Transportation. Within a few months, the rest of the COGs in the state took interest in Panoramic, along with several State agencies, and our Northwest New Mexico COG invited Paladin Data to start looking at building a website in New Mexico on behalf of NewMARC.
North Central New Mexico
Economic Development District assisted by securing pilot project funding from the New Mexico DOT and New Mexico Aging & Long-Term Services Department.
Northwest COG was set up as
fiscal agent, and Paladin was contracted
to
start
the
website building process. As of Spring 2013 and the end
of
the
fiscal
year,
NewMARC’s Panoramic website was well into the design of web
app
sites
for
the
Northwest and North Central districts for transportation and aging
projects.
Panoramic
is
also being considered as a tool for organizing the Statewide Comprehensive Development
Strategy
(CEDS)
under
grant
funding
from
Administration, with economic development soon to follow.
the
US
Economic
Economic
Development
Northwest COG, our NewMARC
colleagues and Paladin Data were scheduled to present on Panoramic at the NADO Annual Training Conference in San Francisco in late August 2013 and at the New Mexico Infrastructure Finance Conference in Isleta in mid-October 2013. We are well on our way to our goal of including all 7 COGs in New Mexico in the Panoramic initiative, which we hope will help transform the planning and development process in our regions and statewide.
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Regional Solutions: Quality of Life Adventure Gallup & Beyond Thirteen
years
ago,
this
COG
initiative originated from our role as a regional district for the US Economic
Development
Administration
and
under
our
regional Comprehensive Economic Strategy
Plan
(CEDS).
concept
was
to
The
create
an
economic driver through adventure tourism.
By planning, developing,
and marketing outdoor venues and trails in and around Gallup, we could use our existing assets to create business opportunities and generate revenues.
Today, Adventure Gallup & Beyond is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization
representing key entities and stakeholders that drive its success. Success breeds success.
Gallup is becoming a destination for outdoor enthusiasts of all types.
In 2012, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis recognized High Desert Trail System, a 26 mile single track, stacked loop system built entirely on private land, as a National Recreation Trail.
In October, the City of Gallup told its
story at the World Summit of the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) in Santa FĂŠ, which
began
movement
the
towards
becoming the first IMBA Ride Center designated in New Mexico.
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2013 has been filled with more recognition:
USA Cycling held the National 24-Hours mountain bike race, on the McGaffey Trail
System, with over 500 racers from around the nation.
The COG has been an important
partner in the Zuni Mountains Trail Partnership, which is working with US Forest Service on designation over 150+ miles of singletrack trails throughout Cibola and McKinley counties.
September 20-22nd, Levi Leipheimer, US Cycling Legend, is coming to Gallup.
He
will be assisting in several events to raise funding for the IMBA Ride Center designation and to help Gallup officials host the grand opening of Gallup’s newest adventure asset the Gallup Brickyard Bike Park, a multi-use trails system.
The COG is working on a comprehensive economic impact report that tracks and
quantifies direct and indirect economic impact of these assets, venues, and events. expect this to be published and available by year’s end.
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We
Regional Solutions: TRANSPORTATION NWRTPO: Northwest Regional Transportation Planning Organization In the past year, in anticipation of changes in the Federal highway bill, the COG’s transportation function took on a minor name change to insert the word “Transportation” – thus the NWRTPO:
“Northwest New Mexico Regional Transportation Planning Organization.”
The new moniker was adopted under a new set of Bylaws, which were approved by the local and tribal membership of the RTPO.
Under this banner, the RTPO continued its leadership
work at the local, regional, state and national levels – pushing for administrative and policy reforms to protect and expand funding investments in rural and small town New Mexico. Our labors have begun to show fruit, even as federal and state budgets have retrenched. On the Leading Edge.
Inspired by a Spring 2012 presentation at the RPO America Rural
Transportation Conference organized in Burlington, Vermont by the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), the Northwest New Mexico COG has taken the lead in adopting and piloting a revolutionary technology called Panoramic© -- a web-based project mapping and collaboration site that will help manage and present information on a wide range of projects and initiatives.
Spurred on by seed funding from the New Mexico Department of
Transportation and strong partnership with North Central New Mexico Economic Development District, the COG has contracted with Paladin Data Systems of Poulsbo, Washington to build this website – beginning with the RTPO’s project data and to be followed by sites devoted to economic development, capital outlay and other planning and development disciplines. Performance Kudos.
This summer, the New Mexico DOT Planning Division conducted an on-
site program audit of the RTPO, which we “passed with flying colors” – with some of our work being identified by the Department as “best practices” for dissemination to other RTPOs statewide.
The COG administers annual DOT contracts at $65,000 per year to manage the
RTPO process for our part of the state. RTPO members include member cities and counties, as well as Native American tribal nations within the region, excluding the metropolitan planning area encompassed by Farmington, Aztec and Bloomfield in San Juan County, which is served by an MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) managed by the City of Farmington. The Northwest RTPO Committee is chaired by Royce Gchachu of the Pueblo of Zuni.
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Program
Efficiency.
The
COG
worked
internally
and
with
the
DOT
to
streamline
documentation and reporting protocols, including standardization of the Annual Work Plan to align with other RTPOs throughout the State – thus creating new efficiencies in the allocation of staff time and opening up new opportunities for strategic planning and support of key initiatives. RTPO Leadership & Governance.
Under the new RTPO Bylaws, the governing group is
considered a joint Policy and Technical Committee, with members appointed by the respective RTPO entities.
The group’s primary oversight is for the annual preparation of the “Regional
Transportation
Improvement
Plan
Recommendations”
(RTIPR),
recommendation of special projects, such as in public transit.
as
well
as
review
and
Policy issues are referred back
to the local entities for review before votes are taken within the RTPO Committee process. Statewide Coordination.
Speaking of leading edge, performance, efficiency and governance,
the Northwest RTPO worked closely within the framework of the statewide COG association, the New Mexico Association of Regional Councils (NewMARC), to advocate with New Mexico DOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for a “single contract” for the RTPOs statewide, to be administered by NewMARC with North Central New Mexico EDD as the administrative agent.
This plan would increase efficiency and accountability for both the
Department and the Regions, as well as increase the flow of resources to the RTPOs.
The
proposal was initially rejected by the New Mexico office of the FHWA, but consultation continues on this promising initiative.
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Additionally, COG staff provided active leadership in the statewide “RPO Roundtable” quarterly meetings, including roundtables in Clovis (August), Silver City (November), Santa Fe (March), and Laguna (June), and participated in several meetings of the State Transportation Commission. Roundtable work included co-development and review with DOT staff of a new Policies &
Procedures Manual to better define working relationships and roles between DOT and the MPOs and RTPOs. The COG also joined forces with the statewide RTPOs in hosting an exhibit booth at the New Mexico Infrastructure Finance Conference in Taos in October, as well as at the New Mexico State Legislature in conjunction with “Transportation Day at the Legislature” in early March. The COG/NWRTPO began consultations and processes for engaging several statewide programs and planning updates, including: Long Range Transportation Plan; Freight Plan (to be included as an element of the LRTP); Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), as identified in MAP-21, for which new regulations, procedures will be required; Functional Classification plan update, per FHWA guidelines; Rail Plan Safe Routes to School program – tapping unspent SRTS funds. Local Consultation.
A primary federal mandate for the RTPOs across the country is to
facilitate engagement and input by local government officials into federal and state policies, priorities and funding plans.
In service to this objective, NWRTPO Planner Bob Kuipers
conducted orientation sessions with the Eastern Navajo Roads Committee (July), Acoma, Zuni, Laguna and Ramah Navajo in a joint meeting with the BIA Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) program (March), and San Juan County (May).
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Regional Solutions: TOURISM Four Corners Geotourism Stewardship Council Building on the region’s great collaboration with the National Geographic, the COG continued to support efforts in promoting the Four Corners Geotourism MapGuide. The MapGuide highlights the enchanted landscaped and enduring people of our region by showcasing our numerous natural, cultural, historic, event, and adventure attractions in and around the Four Corners area to audience around the world.
The Four Corners area is only
one of 17 Geotourism locations designated by National Geographic worldwide.
The
Stewardship Council continues to support this four-state (New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado) collaborative which also includes the tribes, particularly, the Navajo Nation.
Bob
Kuipers represents our COG on this Stewardship Council. The website was launched last year and continues to grow as more in our Region take advantage of this opportunity.
A Geotourism Fair was held this past June in Aztec; the Fair
showcased our region’s many unique and awe-inspiring scenic, historical, and cultural destinations with plenty of information on the latest in Four Corners activities and events.
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Regional Solutions: WATER “Real Water for Real People in Real Time” As Federally-funded construction began on the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project – the largest infrastructure investment in recent New Mexico history -- the City of Gallup, McKinley County, and the small water systems in the Gallup regional water commons intensified their work to ready their systems for the connection to the regional water project. The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, championed by the New Mexico Congressional Delegation for over 20 years, aims to provide a long-term water supply to over 40 rural Chapters of the Navajo Nation and to Gallup and its neighbors. The project is expected to be complete by 2040, by which time it will have the capacity to provide sustainable water supply to more than 250,000 residents of the region.
New Mexico Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman (both now retired), and current Senator Tom Udall have been strong advocates for the NGWSP.
McKinley County Appraisal Level Investigation of Small Water Systems that may benefit from connecting to the NGWSP. Keeping the Vision, Moving the Region
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Meanwhile, the COG continues to guide water regionalization efforts for small systems. Through a grant from the Bureau of Reclamation, several small water systems in McKinley County have been evaluated for water delivery alternatives. This Appraisal level investigation will identify the preferred alternatives for ensuring long-term water supply needs for these small rural water systems of McKinley County. On the part of the small water systems, they too have been getting ready to regionalize. In fact, many small systems have been working to upgrade and make ready their systems for eventual connection to the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project; as indicated this year by Gamerco Water & Sanitation District, which was awarded a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant to complete the upgrade of their water system with new service lines, valves, and installation of fire hydrant assemblies. Simultaneously, a handful of small rural water systems in San Juan County are working to regionalize also. Small systems located between the City of Aztec and LaPlata, New Mexico, are working to regionalize into one larger system as well as several systems just outside the City of Bloomfield. Securing our water commons is definitely a major component of the COG’s work.
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Local Initiatives/Regional Impact Community Development Block Grant
Funding
McKinley County Once
again,
Northwest
New
Mexico prevails as two
member
governments successfully
apply
and were awarded $500,000 Community Development Grant
Block (CDBG)
Construction funding.
grant In
McKinley
County,
the
County
successfully worked with
local
small
Schematic of Gamerco Water System Improvements
water system, Gamerco Water & Sanitation District for the third phase of a four-phase project that began more than 10 years ago.
This Phase III will improve the water system by replacing
over 3,450 linear feet of waterline, install new check & gate valves throughout the system, and install 13 new fire hydrant assemblies for the system that serves more than 500 water connections.
The Gamerco Water and Sanitation District Board worked hard to make
themselves ready of the grant and project, even working during the holidays in December to complete a community income survey.
They also successfully worked to educate the local
Community Development Committee Representative Elmer Chavez on their project and later presented to the Community Development Committee along with new Commissioner Tony Tanner in mid-May. award for the project.
All the work and effort eventually paid off with the announcement of Upon completion of the project, Gamerco Water and Sanitation District
will be ready to regionalize.
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Cibola County For 30 years, a small entry way and a front desk were just mere steps from the front door, which lead to narrow hallways, and a “pharmacy” with dimensions that would challenge even a broom closet; but, Cibola County residents will no longer contend with such substandard conditions with their public health office.
In 2012, Cibola County purchased a nearly vacant
strip mall for expansion of the County administrative offices and designated a 7,000+ square foot space for the new public health office.
The following year, the County applied for and
was awarded a $500,000 CDBG Construction grant for the new public health office.
On
average 62% of the current health office clientele are uninsured or underinsured and tend to go without regular medical services and few, if any, have preventative care visits.
The clinic
serves Cibola County’s patients from as far away as Fence Lake, on the western edge of the County, to those in the “metro-area” of Grants-Milan and all points between & beyond.
The
underserved and uninsured depend on the public health offices services with chronic diseases but also for:
Basic diagnostic laboratory
Pharmacy
On-site
childhood
immunizations Family Planning Services STD exams Harm Reduction Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services Emergency preparedness The residents of Cibola County will greatly benefit from a clinic that will double in size compared to the existing facilities. A larger conference and training facilities for family oriented programs; needed employment of various healthcare professionals; and an expanded health care program are also expected, as a result of the new healthcare facility.
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McKinley County Community Wildfire Protection Plan In early 2013, the McKinley County and the Council of Governments began working with consultants, Forest Guild out of Santa Fe, to update the McKinley County Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
The existing plan was developed in 2008 more than 5 years ago.
With the
guidance of Forest Guild, McKinley County Fire Department and Emergency Management, reached out to area Forestry and Fire Management Departments including the National Parks Service, State Forestry Department, Pueblo of Zuni, Navajo Nation Forestry, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, and many within the local communities, through a series of public meetings in Gallup, Ramah, and Navajo, NM.
Recommendations for the reduction of fuels risks, fire response capacity, and community education and capacity were identified as priority.
Implementation may lead to additional
collaboration among McKinley County Volunteer Fire Departments, other State or Tribal Forestry and Emergency Response Programs, and perhaps, the Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid Waste, as homeowners work to reduce fuels risks around their homes and dispose of green waste. The Solid Waste Authority may begin receiving green waste for composting purposes.
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Your Council of Governments Staff
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Jeffrey G. Kiely, Executive Director Evan Williams, Deputy Director ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM Bebe Sarmiento, Executive Secretary Teresa Mecale, Finance Manager Martina Whitmore, Finance Assistant PLANNING TEAM Robert Kuipers, Regional Planner Prestene Garnenez, Regional Planner Marco Pablo, Associate Planner
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