Your honor
Okay. Well, good morning everybody. Welcome to our special City Council meeting. Today is Friday April 17 2020
It's approximately 9:30 2:00 a.m. We're coming to you via
Videoconference before we begin if you'd like to join me in the Pledge of Allegiance, please
Okay, so the first item is a conflict of interest statement I'll ask if any member of the city council
City manager or any member of the city staff has any known conflict of interest on any item
And if I may, can I ask
Okay, good morning 1cv, I'm here. Oh, yeah. No I saw you
Okay. All right. So first item is going to be 2.1 resolution to 0-1 462 motion a second, please
so moved
And okay and who seconded
Gabe Vasquez. Okay motion made by Mayor Pro Tem gondola second by council Vasquez, and mr
Bean ball hog assistant city manager. We'll begin the discussion
Good morning, mayor and council
councillors
Before you is a budget adjustment and a resolution to address impacts of Kovach. I
Hope you can see my powerpoint screen
Yes, I can
As you'll March 11th the state of public health emergency was declared by the governor and the Secretary of
Department of Health for New Mexico at your April 3rd special meeting you had a resolution
Under 20 - 132 where you allocated?
When a little over a million dollars to address kovat issues in Las Cruces then again had a special meeting on April 10th
you passed a further resolution for an additional six hundred eighty four thousand - for this cause
we the community are still experiencing the threats to our health safety and well-being and
property of our residents because of kovat on this resolution allocates
One hundred thirty nine thousand five hundred dollars in emergency assistance from the general fund
As was outlined in your packet if you want to
Use something other than the general fund you're well within your rights to amend the
Exhibit and change the funding source
outlined within the
resolution
about
Coming from fund 1,000 the general fund are transferred to the affordable housing trust fund fund
2013 in the amount of
$65,000 for Mesilla Valley Habitat for Humanity
It is being proposed for completion of construction of five ongoing homes that are under construction
That they are going to have to hire private contractors to complete the construction
Because of the pandemic they're unable to use a volunteer corps at this time
We've met with habitat earlier this week and based on their estimates
This is their biggest priority for now is getting those five homes completed that are already under construction
The second item on the list is $1,000 from fund 1,000
To be expended within the general fund. That's the seventy four thousand
Sorry, you have a typo there seventy four thousand five hundred dollars back to the Economic Development Department
That's the previous allocation for the microloan
technical assistance that you approved under last week's resolution and then
from last week's resolution
It takes the seventy four thousand five hundred dollars back from the Telfer fund and puts it back into fund balance
We feel like it's more appropriate that the economic development microloan
Technical assistance come from the general fund and not from the telephone
so that's
the basic premise under that sorry about the typo on the
Second item listed it's seventy four thousand five hundred. They did. I believe it's correct in your packet and you have your standard options
Mr. Mayor member members of council. Thanks David. So basically
the money that originally we were thinking of using the
Telstra fund for Mesilla Valley Habitat for Humanity and the
Micro loans looks like can be instead of necessarily using the telephone
We looks like we can do it in-house one through the general fund the other one to the economic
basically
Yes, sir, mr. Mayor the both these
For habitat and for the Eadie micro loan technical assistance would come out of the general fund
the technical assistance would be by Eadie directly out of the general fund is attributed to that Department the
Habitat for Humanity would come from the general fund and be a transfer to our
Affordable housing trust fund and then allocated under an agreement. You have a tab for Humanity
It's a it's a better accounting of how the money is used and the sources that it's coming up sir. Not a problem
Okay counselor Bastas and a miracle ten questions
Thank You mayor thank you David and good morning to everybody
yeah, I think these these funds are much much better expended out of the general fund and the TEL short fund at least for the
time being
given what what we told our constituents we're going to be using the Tufts for fun for
I
Just have one request. I support both of these
Both of these requests. I do would love to hear an update on both of these items at a future work session
in the form of a presentation perhaps by
Asiya Valley Habitat for Humanity. I would love to see
I mean that this is a great program tremendous nonprofit
I've volunteered my time to help to help them on a house build myself and I think it's a it's a terrific opportunity
For homeowners to finally reach their dream of being homeowners
But would love to
At a future work session, perhaps meet the homeowners or just get a presentation of how you know how the funds are expended
What kind of work?
Habitat for Humanity's been doing in our community in the last couple of years
I think our constituents would benefit from knowing the great work that they do
And then additionally with the micro loan program for the Economic Development Department
would love to see
in a reasonable time an update on how that
How that particular program has helped local small business owners after it's been rolled out or
What the function essentially of this program will have achieved once it's completed because if it's a successful model
I would love to continue something like this even post coalbed because small businesses are
Having a hard time getting access to capital
And have been for a long time. And so I'm glad that the impetus for doing this is
As is now but also if this is something that we can continue to do as a city to really strengthen our small business
community in the future
Not enough pandemic or an emergency situation
Would love to explore that option as well
So those are my two requests and I'm supportive of this resolution Thank You mayor Thank You councillor or pretend?
Thank you, Mary. Thank you. Mr. Dahlin for the presentation and
For the comments of my colleague come serve Vasquez. I very much appreciate the conversation
With habitat, I think they do excellent work and one thing I'd like to remind folks
is that I
Sort of on the fence about pulling money out of the general fund and not from the Telstra fund specifically for
Habitat for Humanity
We've had discussions about using our Telstra fund for housing
Opportunities, and so I just want to make sure that we have the appropriate funding
Available I'm getting the kovat and probably the decrease of the GRT
According to dr. Parrish and dr. Martinez, so I
I guess my question is to
the
An and others, you know from that fund
What is our current balance and do we have anything new to report as it relates to LA?
Revenue loss that this would be an issue
On that oh
Sure if she if she's available
Good morning mayor, I'm slurred. This is LAN as you can look in your packet
and if you'll remember at the last council meeting we took a resolution to you for our
It's sort of our late mid year
because we were also taking our adjustments for our
approved audit by the state and if you look on page seven of ten after
you're
Required to twelfths we have an available balance in the general fund of fifteen million dollars
so I feel
And actually had this conversation with you know with this assistant city manager
Barbara de Leon and also with
David Dhawan, and I feel reasonably confident that this 15 million can
we can take care of this with putting the
Habitat for Humanity in here we also feel
Budget agrees with the assistant city managers that this is a really good area to put it in and not put it in the Chelsea
Are we agree with those as well?
mostly ant I think mayor pro-tem also wanted a little balance on the on the
telephone
You I'm gonna guess that's about 34 million after you take out
more or less what we have distributed or what we have removed because we took a
pretty good loss on that stock market
I think we lost about 4 million on that one so mayor if you look on page 10 of 10 now, of course, this is
you know using accrual accounting and curl'd budgeting but there is a
Fun ending balance in there about four point. I mean forty two point four million in there
I will tell you I am been talking with the treasurer Karen. Xylem
because she is the
she's the one that actually
Invest this money
I think the last time that we talked to her me an assistant city manager Barbara de Leon she was anticipating
An estimate because she had not received
the you know the actual
investment package back
but she was estimating that we were probably because of the stock market in the
Si C which is estate investment council that particular fund
We were seeing probably a decrease in that fund of around 12 to 14 percent
No, I figured at least 10 so, okay
Mayor pro-tem was there more questions
Thank you. Thank you, and I appreciate that. I appreciate that
I just wanted to be sure that from time that you present it or prepared this that there wasn't anything drastic
that changed also for
Dr. Martinez, is there anything that's different from the presentation you did last week?
You might
inform of a inform us today and
secondly
I
Gather that from the presentation last week that this is going to be technical assistance to businesses already
And I don't know I don't recall what that process is about recruiting these businesses and who you might be working with
As you move through this process with technical assistance the micro lending loans
Good morning mayor
Mayor pretend that sister Zelda Martinez becoming development director. Thank you for your questions. The the first question
Is going to make a difference in the programming the approach that we had
taken after
Last last week on
how to serve businesses that are being impacted by covet we reached out to the respondents
that to CDF eyes
that had responded to our initial request and we asked them to
Revise the approach to we more focused on the businesses
Impacted by covet in our community, so that would be the only difference
however in
Direct or indirect way all businesses are hurting from from the current situation. So
it would be it would still be aligned to the
to the
presentation that I made last week the process would be for us to
engage in a service contract with a community development financial
institution the CDFI and
We will follow the procurement process that we have for such services and we would also follow the performance
Contract approach that we have implemented for other contracts
Which would include the liver bowls on how many instances are being served how many hours of technical assistance?
are being delivered to the
different businesses and then because one p component is the
Those technical assistance hours
Transferring to access to capital how much capital these businesses being served are having access to?
Thank you, dr. Martinez if I can interrupt I think David all hand has his hand up once it make a quick comment
Or he forgot to put it down, all right, so no Myer sorry. I did have a quick comment. I'll lower my hand now
I'm going back to councillor
ganda Mayor Pro tems question about using the Telstra fund for housing historically we've used that for emergency or
temporary housing primarily in a rental situation
We haven't used it for hard construction in the past
We used it for housing with the asylum seekers
Essentially last year, so we felt like this was a more appropriate use because it is hard construction
money if we were looking at a different such a situation like emergency temporary housing which we funded out of the a
little bit out of the first million dollars through community of Hope and other partners we
Would be recommending the Telstra fund at that time. That's all
make a dig
Me or tell me have any more questions. Thank you Mary. I appreciate it. I'm satisfied. Thank you. Great
Well have councillor sword and then councillor date - Stevie
Telstra sword, thank you. Yes. Thank you. Mr. Mayor. My computer is slow
Yeah, I'm in commenting on council vaskas and there pretends comments
I'm familiar with the
Habitats with him humanity, too
Some time ago a long time ago. I did do some house building were for Habitat and
There have been many houses in
the city that I've helped open up
Congratulating the new owners. It's a wonderful thing to see that and
We've been talking about using the Tauscher fine for more
Affordable housing now for a long time. It's about time we move on that as
Calabasas and the mayor pro-tem has mentioned and using the Telstra fun to do that. I remember the
conference we had the I
Didn't have the city didn't have it was some other organizations in Las Cruces or in the Dona Ana County
I talked about several areas of
Problems transportation and affordable housing were just two of the many and in the affordable housing
It was concluded that we could afford we should be putting as assistance
Close to a million dollars. I wouldn't be opposed to even increasing that significantly from the Telstra Fund
for affordable housing
So yeah, I can I think this is a good thing this particular
Resolution here is just fine. This small amount coming out of the
General fund is just fine with me
Thank You mayor Thank You councillor sorg I have to tell you just you know in my opinion
when I talked about in my state of the city about using the Telstra fund for funding of
affordable housing I
wasn't meaning to take
portions of it to build
buildings
More so I was thinking a lot of these
Housing authorities or nonprofits who build they are they can access like 90 percent of the monies
They have a hard time coming up with ten percent. So
Well, I was hoping that we would then lend them
Let's say for example, let's say they have a ten million dollar project. They can come up with nine
They need a million. We lend them the million and they pay us back. We just charge them
Say two or three percent interest and they pay us back over a period of 10 15 years so that we're slowly
Divesting our our interest so it's not all in the state investment council like it is today
like you just heard that we're gonna lose ten or twelve percent on our
investment and so if we slowly
Diversify
And use that fund for other revenue producing
loans because that way there it'll still
Maintain its its corpus amount while still earning it. Yes. Yeah. I understand mr. Mayor
It's just that we tried that once already
With a project and it was not accepted
We need to have projects that are going to be done when we invest that money into it
rather than depend on some
affordable housing
organization and that gets tax credits and all we need to think go ahead and and
What partners of course like Habitat? Um
Do it
Actually, I think that project was accepted. It was initially turned down and then reversed by the
State Finance Board
The one from really yeah, it was it was out there at Metro Park Village. I don't know if it's at Metro Park
it's a pretty good-sized one that one all Vetta and the public housing and and it included the
Crew to the attorney general's office the state treasurer's office the state auditor's office. This is one word. Where
They came back and revote it and it passed so it's a pretty substantial project. I can't remember exactly David Donley
I might know where it's at. But yeah, there was two projects at that time
One was down around, Idaho where Missouri Street and then the other was out there in the East Mesa
Off of Peachtree. No, I know it is it's Pecos and um and
Foster. Yeah, they're gonna renovate that place. It's a pretty bright size the project
So as I understood it the other one got turned down and that's what we were gonna
Loan, 1.2 million dollars to help it. But anyway if I mean it's worked out. Yes, David
You're both correct. The one desert. Hope apartments was approved for the tax credits
We have two agreements on mondays resolute on Mondays two resolutions four agreements
At Monday's meeting the one out in Metro Brady was turned out
So like let's try to do daddy get it done next on some other way
Thank You mr. Mayor well, thank you now sir. I baked this doobie
Thank You mayor I want to thank
Mayor pro-tem Gondry for her questions regarding the micro loans. I have a question for dr. Martinez
How soon can we start refined?
Basically businesses over to you to start looking into these micro loan program
Yes
mayor Councillor abate is to be if you have businesses that are
Contacting you what I would ask you to do is to refer them to us
As soon as you hear from them we have other
supporting initiatives
And also we could contact well put them in touch with other service providers
and
So if you if you have been contacted by small business, if you could just that connection, we'll be happy to follow up
specific to the technical assistance for oxygen
Capital we are in their approval process for the conflict and we were planning to have the final
Decision on the funding source to finalize the amendment from what we have worked before
So as soon as we have the service contract for this work
we would
have a big announcement to make sure that
businesses are aware of this opportunity and then we would start immediately with efforts to
Outreach to businesses through the partnership
And tactic, thank you. And what would be the most?
Helpful resources that the businesses would need to bring to you to start this program. What would they need to bring?
do you know what the thank you for that question that that's very
Helpful, and one of the comments that we heard from one of our partners small business development centers
when they were helping businesses to access the SBA loan for instance is that
They were one of the biggest challenges was for businesses to come with all the paperwork
needed to be ready for four application and so the details we could
Share those with you as soon as we have them worked out without with our partner CDFI
Through this service contract
and maybe that's a good point for us to bring awareness to small businesses that
through our
email blasts what requirements there may be or the more frequently asked questions that
Leaders have and for us to share that information. So I appreciate you you ask you that question
Thank you. Dr. Martinez. I think that's a great idea to have and just helping I think both parties with that process
I'm very excited to hear that
I'll also be looking to see later on when we do some tracking data
About how many businesses were able to help?
What those industries ended up looking like and then maybe even demographics on the owners themselves on?
Who ended up being?
the most help with these types of things
So I'm very curious to see what that process will look like and those types of tracking items. But thank you very much. Dr
Martinez and thank you, man
Okay, well thanks for the Oh council Bencomo
Yeah
Dr. Martinez, I just have one quick question for you
I'm curious about so this money is going directly to the economic development department, right? I'm curious about
the
74 five cap
and if this
Like how did I know that we've discussed that this was the cap a few weeks ago and then we extended it to higher
Is this are these sufficient funds for you? Do you think you'll come back to ask for more depending on how it goes?
I'm just curious about how we landed on this particular number. Yes, mayor Councillor Banco go on
This is cristela Martinez again. Yes. This number was previous to the
change in the
cap for for funding what I like to do though is to launch this program and use it as a pilot program and
and as you as you have stated
I am very interested in in learning the impact that this is having to help small businesses and
for us to stay flexible
to make other
Potential in moves that would support other gaps that we are identifying as we
we hear from businesses and as we work with partners in the community if this program proves to be effective and
Of great impact we would definitely be coming back to request additional funds
But we at this point we'd like to stay
to launch this and stay very focused on monitoring the results and then be able to
Adapt to other opportunities if needed and as they come
That's wonderful. Wonderful. Dr. Martinez. Thank you. I
something you said last week when you presented on this that really stuck with me was about
the inequities and lending that exists right now for
minority business owners and people of color business owners and so for me
I think it'd be really important to see that kind of data as well
not just the kind of business that you were able to support but if they were
businesses business owners who are historically
Marginalized and and left out of some of these processes. So for me, I think that would be really important
And I thought it was something I just thought it was something really important that you said last week
Thank Thank You councillor mekomo we will be
including that item as part of our reporting because it is so important for us and also considering the
Demographics of our community that a large portion of our population is just minority
That's right, thank you so much put it mayor. Okay. Thank you counselor and
I think that's it. So if there's nothing further
That's been moved in second and Christine
Is on the motion to approve resolution 20-1 for strict, I'm sorry beta Stevie. Yeah
Counselor dr
Bencomb oh
Sure sure
Floated yes
Counselor down the DA. Yes
Mayor yes
Specific 19 we have with us from the Department of Health. Mr. Dave Morgan and I believe also miss dawn
Sanchez I believe
So Dave, you're gonna kick it off Dave Morgan
Yeah Dave's on the phone so he's not we can't see his happy face today I
Think he's on the phone Dave
Okay, well let's just switch to Don real quick Don are you there
Sorry Thanks. I apologize. Everybody Thank You. Mr. Mayor. Thank you everyone so
also with us in addition to myself and
Southwest director Don Sanchez is our state epidemiologist. Dr
Michael Landon a few of you will be familiar with dr. Landon
He was the the doctor who came to speak publicly
Within at city council chambers to publicly address coab it 19 before
Literally days before it really blew up and dr. Landon you with us right now
Yes
Thanks
Thanks for joining us, dr. Landon, oh, thank you for the invitation
Okay, so Dave Morgan you have some information you'd like to share with us
David would you like me to start or yeah, I apologize. I keep hitting star three for some reason
Anyway, you know the we're basically here to be able to provide answers to you so
I'll turn it over to dr
Landon but then whatever questions, you know, mayor and council have we will be happy to tackle them for you
Well Dave one of the big things and it was whether or not we could get
Information based on zip code
And I don't know if you've been able to be able to disseminate that information throughout the county
I know some other areas do that specifically El Paso Texas. Was that something there that the state has that capability?
Right, yeah, this is Mike Landon
the
As I understand it you all done Union County may have received
some data
zip code data last night
I'd also provided we had also provided some small area data so small areas or
similar sizes to zip codes, but are a little more stable and
We have 125 of them in the state and a number in Dona Ana County
And so yes, we can provide you all those data those data in
either format and I
I
Understood that some data had gotten to you by zip code
Yesterday, but if not I can I can double check that and then we also have small area data which is a little more of
A better area in terms of better population data, so you can do rates from comparisons and stuff like that
I think the data that I remember seeing was base and it was good. It was based on on
ages and a few other things but I wasn't too sure if I saw as it goes I may have I don't know I've been
Reading a lot of information and then the second one was
any information regarding
Presbyterian who apparently has a model they could predict
Either when the surge was coming or what they could predict what the county was going to look like worst-case scenario
Well in with respect to that
Presbyterian does have a model also a lot of land and seats
India has had some additional supports to that model. They work with Department of Health and I'm modeling and
The model
For
The presbytery model has a peak
Currently of may 18th for the state now
The assumption is that it will occur earlier in the areas that have been more effective in the northwest and later
And who knows, you know the amount later maybe a week that sort of thing later in the south?
In general
the the modeling information we look looking at uses case information and
I can just point out that
Danya and counties rate
Is about 26 per hundred thousand
Which is lower than New Mexico's rate, which is about 67 per hundred thousand
Which is lower than El Paso's rate, which is lower than us the u.s. Rate
that's that's those are all good things and
in terms of the doubling time of
The cases which is one way we look at
growth of the outbreak
Doubling time
for the state
Human Sibley has been about four point six days four point six days in the last
In the last
seven days
The growth rate and doubling time in Dona Ana County have decreed
Which is good, so we're not seeing as much growth. In fact, the doubling time in Gandhian county is
Substantially less than the doubling time for the state as a whole
So that is that's all very encouraging
We have a lot of cases in the northwest and central part of the state in terms of the risk is greater for
kovat in those parts of the state and
lower in
Your area and Creek, Oregon, you know County. The one thing that los alamos has been
Emphasizing in their models is
the risk the potential risk of importations and
from other states
and
help Hoffa does have a higher rate than Las Cruces and
That is something to keep an eye on is the risk for imprecations because that can sort of
Affect the modeling, but in terms of the state model the Presbyterian model specifically
It's on May 18th
It's predicted that the state will need
An additional
1200 ICU beds based on
Presbyterians model sort of at moderate intervention
if the intervention is cranked up if the social distancing is cranked up further that would drop to
Below a thousand
Needed ICU beds and based on the surge planning
We're looking at hopefully having around 600 ICU beds after we when we expand access
Throughout the throughout the state
One thing that's going to affect the model is and does affect the model and the model is just a prediction
Or the models are just predictions
his social distancing and
the good news for Las Cruces
In Dona Ana County, is that the social distancing change?
specifically measured in amount of miles travel based on some data we have from
The card lab is
The amount of miles traveled in dunya County has dropped about 43 percent
Which is lower than the state which is more of a drop in the state in the lowest drop
of any County in the southern part of the state so you all are doing very well with the social distancing work and
What the social distancing work will do hopefully this will flatten the peak
Reduce the pressure on the healthcare system and also may move the peak out
further
some national models have suggested particularly University of Washington model have suggested the peak in New Mexico will be
Around the end of May. I mean, I'm sorry end of April early May
So there are there are lots of different
Models out there
One thing that the Sandia model can do and if you guys if you all are interested
We can we can connect you with the Sandia modelers is they can they can look at based on some of the epidemiology inputs
For example inputs from the presbytery model or the Llano model they can then look at for a particular county
they can come up with some scenarios and some estimates of
Medical equipment needed staffing needed and beds needed
So if you all are interested I can I can connect whoever you would like
With the modelers at Sandia and they can provide those specific
estimates
Okay, well, thank you
I I was looking at the information that was sent to I
Believe counselor Bencomo to ask for some information counselor Vasquez and what was sent the night before?
it hasn't broken down to age and has it broken down into race and then
status and
Just real quick
Council, my colleagues haven't received this of the 51 cases. As of April 13th. One was african-american
was white
5 was other race 7 was incomplete
Well for whatever and then the second thing is dr. Landon is
The the you said
Maximum 600 ICU beds. What is the would you happen to know? How many are in the state?
hole
Yet. I mean the number they're available for covin has Testaments right now are about 126 and
In terms of the total number of ICU beds the estimates vary, but you know approximately
Approximately 350
350 total but because of the curtailing of elective surgery and procedures the amount of ICU beds
Has actually increased recently in New Mexico
The availability has increased which is which is very positive and people have really some of those interventions have really helped
increase the availability of ICU beds
Okay. Well, we have a slew of questions here councilors baked us to be soared vastus and then oh
Let me get the David real quick David. My Estes jumped in and then a good to council for this
So David you had a quick question. Yes mayor. Thank you very much. This is for David Morgan
Mr. Morgan
I I know you mentioned that you thought that he was out there have been information about the zip codes
We have not received that if you could let me know
Who that was sent to I would very much appreciate this I can get in contact with them
The information that mayor just read out to us was something that we had received several days ago
and it did talk about some demographics based on the
Positive test, but unfortunately, we have not received anything with respect to the zip codes
Yes, sir, I will determine
Where that information is I'll work with Mike to make sure that it gets in your hands. Thank you. I appreciate that. Mr
Morgan and then they all go ahead and turn it over to counselors since they were on the list
But I will have a follow up question
Afterwards. Thank you
So we have counselors debate the Stu V sword Velasquez and Flores
And Thank You
Mr. Morgan
Sanchez and dr
Landon I do have a list of a few questions some of which if they cannot be answered now I got to see them
even test in the future
And you did answer a few of my items such as when we were to expect their peak here in Las Cruces
But I was also wondering if we currently have on
Testing processing capabilities here in Las Cruces now or if we're still having to send this testing up to Santa Fe
David or John do you I mean, do you have information on that? If not I have
Cancer seven, dr. Landon. Yeah, this is done right now. We are still setting our test kits up to SLD
Um and do we have plans on getting that testing capability here in las cruces
There there is some some of the avid tests have been deployed
at hospitals throughout the state and
I do believe and this is the these are the these are rapid tests
they're the same PCR by the same type of tests a PCR test, but it's a rapid test and
And I am I believe those are currently we have them at Memorial in Mountain View
Thank you, that's good to know
And in regards to testing, I know that we have positive and negatives that we've been able to you. See are we tracking?
sort of the inconclusive tests, and if so, have we seen any
Difference in Dona Ana if we have a higher rate or our rate of inconclusive about the same as other places in the state
We treated an indeterminate or inconclusive test
almost essentially like positives and we keep you know close track on those and if I'm not mistaken, we've we've had
We have had very few
Indeterminate tests, and I'm not aware of any indeterminate tests in Dona Ana County
Okay. Thank you
and are we currently testing our
Nursing homes right now, even though non-systematic
Yes, Don, I'm not I'm not sure
We have we've done
some testing based on
symptomatic cases and that sort of things throughout the state actually a lot of a lot of testing and the planning right now is
Particularly in the southern part of the state the case rates
Unfortunately are not as high as I mentioned
Don Yannick County's case rate is twenty six hundred thousand compared to the state case rate at about sixty six in McKinley counties
For example is over three hundred just to give you a perspective
So McKinley County's case rate is ten times that of Dona Ana County
However, we also
Have noted and it makes sense where you test, you'll find you'll find additional cases. So we
are
Unrolling out a process to do testing
in
Particularly and also in nursing homes
Throughout the state including Dona Ana County where we'll be testing
Where there are no symptoms
Will be doing a representative sample of testing at nursing homes throughout the state including done unicode
and I think i'd love to be able to see that type of time schedule where we in Dona Ana County are
In on that time line as compared to the rest of the state
I'll be great. I would just suggest if I if I could done
Why don't you touch base with Breanna Henley who I believe is
Is in your part of the state and she will she would have that schedule right? Mr. Mayor councillors today
We are we are ramping up the testing with some long term care facilities working with our division of health improvement
Who does it licensing for the facilities?
Another thing I want to just mention is that the CBC is actually doing a study in Las Cruces in the county
Looking at why some of our rates are lower as far as transmission what behaviors are happening and they are this week actually
going to be surveying and doing some testing in three of our long-term care facilities here in Las Cruces in one of our hospitals and
Then we're following up with a large
population general population random
Study come next week and our Public Health Office as well
So we have begun working with those long-term care facilities and will definitely and done if I could just add to that
CC volunteered some resources to the state we particularly felt it was important to
Have those resources focused on portion of the state without
High rates with it is not getting as much attention as the other parts of the state. So we
We've actually planned this assessment with CDC which Don described which will give us an idea
the the prevalence of kovat just community based which is our really our first time to get that sense anywhere in the state and
Also give sense
prevalence of kovat and also
infection control practices
Among in the health care setting so I think it I think it'll be very helpful
Thank you. That's good to hear and and I know as we are learning about
This endemic and learning about the virus itself
That they're finding that there are certain underlying health conditions such as pulmonary hypertension
Perhaps diabetes that are leading to worse outcomes. Are we doing tracking in our state?
As well about this are we noticing any trend in our own community with people with?
during conditions and perhaps other Democratic that they may have
Yes, I mean we were aware that
These underlying conditions such as diabetes
hypertension other heart disease
chronic, lung disease
kidney disease
Other
Other diseases that suppress the immune system can all lead to higher rates of complications
For covin so we know that person 65 years and older are in higher risk of those complications
hospitalization
and other other
Bad outcomes so to speak and then we also know the chronic disease or these underlying conditions can lead to that as well
we do we are tracking that we
Unfortunately with most of our most of the deaths that we've seen in the state and we're now up to about 44
We were up to 44 deaths
the most of these have occurred among older persons with underlying conditions
We also track that information on all of our cases
so we do have that information and we can
We can work with you all to get that information for your community
Thank you. I really appreciate that
And I know you know as we age of course
There's a lot of different things that can happen and we build up on those underlying conditions
I'll be curious as well to see those
outcomes for the younger demographic if those conditions are different or
lifestyles what might be leading up to that
Even you know smoker or nonsmoker things like that. Just any of those items
So thank you. I'd really like to see some of that
Right and I would just mention one other key. It's not only underlying conditions more of a social determinant is when we look at
poverty
Since this level census tract level poverty rates
We do see a gradation. We which we see for many of our health status indicators that
Cova does appear to be associated with
In New Mexico, I'm sure most people
At this meeting are not surprised by that
But I you know, unfortunately we're seeing that same
pattern with respect to a relationship
to poverty with kovat infections in the state
So we've we've just we've we've just been looking at that recently as well
And that's the advantage of we use our small area data for that which is a little more
There there's we're able to look at census data with respect to that in a little more accessible format than we can with zip code
So that's the advantage of the small area data
Thank you. That's you know, unfortunately, that's a
Very big problem for our area, but I am I'm glad that we are talking about to see what we can do
I was also very glad to hear that. We are looking at El Paso very closely on their data and numbers and cases
you know that our communities are very much linked and
Their cases right? That's where we can see
perhaps
other
Opportunities for people when we're working with each other and having that relationship where we might get
Some people crossing over that money barriers
So I'm very glad to see that we're looking at that with that in mind. I know that
in a lot of our cases when we have
non kovat related
Cases for that we send to El Paso for our hospitals that higher level trauma
should we not be able to send our
Cases there for that. Will they be sent to Albuquerque?
And if Albuquerque also has a surge at the same time where and what is the plan for?
patients here in Las Cruces 3p that higher-level trauma care
So you're specifically photo speaking of non-coated
Associated travel care, right? Yes. I know that we send I think it's
stroke patients
other types of situations they usually get
sent out to either El Paso hospitals or perhaps they could get sent out to Turkey if those hospitals and
At peak capacity to receive stuff
What is the plan for our community to make sure that our residents are still getting that service?
that's that's a great question and
my
Assumption and it's only an assumption was that the current referral patterns would continue for trauma care?
But I will will double check on that and we'll let you guys know
There have been some discussions of changing, you know transfer patterns a little bit with respect to Cove in cases
But I have not heard any plans to change
transfer patterns for trauma care, but I
That's an assumption. I really need to double-check that
Thank you. I appreciate that and
just knowing that we also receive a lot of outlying area patients if we are going to
continue to receive
Those patients and have any numbers on what to expect
Even though our cases might be low. Do do we have plans on what to expect from our rural communities?
Well, you know with respect to that
unfortunately
the I mean or unfortunately depending on
Dona Ana County
Has one of the higher rates in your immediate area
So even though it's relatively low compared to other rates in the state in the u.s. Compared to El Paso
It is higher
Granite County has a rate. That's a little bit higher than Dona Ana County
So in general the rates of counties around you are lower than Dona Ana County rates
and
The the plan in terms of Perls for Kovac cases though does in the southern part of the state does
does Center on referrals potential referrals to the
two hospitals in Las Cruces Memorial and Mountain View
so it's a hub-and-spoke model and
one of the southern hub is
Las Cruces with respect to Cogan referrals
Thank you. Thank you doctor. Thank you, John and Dave and thank you Mary
those are on me for now Thank You counselor and just appreciate your comments regarding the
Nursing homes or never seen facilities. I actually reached out to them this week to see if what they needed and what they're saying is
things are good, but they could use always use more masks the nine and ninety five mask and then
Alcohol-based hand rub. They're not sure what that is, but I
Don't suppose that's the hand sanitizer that people use a mu of hand-washing
okay, and
The state doesn't have access to that do they?
Well in terms of the masks we the
Emergency Operations Center has received some additional PPE recently and mass recently and they're working to get that out
in
terms of the hand sanitizer
Donner David, you know if we've been distributing any
alcohol-based hand sanitizer
But David I not
Okay, and also tell sir Bates to be
One of the larger facilities have been doing random testing on their employees and so far. Thank goodness. Nothing
All negative so that's good
We're just trying to be
Proactive on that and I appreciate your question
Okay, next is councilor sword
Yeah, that's the sort Thank You mayor
Um, and thank you. Dr. Landon and and David Morgan and Don it's good to hear you again
I just have one main question and that is that
when you
Test for the coronavirus and you have a positive test
Do you determine whether that positive test could be either a community?
Obtained
infection or a an importation because
early on in our testing
I heard rumors that there was people from El Paso coming up to here to Las Cruces to be tested and
In fact even one person from Phoenix, Arizona. Um
As far as I know they they have returned to their cities
But I just wondered if your keep track of those two things when you get a positive test
Yes, we we do with after we get a positive test
New Mexico
is one of the few states well
The few states that's still investigating all cases. So we're investigating all the cases
We're interviewing the cases
looking at asking about contacts and then we do contact tracing around all these cases as well and
So we do track importation, you know
cases that have been basically imported from elsewhere and
That sort of thing and that's that's a concern that the los alamos in their risk profiling has raised
Is that something we you know?
That's sort of a note they put on with respect to the southern part of the state of MA and Dona Ana County
specifically
You know, we need to keep track of the possibility portation. So that's that's very that's a very key thing to be doing
Okay, we do expect that
Yeah, I just wanted to remind the rest of the council and let you all know
They're at the Department of Health that we did get a graph that
Showed the case summary that showed the increase in
numbers of positive two tests both in New Mexico and Dona Ana County and it's quite
It actually said shows in a graph form what rates you told us about here this morning
And I just want to make last one last comment
Disappointed is that the hospitals have to lay off personnel there?
It's too bad that you know in a situation that we're in we can't keep the people employed in the hospitals
But that's just my comment Thank You mayor
Thank You counselor
well counsel vaskas
Thank You mayor
Dude, I have just a few questions here
Earlier you mentioned that we had one of the lowest rates at 26 per hundred thousand
I think the latest numbers I saw
At us at over 50 per probably roughly just over a hundred thousand in total population
So, how does how does that number determine when I think we have double that?
Right, so yeah sometimes the the rates in the way
epidemiologists guess rates can be a little confusing and I apologize for that so justjust to be
So dynamic County yesterday had 14 faces a total confirmed case is 58
So if you take 58 and divide it by danyoung County's population
you get a rate 400 thousand of
26.7 gotcha, the danyetta County's rate per hundred thousand and this allows us to compare, you know
Apples and oranges so we can compare Dona Ana County with a rate of twenty six point seven four hundred thousand to El Paso
Which has a rate?
Based on six hundred eighty nine cases in a population over 800,000 of
Eighty-two per hundred thousand because that just gives us a way to normalize that and we can also compare it
Dinah County's rate then to New Mexico's rate, which is about
67 per hundred thousand. Okay, we use that to look at per capita
Cases
Essentially and we're able to then
Dabish, you know different levels of risk
So based on looking at this we would say the risk of kovat right now in Dona Ana County
Is substantially lower than it is for the entire state of New Mexico. It's substantially lower
it is for
El Paso and that's that's a good thing and suggest that the social distancing work that you all are doing as
reflected in the miles traveled data
Working with your community is paying off
Okay, thank you. That sounds great
regarding the the peak that you mentioned in I forget which which model it was the Sandia or
Presbyterian you said the south?
Is expected to peak sometime after May 18th. Could you just repeat that again?
what what the source was and what the expected peak time was and if right right so that the model that
Were our core model is the Presbyterian model. Okay and based on that model
The peak is expected to be May 18
okay, and
Certain part just like certain parts of the country are peaking earlier than other parts
For example, New Mexico hasn't peaked yet. But you know, it looks like Louisiana has peaked. It looks like
Like we peaked it looks like New York New York is peaked
Washington is likely peaked. So some areas get started on this
outbreak or pandemic earlier than others and therefore they peak earlier and
We're expecting
particularly the northwest part of the state to peak earlier in the central part of the state and
Then the southern part of the state to peak
Peak later than the Central and northwest part of the state and this is just an expectation based on the way
the virus sort of moves through a population and
So it's an estimate. It's it's a prediction, but we would expect Danya and County at a later a peak
that's later than
the rest of state now that being said
like I mentioned
Other models such as the University of Washington model which looks at every state
They are there estimated in New Mexico will peak in late April or early May and
with that thinking along those lines then the southern part of the state would peak a
Little later than that, but perhaps a little before May 18
So it really sort of I I hope I'm not confusing you but it sort of depends on what model you're working with
But based on our core model may 18th peak for the state and we would expect the southern part of the state
Which is seamless activity from kovat to peak a little later
So this is a really interesting
double-edged sword kind of thing, right because at one, you know on one hand we have
One of the lowest rates probably in the country lowest rate
Certainly within with the New Mexico. So and and that means that our social distancing approach has been working. That means folks have been
Paying attention to guidelines and directives and I'm very proud of that on the other hand
It means if we don't peak until later
you know post May 18 that we have to keep essentially our
Economy closed for a lot longer, right? And so
While other places who have peaked that where Peaks have been seen may reconsider opening sooner
Would you have a recommendation one way or the other in terms of?
As we continue to have a local emergency declaration, but also calls a state guidelines
You know
I think it's important for constituents to know this information right in terms of when we're expected to peak and why we're why we keep
restrictions in place when we see such low numbers
so
Do you have any comments on that? I mean in terms of?
Best practices during a time when we're doing really well
But we're not going to peak until later. So we should probably keep those restrictions in place on the city
Right, I mean I would just say that I would echo what I think the governor is stating which is you know, it's too early
talk about
Changing our
Our interventions at this point, we haven't even peaked. So in the state and then in particular, we haven't even picked him south
I do think you know, I'm going to be I think the information we get for
the you know the CDC team that's
Doing the sort of the Community Survey Fork Ovid. I think that's going to be very helpful. It's going to give us a sense that
you know, we do know that asymptomatic transit transmission is
Does occur or pre-symptomatic transmission transmission in the two days prior to symptoms being developed, we do know that that occurs and
We
The amount of testing in the southern part of the state overall
hasn't been as great as some places in northern part of the state so that
information will be
All those tested is increasing other part of the state that information from the CDC
Assessment will be will be very helpful now help. I think it'll help your
dunya County and Las Cruces to plan
Great. Thank you so much. Looking forward to that data. Glad this BDC is here
So you also mentioned the 1200 ICU beds shortage that New Mexico is expected to have under the Presbyterian model
Is that also broken out geographically? Is there something we could or should be doing in Dona Ana County to address?
To prepare for that our our share of that bed shortage essentially
um
Yeah, I mean that's that's a good point. You all are one of the I mean after after Bernalillo County here that
the biggest source or biggest
have the most
ICU beds so we
I will I will look into those breakdowns and see if we have anything to our Medical Advisory team and
Get back to you all on that
I'm not aware every break the regional breakdowns for ICU, but in terms of expected shortage that sort of thing but
Let me look into that and get back through Don and David that information
and a similar follow-up question on that is
during the peak time where we're experiencing an ICU bed shortage and
We're seeing staffing levels currently at healthcare facilities and hospitals
being a significant
Loss of income from elective procedures and other normal business as usual
Are we going to have to ask all those folks to come back during an ICU bed shortage or the peak situation?
Do you think that our health care system is adequately prepared as we're essentially laying staff off but are anticipating stirred
That might require them to come back
and from what I've heard about the various healthcare systems is that
these layoffs are
Hopefully and likely short-term layoffs and as needed they will bring additional staff on
as the anticipated surge
Picks up. So that's that's the understanding I have and I don't have an understanding about every single
healthcare system, this is just and this is mainly
Hearing from health care systems in the northern and central part of the state
So I haven't spoken specifically with I'm not aware of Sicilia Memorial or Mountain View's plans
Okay. Thank you
And I have two more questions one is regarding
health out, you know health regular health check-ups or
not so much the elective procedures but you know things that people do routinely to take care of their health and
Appointments that they may have with medical professionals whether they be at clinics or hospitals
That are currently going untreated or unchecked or you know appointments are being cancelled
I also worry that when we are affecting our
That have the long-term health of our population because we don't perhaps have some of those preventive health
Checkups that are that regularly would take place
and so I also fear that if you know
We're not folks aren't going in to see their regular
Doctors or physicians for two months that more complication to develop or that you know
Things could come out as a result of people not getting the health care services they need is that something that that you kind of?
Thought about or that on the radar in terms of people's health regular health services being suspended during this time and how that impacts
population long term
yeah, I mean, it's really a really a
H22 we talked about internal underlying conditions diabetes heart disease chronic lung disease kidney disease
all those things that increase the likelihood of
complications of Kovan
We talked about those things yet
And those are worse when persons chronic conditions are and also you know
Some disorders are a big cars as to when those conditions are in
Are less control?
The risk of complications increases further so there's a catch-22
We're making the healthcare system
more
Ready and prepared for kovat and
The challenges we are at the same time were you know, we have affected routine chronic care
so what's really key and hopefully
This is occurring increasingly in las cruces are
Basically video
video visits
Internet-based
healthcare visits and that sort of thing which which persons
Where people who have our conditions can get the care they need without risking
You know getting covered and really increasing their likelihood of complications from the disease
Yes, thank you certainly hope that the telehealth system is is really beefing up during this time
And that folks are using all the the services that they that they need
Virtually as much as possible
My last questions slash request is more maybe for staff
but also for the council to consider is I think with this core model that the state is using the Department of Health is using
However, we can communicate
that
As localized as we can to the public
You know to justify the decisions at the say that the City Council is to making and continues to make I know in particular
you know business folks are getting very
Anxious for the economy to reopen
and I think knowing
The public to know that we're making these decisions with the best available data that we have out
there is an important thing for us to put out and
So, I don't know if that's in a form of a press release or the data that's made available on Cobra 19 las cruces
But I think having you know beyond this meeting
Letting the public have a general understanding
Of why we're doing the things we're doing and what timeline based on the data that's available to us
Is an important thing that I would like to point my constituents to when they start asking about easing restrictions or relaxing restrictions
So that so that our decisions are really being supported by
By the models and the data that are out there and that they're easily available to the public
If that is if that data is available publicly
They will think Thank You counselor so next we have as a councillor of Florida and then Bencomo
Thank You mr. Mayor and thank you
Fellow councillors for your excellent questions. I appreciated very much the question of
councillor Vedas to be
My concern my question my concerns my comments
Are that
The northwest part of the New Mexico it is highly impacted
with you know, someone McKinley and
Bernalillo they're all
Very close to each other and you're talking you mentioned tracing
But I'm wondering if there's enough tracing and I'm also when you look at the states that are ordering
the northwest and looking at a map or all the
pic Ovid
Viruses is present. It isn't there doesn't seem to be a lot of
Exposure, but then of course, it just little red dots on a map
So and the numbers aren't there so that that's a you know, might might be concerned
Well, I think there's a lot of concerns as all of us have
The tracing issue. I don't think there's enough tracing
and the other
and so I would like you to
Give us four specific information on tracing the other is
the stats that we received about two days ago that the mayor and
Mr. Mathis made reference to
showed that there were thirty they had all this breakdown, but I didn't
olicity or race or whatever you want to call it, and I don't know how
How does stats are being compiled for this purpose or maybe other purposes throughout the state?
But I didn't see Native American
And I didn't see
This yeah
I would like I think it'd be necessary and I didn't see any Hispanic and I don't know if the whites are considered Hispanic
I know when my father served in world - he was considered a white
I don't know if New Mexico just
considers everybody who is non
African American or non-asian
that
everybody else is quite so I
Would like to see that that it's true
We all know that at least this part of New Mexico is at least 67 maybe 70%
Hispanic
Latino
mexican-american Chicano or whatever
but were non-white so I and I think that that that is very very important insofar as
assessing
How different groups are being
Affected, you know, we have all those stats regarding
Hundred, Minnesota
Michigan I believe in Michigan and Louisiana where there's a disproportionate number of
African-americans who had been
Who have been affected by coded? Well, so that's you know, and then the other
Is this whole thing about testing
I
love people what's coming up now
What's developed past few days is that we're finding that or we're being told what do I find? I'm not a scientist
I'm not doing the testing the research, but what we're told via media is
that
There are a lot of people who are asymptomatic
There are people who are tested because the spouse has been
tested and comes out positive and yet that house is
completely asymptomatic and it turns out that person is also a coded victim so
How how women we're not getting the testing we're not getting enough testing and the results
For people who do have symptoms. So what are we doing about?
expanding this
it seems to me almost as if
It seems like everybody would have to be tested because some of these people who tested positive
Said that the only symptoms they had was a slight headache
Maybe a backache
oh and lost a sense of smell or taste and or case so
you know and so that and
so all of this goes to how is it that they can come up with models without having all these factors lined up and
And then there were a couple of doctors
who came out and said
reported on CNN that
That this pandemic can last through 2022 so
You know
I there are two so many factors that I would love to believe that I mid-may we have peaked here in New Mexico
I don't think that's going to be true for the rest of the world and I don't know how
We will proceed
How we can proceed?
accordingly
Insofar as our economic development our economic losses
the adverse effect its had so
As I said, these are questions these are comments these are concerns
But I think there's just a lot of phenomena
That just hasn't been taken into account or that haven't been taken into account on
eat
on any you know, and also someone who has
quote recovered unquote from
From this Cove in nineteen there, isn't I don't believe there's any testing after
The person is symptom free and then the powers that be out there, you know, dr. Burke. And dr
Bocchini and all those people Burke, dr. Burke
are saying that
Today, yes, you can have a relapse that you really don't have that. So then
So then now I think the scientists or whatever the powers that be are
Probably are are saying now that perhaps there won't be a
vaccination or something that you can take
You know that will prevent
Catching Cove in nineteen. So I
Rambled on somewhat. It's kind of a fertile a
You know, I
Can any of you address those concerns that I've expressed are those questions and those doubts about?
testing
Models and predict the predictions
Thank you
Yes. Yes. Thanks just to go through a couple of these contact tracing
We're doing a lot of contact tracing in the state. We have, you know, we're punching
We have about fifteen hundred cases and
We are
We're contact trait we're doing contact investigations and tracing and in contact monitoring
around all those and a
Number of states have stopped doing that after they get hit a certain number of cases. They stopped we've continued doing that and
we have
several teams a couple associated with Department of Health one based at UNM where you know we've
You know thought about talked about maybe seeing exploring one down south a team down south because we do need to ramp up
contact tracing and the governor's announced that New Mexico is going to be
Part of a group of states that are going to be trying out
You know additional expanded contact tracing along with additional testing early testing
In a coupled strategy and I think that that's going to be really that's going to be really positive for us race ethnicity data
I'm looking at the apartment health website you guys may or may not know we have a new dashboard. That's up and
You can go to it by doing coronavirus, New Mexico
click on the
new dashboard and I'm looking at on the dashboard and you guys can access that to
37% of our cases or american-indian
Now leading us to the rate
the rate ratio American Indians compared to other races is about
Six times higher the rate for American Indians is about six times higher and that for other
Other New Mexicans, and then you mentioned about the Hispanic population. So Hispanic Latino population and
This is the Hispanic Latino population in New Mexico, as a rate has about twenty four point five percent of the cases
While that that population has about fifty percent of the population of the state. So the rate
For the static population is lower than that
than for the
That would be for the state as a whole
So that guide is available on the Department Health website and that's updated daily
And you can also click on Dan Jana County and see some data for Down Yonder County each breakdown
Sex breakdown of cases before Dona Ana County, so if you haven't been able to go there you may want to check that out
Regarding testing. I will say that I think New Mexico is really doing a very good job
with aggressive testing we are
Ranked the eighth highest testing rate
Based on some recent data I'm looking at right now
All the other states the ahead of us eighth among states, New York
Louisiana Rhode Island, Massachusetts
Vermont Washington, New Jersey, all the states ranked ahead of us are
Ahead of us in the pandemic. They've experienced earlier cases. They're going to peak earlier and all that
so we're
We're doing I think relative to other states were doing relatively
Well, the governor clearly wants us to do keep doing better
And there's a lot of focus on increasing testing capacity. If you look at the positive test test rate, so
The more testing you do that the lower
the percentage
positive
Rate will be so New Mexico is currently at four point three percent
We are the fifth lowest in terms of positivity which suggests we're doing a lot of we're doing a lot of testing
Because as you test more and more and we do have an option for we do encourage cases
We do
Encourage
contacts of cases
To be trained specifically household contacts to be tested
we're doing a symptomatic testing and nursing homes another car good settings such as
Shelter populations and that sort of thing so there's a lot of testing available in terms of the peak
Your your this is unpredictable in terms of the course of this pandemic new virus
Do we end up with it becoming a seasonal virus like influenza? We don't know yet. There's speculation
That will be that will happen. I am I'm personally and I think many people and if you've heard, dr
Pouchy we're counting on a vaccine within 12 to 18 months and more recently. Dr. Foul
Chia's has said, you know, maybe even closer to 12 months. That's great
And that's going to that's going to help us out and that is in 12 months or now in 2021
So there are lots of people speculating lots of opportunities for people to speculate and make predictions
But we should count on a vaccine
We should kinda know the vaccine next year and once we get the vaccine deployed, it'll be it'll be a game-changer for what we're doing
before that happens though an aggressive
approach to testing and contact tracing which the governor has advocated and is working with the White House to
get additional resources for is
What we need to put in place
So, mr. Landon or is it dr. Landon
Yes, yes, what dr. And mr
Doctor, okay doctor. Thank you. So
as far as the testing goes, so if I if I'm having a symptom of
Not being able to taste or smell and I've had a headache and I've been very lethargic
Do I go and get it? Will I be tested a
hypothetical by the way
But if I have all the symptoms and I go will I be tested. I mean, I don't have it
we're recommending testing for persons that have
typical symptoms of coded
off
fever shortness of breath and
for persons that are
that can be asymptomatic if their
contacts of cases if they're in congregate settings such as nursing homes shelters and alike that being said
many people are getting tested in other categories without classic coded symptoms and
so the recommendation
That we've put out is just what I said
But at the same time there are a number of people be getting tested that don't meet those criteria
and I'm not advocating that but that's that's
Reality and we'll get a sense with the Community Survey that CDC is doing for Las Cruces
looking at
Basically testing anybody in the household
To get a sense of positivity rates in Las Cruces community will have it will have a good sense of what the the community
Infection rate is for that for. Dr. Levin. Did I hear you? Say that?
People who are asymptomatic are being tested, but just within the family household or is that for?
anybody I
think those
Terms the CDC serve the assessment that CDC is doing right now
Is a community-based survey and we're getting we're trying to get a sense of you know
The percentage of people with symptoms and then for that for that entire group for the community based survey
we're getting we're going to test as
Many of those people in those households as possible regardless of symptoms to get a sense of what the the percentage
You know
The infection rate is in a community such as Las Cruces with with relatively low rates of infection
So that's going on that's going on
That's being set up as we speak
As far as the vaccine that the vaccine is concerned yes, dr. Fauci knows have said that there could be a big there could be
You know, it's holobyte could be a vaccine in 12 to 18 months but if
But if the if you don't have immunity because people do can relapse people are there finding people who?
Both the doctors are the powers that be believed that the person is cured and the person in fact
for relapses
Which means that the the body hasn't that?
Hasn't built up the immunity. So that means that the blood that is being drawn from volunteers right now to see if their plasma
can be used
As a basis for the vaccine
And and when there's a possibility of relapse, how how how possible is it
Well, you know I think I would not view the vaccine as speculation
I would view it as something that is very likely to happen. There's no reason to believe it won't happen next year and
There's a lot of effort going to creating vaccines a lot of a lot of smart people working on that
Kovat is the sort of number one issue in society today. There's a lot of focus on it, you know, I expect a vaccine
Within 12 to 18 months in terms of relapse
There are lots of reports of different things
Is someone is are you just seeing is it a reinfection or they're just somebody who get sick again with the same disease?
so the
studies are in process, but there is
there is an expectation even though we don't have the
hard evidence to back it up completely that there is immunity from kovat infection and
That's what we expect and and no the further studies
That'll that will you know make that clearer but vaccine I don't think we should be doubting that a vaccine
is on its way because the vaccine I mean we're going to be going to human trials here pretty soon and
There's no reason to there should be no reason to believe that we won't have a vaccine next year
Thank you very much. Dr. Landon
Thank You counselor, we have a council Bencomo and then mere pretender under
Thank you so much to everyone that's presented. Dr. Landon ray. I
Really appreciate your um you being on here and taking the time to talk to us, but I have a several questions
So I'm just going to jump in
I think that
councillor Vasquez sort of
had asked this as well, but I think I want to just like react and then echo some of those things because
It'll be important to get this information out to the public, but I would like to hear definitely from you know, our medical experts
I think
Given the low numbers that we're seeing in Dona Ana County and in our community and that our surgeon or people be much later
I think the instinct for some will be well great. Let's just reopen right
If we're doing so well, maybe we can just get back to business as usual
and so I think it's important for us to hear from our public health experts about
About the what the recommendation actually for that would be for for policy makers
Yeah, I would just I would just say that it is not time to reopen
It's not really I I you know, the governor I think is stated it very well
you know we have to this is a major public health issue for our society for New Mexico and
throughout New Mexico, the statewide issue the the interventions that have been placed put in place are working and
We we actually want them to work better. We want social distancing to decrease further
So we as a population as a community
Or multiple communities we can do better with that and we can reduce infection rates more by doing that
So it's premature to talk about reopening we haven't even peaked yet
Thank you. Thank you so much for for stating that once again, I really appreciate it
I understand this thing to want to say let's just get back to normal and I see um
But we I think I also deeply deeply understand that that it's just the wrong decision at this time
Well given what has happened at the Supreme Court this week
Will the Department of Health be putting out recommendations from?
municipalities as we begin to prepare for our January or June primary, uh,
That that's being that's being discussed right now and I yeah there there there should be recommendations coming out
I would I would expect them to be coming out of the governor governor's office. And from the governor
I would you know, every expectation that there will be recommendations coming out
Is the Department of Health continuing to give
And to provide testing supplies for for testing clinics down here as well as PPE
Don do you wanna do you want to take a stab at that one from the regional perspective?
Sure doc, I didn't so before a public health proper
We are we continue to do testing would we do testing here in las cruces office monday through friday?
as far as PPE testing kits
Yes other community partners are able to order those supplies to the dock so through the state
They are provided that equipment and that the request for that again go through the office of the emergency manager
There's a certain form of 213 form that I shared in order to request the PPE
Through the OEM is that when you say I'm sorry any much back? Yes. I'm sorry there Bencomo through the Office of Emergency Management
Okay. Um, do you maybe I don't know if this is a question for you. Mr
David but
You know, it has the only M been requesting these resources from the state as we prepare for
the surge
Yes, I mean absolutely I think
Again, it's a process the the request go to the dock at the state level
And again, the dock is responsible to look at supplies for the entire state
so we do send in requests even for us we kind of
Try and send a request in for probably the next week that leave so we have enough to cover
But there is I know and Decker line you might be able to speak about it to you know
The governor is able to access the national stockpile to the other
Resources into the state then can be shared around to those that need it throughout the state. So it's a statewide process for sure, right?
um
Yeah, I mean, I think given that
you know our Surgenor because
likely later
you know mid-may perhaps that I think it gives us a good time to prepare right to be prepared and to
Ensure that we have the resources that we need
Maybe in that way. It's it's a positive thing for sure
You know the last thing they'll say are are mostly about
data and
You know, the reason I've been asking for data that included them that includes demographics and zip codes
It's not just for me or just to understand
the virus
It's really about understanding
Who is being impacted?
You know, I think people keep saying that this virus doesn't discriminate which is true
What does discriminate is are government entities?
What does discriminate are government responses and public health data often?
which then allows or inequities to continue to grow as we as we
plan a response
For the crisis, but even for the aftermath, right, how do we ensure that the hardest-hit communities?
Recover just as fast economically physically mentally spiritually
And you know as we think about about clean, how do we make sure
With this data, right we'll be able to say these are the communities that should be
Allowed access to the vaccine first which in New Mexico clearly, that should be our Native American communities
But I think that this is why I've been asking for for this data. I think it's really important to understand that
Our our low-income communities are being impacted heavily and with the hardest
You know, it's important to understand who who is being hit the hardest then we can deploy resources
Equitably and that those who are hurting the most or getting the most health
So I appreciate the you know, everybody's willingness to speak up that that data. I was also disappointed to see
That in the data we received just this week. I was really excited
We got the data this week, but breakdown in demographic, but I was excited to see the erasure of Latinos in that data
and
But I'm glad to hear dr. Landon say that that that we can find out an Department of Health so
Obviously that I don't know that wasn't really necessarily a question
But if you know anybody wants to respond to that, I would love to hear your thoughts as medical professionals
And if but if not, that's it from me. Thank you
Thank you. We have like Mayor Pro Tem gondola a conscious org and then a councilor great. This TV Mayor Pro Tem
Thank you. Thank you
To dr. Landon
Donovan chess and David Morgan. I
Know how busy you are dr. Lamp and I have the utmost respect for you. We've worked a long time
side-by-side at the Department of Health many years ago and so I
have been sort of
Pouting basically what my experience is and what I do know the Department of Health does and does very well
Is this idea of?
Tracing and infectious disease and really trying to
You know break the cycle if you will I think that's super super important so I appreciate you being on the line and
I
my questions are around a
Who dictates or in terms of the number of testing that gets assigned to our our community?
The the approach is set up, you know through Department of Health and
the governor's office and
There's a lot of a lot of focus sort of a two-fold focus one is on
Hot spots so in
areas, like in places like nursing homes
detention centers jails
homeless population
In those sorts of settings where are people becoming symptomatic where are there cases
among staff or
the residents so
There's there's a lot of focus on that and there's a lot of you know, it's it's like real time
Something that happens in the you know, we we do a case investigation at 10:00 p.m. At night at
6:45 at the 6:45 meeting
Folks are deployed to go test at that particular place that we just we just noticed a case. So there's there's a lot of
Responsiveness to where cases are popping up at the same time. It's acknowledged that
You know where we test?
We'll see more cases and and therefore we need to make sure we had a representative
testing strategy throughout the state so
With the with the rapid test deployment
deploying the rapid testing Abbott machines
That was that was pretty much those were pretty much deployed
throughout
the non
Albuquerque metro area and
and as I mentioned, you know, I believe that Mountain View and
Memorial both got those machines
So there is so testing decisions are made on two levels one where we sing the cases
let's test more to reduce spread around those cases and then let's get a representative idea of
where
Throughout the state of where cases that
You know may have been undetected are and the nursing home approach that is being geared up that we talked about a little bit before
where we
where we are going into a
systematic approach to
Most nursing homes in the state and many of whom don't have any indication of cases don't have any staff that have had
Kovat I think that's that's a really good proactive approach. So we have sort of both the
reactive cases in the proactive approach that is being
That's in place
Thank you for that, um you mention and I've been asked several times if
Testing has been conducted at the detention center. Do we know that to be accurate? Um
Either, dr. Nandan or Tom?
I've done do you know about the detention center in Las Cruces whether there's testing that's occurred there?
Dr. Landon and counselors under a mayor pro-tem Glenda. I'm sorry. I I do not I do not know if there's testing occurring there
I do know that they have been working to get their own supplies, though
Too through the the same process with the doc to be able to order their own
Kitchen supplies to be able to test as needed their of the detention center
But I don't have I can definitely get you some more information on that though
that would be that would be great and I'm wondering that stop could reach out to make sure that our
Citizenry there is being tested. I think I would hate for there to be an outbreak and that's not be proactive enough
At this point, especially when dr
Landon has indicated those are sort of the hot but you know the places where we should be checking
um, the other thing is and I've I've asked and I'm hoping that there is some follow-through is
Yeah colin is
Ensuring that our shelters like
Community of Hope gospel rescue mission our teen shelter a youth shelter. I know that Don. Thank you so much for
entertaining the call or the texting back and forth between
You and I and families and youth incorporated clinical director. I know
One of the concerns that they have that they get they're accepting youth right that are coming from all over the state
And there's been some concern about
Some of the youth and staff being exposed at having the the symptoms
and so I just want to make sure that we
in our areas
That that that there's access and that there's special attention I'm being made to these
particular special groups
And I'm I I'm not sure that that's the case and so it I feel like it requires
Conversations. I know that I've been seeing notes from Oleum
That it feels like at least community of hope cYFD
Are a part of some of these conversations, but I again I'm asking for
people to reach out to families and youth incorporated and all our other nonprofits our
daycare centers that are still currently
caring for children and specifically children of first responders and our medical
Our medical community I think is so so important because they are probably
Because appearance, right and I'm not sure what arrangements have been made that they could be exposed
I
I'm looking through my notes. Sorry, let me
Hey, I appreciate
my colleagues, um
Specifically, I've been receiving several emails from small businesses
very concerned about
you know closing and I'm specifically
Places like
That are that that cells sort of like
Equipment
There's gold fitness equipment and what not
Feeling like they could be looked at as essential
I I'm starting to feel like there is a huge as we talked about discriminate
discrepancies and or is
Like from the big box to the smaller can smaller businesses?
like for example, why is
Walmart and places of that sort
Still open still selling clothing still Shelley
You know items that maybe are not deemed essential
So
Dr. Landon, do you know if there's conversations being had about?
sort of looking into
Very carefully and being saved small businesses that might be able to be opened up such as the ones that I have made mention
Um
They're part if I'm not I'm not I'm not privy to those sort of discussions
But I I mean I would imagine that those are going on, but I don't I don't
Know for sure
Okay here pretend I can just jump in real quick. So every Thursday
Group of Mayors about 40 or 50 of us around the state have discussions
And so what you've just pointed out and councillor Vasquez that pointed out
is
there's a
There's going to be a few of them
we're going to be trying to talk with the governor to see about if there's a few select that could slowly open and if
Certain restrictions are put in place
Like requiring all the employees to have masks and gloves and maybe even take temperatures of customers who might be coming in
So there those discussions are happening or going to happen. They're trying to get a
Meeting with the governor and I'll keep you guys
Keep the colony council
Apprised of what that takes place Thank You Mara. And lastly. I have been a social worker. I've been
concerned with a mental health and
coded
social isolation
I've appreciated the work and the collaborative efforts that are being made
And done with various departments
but as you know
Social distancing is one of those things that also leads to nationalizing you made mention of substance abuse
And I know that some of those things are are clearly at play in the northern part of the of the state
but I I wanna I wanna
put up and
Dr. Landon if you are seen any
specific
Issues as it relates to substance abuse mental health in Kovach
Particularly in our area and what we might do to help
Deflect that and/or assist as a municipality
Encouraging folks to seek help we've done some things already each one of the counselors have done 30-second
Segments as it relates to child abuse
Our water supply our
If you're experiencing a crises the crisis line
And all those resources are being put up on our website and her channel 20
But are there any other things that you think we should be thinking about moving forward?
Mayor pro-tem. Yeah, I think that's I think that's an excellent point
the most vulnerable
people in society are also most vulnerable to code and I think that that point has been made by a
number of people today
we really
Have to think about the whole person in
this as we're dealing with koba and I think I think the state of New Mexico has really and also
Communities such as yours have really done a good job
Thinking beyond just the infection and that's that's critical
We are we're hoping to have some data relatively soon on an ongoing
Telephone survey that we do
As we've done it for you know
25 years of adults in New Mexico and we have some we have some specific
Additional Kovach questions in there, but then we have the basic questions
How is your?
You know, have you been drinking lately?
smoking
Have you been sad?
How many days of the month is your mental health? Not good all those things and so hopefully we'll have
Some at least preliminary data available and perhaps for communities as large as Las Cruces or Duncan Academy
Maybe we'll have some of that but for what you all I mean
I think just having this forum allowing people to think of these issues
and also
think of ways that
people can get
connections to others while they're being socially isolated particularly people with
mental illness and substance use
disorders
the
You know
telemedicine
video conferencing that sort of thing may or may not be the
Ideal strategy for some of these people, but just you know, how can we connect to people?
Better who might be isolated and at greater risk of complications from this disease
Yeah, I appreciate that. I am one of the things that I've been pushing
And you mentioned social determinants of health
And and just with your comment with telehealth and our broad broadband and/or the digital divide
This doesn't work even for folks within our urban community. And so I'm deeply concerned
That we're asking folks to sort of move into
Doing things remotely
telehealth when people don't have access to computers and
Internet and so I'd really love for I guess it's just more directed to staff or us to start looking at possibly
deploying hotspots
looking at these
community members that
Because if we can if we can keep our community healthy that means getting them to as
conservation indicated some of these
physicals these
Check-ins that are being done
Via diabetes and such and then we're better for it as a community
But if they don't have access to these very in my mind basic
Services or basic tools then we've done it the service and so I don't know how we move to that
And and I'm sure there's data out there that would support where these
hotspots are not call them that that don't have the kind of
And we could probably work with the schools as they start moved into
doing business online
They are well aware of families that are struggling
so it's one thing to offer free internet for a couple of months, but it's another to
Really understand that some of these families don't have a laptop
a
computer and so I
Feel very strongly if we're gonna get information out
And then I also I also concern
about a lot of our stuff put it being put on our channel 20 when a lot of folks don't have
Channel 20 as well
So we moved into radio spots and you know our Facebook and those things again
You have to have the electronics to be able to access that so I'm hoping that stock could do some research
looking at data
Reaching out to our schools to see if the deployment of hotspots might be a way and/or maybe considering
opening up our library as a
Space for folks to get information, which I know it is. I'm exposing
Our folks
And more than we want that to happen
And so I again, I feel really strongly about this. I also want to say that I've been talking about
Online platforms such as mental health screenings for depression and anxiety
and other mental
Health issues
That I think is going to be really important
I feel like we need to do this sooner than later and would really love to see
that being um placed on our website as an avenue for people to
To assess and then be able to find the resources. I just had a meeting yesterday with several
Nonprofits and folks that are very interested in working with a me or with us
To ensure that that takes plays so there's some very innovative
discussions and things that are happening particularly from fYI the peek MMC
Mountainview
And others that are offering those kinds of things
But I'd love to see an online platform of assessments. I'm being offered to our constituency
And so I'm hoping that staff could David. I know we - just we've been talking about this a little bit but I
Really am deeply concerned in the end
Until we figure out, you know where people are at so that we can deploy those resources. Um,
I I think we need to again do that sooner than later. So thank you there this Mayor Pro temp
Let me just ask a quick question Jennifer our city attorney
Jennifer let me ask you this if the city was to
Set aside some money for telemedicine. Let's say we contract out with Oh
10 doctors or so at say 7,500 apiece
can we have like a can they have like a call in so that that members of the community who are
who need that assistance or someone to talk to a medical doctor whether they may think they may have
Koban 19 or they may have some other issues. Is that something that would be allowed?
Do you think would we need some time to research that?
Jennifer there, Jennifer is there but we can't hear you Jennifer
Mm-hmm. Yeah, we can't
Okay. Well, we'll come back to that whenever she has a chance
So we'll go ahead and go to counselors sword and then counselor debate the student
Okay Thank You mayor um
my
Question it actually is kind of a repeat
Apologize for that. I think the mayor and by way of the Mayor Pro Tem
Touched upon this but I want to get an answer that is confirming
the
planning for the future
concerning the core Kovach 19 and
Involving more testing in the state processes and how businesses will open and
Not assert a timeline but maybe a timeline but especially
testing employees that might have
access to the public
things of that nature
It's the state plan making plans for that right now. Just yes or no ass would be fine
In terms of testing yes lots of focus on testing
Okay, and then plans for how we might open up the economy some
You know the governor has I think spoke to that just yesterday and
Yeah, she's she's yeah, I thinking about the future, right?
I mean, I you know, we're focused on getting getting to the peak with reducing
okay, illness and death at this point our that's our major focus right now, but I think the governor has spoken to
You know at least thinking about beyond the peak, okay good counselor, that's my statement forget
I'm sorry, sir. Could you hear me?
David
Yes, my apologies. I'm sorry to interrupt
Counselor the the governor has definitely spoken to this
You know she and you know, even the Department of Health understand that the tremendous economic hardship
That that our community and our state
are
experiencing
you know, it's the the only thing truly that is going to be able to dictate our ability to
Be able to begin to reopen our state is going to be those case numbers
We can goes down if we can sustain
keeping them down and we can have
You know some some reliability that we are not going to get
outside out of state cases
flying back into New Mexico to again spike spread
That is going to be the the true factor in this everybody
To be able to reopen
the state
country they just does this plan involve any testing for the
Novel coronavirus antibodies
There's there's there is discussion of that both nationally and
At state level. So there that's under consideration about the best approach there just many different approaches to it
The test is new use the worst thing you can do is give people
false
basically false information from best results
So we've got to get the test right and there there's exploration of the best test for antibody testing right now
Okay, you're thinking about it though. That's what I'm seeing. Yeah
Okay. Thank you very much. And thank you, mr. Mayor
Thank you before I get to counselor beta Stevie
So Jennifer just texted me that she's having trouble with her audio, but the she'll go and research that issue
Regarding whether or not we might be able to hire doctors for telemedicine
Okay counselor a beta Stewie Thank You mayor, and thank you. Dr. Landon
I have a couple follow-up questions regarding that the rapid testing that you said was now going to be available in Las Cruces
Are there any special considerations for one to receive rapid tests? Who do they need to be?
adhere to certain levels of symptomatic or is it
the same guidelines are used for those tests as
The rate of our tests that are sent up to canopy
The
Avid, the rapid happened test
Infrastructure that was sent out to many hospitals
Throughout the state is largely
it's largely being left up to the the particular hospital to make those decisions our assumption is that they'll follow
The state guidelines but they're there. It's really not it's not really not being restricted and they can use it
Using their medical judgment to
Do a proprietary
Okay, and about how many of those tests are now currently available in Las Cruces?
Yep. I'm not I don't have that number. I'm not sure
I'm not sure how many of those are available at this time and dr. Landon coming up Don or David if you all know that
Um currently and currently right now. They we do not have their Abbott rapid test here in Las Cruces at M&T or more view
They do have it at Gerald champion. So from my understanding from our
epidemiology nurse that both Gerald's that both MMC and Mountain View are are
Taking their tests that they're collecting here to Alma Gordo everyday to get that rapid test done on them
Okay, okay
Okay, is there plans to have our major hospitals be able to have that those capabilities here in town?
And counselors do they I'm sorry and dr. Landon. I'm not sure if you know that. I don't know how they determined
I knew that they were sending out those rapid tests the more rural hospitals
But I don't know how that was all determined or if there's gonna be more coming. Dr. London. Do you know?
Yeah, I mean I've done I believe I I mean we need to get our message straight here. He I
Am I was under the impression that we had I'm looking for this list
And at state law and I apologize for hitting star six slowly
You know the the answer
Is we want to be able to get that testing available for Los Cruces as well?
we only did get a handful of those test kits and as
Donda reported the emphasis was getting those out to more rural
counties at this time as we get more tests the more you're going to see hospitals being able to have those in
hand
So for clarifications sake we do not have rapid testing here in Las Cruces then
That is my understanding that right now, yes
But I will also be happy to confirm with both hospitals for you. Okay, and
Then there is hopefully then plans that we will be having those rapid tests there for Las Cruces
There is every intent absolutely, okay
And what is our current time now to receive for a hospital when they give out a test?
What's the current time that it's taking them to get back either a positive or a negative?
confirmation I
Wouldn't be able to speak for the hospitals quickly
You know, yes, some of them may actually do outsource testing still at this point
But any testing that is done certainly by the Department of Health
Is sent to our scientific laboratories in Albuquerque the other?
The other lab currently testing in New Mexico is tricor
between the two of us we have
An excellent daily testing capacity that continues to grow by the week and our turnaround time
collectively
It is within 24 to 72 hours and that depends on several factors
Not least of which is the travel time to be able to get the test samples
to the lab
and also
Priority is absolutely given to COBIT positive cases to be able to reach out for test results
Thank you. That's good to hear
I think my main concern with it and I'm I think I keep posing this question as you know
The second largest city here if we do experience a high peak
it's going to be so important that we have that rapid testing available and that we're able to
Really make sure how best to treat patients if we have 72 hours to wait for a positive result
And we're accepting patients from rural communities and you know that we're a larger community ourselves
I can see how that process could get very slowed down and
That I don't think that's very wise about the city
We need to be able to have that
Rapid testing and we need we need to make sure that we have a very good plan in place for that. I
were able to have a
Facility if tricor is able to test your own auspicious
But I just think it is so important that we have testing
Capability here in town that we do not have to keep spending things up to Albuquerque
I think that's going to be very important and it seems like perhaps
We have enough time to figure out how to plan on that and if it's something that the city needs to help with
You know, I I just want to make sure that we we are planning a such as possible before that that Kika measures
So thank you. I would just I would add I mean, excuse me, David
um, then we do Las Cruces is on the distribution list and
which we received both Memorial Mountain View that I mean, I think what we're hearing from both from Don is that
maybe those that test is not deployed at this moment, but
As two hospitals are on the distribution list and perhaps David you can provide people with an update after we
Get this cleared up a little bit. Yeah, absolutely
Absolutely. Your concerns are absolutely justified. I'll make it my job to
Figure out if both of our hospitals have those test kits in hand currently
and if not when they will
Thank you, and I'd like to add and I hope that sort not just the rapid response
but just the regular testing - I see no reason why a place our sites should not have the
capability to test in our own City and to have those results and I think that um,
When the search when all of these different entities are going to kind of be bombarded with items
We need to be able to handle our cases in our cities. We need to be able to test all packages and
so I
Order to see how we can work with that and how we can best help make that happen
Understandable and it is going to be really dependent on the technology actually available within our community
the ability of even having a test capacity
I personally don't know what that is for Los Cruces in Dona Ana County
But we will collectively find out together. Thank you. I think that'd be great
Find out what we need to make that happen, you know
It looks like if our search isn't in our peak and expected so towards me. I
Can look to see what best resources that we can bring here
So thank you and thank you Mary. If you can stir Mayor Pro Tem, you have a comment. Yeah. Yes mayor
It's to this point. Thank you
Councilors of APIs Suvi I appreciate you
Powering through this and making it very clear that the second largest
County in the state should have that capability. Not only for testing
Regular testing the rapids have seen but also for a laboratory
We have a try core here again, David Morgan. Mr. Morgan. I'm not sure again
Like you said what our technology is?
our capability, but we should ability and to
Counter bake the foodies point El Paso is just down the street
So if we can and many of our people go and seek services there labs
Hospitals those kinds of things. I'm hoping that we can we could not only
have the testing but the labs the results so that it stays here locally, and we
Ensure that our people are getting rapid response
And I know now that dr
Landon and David I have again the utmost respect
And a confidence that you will do all that you can to ensure that our County is taking care Thank You mayor
Thank You
Councillor Bencomo, mr. Mayor, thank you. Just want to say one quick last comment because it's something that dr
Hinton said that really stuck with me and I feel like I can't shake it off but in response to a question about
When you know reopening our economy, dr
Landon said right now our focus is on reducing sickness and death and that was really powerful and heartbreaking
and so I just want to thank you for
Your focus and clarity, but also your commitment to to our communities. So, thank you
Thank you very much
Joseph fuscus Thank You mayor short comment for me. I just want to thank councilor abate thus to be for
The wonderful questions yesterday but also for making sure that we get the resources that we need
As well as the folks on the phone from the Department of Health
for your patience and understanding
in in this whole process, but you know, we do need the resources there that are
Should equitably be distributed to us. And so
You know oftentimes there's a kind of a disconnect south of Socorro
especially when it comes to the centralized kind of operations that happen between now and Santa Fe, so
Just want to think counselor. I made this do bein and everybody on the phone today for taking the time to be with us and
For making sure that our folks down here get what they need to keep their community safe. Thank you
Thank you. David. My Estes you thank you very much for training about to me. I appreciate that. This is for David Morgan
Mr. Morgan
You know we talked about the zip code information. You also mention the Sandia information their
Projections and data that they put together to make things easier
If you could just send them directly to me and then we do one of two things if it's information that I am allowed to
Pass on we will put that on our city website which we have done with the majority of information you have sent to us
For example the dashboard that you talked about just now
Counsel, and anybody watching this you can click on to the link that we have on the seas web page for our Kovac 19 updates
Anytime an update is sent to us. We put it on that link. The other thing that you can do
There is a button on there another link that allows you to receive
Notifications rather than you having to go to that website all over again
If you click on that link any time when you update a place it will automatically be sent to you so that you're aware of
New information that comes through so mr. Morgan
If you can give me those items, I would greatly appreciate that. Send them all directly to me
Accurately for people to be aware so that they understand the situation but also to help us as we're making informed decisions
and then
Sorry, go ahead sir. I was just agreeing with you. Absolutely we will get that information to you
It's my request we have opposed it before in many different
situations through om through emails that are sent directly to Department of Health, but one of the things that we would really like
Assistance with and I know this is something that may not be able to be public
But if we could get a little bit more specific on identifications for other cases
For our first responders, one of the biggest concerns that we have and I'm sure you've heard this throughout the state
Is it as a first responder is heading to a household we want to know for sure
if there is a potential for a positive case there so that they are adequately
addressed staff has a
Correct PPE in place there for their personal protective equipment
We don't want to expose or jeopardize
First responders in cases where we know that we can have additional protections
Granted I know that that is probably not something that would be sent out to everybody
But if there is a way we can work on a system
Through our first responders networks that we can get some kind of information to make them safer as well when they are responding to incidents
That we can talk about more offline as need be mr. Morgan, but we would appreciate anything that can be done with that respect
Yes, sir, and these are the folks with us here on this call are exactly the people that will be working with on that
Excellent. Thank you for that. I appreciate it
That is all that I had man. Thank you. Okay. Thanks David. Well, I just want to take a quick moment to thank you
Dr. Landon and Dave Morgan and Sanchez for all your
Assistance and sharing with us all this information. You know. I know it's a very tough what you all are doing and we appreciate your
Support and information and sharing with us here this this morning. So if there's nothing further, I believe it's
Appropriate to get a motion a second to adjourn
Mayor if you don't mind we did have a presentation. I know staff. Oh, I'm sorry put some work into it
They could easily say we can move on. Oh, no, I didn't see that just so that is information gathering DIMMs dissemination sure, but the
Presentation that staff has put together is about the dissemination part. I kind of touched on it lightly on
How we get the information out, but I know council has been concerned about
The information comes to us and what has been sent out as well as public so that they are aware of how they can receive
As much information as possible. So if it's okay with you, I will turn it over to mr
Udo McGill and he will start off the presentation
Gotcha. Thanks
Sorry you go
One moment we're gonna get on board got disconnected. Oh, there you go
Counselor sword, there you go
Yes, mr. Mehra, I have just a quick what no I was
But you're gonna chime in with your f5
No, I have just a quick question, I'd like to ask the council when you're done with the presentation, okay
Can hear you Adrian are
We good yeah, I can hear you down. Okay, very good. Sorry about that everyone and good morning and
And thank you again as David said
Jamie Rickman and I are going to kind of do a dual presentation on the
Public outreach both of our offices have been doing since the start of this
situation back around
March 11th and 12th
So I'm going to start off with the communications office outreach which is a multimedia
bilingual campaign and one of the things the council has been
commenting about recently is
To use more radio or to start using radio for our outreach, so I'm gonna kick off with that
So we did media buys with both both Bravo my communications and the Adams radio group. I'll start off with problem
I our total ad buy with them is a little over three thousand dollars, which gets us
336 page spots
186 paid 150 bonus for a total of 336 the schedule actually started on Tuesday this week and will run through May
3rd
so the three of the stations that we bought on Bravo Mike are 101 gold which is classic hits in the
Demographic group is 35 plus you'll see like the slides that we have a mix of demographics
To hit as many people as possible in the community
Well, you'll notice on the schedule 62 paid and 50 bonus and the the time periods at underneath
those are going to be the same for the following two stations, right so we have
336 spots though. We divided them equally among the three stations. So that's 101 go classic hits next. We did the spanish-language
station which is
96.7 and their demographic group has 18 to 49, which is a little younger and
finally with Bravo mic magic 105 adult contemporary with the
2554 age group moving on to Adams radio our total by there was approximately
$2,500 which gets us?
278 spots
combination of paid and bonus box that schedule actually begins this Monday and will run through May 8, so you'll see a little
Overlap and pushing it out from the may search a date with Bravo Mike to May 8th with Adams radio
The stations we bought there are k great 104 which is a country-music format 18 to 54 demographic
we have 98 spots total on that station and the schedule is money through Friday 6a to
7p and the bonus spots run Mondays and Thursday 6a to midnight
We also did hot 103 which
It's an english-language station
But we're also they're also agreeing to run the Spanish spots for us and their demo is 18 to 34
That schedule is money since Thursday 6a to 7p and then the bonus spots are money through Sunday 6 a.m
To midnight so we have the Spanish station on the grumble mic side
We have Spanish running on Adams radio on hot 103
And they're also running the Spanish spots on classic 98 7, which is 35 to 60 for demo
the schedule is pretty much the same and we have 30 total spots on that station and
Lastly it's cool oldies, which is the demographic of 55. Plus we have a total of a hundred
Spots running there 50 paid the bonus and that
Schedules Monday through Friday 6 a.m. To 7 p.m. And then the bonus spots are running money from Friday 5:00 a.m. To 8 p.m. In
Terms of the video site. We actually started our outreach on March 5th the david morgan reference this and his
presentation when we did that
Live Cogan 19 forum and city council chambers which were televised and stream live and that was with dr
Michael Landon and another gentleman with and I'm Bo H along with David
following that we did a
message a 30-second message with mayor me Miyagi Shima addressing the community once the
outbreak had really taken hold in our state and that was followed by
On March 14th, we dedicated our cable TV channel Comcast channel 20
exclusively to kovat 19
information and that's running 24/7 and it's
Continually updated then on April 1st
we co-produced with the joint information center and our partners in the county a
Video with the mayor the county manager of the school superintendent and David Morgan from nm boah
All right
So we launched a a video campaign
involving all seven Mainers of council and this was done both in English and Spanish for a total of
14 spots
so what you see before you are the counselors and the topics they address so the mayor addressed adhering to the emergency order and
Councillor Bencomo did the Spanish version of that?
Mayor Pro, Ken GaN Dada was addressing child abuse and prevention. She did both English and Spanish
counsellor beta Stewie took on the
Topic of mental illness of awareness and councillor Vasquez did the Spanish version?
Councillor Vasquez adjust the city council emergency action similar to what you did earlier this morning and he did both
as did councillor Bencomo
She did both of hers as well
Councillor sword talked about the high quality of our tap water and councillor Vasquez did the Spanish version for him and councillor florist
Talked about basically patience and kindness. Let's be nice to each other in this difficult time and she recorded both English and Spanish
well
Along with the video campaign
we posted a hot topic and
I know councils interested in doing as much
English to Spanish as as possible. So if you look on the left side of the screen, this is the actual hot topic
badge, if you will that appears on the homepage of the website, so the message itself is in is in English in Spanish and
When you click on the link, it'll take you to the page similar to the one that you see here
But it's an English in Spanish as well. So
That is what people will see when they go to the home page of the website. Now these videos that we did with you all
Council are gonna already appearing on Facebook Instagram Twitter
ELC TV that's the cable channel YouTube and the city website and we're investing two thousand dollars in the social media campaign
we started rolling out those videos on April 11th, and the last one just
Went out today and that campaign is going to run through April 25th
The videos that were recorded in English are closed caption in Spanish
and as I said
they've been posted one per day from this through today on the social media sites along with
YouTube and the city website
Videos are recorded in Spanish that are appearing on Facebook and Instagram and a paid advertising campaign
So were specifically targeting Spanish speakers on Facebook and Instagram with the spanish-language videos
On CLC TV
We've got that continuous information going as I said we dedicated that channel 24/7
but we're going to be airing those videos as well in a block segment once per hour and
As I said and it showed you just a minute ago
You're able to access those on the hot topic on the home page of the website
I did contact Telemundo and Univision
Affiliates in El Paso and asked if they would consider running the Spanish version of those PSAs and they did express an interest
So we're gonna be providing them the links to those videos in hopes that they do push those out on their TV stations
Other outreach that the Communications Office has done
Right away when when it all started hitting back on March 11th
the first thing we did was we put a hot topic on our homepage with
Websites to Anna boah, the governor's office. Just trying to get some initial
Information out out there, and then we followed up by
Establishing the co mid-nineteen alert Center, which is the primary source of all this information on the website
counselors Vasquez and big como
liked the idea of doing a vanity URL for that page, so
Councilor Vasquez actually made the choice of cobia 19 las cruces comm that went live on March 17
So today you'll see these the number of news releases and web posts that we've done
Approximately 122 and this this number is a few days old. So we pushed a little more out
So that number is a little higher as are the number of alerts enter posts
We have at 171 and that's probably around 180 now the Facebook page
posts we've done 79 there Kovan related including
streaming, all of the governor's news conferences from Santa Fe
City Manager Facebook pace post the new page
76 posts and the city manager report, which is goes up by email
42 we're working with utilities to put an insert in the may billing
promoting more social distancing because that seems to be
One of the biggest issues that we're facing or people adhering to that. So that message will be going out at may also
Las Cruces utilities as you know initiated an alerts that system where they can actually put out push out messages to
utility customers
approximately
24,000 each time. So they've done 3 so far they did the park closures right before Easter
They did. I'm pushed out a message that they're gonna discontinue shut offs and
Now they're in the process of pushing out the English and Spanish
Messages that you all council recorded and are using his radio and TV spots
So that that's it for the communication side in terms of outreach
And so now I'm going to turn it over to my colleague Jamie Rickman who is hitting a community engagement office
Well, good afternoon everybody. It's almost noon
Thank you for allowing us to be able to present this information
what you see on the first slide here for community community engagement office our bus routes that
my office created for quality of life
Department and that's one of the things that we've done is being able to support these departments in their individual
Targeted messages to their clients. So this one is also in Spanish
I didn't have that version in time for this presentation next slide, please
so for an overview of the engagement since March 18th, um, you know
we're we were pushing out information about code 19 testing availability when it came first available and
We requested we made calls to other departments to please push it out to their databases
which was really important because not only do we have a lot of access in and
Exposure with our traditional methods, but all of our databases that we've been gathering through meetings and just everything
It was very important to use as well
And so we put out also general code with 19 public health messages. And then what do you do during public health order lockdown?
It's for families and children with children. You know, it was that got to be really
Full of tension there because kids were at home and they didn't have anything to do to speak up and so we were putting out
or is helping the support without
programming for
kiddos, so the visual that you see here are going to be
seat covers and posters for transit seats to help people to guide people into knowing where the
Social distancing is appropriate on the bus next slide, please
and then just and again, this is just a real quick summary of what we've been up to and its continuing on but
We've had to do some readjustment of our work
Because it's covered 19 and that primarily has affected the census outreach and engagement
We've had to cancel all in-person events and retool everything to work social media
And then we're also having to rethink of course and in regroup on the general obligation bond public meetings
those are really critical, but we figured out a way of a
Hybrid way of providing the information to the public garnering that input that we saw
Meaningfully see from people
on the project and then being able to report that back in a transparent manner and then both of those campaigns are helping to
Provide more information to us regarding the code that 19
messaging and we approach the messaging as well because as it's been noted throughout this whole meeting is that
There are folks who have great access to digital resources, but then there are folks who don't so what is that's our biggest challenge
Obviously is to reach those folks who don't have that access
Next slide please
So the focus of activities as you know that I mentioned to our support my office is support the dish's
Generating those those email. Excuse me, those news releases for the content. So we've been
generating that
Content for news releases that have wide distribution used on the city website
Used in social media as well. And then we've been pushing like crazy to the notify me subscriptions option, which is really important
Then there's a social media Facebook and Instagram for the city library parks and recreation transit
There are also other Facebook pages that aren't owned Odom quote owned by the city like the southern New Mexico Earth Day
But we may not maintain but we provide
Links and likes and keep growing those messages on those
External social media platforms so we can keep that energy going and let people know that
Hey, we're still active. These are messages coming up and this is how it pertains to your area of interest
Then on the city website, we've been updating content on individual pages with mesh
And you know on the website as you well know you can select your language of preference on there
And so that becomes bilingual
Depending on the readers and the users preferences and so along those pages that we were
Updating include those that are listed there and next slide, please
And these are the examples so we have updates with Road Runner transit senior programs
Senior plan and more on senior programs and then social media senior programs. This is just an example
Next slide please
And then
as I mentioned earlier the department databases were super important in this effort and
We have quality of life Parks and Recreation economic development community development public meetings
So that all results from about 10,000 direct email contacts, which is just phenomenal, I think
We contacted boards and commission members
Which we asked them to distribute widely to their groups as well
so that was an initial contact of 130 people and then who knows how much that
Translates into when they spread that out as well and like the virus itself in some ways
Department support for message development email notifications usually signs of facilities we assisted with that as well and
We enabled the because of our systems
We were enabling directors and department staff to be able to focus on their operational aspects knowing that they're met
Their specific messaging was being taken care of next slide, please
So by the numbers and I need to put a caveat on these numbers
So this is just a snapshot for you all and what this means is that it doesn't account for
one person who might be in various channels
Who might be signed up for social media or the notify me subscription?
Or any of these other things so it's just a snapshot it just kind of helps give you an idea of the numbers involved
The staff was involved with helping with the storytime for example with with the library
and so those specific videos that were developed story time for example had 15 these
Protocols which means washing your hands and doing the right things and protecting yourself from code 19
That video had 1400 views right now staffs working much that's working on a transit video
Which is currently in production to help understand what that social distance system theme looks like on a vehicle
databases again about ten thousand
People read section section Department Facebook and Instagram followers and this includes some cities as well
It's about it's a reach of sixteen thousand six hundred and fifty four people to the feedback
City Facebook and Instagram followers also 20 mm at was separated out twenty-two thousand
336 and then the city website subscribers for notify me is the
1464 excellent news
And then specific areas of focus as you priority well now is transit with bus wraps banner seat markers and video
Parks and recreation. You can exercise at home contacting tips. And that's what the little visual there is
The graphic is there that was one of the first ones that we put out there and we kept putting out information
weekly about the types of exercise we do at home and still stay healthy and in that sort of thing and
Kind of keeping people engaged about all of this
the library museum
museums virtual story kind public health messages senior programs and public health messages homes your network the same and then other
Departments helping pushing out that critical information that was available
That critical information also includes the resources that they could find this information in as well which included their city website
Next page please. And
Then in looking at this retrospectively once there's smoke kind of clears
I mean we're starting to collect all of this information that we need to sort out and figure out how to lose it better
We want to improve education to the community about the resources available
It's still a big issue that people didn't know that information is available
Increase the repertoire of online programming and their interaction but with 19
there's forced us to think about this fat sooner rather than later and
Then information gained from the briefing of the event assessment and input from you know
I'm working on a plan. Now that kind of outlines how to go about doing that and capturing the information in a manner
That's useful for us and then the next following slides are just representations of the work that we've done
so we'll just kind of go see what
The one of course is the Sun use item, but just some of the social media next slide, please
And then just more of that same message and pushed out
And you can see the different social media that is that was used and that's the end of my part of the presentation
Thank You Jamie
Councillor sorg you had something you wanted to say
Yes, mr. Mayor. First of all, let me say this whole effort that the the
PIO and and make jamie has been doing is quite outstanding. I was very impressed. Um,
but as part as you saw in one of the slides is coming week is coming up this Earth Day and
ever since
President Trump was has been in office. There's been a committee in the city here to celebrate Earth Day
called
March for science and
I don't have any
Any
Choice in or not preference I should say in in what I'm about to say. I just want to get the rest of the council's
Opinion on it they have
been planning for a a March for science for I
don't know almost a whole year and
Oh, I got get the right email here. There we go
and
They they were going to postpone or cancel. I should say this year's celebration
But it was suggested
Boo and I'm not here darn it. Wait a minute. I'll get it here yet
The idea is that marches would gather around the downtown marching group standing eight feet apart
wearing bandanas masks and
Holding signs that informed the people in the seriousness of the pandemic and the need for science literacy
And so I I told them I would just present it to the console
To see what you say and I would report back to them Thank You mayor
Thank You councillor mayor pro-tem Thunder
Thank you so much to you that out and Jamie very impressive
Thank you for always being
considering respectful and listening to at least my
Remarks and suggestions. I very much appreciate that. I do want to
Just as a as a food for thought is
Working and I'm sure that you are with Natalie green and all our contracts that we have with the various nonprofit
I'm wondering that that is a part of that email string
You know with any kind of information that we have that that's being shared
specifically, um to those groups and especially to the point about technology and
The digital divide and folks especially in our impoverished
communities not having access to that and looking at ways by which we
can work like with entities such as
Community Action Agency dony Ana communities United with their time banking program and the various things that they're trying to do to
encourage
Not only well social distancing but using the time banking model to reach out to folks that find themselves more isolated
which in turn on Leech to
You know, it's depression and anxiety and those things in addition. I
Want to remind folks that the school's action?
Rek
Said be a
Doctor to heal that they would be willing to put out any of these messages on their not only their website
But their canvas, you know that they have such a huge following of people
that mean that we may not otherwise
Engage and so I just want to remind them of that that opportunity that they
had indicated and
Let me see. I wrote down a few other things. I think that's it. So I very much appreciate
I'm really looking forward to the
For each that will be getting through utilities the bills
I'm the psh to the radio stations and also, you know how we're working with
The county
and their bus system
to put out some of these things and just sharing in the of
What and although it's some pretty
minimal compared to some of the other things that probably we do, but I'm wondering
What kind of communication have we had with them and sharing?
Sort of the messaging. Oh
Okay it she'd as far as sharing the messaging with the county
one of the things we did was provide them all the
scripts and are making available the videos that the council did if they want to push that out on their websites and this being
some of the communities hatch misty a Sunland Park all of those communities have access to this if they want to use it you
Know
Thank you. I really appreciate that. I I think here is a real opportunity to coordinate and collaborate and
I know that you'd a life I've asked
To put sort of these messages and phone numbers and I'm still going to ask especially around the message
infecting the idea of doing sort of an interview remotely with
Lucas's executive director would probably be very beneficial at this point as we move forward. I know you were
specifically focusing on getting these 30 seconds message about and that I
Really again want to reiterate the importance of wareness around domestic violence?
and and just
As I'm reading through reports and sent the apt news
You know, we're seeing such an increase with that in child abuse
and again
People suffering from anxiety and depression. So I just I just want to make sure that that hasn't gotten lost and and
all of this
I think it would be
really important to do some remove interviews with some of our folks that are trusted in the community and
that
Could really I mean it's the difference of saving a life frankly
and so I want to I want to make sure that I that I say that
Okay, thank you mayor pro-tem kind of survey - Stevie
Thank you
For that presentation for helping out. I
I'm glad you see this information going out to the public as we move forward
I think it'll be really good to also showcase
How the city has been able to help?
with
Community - so if we do and I'm assuming we're gonna get some numbers on
Some of the programming that we funded even from like
You know
How many people have been fed and the numbers are on how many of our?
Seniors are being fed by the city those types of numbers. I think it's really good for that apparentiy. Say to see
that the city has been active has been responsive we've had tons of
Employees that have been working tirelessly every day for our community. And so I think those are some items
It would be good to be able to showcase and I'd like to be able to showcase those to my constituents as well. Thank you
Okay, well great presentation Udo and Jamie. Thank you for that information
Very comprehensive and really exciting to see all the different
Avenues that you're taking so your man can Irish response head counselor sort of real quick. Oh sure. Um,
I think cups are so sorry. Thanks for bringing that I would highly encourage people not to do that
I think that a lot of folks a lot of events that people have been signing for a long time have been
Postponed or canceled for good reason. I don't know if you noticed that there were recently
Protests in Michigan that were incredibly irresponsible and perhaps the content of the signs would be different
But I think the level of responsibility is still
Important to note so I you know, I've noticed people having protests in their cars when their vehicles
perhaps that's an option, but I would highly
Highly encourage people not to gather in large groups during this time
Thank You counselor, I don't pass that on
Okay. All right. Well if there's nothing further, thank you everyone for your presentations great meeting as usual
Looks like we might not have a meeting next Friday. So it looks like we'll go back to our regular
Scheduled meetings on Mondays. So unless something comes up
Then I only then I'll call them another meeting on Friday
but it doesn't look like at the time we'll get to love this information that counselors have asked us and in Como had asked about
And so, oh well David, yes
David my Estes it's a lot of vagueness. Yes. Sorry about that Muir. We will have to have a special meeting next week
14 days for the emergency Proclamation will come to an end. So we need to work on extending that judgment also
Staff is working on bringing forward a resolution for public comment at these type of zoom meetings
And they will have that to present to Council for review
Okay, so, let's see then that would be days on
The 24th, we need fourth
Okay
9:30. Okay. Sounds good
Yes, mayor Burton I
Just want to encourage us. I know this is an extra a meeting. I've gotten
positive feedback about our special meetings and the way by which we
responded
unto this people
We've been very impressed with the city and
I
want to
encourage us to continue to me as as
this
Especially the surge and the and and the peak I think people are really looking to this
to
A way or a vehicle to get information and I think it's important it comes through a bit through these
Comments about this idea of transparency in terms of the funding that we are giving out
How many people are we feeding and healthy and I think the things that are really important that we should
Use these special meetings to report it
Sounds good, okay entertain a motion to adjourn
some OOP
Thank You
Motion made by a council Bencomo second by councillor Vasquez, I believe that were correct
Okay, all those in favor signify by saying aye
Hey looks like we're adjourn is 12:20 p.m. Ain't nervous stay safe. Have a good weekend. Thank you everybody. Bye