okay well good afternoon everybody
this is the first time we've ever had a
video conference with the Las Cruces
city council today is Monday March 30th
2020 it's quick to 2 p.m. just a quick
happy birthday to my daddy would have
been 90 years old today so before we
begin I'm going to turn this so you can
see a flag United States or you can see
it just have a quick Pledge of
Allegiance
ready Legion for the flag the United
States of America to the Republic for
which it stands one nation under God
indivisible with liberty and justice for
all
let's go ahead we've got some
representatives from the hospital they
could just identify themselves and then
they have a couple things I'd like to
say and then I have a couple questions
asked
then our OEM calling the combs there's a
question for him and then we'll turn it
over to counsel for for any questions
that they may have so I know Janice I
believe is is out there I hope and if
you want to start it off or whoever from
MMC Moore Medical please identify
yourself and we'll go from there
here behind me I have Karen Iverson who
is my CNO and behind her raise your
hands as I introduce you is Mary RB ho
is my associate administrator and then
behind Twila is Bryan Perkins who's the
director of marketing great well good to
see you there John and then I'm sorry
who the lady across from Karen I didn't
catch that one approximate area scared
ya his final Ella Anderson who is our
infection Preventionist
Lila Lila oh yeah why not yeah great
okay so would you would you want me to
just go right to the questions or did
you have something you wanted to start
off with no I think but let's go right
into questions because that would be the
most productive use of your time so is
there going to be one hospital dedicated
to over 19 the answer is 12 you want to
answer there
no mayor there's not this is a pandemic
and every facility in New Mexico needs
to be prepared and able to take care of
patients from their area and with or
without covin 19 but no there's no
delineation for facilities being coded
19 facilities and just to clarify on
that mary lou BS is that the surrounding
hospitals none of which are as
diversified services in order they have
necessarily the depth in services or the
diversity of specialties on staff as we
do at Memorial certainly a hospital like
Mountain View is is an analogous
situation ours but those that are
smaller like any in silver study and
Truth or Consequences even Alamogordo
they will on occasion have patients
based on how sick they are what we call
acuity will transfer those patients in
does that that is available
okay not sure if you saw the today's
news that there were some great
volunteers people working on homemade
masks and just wanted to know if if you
all think that you would be needing
those and if so how would we get those
to you sure there's this is Tyler
Anderson again yes we are accepting
donations of homemade masks and that is
going through our supplied training
director Linda wittmeyer and the
homemade masks will be put in reserve to
be used as a last resort and that
meaning when we run out of our regular
PPE and mask if we exhaust those
supplies then we would move to a cloth
or some type of homemade mask at that
point so yes we would not turn away the
donation we would accept it gladly and
very appreciative Lee and but we would
hold them in reserve - and look at what
point we would run out of our PPE okay
in fact that was going to be my next
question was has there been a projected
status on your PPE s and whether or not
I mean you know you hear reports
everyplace that the demand is great and
the supply is very low and so I just
wanted to know if you've projected were
to need or you guys find you you need
some assistance from the city sure
mayor's again this is Twyla Anderson
daily we are looking at our PPE supply
and our calculated burn rate for the day
and where we are and what comes in and
we have received from the state some
supplies and that's been put into our
inventory and so at this time based on
our volume we're actually doing quite
well today that if we had a surge of
course you know for every patient in
isolation was we would have a greater
burn but again we're just looking at
that every single day and recalculating
monitoring very closely right and this
is Karen Iverson so part of that is we
also look at the resources and how many
we're going to need and so we're not
just giving them out to everybody that
says we need them we give it a matter
appropriately we want to make sure that
we do have that reserve in the back just
in case that we do get that search okay
and I don't know if you can answer this
but let's take the senior care
facilities for example obviously they're
a little bit higher risk community how
do they get there bp's do they come
through you I mean I mean they're I know
they're nurses there I don't know how
they do they just do it directly and if
you've ever met again mayor this is
toilet anderson they should have their
own distributor or supplier that they
get gloves I'm assuming undergarments or
other things that they need to take care
of that population and so that
distributor or supplier would be the one
giving them their needed PPE for their
senior center whatever population
they're cared for okay and this is going
to be a question I want to be asking :
but perhaps it obviously pertains to you
as well is how would we are we prepared
for a surge and if so what advice would
you give to the community it was a
certain good okay mayor this is Twila
Anderson again and yes we have been
preparing the last three weeks for a
surge and we have been following all the
guidance that we've received through CDC
and through the state and our governor
and so we have looked at our senses we
have looked at our patient flow we have
our nurses trained we have a designated
area where we're looking at our suspect
patients and contained and again that's
one way we're controlling the burn of
our PPE and managing with our physicians
and
nursing team patients so you know we are
we have yes license 499 beds and that
would be our capacity most likely until
we would move off site to a alternate
care site and so all of those plans have
been in place and we are just monitoring
the situation very closely at this at
this particular moment so this is Karen
what I would tell you what I would ask
you to tell the public is to stay home
the biggest thing that we we see all the
time as people are wanting to come in to
get tested and they don't meet the
criteria to be tested and so if we do
get a surge we need to take care of
those patients who are in respiratory
distress
not the walking well it's what we're
calling them though as the individuals
pretty much need to go home and stay
home and write it out for at least 14 to
21 days not it okay so those are the
questions I had I'm just kind of rusev
any problem it's like counselor mascius
and then counselor sorg have questions
now sir Busta's Thank You mayor much
appreciated thank you to the staff of
Memorial Medical Center for all your
hard work and preparation for this
moment for the folks at Memorial Medical
Center I do have a question on on
homemade masks I understand there's some
different degrees of protection that you
can afford to a staff that the members
of the public should be using that
perhaps other frontline workers like
grocery store clerks gas station
operators folks in interacting with the
public should be using do you have any
guidance to the public as far as one of
the type of masks you that Memorial
Medical Center staff should be using
versus that's like frontline workers
should be using and from what you've
heard is there is there a shortage of
each that the community can help meet
those those guidelines to get you know
just to get that equipment out
effectively across the community and
cross workers
this is twilight Anderson from an
official control and prevention
perspective and we know that this virus
spreads by droplets and so that social
distancing that we keep talking about is
really the best prevention we have and
there is not a recommendation that the
population or people or workers should
be running around in masks because
really we want to only put the mask and
save the mask for smoke we call source
control that if that patient presenting
to us is symptomatic we would want to
put a mask on them to control this and
we don't need to control the population
as a whole and by wearing masks and so
that is you know currently the
recommendations that's what we
understand we need to do social
distancing because this is not an
airborne disease of droplets so that
three to six feet not having large
crowds is really the prevention strategy
at washing your hands and washing your
hands washing your hands using soap and
water alcohol hand rub and ensuring that
you don't touch your eyes nose and mouth
without cream ham yeah I know yeah I
think one of the biggest things is keep
your hands away from your face don't rub
your eyes don't put your your your
fingers in your mouth don't don't touch
your lips but I mean you really all
human beings have a tendency to do that
type of thing and you just need to make
a conscious decision not to cut your
face as much as you can thank you and
just as a quick follow-up question to
that the reason I ask that is because
potentially we do have residents in the
city I have witness myself right who are
wearing some degree of PPE or levels of
protection in public places in
particular grocery stores and so if the
city's Pio could could actually give
guidance to the public on hey these are
the top three things that you could do
to keep yourself healthy and then
additionally if you have equipment
that's available that could be made
available to first
to staff at the hospitals or other
places we should be getting that out
because from a quick trip to the grocery
store you know you can see that maybe
half of the people are wearing masks the
other half are not so there seems to be
some confusion about what the best
method of protection are but also making
sure that if people have masks that
they're not needed out in public use
that they make it to frontline workers
or to staff at the hospital so with
whatever inventory we have in the city
just want to make sure that that's being
used effectively and if the city can get
that information out I think we should
so is there any guidance at all in - we
should be using masks and who shouldn't
that the city could perhaps provide
again this is Tyler Anderson people
wearing masks
Gizem of a false sense of security and
when they're out and about and again we
probably can't control that if they have
the mask and they want to wear it but
really it's the social distancing not
going out staying at home like we're
supposed to only essential personnel
Aven about washing our hands not
touching our face doing all those things
will prevent the spread of this virus
and again cleaning I mean we have to
wipe down I was at a grocery store
yesterday doing my my own shopping and I
was very impressed after every customer
they were watching down the area and I
think that's what it's going to take to
prevent the spread out of the community
and again we need to clean our hands as
well when we're out and about they also
need to be aware I mean Twilight in in
caring or walking experts about this
type of thing they have they have
combined with others around them to
prepare memorial extremely well and all
the operations that we have the key
thing is again quarantine yourself as
much as you can don't get into large
groups social distance yourself and a
lot of people are just not
you see the films when the governor or
that matter the mayor in New York or if
they're talking about what they're doing
in New York you see these young people
that are that are you know socializing
in parks and they're right next to each
other and you see the spread that's
occurred in New York I realize that's
not the only reason for it but it's just
these fundamental things that that both
Karen and Twila know that that need to
get out there and how long this virus
can live on services you know it will
live for different lengths of time on
different surfaces koyla correct so we
know like plastic solid surfaces metal
it'll last there for days and so that's
why cleaning and washing our hands I
can't stress that enough washing our
hands is the best prevention we can do
to not give this virus thank you so much
yes I do have a recommendation to make
fun tell sir Vasquez can you hold for
just one second and Christy need to jump
in real quick council members are even
though from the MMC staff anyone Thank
You mayor this is Gabe askest
thank you so much I appreciate that I
just have a recommendation to our public
information office to my colleagues on
the council until you mayor to get that
information out you know I think it's
important for people to understand that
a mask is not going to protect them that
they can't simply resume the general
public can't resume you know life as
they know it by wearing a mask and I
think that's maybe what I've seen in
some public settings and so I think
that's good information to get out the
last question that I do have before
passing it over to my colleagues to the
Memorial Medical Center staff is
as you may know the council recently
passed an ordinance that allows the
mayor to declare an emergency a state of
emergency that limits the ability of
people to gather in certain numbers or
in certain public places I did see this
weekend some photos of our community
members gathering in different ways
things like playing pickup basketball
right in large groups and different
households folks also go out on their
bicycles and large groups and and from
what I'm hearing from you is that that's
the number one thing that we want to
prevent and so I'm wondering from
memorial medical staff if you have a
recommendation on whether the mayor
should enact an emergency Proclamation
that would limit the gathering of
certain people as you mentioned that in
New York City what that has caused what
your advice would be to the city in to
the mayor in terms of actually making
that a an enforceable type of event for
people to gather is that is that are we
at the stage where we want to do that
now this is toilet Anderson as an
infection Preventionist I'm going to say
yes
unfortunately we would like the public
to take recommendations and follow
through but I think we see behavior you
see behavior that they just don't take
it seriously enough they don't think
they're going to get sick they're young
and the board is they want to be outside
and you know they they call their
friends and they all get together
understandably but these are not normal
times this is not the behavior that we
should have right now with this virus in
our community so if we're going to make
a difference and prevent the spread then
we need to stay at a home as much as
possible and only one person should go
out and do the grocery shopping it
shouldn't be the whole family I'm very
great that's very concerning to me when
I say mom dad kids and everybody turning
around I'm like no
if they didn't get the message that they
she really shouldn't be out as a family
group like that and then you give this
John hers
you can have a see 19mm be asymptomatic
and not have any sentence so to support
with Twila's saying we can't impress
upon you enough to get some Menifee job
if people will undergo the personal
sacrifice exercise the control not to
socialize on you know in in groups not
to get together and play poker for
example not get together and play
pick-up basketball but to do these
things you know control these these
kinds of things then over this window of
time we're going to be able to control
this problem much more readily I mean
you just can't impress that enough on
the population what Karen what would you
add to that no I agree 100 percent
Thailand I had this discussion this
morning where it's skinny warmer outside
and people are wanting to go picnicking
and doing all this kind of other stuff
and so you'll start to see big family
groups at the at the levy having their
picnics and we saw some of that this
weekend so we just it it's how do you
get that message out to them to say this
is important because you may not have
you may not show signs and symptoms but
you may have it and you give it to that
next person so I totally agree with
Silas this is something that we need to
do now because it's not we're going to
be doing it we're going to be doing it
soon yeah thank you so much for that
assessment I really appreciate it and we
definitely encourage council mayor too
to follow you know the directives of our
of our health care professionals who are
on the front line I think the threat of
a misdemeanor citation might be what
didn't what it takes to get people to
stop gathering as as our health care
professionals here have talked about and
so with that I will pass it on to my
colleagues thank you man
well in this is John Harrison one other
thing we
don't know at this point whether this
virus is sensitive to heat or cold
during that time
no we didn't have enough so you can
misnomer out there they will one that
when the temperature warms up this will
go away unnecessarily we're hoping the
point Thank You counselor sword now sir
sword okay we'll go in a counselor abate
thus to be and they go back to soil is
there Thank You Man and thank you
everyone at MMC for joining us moving
answer some questions I have a few right
now one of the ways I was wondering what
type of decontamination protocols or
considerations are going to be needed
for your staff should be have a search
and to make sure that they're King s
Jason healthy as possible and then when
they're going back to their families
sure this is Tyler Anderson again so are
cleaning and disinfection practices have
to pretty much remain the same we the
product that we use none of them can
tell us they kill Cove is 19 because
they haven't had an opportunity to run
all of the tests that they would need to
be able to label their product as being
effective against Cove in nineteen so
but we know other criminal viruses our
products are effective against and so as
a non envelope virus we're looking at
saying this should kill it but it's not
just a mechanism of cleaning and getting
that organic material off a surface then
again prevents the spread so just like
something water probably soaked up and
kill the virus but the mechanism of
washing our hands removes it from our
hands and so that's the same principles
that we're applying here at work and
we're cleaning you know all the high
touch areas like doors the door
mendel and just anything that people are
touching we are giving that as extra
attention in our facility so also this
is Karen Iverson just what we educate
our staff is and I hope they do this all
the time is when they get home they
don't walk into their doors we're in the
same clothes that they wear in this
hospital not only do we fight covin 19
but we also fight mrs AZ REM ESBL
there's blood all over this so we want
to make sure that when they walk home
they leave their shoes outside and then
they strip and go into their house and
we did supply our staff with different
sets of scrubs so if they don't feel
comfortable when they come to work they
can come in and their street clothes
change and it's change back out of the
scrubs and in their street clothes and
go home so there we have made mechanisms
and concessions for that as well right
thank you
and since we've had a lot of changes on
what type of services are available I
think it's important for the public to
know what types of medical services are
still appropriate to come in for at this
time so this is Karen so anything that
is an emergency or what we consider
urgent that cannot wait if they wait
then it will cause like life or limb
harm or a progression of their disease
process anything that would be
considered elective and I need a window
a 90-day window that can wait up to that
point we ask them to wait but anything
emergency we still are in that business
yeah and you kind of touched upon it and
Tyler just a little bit ago about teen
families out and about in public of what
might be the best able way for single
care families to be able to go out in
public while still saving to save this
hospital so you have a single mom or dad
and they have to bring one of the little
ones what types of protocols should they
be thinking about that if they have to
bring in some of the little ones with
them great just to be quick this is
toilet understand I just want to make
sure you need to go out shopping because
there are single mom and dad and
all that yes per side you know the
stores that offer you know pickup of
your groceries I would definitely
recommend go ahead put in your order and
then just drive by and pick it up or you
don't have to go into the store so I
think you know the stores and
restaurants that are delivering and
doing those things to help support
individuals at home to use those
resources instead of going into the
grocery store because going into the
grocery store with little ones I think
is really not a very wise decision at
this point this is John Harris what we
have to remember is it's hard enough to
train adults of all the things that
we're talking about young children are
the least compliant of the group they
they don't they'll hear these things but
they don't comprehend them necessarily
and they won't do them as a result and
it's better not to take them out in
public keep them in mind things to do
with them and we'll play video games
play in the front yard play in the back
yard
do those kinds of things I have seven
grandchildren and that's that's what
they're doing in Dallas
and then one final question um have you
had any challenges or have your
employees had any challenges bashing
daycare needs work schedule given the
closures with LCPs or even finding
resources since we know those are going
to kid up their work hours so this is
Karen actually we was a little bit
surprised and thought maybe it was just
spring great because everybody already
had plans for spring break
but we haven't heard of anybody
complaining or needing assistance
there's been a couple of will do that
changes like split shifts and stuff like
that so they can change with the other
parents and that kind of stuff but
really haven't had any of those issues
to speak of thank you very much and
thank you for all the work that you've
been doing
Thank You Mara thank you thank you I
don't know if tell us our swords are you
there you have a question and then we'll
go to counselor bencomb you're not
you're not coming on counselor sword so
they may have IT I think they're out in
the hall let me have them go to you so
let me go to counselor
you're on up in Como Thank You Mara can
you all hear me yes yes great and thank
you so much for all assignment all the
staff of the hospital and it's funny and
interesting that every time someone says
don't touch your face my eyes itch and
my entire sentences oh but thank you for
all of that I have a couple questions um
I really appreciate you all giving
advice to us and to the general public I
wonder what kind of advice you would
also give to grocery stores and other
essential businesses that are currently
open in terms of cleanliness and and
those kind of things sure this is
Twilight under Sun overall I have to
tell you I've been impressed with the
stores I believe they have tried to keep
wipes available so that you can wipe off
your cart I've also seen an edition of
hand sanitizer at the entrance of the
doors I have seen many people activate
that hand sanitizers and clean their
hands and again I just think we have to
be aware that going in public places
that we are touching where everybody
else has been touching and that again we
have to wash our hands clean our hands
so I know when I get done shopping I
activate that F of hand sanitizer
leaving at one more time and I'm going
to clean my hands when I get in my car
likely and what you might have when I
get home so if that's what it's going to
take just we call it breaking the chain
of infection that hand hygiene moment
each and every time it's just one more
opportunity to break the chain of
getting infected and this is John Harris
if if you feel the urge to
to sneeze cough sneeze into your sleeve
and your elbow don't into don't it cost
needed in the ambient air care and us
anything to that no that's why I was
exactly right and I can tell you also I
was in sprout yesterday and I hate
shopping but I couldn't get my husband
to go for some reason and if you take in
your bags from home they actually won't
even touch those they'll let you bag
your own stuff so they're taking those
extra precautions so I think you're
doing a good job the grocery stores you
know thank you a clearing oh go ahead oh
yeah this is Naomi Hill one thing I will
tell you is like like the big-box stores
yes like you know Walmart or Lowe's or
Home Depot tons of people all together
gathered in those locations I know over
the weekend I'm sure people are wanting
to be outside and gardening and things
like that but there are a lot of people
parked in that parking lot and a lot of
the big chain stores so you know I don't
know how you can handle that because I
know there are social businesses but a
lot of people in fully pack sourced can
limit access this has John Harris again
it is you buy these products I can tell
you this may sound obsessive-compulsive
but with what we're dealing with F key
when you buy the products when you get
home wipe them down and because you
don't know whose touch them you don't
know whose or sneeze on a box of
cereal or something like that just just
to take that precaution great thank you
is reading an article about how after
the all of this we might all develop
some sort of form of OCD right um and
yeah I am which isn't actually a bad
thing um thank you for that I really
appreciate it and and you know as of the
video I would just want to thank all the
grocery store and essential employee
workers who are going work every day
um you mentioned and I'll you said you
know you have your bed capacity and are
not there yet and that there's an
alternate care site is
that there could be is that it you have
one available already sure this is Tyler
Anderson for Memorial Medical Center our
off-site Healthplex would be one area we
would look at to maybe
offload stable patients if we had to
again it's our facility we can just get
things set up and over there as an
alternate care site we have clinics
family medicine clinic if we needed to
particularly offload for the ER if we
got a surge and we needed to do more
type of triage that clinic is right here
on our campus and we can open that up to
the ER patients so I think you probably
have seen our tent sitting and set up
here in the front of the hospital that
too
we already have our plans if we get a
surge of being able to look at all of
our respiratory patients through that
tent and deciding whether or not they
needed to come in the hospital or not
come in the hospital so again we have
all a lot of contingency plans in place
ready to activate when if and when we
would need to that's amazing and it's
really good to hear from all of you
definitely makes me feel much safer and
better just a couple more questions my
meat is someone if someone needs to be
hospitalized because of Koba 19 do they
need to have insurance to be treated no
so they would come through the emergency
department that's where they're coming
through at this point and so because
it's an emergency
it's falls under the emergency yeah
Impala and we would see that patient
they would not go into our major
population though they would go into
what we consider our Kovac unit of
course no matter what no matter what
insurance that was Karen so sorry thank
you very much for that and then my last
question and this is probably towards
the council and maybe some staff as well
several weeks ago I had asked about
protocols regarding border patrol
internal checkpoints and I know that you
no city councilors are our duty is to
the city of Las Cruces but I also worry
about our neighbors to the north of West
the East should they need medical
attention in Las Cruces and I feel like
we haven't really gotten a response in
terms of this someone isn't documented
or their family members are undocumented
and they need to come get treatment in
Las Cruces how would that work I don't
know if folks from the staff of the
hospital have any suggestions or advice
for that but I would like to make sure
that we get that kind of information or
perhaps even work with our federal
delegation to try to get that result
well first of all just to clarify this
is John Harris we treat all patients
that come to our doors regardless of
what comes from where that is so
and from an Intel and point that's a
federal regulation to begin with so
Karen would you add to that since the
emergency room reports to you yeah so we
when a patient comes into our emergency
department we do not question what
nationality or anything else so we would
treat them no matter what so if the
Border Patrol brought a patient to us we
would treat and then if we had to
release we were released back to them if
we had to admit we would admit and
that's our process on the border patrol
outside though I would tell you that one
of the things that we've heard is that
they need masks and as long as they're
sixty dawei they don't and so that's one
of the things that we need to make sure
that they understand as well but if
they're going to be up close and
personal they definitely need a mask
thank you thank you my question is more
so in terms of and I really appreciate
you restating that right that you will
treat and serve anybody regardless of
their status income whatever I think
that that's exactly what the health care
system is for my concern is that there
are checkpoints and Colonel II that
might not allow people to get back and
you know they can come to Las Cruces but
they might not be able to leave even
though they came and we're being
responsible about their treatment
all in there hopefully wait maybe staff
I don't know mr. myself I'm hoping maybe
you can write this down and so we can
get an answer on this I would really
like to know and then just when I Karin
remind me your last name
it's Iverson Iverson I just want to meet
give you major shout outs on social
media thank you thank you sir before
during hands John here's Karen has
nearly 25 years as a chief nursing
officer and she has she's lived in Las
Cruces for many years she had worked
down in El Paso at a hospital there and
I recruited her here to provide her
talents at this hospital she has many
years of experience as is Twila Twila
he'll recall is the one that created the
flu shot they drive up opportunity for
all of our citizens and we provided over
three three thousand flu shots for
citizens in the area I will also tell
you one quick thing and I know we have
one other person this hospital is the
only leapfrog a hospital in all of
southern Mexico it is in the top 10% of
hospitals in terms of quality and safety
of care it's one of only a hundred
hospitals in the nation to have that
distinction and it's five star in
surgery five out of five stars so my
point is doing what we're talking about
today is not foreign to us we know that
this is fun we know it's necessary to
succeed in this so we appreciate this
opportunity to talk with each of you
thanks John before I get to counselor
sorg again and then I'm here for Tim
John de Mary can you state your name one
more time I'm not sure if we got it for
the clerk Mary Oh Mary Mary Armijo Mary
oh okay great thanks okay so let's try
it don't stir sword I think we're ready
to go with him okay mr. mayor thank you
so much god I have also been concerned
about the same things that
the other counselors were asking you
about and I am glad they asked the
questions because that's the same things
I wanted to ask there's just a couple of
things that I'm concerned about and that
is some do you have any kovat 19 cases
in your hospitals now currently no this
is Karen we do not we have no positive
do you know if motton view does we do
not okay I can see that you're extremely
well organized and that's wonderful
thank you so much for that I just
wondered another thing has the state of
New Mexico helped you with any of the
things you're doing to prepare for Kovac
19 yes sir did you this is Karen so the
state actually is the one that provided
the chances to see outside that we did
our drive-thru clinics for them they had
requested that we do a testing site form
so we did that a week ago Sunday and we
tested over 220 220 220 individuals out
of those 220 we had two positives and
those were down from El Paso that drove
up to get tested so yeah so the state
has helped and the state has delivered
test kits as well and so those tests cos
we use for anybody that walks up from
9:00 to 1:00 Monday through Friday to
get tested and so we'll send those back
up to the tape okay that is any last
question if person needs to be tested
that is what you do then you can first
can do is come to the hospital between
91 correct so they still have to meet
the criteria or they can come in as long
as they meet the criteria we will test
them between nine and one outside in the
tent and then those test results we send
those up to the state to get tests so
get the results this is John Harris
Vanderjagt and just as Karen Karen would
you when you talk about meet the
criteria what are the criteria that they
have to me and I'll you're not a pilot
of that one this is toilet Anderson
so again we are asking about travel any
sick contacts and abased travels and if
they have any of the classic signs and
symptoms of COBIT 19 which is that fever
shortness of breath cough and fatigue
and if they have any symptoms we're
going to go ahead and test them alright
so I just want to augment to what Karen
Iverson says is also the Department of
Health in the morning from 8:00 until
noon they are taking employment for
testing as well so we're trying to
assist the Department of Health with
testing our community and so that we can
understand what the prevalence is in our
region so that we can better prepare and
know what we're facing with this
particular virus oh thank you very much
that's very important I know and I'm
hope the public understands how
important it is that we keep a track on
who has the virus and as well okay
that's all major thank you okay thank
you counselor and I believe Mayor Pro
Tem donned it out is uh who's next
hello can you hear me yes yes yes I just
thank you so much John Twyla Maria and
Karen and for all your work please pass
on my gratitude to the doctors and
nurses and staff I so appreciate what
you're doing is everyday that you put
your life on the line for us it doesn't
go unnoticed and I wanted to start off
with that kudos to all of you
just I have been asking for a few weeks
now been making sure that you all have
the tools the supplies that you needed I
know that you've answered you have
plenty of PCs and whatnot but I had been
reaching out to Chris's creative and
they came up with a proposal form for me
as it relates to the PPS and various
kind
not only the fabric burns but a facial
the 3d printed plastic base map with
cartridge filters and just wanting to
hear from you all I had understood maybe
you're doing some testing of these
materials or supplies and I just want to
make sure that if that was as it was
last Friday I submitted a proposal to
Council about giving some funding to Las
Cruces creatives just to make sure that
our personnel would have what they
needed
so my question is are those things that
you find useful beneficial science-based
and that you could use automatically
[Music]
sure this is Tyler Anderson again
equipment is supplied that hasn't gone
through that vetting through industry of
being healthcare qualified we're going
to use the PBE that has been vetted
first but when it comes down to last
resort what these engineers and what our
public is doing to help support is we
may need you know none of us how crystal
would know what's going to happen with
this virus and so I know these 3d
printers with the cartridges this type
of math um it's probably going to be
better than nothing
and so I I will tell you that I would I
haven't seen a prototype yet I've heard
that they were working on it but
definitely we will look at and I think
again this spirited engine just coming
up with ideas and what can we do
differently when I looked at Dyson you
know going to make ventilators and you
know GM going to make ventilators for us
I mean that that's pretty amazing work
and so I'll bet you we're going to use
those ventilators without having things
vetted like we normally do so in a time
of crisis that's unusual and we're in a
pandemic we're going to do with
ever necessary to help take care of the
patients okay but at this point you're
not in need of those correct not in any
desperate need not at this moment okay
great
my next question has to do with I had
heard and and please reject that rumor
have you decreased any of your you have
a restaurant or a cafeteria there have
you decreased your meals there for folks
and if so how can the city help you to
ensure that your staff and physicians
and nurses are getting the nutritious
meals that they so deserve so nothing
very much this is Ryan Perkins and we've
actually been getting a fair amount of
donations from from some of the
different organizations and companies
throughout that really want to help
those workers on the front line yes we
did we went to zero
visitor policy which means that we were
able to adhere to what the governor was
was asking answered ordering us in that
you can't have gatherings of more than
five so what that allowed us to do is
close down the seating area but we're
still operating that like a cafe is
still operating somewhere go to takeout
restaurant where our staff can get food
during limited hours and then
additionally we do we have all those
resources within the community that are
there really been great to come out and
support us okay okay um and I could see
your staff do you have any sickly
employees that you've had to put on
quarantine and if so how does that loose
most important how does that basically
interfere with
if it does the medical care that one
might might need there at the hospital
so so yes we have we've actually had
staff members that we've had to put on
quarantine not it's because they were
traveling is the pretty much John was on
quarantine so he just came back today
was his birthday hi this is Karen bag I
know and so what we have done is for
that remember I talked about we kind of
decrease our services so if it's
elective surgeries means we stop that we
have staff members that are looking for
their hours because they're no longer
pulling hours in those specific
departments so we really haven't had
anything to decrease its our patient
care which is been nice even with that
and it's been limited staff member it
wasn't it what happened was when that
decree came out it was right before the
Spring Break and people had already
taken off without knowing that this was
going to affect them sure sure okay very
good
um again thank you so much I think I'm
mayor and council and I would really
like for our Communications Office to
really work hand-in-hand with John and
Twila even with language that we can
share with our constituency about the
social distancing the washing the idea
of I'm using curbside we really need to
reduce I'm with Twila in that and I even
just coming to the office seeing Walmart
and other larger stores with their
parking lot fullest
it's really concerning to me our hearing
and the weekends that people were in the
park or at the river having a cookout
it's just not that the the best where
they need to be social distancing
isolating themselves like we all are
trying to do so I think helps helping us
with some language and that we can share
with our constituency around um the
social isolation or the physical I
should say distancing would be really
helpful because I I and along with
servoz kisses point I think it's there
it would be time to really place an
emergency and remind folks about
governor's order not to be outside only
in those instances because you have to
you have no food those kinds of things
so thank you thank you thank you okay so
I'm having some technical difficulties
here so I can't yes
thank you thank you mr. mayor so I I
totally agree I agree with councilor
boxes he asked all the questions and he
made a very good foundation asking all
the questions that led up to my request
was for mayor and fellow councillors to
for you to issue an emergency and state
of emergency for the city and require
people to stay at home and and I and
that would be an ordinance that I have
to carry a misdemeanor and a fine I know
Casso is doing that I know that European
countries are doing that and and I first
of all I wanted to say thank you to all
of you it's amazing the work that you're
doing and I salute you and I'm glad
you're back mr. Harris and if you're out
of quarantine and so I think that
there's enough evidence here based on
Twila and Karen and especially what what
Mary Armijo said because we received a
letter from from a resident who was
appalled about the behavior I show the
big box I don't want to mention them my
name but a big box that weren't I mean
in my humble opinion aren't totally
essential I mean if somebody plumbing
has broken
and and they're trying to do their best
to keep you know to fix it you know
maybe but then who's going to check that
out but certainly limiting the amount of
people that go in I know when I was at
Sam's about two days after the order of
the day at home and you know the kid the
school closed down
I was exams and it was a woman there
with about ten there were ten kids and
they were all about between the ages of
8 and 10 so she was obviously well not
obviously but my presumption based on
that was that she was doing childcare
and they were helping her get things off
the shelf and no put that back and they
were touching everything and I just left
with my toilet paper that's all I went
for so I feel very strongly that people
are not paying attention I know that
Governor Cuomo I know our own governor
but we seek for no more on CNN he comes
on and let us know how how and why in
New York because of its density populate
population density and now he had said
earlier about a week some days ago that
he did not want to have confined people
to home or have a lock down and I think
Syria you know because people are there
so based on everything that you all have
said I would urge the and I hope my my
colleagues agree that we need to declare
a state of emergency in the city and
then impose an orbit by ordinance to
keep people in indoors because we've
been very fortunate that we don't have
the numbers at other places out because
of our yeah we don't have a dense
population per se but our city is the
second largest so we do face that risk
here in excuses
Oh Tyla I had a question for you as far
as as far as the data intake for people
who travel who come in so do you ask
what the point of origin is where they
travel from or do you go into yes we did
yes yes we do okay and so if they're
coming in from New York
do you take extra precaution to make
sure that they have those thank you for
the question but this is Tyler Anderson
again no the PPE that we use is standard
for every person coming in for the drive
up for the testing so we were in our
full gals love mask good shield full
face shield for everyone
we don't just based on that history
because you know somebody may not be
telling us the truth so we're going to
treat everybody as possibly infectious
okay and if you do any tracking after
they leave or how does that really work
they did they come in they do the drive
by or drive to it's easy right through a
knock you know testing and then they
leave and sure good question thank you
for following up on that since we are
working with the Department of Health
and the kits are provided through the
Department of Health once we collect we
send the specimens to the state lab and
then the results are fed back through
the Department of Health and then they
have personnel calling everyone back
with their results so any positive is
contacted immediately then those
negatives within a week to 10 days
should receive a call back from the
Department of Health and they should get
their result so we drive through
Tennessee they are they do you recommend
that they isolate that they say yes home
and when they guess we give them a
little information sheet about to stay
home until they get their results and
from the department house and that
they'll be notified with the results by
the department house oh thank you Twila
and thank you everyone the other thing I
wanted to say is that I agree with mayor
pro-tem
gandara and I think other counselors too
I think we all feel very strong
that there should be more information
that we as a city can provide perhaps a
mechanism I don't know whatever to to
use our Pio or public information office
to disseminate more of this information
and also it be great if maybe some of
the stations and El Paso could come out
here and and do something I know that
there's a couple here who do have
reporters and there are only news
outlets so we get we don't get the
coverage El Paso yeah
and and I think that we need that or
reviewers for people who don't have
cable and and hopefully do have a
television set and can then have access
to what's really going out you know
what's really going on in the world that
or in our community or with the co good
nineteen I hope that I hope that we're
able to to coordinate in that way and
again I can't thank you enough for
everything you do and for keeping our
people safe and please take care of
yourselves and questions thank you
so this is Karen Iverson I was going to
make a recommendation for anybody that
was around in 2009 when we had the
amount of flu that hit aspect then we
did in El Paso area of public service
announcements and they ran pretty much
all day long not only on TV but on the
radio for those individuals who don't
have a TV or something but at least it
was something out there constantly that
they could hear so that may be something
that the PIOs can work on through the
city as well that's great Karen and
would have to be bilingual especially
the radio stations every and they would
have to be and all that because I think
there are modifications more so in El
Paso than here the lime spanish-speaking
stations on
transom whatever right anyway um thank
you thank you very much d well thank you
okay I think councillor vastus and then
latest ubi Thank You mayor and thank you
again to the staff for taking the time
to speak with us today and for being on
the frontline of this national health
pandemic I do have just two questions
one is given the national trend
statewide trend but the national trend
of where where this virus is taking us
in terms of the infection rate but also
the mortality rate I know Don yamuna
county has perhaps not experienced the
jump in cases of infection that other
parts of New Mexico has that we've seen
in Bernalillo County Santa Fe County and
Taos County and so I don't want I want
to make sure that the public doesn't get
a false sense of security in terms of
this not you know this not being a big
big deal here in Las Cruces and so with
any degree of certainty that you have
based on experiences nationally and
statewide what how would you
characterize perhaps for we might be in
two weeks or we might be in a month
right because we don't want to give our
residents a false sense of security that
there's no problems here and so what is
what is the best-case scenario given the
information that you have today and what
is the worst-case scenario given the
information that you have today for a
couple of weeks out from now in Las
Cruces and Dona Ana County I'll add this
is Tyler Anderson this is a new virus
and so the behavior of this virus it's
something that will you know watching
very closely and how it really attacks
the population as a whole and as we test
more and understand what our prevalence
is in our state in our region and that
you know that what El Paso Texas and New
Mexico area I don't think any of us can
predict the best or worst scenario the
testing mole drives our data and
our data will be evaluated and you know
we're just taking this each day at a
time
and preparing for the worst and hoping
for the best that's what I can say yes
so this is Karen and actually one of
those things that we discussed this
morning was if we had to predict what
would what would it look like and so if
you follow the national trends and
follow the trends from overseas we
talked about anywhere from a two to
three weeks where we think we might
peaked enough that would be where we
start to see the most of our cases and
and then hopefully go on the downhill
side of it doesn't we were right it just
means that they've got the national
trend thank you I I appreciate your
honesty and and I know the uncertainty
and being able to predict it is is it's
probably unsettling especially for
medical professionals and science-based
professionals and so being able to be
prepared for either of those scenarios
is important and so I do have one
request for MMC staff that hopefully
serves a mutual goal for both the city
and for health care professionalism for
our health care systems here locally and
I think we touched on here a little bit
but if you have policy recommendations
that the city could be taking today that
could be taking this week in either best
or worst case scenario if you would be
willing to outline those in a memo to
the city of Los Cruces
I think that would be really helpful
especially for me as a member of this
body to make the adequate and
recommended take the adequate and
recommended actions to protect our
population coming from healthcare
professionals would give me a lot more
comfort than doing it based on you know
national media or state media but our
folks here on the ground and so I'm
happy to hear that our city counts of my
fellow colleagues on the council are are
willing to entertain this emergency
Proclamation to help stop those
gatherings of folks that potentially pop
pose the biggest concern to the spread
of this disease this this virus but if
there are other recommendations that you
have for a local government that we
could be taking an hour that the mayor
could take given his powers that that
are granted under an emergency
Proclamation would love to see that and
also I think that would give our our
community a lot of comfort in knowing
that the decisions being made by the
city are coming from the health care
workers here in our community so I'm not
sure if that's something you'd be
willing to or can't put together but
something that I would I would love to
see in terms of the decision-making that
we move making forward and coming from
the folks who who know this no aspires
the best yes this is Karen and yes we
will work with you on getting that done
and I can tell you our providers and
physicians in the community have been on
board and trying to help us do the right
things from day one so I'm sure they
have some recommendations as well thank
you so much thank you mayor that's all
for me right now thank you before I get
to a counselor basis to be if you don't
mind
counselor let : Holmes our om director
just jump in real quick cuz he's got
another meeting he has to go to : you
there yes sir can you hear me yes all
right mr. mayor : cones and merch
manager for Dona Ana County in the city
of Las Cruces
I think advice for the community and a
lot see there : okay okay can you hear
me still yes yeah okay great so here are
two questions about how to prepare for
the surge and advice for the community
I'd like to kind of interject on that as
well sir so everything that they have
said has been absolutely correct this is
a a response being led by health care
and we've been operating under the
auspices of the new mexico department of
health and following their direction and
supporting their operation we have I
guess the luxury of being co-located
with them for the Southwest Region out
of our office complex here with us being
with the New Mexico Department of Health
and we've been able to work with them on
their planning for their mass testing
and continue to support their operations
a lot of the information that was passed
out today I want to just
put out a couple websites first cpi-m
health
dot o-r-g all those recommendations that
were given by MMC staff there are on
that website also if for general
information about things going on within
the state and whatnot in the impacts
outside of just the preparedness efforts
you can go to new mexico gov for the for
any other information surrounding that
there's also two phone numbers that I
want to provide if you need advice on
symptoms and whether you should get
tested call one eight
six zero three four five three and then
general information can be found at one
eight three three five five one zero
five one eight that information is also
been provided to you del and his staff
they've been great to work with the
website that you guys have put up has
been really supportive of the joint
information center that we've
established where we're bringing all the
POS throughout the region together to
push out this information so a lot of
that information that was already
discussed is on the city's website under
the code mid-nineteen alert button so as
for what what do we do to prepare for
the surge I just I'm gonna restate it
again wash your hands and I know that
that sounds so simplistic but these
preparedness efforts are scientifically
proven to stop the spread of it 66 feet
seperation between person went out in
public is critical for understand are
for stopping also or helping stop the
spread of the COBIT gatherings in less
than five have been ordered by the
governor and if you were if you feel
sick stay home if you are a essential
personnel stay home if you feel sick and
again it's at 14 to 21 day quarantine
which is going to help stop the spread
so that's kind of like my start off or
what we could be doing to help prepare
for surge is following the current
advice that has already been provided to
us and that would be my advice to the
community uh the office of emergency
management has been in contact with the
state of New Mexico daily of the Stadio
see we are working through emergency
operation center activity and being able
to get updates we have we have been
provided deliveries from the strategic
national stockpile for PPE and as those
have been coming in to us we've been
providing them to our first responding
community the call that you mentioned
sir every once a week we're getting on
with all of our first response agencies
within our jurisdiction to get updates
from them from fire law enforcement and
EMS to see what their needs are and
where they're at we're there up with
their level of PPE personal protective
equipment and trying to work through the
different issues that are there and just
giving us a posture of readiness as much
as we can have with this so that's kind
of how I would answer those first two
questions that you posed to MNC but I
want to see if there's other specific
items that I that I can research or help
find for our counsel for yourself sir
thanks :
one of the things I think I mentioned to
you and if you want to give us an update
is if we needed to access the the armory
that we've had in the past that's still
available is that correct well so the
Corps of Engineers did a survey of it
last week or a expeditious Hospital they
could possibly be stood up and then also
I think we would have to engage with the
owner of Esser since at least Lisa's
past for standing up if the city wanted
to take any specific actions but that
was one of the areas also the state just
did a survey out for one of the I don't
want to use the word makeshift but
quickly established alternate care sites
okay if you would mind just to be on
standby just to get with the owner just
think that we eat it they're ready to
roll
I can't make contact with you today on
that okay great okay so liddy back to
councillor wait to Scooby Thank You a :
if there's nothing unless there's any
other questions from Council I know
you've got a meeting you gotta go to I
don't see any flow sorry mayor yeah
there comes have just about an extra
minute or two yeah
thank you and thank you so much for
being here um mm see they just talked
about criteria um that is needed to be
able to access attached and I was going
to talk to you a little bit about what
does occupy a package look like down
here how many do we currently have
available illustration command that is
being handled by the Department of
Health and I'm not trying to put off
your question but I would have to work
with them to find out their number of
tests that would be available so they
have that they have different
spreadsheets and by available
information and that we can get yeah I
believe that would be the case I can
contact them and I can tell you I mean
currently right before I came into this
meeting they are performing tests in
this area as they're doing their
surveillance to I think it'd be very
important for us to know how many um
residents have been tested how many test
kits that we do have available as well
and we're looking at that sort of thing
also since the governor has asked for
the pilot or PPE what our stock is in
Las Cruces for what those numbers look
like for here yes ma'am we have a
rolling stock that we're tracking and
working with all our agencies on that so
so your questions are test availability
of kits in the community here how many
have been performed and how many are
currently available in our city right
now and then how long is it taking the
a notification if you test negative it's
around they were saying about five to
seven days if someone tests positive how
fast are the hospital getting that
information so they know how to treat
appropriately the band that's getting
into HIPAA so I would defer that
question back to New Mexico Department
of also well okay and that's just our
the hospitals getting notified at an
appropriate time while it was on the
phone if she's still there she could
maybe speak to that a little bit more
but I know her and the epidemiologist
where the region are talking on a
frequent basis okay and so they're
getting that information as soon as
possible in order to be able to treat
their patients to the best possible
ability Twilight I feel like I would be
stepping outside of my realm and into
yours would you want to speak to that
ma'am oh sure this is Twilight Anderson
yes as soon as they have a positive
where the test originated from is
notified so that communication has
actually been going on
nearly around-the-clock so when we had
our drive up the positives that we had
we were communicated with immediately
okay so if we so this is Karen irises
if we send everything that's for the SEL
SLV which is a state lab we we get that
if they pick up by Thursday we get those
is about 72 hours if they don't then
there's between Thursday and Monday
morning there's no courier service that
takes the test back up to them so we
have been using labs or and lab for
actually takes longer than the SLG which
is about what someone did come in today
so we did we did talk to the state this
morning and asked if they could extend
their courier service somewhat to cover
the seven days instead of just four days
and we have we're waiting on that
response I'm just nervous but let me
just say this John Harris
to say though longer than it takes to
get the results of it tests the longer
we have to continue treating use is a
Copa documentation and the more PPE
personal protection equipment that we
have to use that as we all know is in
short supply and we haven't been a bit
of someone that just walked into the
room and that is dr. Dolores Gomez who's
our chief medical officer who can tell
you as a practicing clinician what this
means it's not good just to put it
bluntly I mean this is really hard and
if we're getting pushback and being able
to lose these patients to other
facilities and we're already starting to
hear they don't want those patients
until they have a positive or a negative
test result it's it's going to put a
burden and if we get a surge and we're
having patients sitting here waiting for
results that could be extremely
detrimental to patients coming in yep
thank you for answering it that's been a
concern of mine and I had mentioned it
when we first talked to do a check a few
weeks ago and how it would take us to
get results and you know for me you know
even 72 hours seems long and especially
if we get into the thick of things and
so I'm not sure what type of
conversation that is to have with the
doah but I think it's something that we
really need to look at and see how can
we get more expedited and accurate
results for you so that we can make sure
to keep that flow in that pattern moving
to get everybody where they need to be
to get that excellent health
this is John Hersey and I was going to
mention this earlier but my team is
around this table today will attest to
the fact that we have had really good
cooperation from the governor's office
from secretary counsel's office from
secretaries Grace's office they are
really doing everything they can to help
us out but this isn't this is a novel
situation this is
unprecedented and we are working through
the difficulties of you know we're
learning what we're you know where the
weaknesses are and the continuum of care
I mean you can only imagine today it was
announced that Abbott came out with the
test that dr. Gomez for example our
chief medical officer could see you in
her clinic and could diagnose and verify
code nineteen if you had it within five
minutes with the abbot death there is
another one that is out there that could
be done within 45 minutes is either of
those are far better in the context of
what we talked about than three or four
days some hospitals in the state of
suffering yet getting results for 12
days so only these things will be
approved when I talked to Karen and
talked to Twila and dr. Gomez they they
will say well it would be the fall
before we have the availability of the
Abbot test because the priorities New
York and other high prevalence areas as
twilit stated earlier one of the other
questions that I had a pinch our
criteria for testing still includes
travel that I a few means that we do not
have detection of community spread here
are not the Department of Health is
looking at that so far I haven't heard a
confirmation of community spread here in
Las Cruces at this time but they are
doing the case follow-up and so that may
be coming a little bit later to us
perhaps I and I don't know that's just
why I'm asking but you need you you can
if we have that as a criteria and you
don't touch somebody that we might be
missing community spread or do we think
we're still in a good place right now
this is trial again I think right now
we're in a good place our numbers seem
to be low but we need to continue with
all of those prevention strategies that
we've already talked about yeah this is
uh
Cullen Combs again man so all the
concerns that have been expressed about
people not following the precautions
outlined is how community spread will
happen that is why that is why this
includes Thomas oh my and it's crawling
at the walls right now but we're all
hunkered down I'm the only one who's
going outside the house to just help
with this right now
everyone else is trying to do their part
by staying home and and trying to stay
healthy so absolutely I think it'll be
important for our community to adhere to
those guidelines and I want to make sure
that we are not perhaps everybody has
that often that it looks fine outside we
don't have that day then but I want to
make sure that we're not missing it
because of the criteria yes ma'am but if
we have community spread that we're not
missing that although I would be very
happy if we could only get the cases
that we have now and my final question
and thank you so much for letting me
answer these but we talked really about
the cafeteria for MMP you have night
shift - is it available during the night
shift
or are there opportunities for
assistance for your night shift crew
perfect scissor I'm virgins and yes we
have two different times that they're
open one over the launch one over the
the evening period so that way they can
grab launch both times so yes we
absolutely do that
fantastic and thank you all I'm thinking
there before I get to there's a couple
more rounds of council members want to
ask you questions before you I know you
guys have to leave so let me just ask
you just a couple things real quick one
as far as did I hear you John or
somebody said you needed some drivers or
that was something there that you could
use some assistance to run the lab
results at the Albuquerque this is John
Harris and that was Karen that made that
remark so I'll let her comment on that
right so we reached out to dr. sands
oneth and at the department health and
our turkey and currently they have
career service from Monday through
Thursday and they did not have the
capability to do from Thursday afternoon
on until Monday morning again so I text
her this morning I have not heard back
from her yet
to see if we could extend that to seven
days a week well I just want you to know
that city Las Cruces is more than happy
to help pay for that and we can add
something there that I believe we could
probably handle covered so that's one
thing taken as far as blocks of rooms
would you still be neat would you need
those for
maybe isolation of patients possibly
and/or workers in case they might think
that they might feel comfortable going
there instead of going back home if they
need to just maybe they feel that they
may have been infected of some sort
might feel better doing that would you
we can also help with that as well I
believe
thank you so this is Karen and we've
actually had the retreat that's out
fully cross we truly cross the trager's
offered us there and face so far I have
not had any staff that has taken us up
on that offer we have put it out there
but if anything changes we will
definitely let you know okay and then
the last is you know I one of my
colleagues I can't remember which one
said something I think I know which one
she works quite a bit around the clock
she doesn't watch much TV but said
something about Paso stations or you
know stations
you know Paso don't cover las cruces as
well as they do in El Paso I just want
to just say KVI a TV channel 7 does a
fantastic job they have a dedicated
staff two members Kate Barry and Tom
Scott who who provide information
non-stop every day so I just wanted to
point that out so ok now getting back to
Mayor Pro Tem Don Dona then councillor
Vasquez and Al Sasori um hi mister thank
you so much for being here I'll try not
to take too much time I appreciate all
your efforts round the clock I know
that's what it's what it's taking right
to make sure that we're all safe I was
presented the PowerPoint presentation
that you had given I know you wanted to
give it to us but was unable to you
probably were doubled up with meetings
that Monday evening and I noticed that
for our EMF for our preparedness that
you're having these weekly meetings and
they're consisting mostly of
health personnel our PIOs our Department
of Health but I was interested in to see
if there was opportunities for our
nonprofits those that are helping with
her either our elderly or our children
and families own mental health if
there's opportunity that for them to
participate in these weekly meetings and
or a different type of meeting and to
include our faith-based organization
well and I will tell you from our
previous emergency last spring I've
developed a lot of relationship within
that realm I've been working with miss
Freda atoms on the faith-based
aspects that of just getting updates to
her she has a weekly actually now soon
meeting and so we're providing updates
them as well I know that another one of
our volunteers is a dedicated emergency
manager on this for a number of years
has been engaged on the homeless issue
and and also that kind of side of issues
as well if you have a suggestion I can
work through David my asked us to to set
up if there's a if there's a need for
information I've been talking with also
community of hope on trying to field
questions from them so we've been we've
had a polls on that but if you feel like
there's a more structured item on that
I'm more than willing to entertain it as
long as obviously you know we can put it
in the schedule so sure sure no I
understand that I know how busy yeah you
must be but I I don't want there to feel
like there's a gap there's more to that
particular cohort of folks for sure so I
will send offline on that information
names and contact information yes ma'am
we could possibly arrange something if
if they feel like after getting their
feedback if they if that would be
helpful to them I'd love to serve them
in that way thank you thank because I
will tell you to I mean public yes we're
the government we can do all these great
things but it's really the private
entities within our city that have
provide a lot of great services that we
don't even touch so absolutely correct
so thank you so much thank you mayor
pro-tem tell sir Vasquez Thank You mayor
um yes I understand mr. combs perhaps
has to go soon so I did want to ask him
a few questions
or maybe I'm a little bit unclear as far
as what the role is I I know I changes
from every emergency situation that that
we find ourselves in but you know in
terms of what the role of mr. combs is
in this particular situation and how he
can best help the city I would like to
know that because I know I got a lot of
information from mr. combs in his last
statement about what the state is doing
which is
the you know information that's being
put out by the Department of Health and
the governor but how can mr. combs how
can you help the city in particular to
actually localize a response to this
situation how can the City Council best
utilize you and your team at this point
so we can make the informed decisions we
need to protect our constituents sure so
first the constructed the planning for
for this type of event of the pandemic
is a state driven initiative if you will
so the New Mexico Department of Health
is designated as a lead agency for this
and we've been trying to find out what
their needs are to support them locally
so you know you saw the mass testing
that happened and what two weeks ago now
my team was involved in the planning and
helping execute that I mean we were out
there doing traffic direction and but
then also on the backside of it doing
the planning of whatnot um I've been
communicating on a frequent basis with
mr. my Estes your acting city manager
right now and and finding out what the
needs are and then also you Dell and his
team on the communication staff we've
been working through the joint
information center to provide
information and also to get feedback
from them as far as what the needs are
so those are the conduits that I've been
working with along with communicating
with chief Enriquez and chief Gallagher
on a pretty frequent basis as well to
find out what's going on the city and so
those are the lines of effort that we
have that supporting the local obviously
city of Las Cruces and then thinking
about our some of our smaller
communities to within a whole community
the concept of reaching out to them as
well I know that there's been some
informational videos being created also
by local leaders to again emphasize
those important safety measures that
need to be in place for people to do
that I really appreciate the mayor
stepping up and doing that all along
with mr. Macias at the county level and
we're getting some be LCC members and I
think I'm I don't know if the council
has been contacted about that but just
doing kind of like little PSAs
to again
just hammer home those very basic but
very extremely important safety measures
does that answer your question sir I
think to some degree yes and I'm
wondering if there's like a written
report that you put together
certainly I appreciate all your work but
I can say that it doesn't trickle down
to to me and so not understanding what
the role is especially as somebody who
is tasked with getting information out
to my constituents no not being able to
have that information is a little bit of
troubling for me and so I'm how do you
have a written report or some other way
I can get an idea of what grow doing
yeah our daily joint information center
call the notes should be going out to
all elected officials so you are you
receiving those or nope okay I'll follow
up with the chip director and see if she
can get those to the City Council
actually I'm sorry miss Maestas are you
on sir yes I am yeah if you could see
those yet from Kelly yes sir thank you
mr. Kay mr. mayor
councillor Vasquez at the last County
Commission meeting account kind of
commissioners asked calling the same
information they said can we see a copy
of the minutes are we allowed to be
involved through that method to see what
takes place in your joint information
center meetings and so we talked amongst
ourselves as part of the group for the
joint information center and we said yes
that would be viable I just received the
first group of minutes from Miss Jamison
this last week and I will be
disseminated disseminating that to
Council here within the next day or two
thank you
Thank You mr. Mathis and thank you mr.
comes out I appreciate that and the
reason I ask these questions is because
as policymakers but also as folks who
are stewards of the taxpayer coffers
when we are prepared to enact in a local
response to an emergency in our
community having the most information
possible to invest taxpayer dollars into
the into such an effort is really
important and so I know we all have
ideas of how we can respond in these
times but without having the information
perhaps from the state from your office
and another reason I asked
the folks are health care professionals
in our community to provide a memo you
know we're not I don't believe we're
adequately informed to be able to
respond to our community in the way that
we want to and we're talking about big
dollars we're talking about millions of
dollars potentially that we want flowing
back into the city of Las Cruces to help
those most impacted and so thank you
interim manager - Dustin thank you mr.
combs for understanding that that
information really in my opinion needs
to come down to the folks who are making
these decisions and so you know we
appreciate it to be getting those
reports moving forward and understanding
the situation as complex as it is so
that we can invest taxpayer dollars if
needed
appropriately inadequately so thank you
so much thank you ma'am
yeah and obviously - if you guys have
individual questions please shoot them
through mr. mohassess
because we talk on a frequent basis and
that way we can start to get that
information flowing faster to you so I
would appreciate that okay thank you
thank you counsel Raza thank you :
one last question I think was from Kelso
sword Hey
excuse me thank you mr. mayor and thank
you mr. combs for all that information
this question is for John in his medical
a memorial medical less staff I
understand that from what your were
saying today that we cannot read any of
the coronavirus tests here in Las Cruces
to determine their output right that's
correct that would help wouldn't that
could would you confirm the fact that
that really helped us understand and
help curb some of the spread of the
corner virus here
this John here is absolutely that's true
this faster that we can it when
necessary tests you based on your
symptoms and the sooner that we can get
the results of that test does many
positive things including what you just
stated councilman and that is reducing
the spread of his disease
treiber's okay thank you so much do we
have enough tests right now at the
moment we have enough always while the
answers are this is Twilight Anderson
currently for the demand of the amount
of people showing up for testing we do
have an adequate number of tests and the
state has been working really hard to
keep us with test kits and so I'm going
to tell you today we have enough test
kits for the individuals who showed up
for testing today tomorrow's a new day
okay okay I know it's dude we can't
predict the future very well here well
thank you all very much
I've got a lot of good information now
everybody was talking today or in
answering questions so carry on and I
wish you all the best
Thank You mayor okay well thank you
counselor and John and Karen Mary Ryan
Twila this has been phenomenal we
appreciate you and being able to share
your almost two hours with us a very
very important topic of course and so
thank you for please convey on behalf of
the City Council myself to all your
staff or the the true hard work that
they do the real heroes of our community
and we couldn't thank them enough
keeping everyone safe and healthy and
just you know just being real troopers I
mean I don't know what else to say just
thank you well yeah this is John nearest
I just want to say how much we
appreciate you and your leadership in
the City Council's leadership we
sincerely thank each of you for who you
are what you do your great partners does
and you really really appreciate you
thank you thanks thank you
oh you're welcome to sit in the rest of
the comments we're probably gonna go now
to Council but I know you guys have
other things you have to do and prepare
for attacking thank you both I know
Thank You Man thank you Sara thank you
very much sir Thank You polling yes
they're full
thank you yes sir all right so now we're
getting back to the ideas and the
council had presented so this looks like
that counselor sort you wanna
did you either forget to take your
little hand off or you have a question
hey yes I I forgot to put my hand down I
went automatically apparently not huh it
looks like counselor Boston
automatically I didn't even do that okay
all right then we'll go to council
Bastas and then toss the flooring Thank
You mayor thank you so I'm not sure
[Music]
mara I think we have Cornell so whatever
you want to start it's up to you
you can't you can't hear me okay so it's
3:45 p.m. now okay good
and we had a little technical
difficulties there so I'll turn it over
to plans for sword shelter sword is my
microphone working here you kiss okay um
no I don't need to be taken over I
proceed with a meeting yourself okay
let's see here who's next because I my
computer still off by fortunately I have
my iPad on a mayor I was I was gonna
propose a couple of different oh yeah
sure no problem and I can either wait
until councilor ganda and Flores get
here if that seems more appropriate to
make sure that they're fully informed of
what we're proposing sure okay
I'm happy to then just wait until till
they get here to get their thoughts on
we can go ahead and read until they get
there you can go ahead and just talk a
little bit about what it was
okay sure and I'm hoping that mr.
Maestas can send out the email that
includes the information that I'll be
talking about here which we would have
passed out if it was if we were there in
person and so we we did have some
thoughts
mayor following up on your proposal on
the best way that our community could
respond to the needs given this crisis
and so you know from my perspective I
think from councilor Bencomo debate thus
to v's perspective don't want to speak
for them but I know we talked about this
quite a bit is we want to maximize the
opportunity to help people in this
situation especially those who find
themselves in situations of hardship due
to loss of employment and will for
reduced income as a result as a result
of the the global the global health
crisis and how it's impacting us here
locally and so
we do know that the Community Foundation
of southern New Mexico has stepped up
again in a big way to create that
together Las Cruces fund which provides
my understanding is twice monthly cash
vouchers ranging from two hundred and
fifty to two hundred and fifty dollars
for the recently unemployed
self-employed and those who have
otherwise been financially impacted by
the crisis and so I did want to offer
the opportunity for the city to to to
provide funds to that particular program
hosted by the Community Foundation of
southern New Mexico had a cost of 1.5
million over the three months and so
that would be a monthly allocation of
five hundred thousand dollars
these funds are available to anybody in
the community who follows anybody in the
community who is eligible to receive
these funds and applies including
undocumented workers including workers
and mixed-status families and so
thinking that this probably should be
the city's biggest expenditure is
figuring out a way to help people first
and so that's part of our proposal and
that would be something similar to what
we did with the asylum seeker situation
when we had that in our community under
which the community of Foundation
Community Foundation of southern New
Mexico would administer this grant and
eligible folks might you know would
apply through the Community Foundation
of southern New Mexico and also would
hopefully alleviate an anti donation and
the state anti donation Clause issues
related to that in terms of how we were
able to help asylum seekers as well so
that's that's one of the ideas that we
proposed do have some some other
[Music]
proposals here but I do want to let
counselors of eight the souviens
counselors Bencomo also comments on
those so I will let them comment on the
other parts of this proposal the only
the only other thing I will add is the
utility assistance fund that we do have
with gasoline peregrinos
would also propose a $100,000 increase
into that fund our annual budget for
that fund is a hundred thousand and I
understand there's been obviously a
greater need for that in this particular
situation and so being able to double
that fund and this this time of need I
think is something that we want to put
forward and in the amount of $100,000
and so with that I will let counselors
Bencomo and I made us to be comment on
the local restaurant and some of our
business relief fund the rent and
mortgage relief fund and a social work
hunger and homeless relief funds if they
so if they would like otherwise I'm
happy to comment on those as well but
want to give the opportunity to them to
comment
okay thank you counselor it looks like
eight thus to be as a question but
before I get to her I'm gonna ask if
Jennifer she see attorney Vega Brown had
heard your proposal or your suggestion
let me just tell you I like it
I don't know if we can do directly to a
foundation because obviously there's
that anti donation comes into effect the
reason why I think we were able to do
with the asylum seekers is one of the
exceptions was in the Ghent or Sikh and
so you know we you know and these are
people who just hit the United States we
knew they were indigent and and to
qualify under that but I don't know I'm
gonna have to see if she can she can
jump on or we may have to just cuz I
don't see her as a participant but I I
texted her and I know she's there
Jennifer are you able to join the
meeting okay there you are okay um
Marion counsel me your ears
correct it's a different situation than
the asylum seekers it seems to be very
different because the asylum seekers
were arriving an indigent they did not
have any assets they didn't have any
belongings their health was in
danger and so because they were because
we were providing necessary items for
their health and well-being that
certainly does all outside of anti
donation the giving of money directly to
businesses is arguably would be a
problem with the anti donation in I'm
sorry it's turning brown I don't think
we're talking yet about the businesses
in fact our proposal doesn't have any
money going directly to businesses at
all I think we're discussing right now
the community foundation together Las
Cruces fund that disperses currently is
dispersing $250 to $500 to individuals
impacted economically by the situation
so either through loss of employment or
loss of income I think that's that's not
the first item from that that we
proposed development or Community
Development which has to do with some
small business John I'm sorry if I
misunderstood you but in addition to
that so indigent he has to be
established
we don't have currently an indigent fee
program that we would have to we would
have to make sure that that money is
going to indigent services directly we
can't we can't do what the state does
and they provide entitlement we don't
have that type of program we could
always create that type of program that
that's something it has to be very
carefully considered they only provide
direct services to so mr. Vega Brennan
thank you for that I appreciate that I
think in in the determination that the
Community Foundation of southern New
Mexico would make to make these funds
available to local individuals in our
community as well as families they ask a
series of ten questions that determines
that they
are in a financial hardship due to the
due to this particular situation and so
in the sense that these are our needy
families in the city who need immediate
assistance to pay rent to get groceries
to have formula for kids all those
things that many of us take for granted
but these families and individuals find
themselves in these situations without
financial support to get these things
are is that series of 10 questions at
the Community Foundation of southern New
Mexico makes eligible uses to make
people eligible is would that not be
considered serving an indigent
population through that particular form
and also part of the plan with this fund
is to be able to serve the undocumented
population in the city or those with
mixed-status families and their
households who currently don't qualify
for any of the federal financial
assistance under the latest legislation
passed who I would argue are also
indigent populations so legally with
with those folks through that
qualification process be eligible to
receive or be able to qualify as
indigent I don't know mayor and council
we would have to look there are several
definitions that are contained in New
Mexico state statutes that define
indigent II one of them is the Health
Care Act it defines what hospitals can
consider actually indigent individual
there are other statutes where indigent
P is defined and for example when you're
receiving public a public defender
assisting indigent Lea is defined it has
there's a formula and it has to do with
several things after income availability
of funds there's a there's an
application process those are two
examples that I could have we could look
further to see if it's further defined
those are the only places that I have
found recently that defined each
identity but it's it's not just hardship
it's an actual term of our
Thank You mr. Vega Bramwell I certainly
would like to explore the boundaries of
you know legality when it comes to this
particular situation because the way the
way I look at it is I think we have an
obligation to help those people who have
been displaced economically by this
situation if not us right I don't know
who else can provide those services
apart from private individuals and so
would want us to explore that option
fully I know Tara Van winter the
executive director at community
foundation of southern New Mexico would
be on standby be ready to answer any
questions including maybe even going
through a process that defines
individuals as indigent in order for
them to receive the financial assistance
that they need to be to be able to
provide the the necessities to feed that
their family to keep the lights on and
to be able to get it to a grocery store
right with gas money or transportation
needs and so I think that's really
really important for the city to step up
in that regard I won't comment much
further other than to say that the small
business and assistance plan that we did
want to put forwards also does not
involve giving money directly to any
particular business nor does it involve
putting out an RFP for services but
actually involves giving a series of
vouchers to community members and having
small businesses sign up for a small
business relief fund list that the city
can then have that would be
participating members things like you
know businesses just barber shops
certainly restaurants others who have
been forced to close down or offer
limited services would be eligible if
they signed up for the small for small
business city relief fund and then those
essential workers who are out there
still working today including healthcare
workers law enforcement and firefighters
grocery store clerks those folks would
all be able to spend an amount of money
at any of those qualifying businesses
and so that
would open it up potentially as more of
a free market opportunity where the
city's not choosing to contract with a
particular business for goods but rather
is giving individuals in our community a
free market opportunity to be able to
select what business they want to
patronize that has been affected by this
economic downturn
I will leave it at that before giving
and giving the microphone to one of my
colleagues but if mr. Mathis or miss
Vega Brown if we can send out that
document to the rest of the council that
would be great just so they have they
have that in front of them so thank you
thank you very much by me again
the anti donation clouds prohibit any
kind of private benefit so that would
certainly fall underneath that realm and
giving any private benefit in addition
to that I think we should be very
careful when you're talking about
providing any extra income to first
responders especially those that are
employed by this video watch Christmas
because now you've run into IRS problems
where it is a taxable benefit so we
should be very careful in weighing what
the advantage of that would be I have
talked to our Director of Finance and to
ask those questions and she did provide
some IRS information some of those
employees if they do receive a voucher
would have to claim it as thank you
those are great considerations I
appreciate you looking into that the
spirit I think of what we're trying to
do is is make sure that we can help
restart our local small business economy
or at least keep it afloat as much as
possible given the legalities that that
that we have to face and the you know
the tough task of keeping our city
running and keeping GRT coming into the
city during this time and so without
benefiting one particular or two
particular or even a dozen businesses
when there's so many others out there
that are facing very uncertain times and
and doing that in a fair way so thank
you miss Vega Brown I appreciate your
comments and that's it for me for right
now thank you man
Thank You councillor just a couple
things and I know we can't do this right
away but this is something
there that I've always thought that if
we could get the legislature to allow a
constitutional amendment be voted on
that when the governor declares declares
an emergency that the anti donation
Clause goes dormant to do these things
because it I'm running into the same
thing counselor but perhaps we might be
able to work with Casa de Tino's or a
community of hope they have a certain
clientele that I think can be identified
and if we were to probably work with
them we might be able to to be able to
accomplish many of the things you're
talking about
perhaps that might be an option so
roulette staff work on that thank you
Mary
now did councilor abate thus to be did
she did you want to talk to see you've
had your hand up and then I jumped in
and I'm just going to add another
section that we did have outlined and it
would have been for domestic violence
and child abuse relief fund
and we were thinking about about a two
hundred thousand dollars to nonprofits
that serve individuals and families
impacted by domestic violence and child
abuse items such as like Latasha and I
can't Canyon on are at capacity and
given the fact that now we have school
is out for an even longer time it is
special times for many families and
individuals and the air going to
probably continue to see that search so
it is definitely a health issue and in
my eyes too and make sure that we can
give resources to house and victims if
they're experiencing domestic violence
or trauma in the home and then this fund
hopefully it could help them provide
resources housing clothing toiletries
and other necessities given with the
anti donation issues attorney vague
around is there something that would
hopefully fall under
the health guidelines that for Telstra
fun is there a way to work with this
near that the first of all the the
resolution that you is currently in
place which is I think we have a
resolution in May for the cows are fine
but the original resolution which is
resolution 0 5-1 to H that would need to
be we need in order for you to begin
allocating money that is not for
healthcare currently that fund is
designated as for health care you can
change that but it needs to be done by
resolution
secondly the federal nonprofit agencies
that the city partners with and
interesting to mo use to provide funding
because they do provide service direct
services to the indigent and for
healthcare just remember it doesn't have
to be agenda and okay and learning
things that you just mentioned in is one
that we currently have an agreement with
they already provide those services so
it would be probably easier I have to
ever have to look at their current MOU I
know I find several we many every year
so to expand our current mo use or with
those agencies that are already
providing those types of services would
probably be a little bit easier than
creating something from scratch because
they're already providing the services
so I I've asked my think mr. Dogman is
already looking into you what agencies
we work with and we haven't actually
dilution does yet but that is something
that we yeah so we can actually give
monies to say like I said lock in yuan
and then they could go out and get
additional hotel rooms would that be
something that they get to Jennifer at
marriage and council yes as long as that
funding the
is providing a direct service yes we
cannot pay for their overhead or their
other expenses you can't pay for their
directors good great
anything else tell sir about the studio
and no but I believe perhaps counselor
Bencomo might be finishing them yes
she's been trying to get on and so I'm
going to go to her and then I'm going to
start down the list of the line so else
urban coma she's having difficulty thank
you so sorry can you hear me yeah hi
everyone sorry I'm a little frustrated
right now I've been off because of
technical difficulties this whole time
so I'd miss basically everything that
comes our bestest presented and what
attorney Vega Brown might have mentioned
but I think I just want to reiterate
that you know we just heard from medical
experts on the realities of this virus
and that social distancing is the best
prevention meaning that people need to
stay home meaning that businesses are
closed meaning that people have stopped
working in direct relation to the virus
so perhaps already vulnerable families
even more vulnerable people who were
right on that edge now are vulnerable
you know in the government the federal
government has said yes you will get a
one-time payment that may or may not
cover everybody's expenses right
families of three four or five kids
right a one-time maybe $1,200 check may
or may not cover their expenses for who
the heck knows how long at this point
one month two months three months and
frankly the federal government has
failed a lot of people in this moment of
need and how will we stand up for those
folks
how will we stand up with those families
I
I think I'm feeling really frustrated
that um that I keep hearing no we can't
do that I get that I'm new and I get
that I don't understand a lot of these
things yet but in a moment of crisis
what we're telling people to stay home
and keep hearing no we can't do that
that's really frustrating and so I want
I want us to be able to think creatively
obviously within the realms of Laguna
but we have to be able to support
families in this moment there was
families that were also got left out of
that federal relief package on
documented families people who are mixed
that is they got left out of that relief
package and right now people are if
they're not struggling right now they're
going to be very soon and that's going
to be the second outbreak if you will
first is a virus and then it's what that
virus is doing so I might not
necessarily have a question but I guess
um I journey vague around I don't know I
didn't hear your answer about who is
indigent and who isn't so I'm sorry if I
am asking question that had already been
asked but our people who have lost their
jobs and their incomes in direct
relation to this virus not indigent
mayor we know we're not just unique URL
can you get closer to the mic please
here can you hear me down yes okay what
I said before was that we need to look
at how our statute defined
indigence II and how we have previously
defined intogen C as an organization we
have to look at some of our previous
resolutions that might have that
definition in it but we have to be very
careful in how we define it because we
don't want to change or you can't change
history at this point and open it up in
the future so we have to be very clear
on what the definition is as I said
previously it's a term of art so we
to make sure that there's a legal
definition for it and we're not creating
something new okay um so it okay on that
note we have currently a utility
assistance fund right where we're either
gonna go Dino's partners with the city
to help support families in need of
paying their utility bill right I would
defer to the city manager on that I
believe we do Telstra Bencomo I think we
set aside a hundred thousand dollars for
for that I'm not a hundred percent
certain with the exact amount and I
think one of the comments that
councillor Vasquez I'm talking about is
perhaps adding more to that yes usually
in the past that has been exhausted
pretty pretty easily pre frequently were
you wanting to know if that's something
that we can do in two things yes add
more money into the fund since we know
that dr. Garcia even himself recommended
that if we were going to help the
Utilities Department at all it'd be
through this fund I said on the
utilities board and this the hundred
thousand dollars will be exhausted at
the rate that it's been going it will be
exhausted and I imagine that even more
so now so I think expanding it is
important but and you know turning big
around er said let's not create
something new and so if this fund is
already in place and we are able to
provide that support then how do we use
this a model to provide rental assistant
or assistance with mortgage and they see
councillor Marcus Rosco's shaking his
head I know if I'm repeating everything
you just said so I apologize but I want
to just make sure I get that out there
because I'm trying I myself as a new
counselor and trying to understand these
processes and since we have a utility
assistance fund why can we not have a
fund for rent relief or mortgage relief
during a period of crisis there the
question I don't know if it if it has
anything to do the fact that it's our
own utility but all that I don't know if
dr. C is on on the meeting
but if not I don't know if anyone else
can answer but we definitely can find
out an answer to that mayor if I could
calm Oh David masters here in our city
manager I think earlier I heard miss
Vega Brown mentioned that we do have to
look at specifics with with respect to
the wording and then you also mentioned
contraband calm yourself about thinking
differently coming up with options
outside of that and this definitely is
one area where yes we can look at how
are we able to put this in place was it
because it is a rate based service and
if that's the case well then that might
be a little different but ultimately
bottom line is yes we can look into how
is this put in place and if it was how
can we model something that keeps us
within our legal realms of not violating
an information but coming up with a
creative way of assisting thank you
thanks Dave what's important
yeah I know that's that's all right now
thank you so after counsel for this
Joseph Florida's no no no no I don't
have any agenda Thank You mayor as I
said on Friday I've done a lot of
research spoken to a lot of people in
the nonprofit world dusty conclude cYFD
protective services so I think the three
counselors test suebian contraband coma
and counselors Vasquez for mentioning
the social services and I think that's
really important and so currently like I
say is that capacity there's at least 36
women and children in local hotels and
so I would like to suggest that we give
$15,000 to pay for the rental of Hotel
food prep and delivery I also thought
that maybe
our County Commission can offset some of
that cost at 50% I'm not sure mayor if
you've had communications with the
County Commission or some manager Macias
as it relates to that I also spoke to
the regional manager for the southwest
quadrant of the state for children youth
and families Department Cecilia Rosales
they're really in desperate need
especially as I mentioned on Friday
Community Action Agency all the families
and children that are in need of diapers
formula wipes antibacterial wipes those
kinds of things that every large
organization is having major problems
retrieving or buying because of the
limits and because of the hoarding that
has has really taken place I think
people are going back and forth to the
to the grocery stores and collecting or
buying these items which is making it
extremely difficult for our
organizations who are servicing our
indigent population
I'm just the it for their ability to
provide those kinds of products to their
clientele they're having great
difficulty doing that as far as now that
the school is going to be doing distant
learning I notice it was very concerned
mr. Salas was very concerned about the
youth
needing iPads and the ability for each
of them to do work remotely be it at
their home or there is actually several
youth that are having to go to the
office because their foster parents are
an essential worker and so I like for us
to really consider and I know that
through Natalie green miss greens
research she did with the current
the current service array that we
provide that families and youth
incorporator asking for those kinds of
things like computers and our iPads to
assist the kids that are in the local
shelter as well it - so I've worked many
a case management positions that
establish indigent funds under indigent
and we usually worked at 185 to 200% of
poverty I don't know if in the
conversations that we have been having
as it relates to Tara winners and the
established fun if we along with that
abetted you know I'm assuming that
income based and the people need to
allowed a mini application and so
looking at that and really providing the
funding necessary to help with that
particular fund through the Community
Foundation would be something i think
that i think that we can explore i've
also would really like to see at least
250,000 dollars more into the utility
fund I am sorry that dr. Garcia is and
president to be able to tell us how
quickly that fun goes and honestly we
don't I don't have a sense in the four
years they've the that particular office
utility says don't ever come and ask for
additional funding because they have
found that additional folks are in need
of it so I'm not sure what that process
is that has been in place I think for a
considerable amount of several years I
don't think the hundred thousand has
ever changed um in terms of the amount
that we provide in the budget
I had also I heard from loaves & Fishes
that provide elderly food distributions
in the tune of $3,000 for boxes that
they're in need of and
I had also mentioned one of the things
that I'm concerned about is we're going
to have to look at this mirror is I'm so
grateful to senior services and to Parks
and Rec that is assisting on that
curbside and congregate meals but I
think it only happens Monday through
Friday there is not a lull for the
weekend and I think we need to really
consider a weekend distribution I've
heard of several instances at some of
our local grocers where people are in
the parking lot sort of asking for is
just um not only does it break my heart
but it's something that I think we
really need to move into in terms of
providing weekend distribution I think
the other thing is that in talking with
the schools excuse me counselor Tim can
it looks like David wants to jump in is
this guy like him yes once address
something see you David yes thank you
mayor appreciate that just to answer
questions about the utility assistance
fund that has been brought up last
fiscal year it was at $75,000 it has
been bumped up to a hundred thousand for
this year because it it does get
expended in fact we're pretty close to
being out of that money right now so we
definitely if if there is a council as
wishes to see additional funding there
well that that definitely falls in line
with what we're seeing with the trend
but I did want to update mayor mayor
program and also councilor Bencomo based
on the question that were brought up
about that thank you
think you did I'm sorry miracle Tim go
ahead sure
thank you David I appreciate that the
other thing is mayor we have talked
about this the schools are finding it
difficult as as to deliver at least to a
little over a hundred and twenty people
that 76 Mills during the week to
hard-to-reach families and so they've
reached out to me specifically to see if
we can help distribute Mills and I'm
wondering if that might mean Parks and
Rec people or somebody at that nature
that could help the schools in
distributing the mills that they're
having difficulty at their site and this
is because social workers and counselors
are reaching out to families that they
haven't heard from and the families are
saying we're having difficulty sort of
getting to your site
it's a busy street you know like the
example that was given to me is going to
MacArthur and living on the other side
of motel Boulevard
how busy that Street is I don't know how
busy it is or isn't at this point in
time but um I I also made mention of the
$15,000 a lot into Chris's creatives
they have done quite a bit to research
and buying fabric most 3d printed
plastic face mask with cartridge filters
and and I you know I was hoping that
we'd get a little more definite
information from the hospitals in terms
of it sounds like they have enough but
tomorrow that might not be the case I
just saw an email that we got some
confirmed cases and so I I just want to
put a pitch into
[Music]
to being able to be prepared
I too am concerned about I feel really
strongly that we need to do what we can
to to address our most vulnerable
population and I continue to be deeply
concerned about our elderly our disabled
those that are that have mental illness
that are having great difficulty because
much of our of the system or those
services has now gone to telehealth and
so I am reading articles and hearing
from folks that that's really very
difficult for someone who can't afford 2
to 4 internet and so some of the things
that I'd like to encourage our
communications department is to put
information about the suicide hotline
and mental health sort of a public
safety announcements our service
announcement around mental health and
I'm happy to there's some very reputable
sites that that we can take information
and be able to post on our little let's
go have any connection messaging system
now from a touch-tone telephone you may
dial an extension at any end of your ID
followed by pound sorry America I think
somebody has gotten disconnected and
trying to get back on that was David
dollar ham so um I I think that whatever
we do we need to stimulate the economy
and I know this is really difficult we
have some immediate needs in our
community but I also feel like if we
don't do something that stimulate our
economy around I'm ensuring that we're
getting GRT and you know those kinds of
things for example like a building of
tiny homes I had some conversations with
families
operated and maybe some time and with
Nicole Martinez a community of oh maybe
that's a way to keep us afloat as we are
during these challenging times as is
thinking about what our immediate what
our mid crises types I don't know that
we're out of the woods at this point I
think we we need to have you know
continue to have conversations about how
we help our most vulnerable so thank you
Mary that's all for now take a counselor
sword fell short yes yes I was actually
at the same time looking at the
information we've gotten on the air act
and and other things yes we have one
more case here in Dona Ana County County
now it's very good discussion there's a
lot of things that we need in this city
this is no doubt the most amazing crisis
that we may ever lived through
as I hear everything I hear the things
that we need to do and so forth here's
what I'd like to have staff - I'd like
to have staff go through what the state
and the feds are doing federal
government are doing in every one of
these things that the counselors have
brought up so far uh get an idea of what
the feds and the states are gonna are
doing for that and then fill in the gaps
if there is a shortage someplace yeah
fill in the gaps with whatever we can do
i I think that would be the best way to
go and then for certain things establish
a threshold that you're not gonna spend
this money tomorrow because it isn't
needed but there's gonna be a point in
time where it may be needed establish
that threshold where it's going where we
automatically go ahead and
put the money out to do this um
occasion point would be the mask as as
we heard today um so yeah there was
something else here what I've got here
oh one oh yes but we still have to
understand what this whole grown-up
virus the whole coded 19 is doing to the
city government - we have to keep that
in mind at the same time so we have the
big picture what is this whole virus
thing going to do the city government
and so forth and that way we can make
the best educated informed decisions on
where to go to go forward again I like
all of the proposals that councillors
have presented so far they're all good
things we need to do the utility
assistance was well described by David
as in my ten years of being honest on
the Utilities Commission yes we've had
75,000 in that fund and gradually over
the years we've got closer and closer to
that seventy five thousand two and then
finally we hit it last year and so
reason why we bumped it up to a hundred
thousand so adding another hundred
thousand to that would be a smart thing
to do and so on and then like I said the
far is the rather the other ideas that
we have our staff go through and see
what the federal government is doing
what the state governments doing to help
all these different people's businesses
etc etc and then make decisions after
that thank you
Thank You council a dose of Ausmus Oh
jump in there uh yes sir I was just
going to comment on the the council's
observations and proposals and my
accounts were sorta just mentioned the
Community Improvement Program with the
Community Development has
items that will Baddeley green will be
presented here in a few moments after
Council has their items brought forward
I think it would be very helpful to to
hear about those particularly because
they're vetted from the federal
government as well as state thanks Larry
so it looks like we'll go back to
councilor Bastas Thank You mayor thank
you so much and thank you to my
colleagues on the council as well for
for understanding the need in this
moment right I think I looked at the
calendar today knowing that when I had a
I was I was blessed to have them blessed
to have a job but I can pay my rent with
don't know if somebody needs to go on me
thank you it you know and knowing that
there's other families in the city that
don't have that same luxury right that
aren't able to weather the storm they're
probably at this very moment sending
emails or text messages or calling their
landlords to explain to them why they
can't meet their financial obligations
because they've been laid off due to no
no part of their own and so I really
think that we need to act quickly to
help those people yes will some of them
be getting financial help from the
federal government absolutely will some
of them be getting unemployment benefits
from the state of New Mexico probably
but there's a lot of people who will
fall in a hoof on the cracks including
undocumented workers right who us on an
everyday you know non crisis situation
benefit from their labor benefit from
their presence in our community whether
they're working in the back of
restaurants or whether they're working
instruction or hotels you know we we all
seemingly don't mind them being
invisible until until a crisis like this
happens and then we have to think about
who it is that powers our economy and so
I just want to make sure that us is a
city that we are doing the most that we
can to help our people and not
abdicating
our responsibilities to others the state
or the federal government
that's one of the reasons I I'm in this
position right because the people of my
district are looking for leadership from
our local leaders and so I will just go
quickly through some of the rest of our
proposal which you all not have in your
inbox I just checked my city email and I
think you all should have the PDF there
of what we're proposing so I do want to
reiterate the workers relief fund that's
the first thing I mentioned today which
would be an allocation as councilor sort
mentioned on an as-needed basis if it's
exhausted of 1.5 million dollars with a
monthly cost of $500,000 per month that
would actually be be able to be absorbed
by the Community Foundation of southern
New Mexico's together Las Cruces fund
which is currently distributing taking
applications to distribute 250 to 500
dollar checks for the recently
unemployed or self-employed who have
lost business including to also include
undocumented workers and make status
households who will not be receiving
federal financial relief the idea that
we had for the local restaurant and
small business relief fund was that we
could have eligible small businesses
sign up to participate in some type of
city Relief Program and then essential
employees who are all having to work
today would get nachos that they could
spend at local participating small
businesses over a three month period and
our proposal for that expenditure would
be 1 million dollars over the course of
3 months we also have a rent and
mortgage relief fund which would be a
one-time expenditure to help local
residents who have lost their jobs or
whose income has been impacted
significantly as a result of Copan 19
pay up to 50 percent of their monthly
rent or mortgage and we think that this
would be in a program that could be
administered by the Community Foundation
of southern New Mexico
assuming that we would put a hundred and
seventy five thousand dollars in on a
monthly basis we could this would be a
three-month cost of five hundred and
twenty five thousand dollars the program
that counselor made us to be mentioned
earlier to help victims of both domestic
violence but also
any type of nonprofit organization that
assists with Social Work with hunger and
and also to those who deal with our
homeless population that nonprofit
organizations in our community on a
case-by-case evaluation would be
eligible for a $50,000 grant to help
provide the services related to domestic
violence emergency food services family
counseling child welfare and temporary
housing to both expand their capacity to
provide services to individuals and
families that are impacted today most of
which from I'm assuming probably have
existing relationships with the city and
hopefully councilor gondola that would
cover some of the nonprofit's that you
have in mind in terms of being able to
provide those services that that are
being needed in our community today the
one-time expenditure on that that we'd
like to see is four hundred thousand
dollars and so that's potentially eight
grants 850 thousand dollar grants to
eight local nonprofits the deal with
with that population increasing the
utility Assistance Fund as appropriate
we would also love to see and then mayor
to your previous proposal of delivery
services and Quarantine lodging I
absolutely would like to see that if
there is a need in our community for
that is you know obviously for us to be
able to provide those services and I
know the the state of New Mexico right
now is considering an emergency
legislative session to deal with this
particular situation mayor you mentioned
the anti donation clause and the need to
especially in an emergency situation be
able to make decisions quickly and
effectively that benefit our community
that help our people and so I think we
need to go to the governor and say hey
in this next upcoming emergency
legislative session local governments
need to do need to have the authority to
do what they need to do to a keep their
economy afloat in a situation like this
help the people that that need it the
most right we're not trying to play
favorites we're not trying to corruptly
give money to small businesses or
private entities I think that much is
clear
and so asking the governor and asking
our state legislators in Las Cruces for
something that's actually feasible in
this upcoming legislative session that
would allow us to do this if it's not
currently legally a viable option for
the direction of our city attorney is
that we have to find a solution for it
and we have to fight for it because many
of you have mentioned today we've never
seen anything like this
local governments aren't set up to deal
with situations like this and so either
we say well too bad legally we can't do
it or we do everything we can to help
our constituents right and that involves
talking to our legislature that involves
perhaps treading on those little lines
of what we can and can't do and ask for
forgiveness later because there won't be
another situation like this and I can't
think of any better reason than to use
our toast or fund monies then then for
the health of our community this is
literally the health of our people the
health of our small business economy
right what generates taxpayer dollars
with our GRT but also will protect our
elders our elderly our workforce and so
you sense a little frustration in my
voice it's because we're not adequately
prepared for this and what I want to
hear is more potential solutions rather
than then than saying no we can't do
that because I don't think we're ever
going to be in a situation like this
again and so we have to get it right we
have to do what we can to fix this
situation at the state level at the
local level and anyhow that's that's our
proposal that we have certainly it's
fluid it will change with whatever
responses our community actually needs
with whatever we can legally do and and
also with what our state legislature and
our governor is willing to work with us
on because we do have excess funds we
can use them we should use them this is
the rainy day I mean you say we have
rainy day funds it's raining it's it's
hailing and it's like we need to be able
to use this money now or else what the
heck do we have this money for so that
those are the ends of my comments Thank
You mayor and thank you to Council as
well Thank You councillor I think now
the green wanted to so she had her hand
up I know she still wants to jump
loudly did you have something you'd like
to say oh good afternoon mr. mayor count
members of council I was just gonna give
you an update on our federal funding I
know most of you saw it through the
email but we do anticipate getting on
CDBG funds the federal government has
increased the CDBG entitlement fund by
five billion dollars so that will be a
formula distribution and we should get
word within the next no later than 30
days we anticipate it much sooner on how
much additional federal funding we will
be getting and staff will be working to
bring those with substantial amendments
to our action plan forward and an
allocation plan forward for those
fundings
most likely what will happen is that we
will build upon our existing
relationships with our nonprofit
partners that the community hope
everybody knows something they lose
Nino's lacasa and SIA Valley Casa for
our CDBG funds thanks Nellie can you I
don't know if you've been listening for
the entire meeting some of the proposals
do you is there something you can pick
out of the CDBG that you think and
closely meet some of the concerns that
have been brought up look I pulled up
the possible things that we could do a
lot of that would be it's probably gonna
be agencies that we're currently funding
so additional shooters let me ask you
this so let's say we have some residents
who live in that are public housing the
C Valley public housing authority can
that be treated a little bit different
since there we know that they are a
certain income level those that we see a
good portion how does that work is the
Housing Authority I know they have the
affliction powers I know they can't do
that right now but I mean how does that
work is that something there that we
could give to the Housing Authority to
help offset though that that's kind of
my rent relief
I haven't reached out to the housing
authority they do income qualify all
their clients so we could look at those
policies and see what we could model
Amir if we were going to do something
similar as far as I know based on the
information we're getting from the
federal government the public housing is
getting additional funding so they are
going to have their own funding source
to prevent on any evictions or any
interruption of housing vouchers so
those people will continue to be housed
and and aren't going to have any issues
and they won't be getting evicted if
they can't make their portion of their
payment all right thank you before I get
the Telstra back home I got a quick
question to ask our city attorney
Jennifer they do brown Jennifer yes yes
so Jennifer um and I'm sure so oh the
does the anti donation Clause also apply
to state government and if so does it
like for example the unemployment money
that they're giving out is that I know
that's paid a lot by the employers they
pay a certain percent but does that
match by the state at all mayor and
council I'm not sure about the
unemployment funding it is matched by
the employer and the employee also pays
into unemployment however I'm not really
sure how the funding formula works for
that the anti donation Clause does apply
to state government there are some
specific exceptions one of them is Lita
that's an exception because with
economic development but that's a
specific a specific statutory exception
there are other exceptions for
I believe scholarship aid to veterans
student loans those are areas and and I
have to say that there have been there
are a lot of you if you just look online
about anti donation you'll see some
legals scholarly articles about the need
to reform that provision there's a lot
of gray area and there's not a whole lot
of case law that really defines what it
is and what we can do it is a
constitutional provision so that kind of
takes it into a different realm so it
makes it a little bit different but yes
it does apply to the state and there are
a lot of limitations the reason I was
asking this I wondered if we could give
money to the state then allow them them
to then trickle it down to those
attorney but Mayor and the anti donation
does not apply from government to
government agencies so for example we
could assist Las Cruces public schools
and anti donation is not affected at the
government-to-government we can any
state agency right but but for the sole
purpose of them having this money then
to distribute either to others in the
forms of unemployment even though they
may not have been employed you know some
of the things that or they were employed
but may not be so some of the concerns
that the counselors baskets and como
students to be brought up I'll talk with
you about that I was just thinking you
know I'm just thinking different up you
know in different ideas okay so with
that counsel Ben : looks like Thank You
mr. mayor um and thank you Miss green
for all that information and for the
email you sent out earlier um I'm
curious about the wireless that we
provide downtown the free wireless eye
so now that now that
um schools are all are canceled until
not canceled but they're all home till
the end of the school year I know that I
think the census for Las Cruces says
that oh my gosh I think it's like it
says that twenty three point nine
percent of households in the city of Las
Cruces don't have access to broadband so
I can't even imagine what some of those
kids and some those parents are going to
have to go through in terms of trying to
figure out how they're going to be
schooling their kids now without access
to Internet I'm curious about how we are
able to provide free internet in public
spaces downtown the cost of that and
potentially expanding free internet
access to low-income families in the
city any can any staff answer that you
know what counselor if I could take a
stab at this I think that's a really
good point I think in let me pose this
question to our Jennifer if I recall
Comcast or Xfinity has program if the
children me they're like reduced lunch
or free lunch they get high-speed
internet for $9.99 I don't see why we
can't as a city purchase internet for
those children that qualify even if it's
for 3-4 months or whatever or maybe
definitely I don't know is that
something you think we might be able to
do Jennifer
Marian well uh actually I knew that that
was addressed in our franchise agreement
or I don't I'll have to look at our
franchise agreement I knew it's so out
of date right now but I'm not really
sure if that's addressed or if we
anticipate addressing that in our next
franchise agreement but I'll
double-check that so but if let's just
say it was let's say it's available
because I know it's available now that
they can get it for $9.99 a month and
and it's only for those children that
qualify for free or reduced lunch which
obviously that's a based on income if if
if their income level of the children
meet
out of the definition of indigent for us
could we not provide internet for them I
will look at that problematic but one of
the things that you can do is partner
with the school to identify oh yeah
right right exactly give to the school
I'm sorry we were paid directly to go to
the schools and then they would in turn
be able to okay can we look at that also
I have a list here but I'm just writing
it down but okay I just when I also
Bencomo brought that up I thought of
that so Thank You counsel and then since
more on that I I would love to also
check can we support them in purchasing
computers surfaces laptops for the kids
that currently don't have any as well um
and so maybe that's a question we can
also ask the schools if they need
support with that and then my last
question is our our nonprofits currently
able to to apply to request one from
Tosh or fund or no it's or that's not
how that works they could they can
counselor like for example or we can you
know like for example I think a mayor
pro-tem done that and even yourself I
think brought la casa la pinyon for
additional I think counselor Mayor Pro
Tem I've done that I said like 15,000 I
think a hundred thousand you know to be
able to take blocks of rooms and and
have them available so that they when
they need them I don't see why we can't
do that
and then on Community Action Agency I
think while we're at it they take a look
and see if they have a certain clientele
that can be identified as that meets our
indigent threshold I don't see why we
can't give money to them as well well
that's my opinion but I'll get you the
mayor if I can interject Marin do they
they have a couple of thriving families
program and a Mills program that they're
providing
you know hundreds of thousands of
services to hundreds of thousands of
families so I at least I think in the
tune of 450 and then they have their
mail program that they provide people
that are providing childcare so they
they have their own funding them income
guidelines is my understanding or the
programming that they that they I just
want to make sure that our we're talking
about a lot of folks that are vulnerable
that have children and families but not
to me not to forget our elderly I think
there's still a big piece of of our
elderly population that that is not
aware of the service to senior services
that we provide and and are getting are
getting caught up in in this as well
especially our grandparents raising
grandchildren thanks mayor pretend I
yeah I mean I think this is a big piece
of it right and I think fYI families and
youth incorporated also provide services
to more than likely indigent can well is
identified as an indigent community
population so I think if this is the way
that we can support a community through
the partnerships like my screen said
that we already have I really think we
need to look look more strongly and how
we can do that and you know part of the
proposal that councilor abate that's to
be and councilor abacus and I drafted
was to look at the the drivers for the
those delivery services that could
potentially deliver groceries and other
types of I mean just last week I had a
constituent of mine who's a know the
elderly woman who said I can't find
toilet paper anywhere and they don't
want to go to the store can you help me
and so if we can you know directly is
just some of those folks in in some of
these very creative ways I think the
delivery service is a great idea another
thought I had potentially for that is
door-to-door testing right as long as
people have
those drivers have PPEs and able to
protect themselves but that could also
provide testing door to door for people
who can't leave their homes people who
can't drive
what are for the whatever the reason may
be and that's it that's all my questions
thank you and councillor Macomb whoa
don't let me forget to bring up that the
city my understanding has some drivers
already on our on our list that and then
if we if we need to use them to either
take those kits to Albuquerque as with
us on a previous segment and or helping
the elderly deliver groceries and such I
think those who because if they are on
meals on wheels I wonder if we can
someone brought up about something on
the weekend for meals I wonder if we can
work with again that's been nonprofits
to to go out and purchase meals from
various restaurants and then use some of
those drivers to deliver to the other so
we're this is good what we're going over
right now because you know we're putting
together a lot of different ideas and
different ways to believe me I'm doing
my best to try to figure out how we can
get this thing to work so that you know
we help out with the restaurants the
elderly the everybody that you discuss
good things that were discussing
let's see here survey does Stevie looks
like I have Thank You mayor and
following along with kind of questions
about our senior programs this is for
city manager in my effort I know I asked
earlier last week about how many teen
your meals are reserving out for a day
and then a week with our our program
councilor stupid this is lady Gallagher
at the director for quality of life if I
may thank you question so the we are
currently let me see if I can do this
right so we are currently providing
anywhere from fourteen to sixteen
hundred meals a day and we provide those
through two mechanisms we are providing
meals through the drive-thru at each of
the five senior centers and we are also
providing home delivered meals which we
are providing the assessments now by
phone we are getting a lot more
assessments to do the home delivered
meals then we also work with Casa de
peregrinos to do the food distribution
at each of the Senior Center sites thank
you thank you for those numbers and
Patrick because on capacity what do you
think you know if you aren't seeing the
warrant cases come in and I expect that
will only get bigger as time goes on
here what is your capacity right now and
how can we help to make sure that all
those seniors are able to get those
services so we have a little bit more
capacity at Munson Center site for
cooking a few more meals
I believe the numbers that I received as
of last week was approximately a hundred
more meals we have capacity our staffing
is limited and some of our staffing are
either in quarantine leave or have young
children and are on extraordinary leap
themselves so and then at Eastside we
have a little bit of flexibility provide
some additional meals also sage and Ben
abhi there's as well Frank O'Brien as
you know is one of the sites that we are
not only providing meals for seniors but
Los Cruces public schools is utilizing
that space to provide meals for the
students as well and I think as we move
on if you have any numbers of what you
would need I think that's something that
each time one of the things that I would
if we're making pitches here I would
like to first acknowledge beasts
themselves the transit drivers and the
senior program staff who have been
diligently providing services to our
local community sometimes they get
forgotten right our senior our own city
staff sometimes we we are on the front
line and we just do what we do because
we're good at it but they've been doing
an amazing job one of the issues is they
too need ppes so they don't have masks
they don't have gloves we're getting
gloves I actually have made I've made
several trips with the bus drivers to
help them identify and acknowledge the
fact that social distancing is important
and we want fewer and fewer people to
ride the bus we also want people to
access the food but they still want to
go for the social connection so it's
really making that that key for them
that they should come in and we want
them to go home my term every day is
stay healthy and stay home I'm gonna get
your meals but we don't have adequate
gloves so in in your districts talking
to people giving out that information to
your local districts to say this is
where the local food just um food sites
and your center site is giving out meals
from 11:30 to 12:30 in your district
that's important if they have those
cloth masks I consider these frontline
workers as well and so they would be
very appreciative to hear from their
counselors to say good job and and we
support the work that they're doing as
well so thank you they're really
introduced and this is where we can come
in if we have a place like mayor pro-tem
under everything cruces creatives that
could produce something if it's under
our availability to be able to pay for
that respect so at least we can you know
pay for our own back to be able to have
this type of equipment well might be
different we're probably gonna have to
find those somewhere else but for the
match and everything is it possible for
us to be able to do Nora I think any
kind of mask would be appropriate again
the food service workers don't need the
n95 gloves we've been pretty successful
I will give an acknowledgement to
utilities they have identified some
gloves for us to give out and distribute
so I will be picking those up tomorrow
morning and I'll personally take them
I've been spending time at each of the
Senior Center sites just trying to show
our staff that we we are there for them
and they're not the only one showing up
to do this work thank you so much Lynn I
really appreciate it and it kind of goes
well with my next Segway was it's not a
financial request but we really need to
have the concrete numbers in our city on
what our resources are we need to know
the numbers of what types of PPE we have
available in the city so that we can
anticipate if we have a surge what type
of items that we would need I would
expect that the ome has done simulations
on what those types of numbers look like
and what our resources that we need are
here and we need to know how close are
we to being able to accommodate
everything and I really think it's
something that we need to have those
concrete numbers and it goes to
everything from how many test kits do we
have in our city at this very moment how
many have been tested and what does that
future look like and how are we doing in
comparison with other places in our
state we know that should there be
outbreaks and other communities down top
that we will see of their population in
our own hospitals because we have the
facilities that are able to handle those
high acuity cases and so even if we have
I would say containment in our own
community we are still going to see
other other patients from different
areas and so I think we really need to
be able to
be proactive on any type of planning and
just knowing those resources so I hope
that's something that we can do very
soon um very soon so thank you Joseph
Lotus Thank You mr. mayor so I just
wanted to address the anti Tony Clause
yes abuse countries also require an
amendment and I have spoken with several
legislators about that raid lad I will
eat Madrid and in communication or
sentence concern to Joanne Ferrari Nico
small Jeff Stein born ill souls and
unhealthy got Rubio the other thing I so
that is something that really has to be
addressing it it's something that I know
I've been pursuing but that anyway the
when I spoke with Joanne Ferrari she
said that the legislature was looking at
mortgage relief because we were I was we
were talking about rent control and
according to our city attorney I
misinterpreted the statute that does
have an exception and so you know I so
of course I trust her her decision on
that that being said I've contacted
several people again a lot of
legislators about rent control and now
that statute has to be changed the
ordinance existing the statute has to be
changed to allow for for certain
circumstances that would allow need rent
control as we do now and so the and the
other is the fiction the evictions will
require people to go to court it's not
you know an automatic Oh nobody's going
to be evicted landlords can still if
that big big people and they would have
to go
to court the by the state Supreme Court
was to set aside the existed execution
of an order of addiction that would
require that would require legal aid to
me that would require that would require
someone to have an attorney to get
counsel to the fifty and on Haley got
Rubio I said that she was reaching up to
legal aid for their assistance because
at first we were very happy to see that
the addictions you know that there was a
stay on addictions but it's not that
simple and so and it would require
people going to court and then I believe
it was Nakamura said then Chief Justice
that people would be provided and they
would be able to do something like what
we're doing but not everybody has that
that facility yeah laptops and know how
to use doing and all that sort of stuff
so those are the those are the concerns
that I've had in all of this and we
definitely have to do something about
changing the anti donation clause to
make it make it expand it because the
exactly the only exception doesn't apply
and the exception to and then the other
statute that as well that's a
constitutional issue but the statute
that would have to change definitely
have to be the rent control where there
is no rent control in California in New
Mexico but you there is an exemption but
apparently the city of Las Cruces
doesn't have that kind of housing that
gives that kind of exception that allows
for that exception or that exemption so
I just wanted to share that information
with with my colleagues and with the
community whoever's listening to this
Thank You mr. mayor thank you Tim Thank
You mayor um this comment goes on to Cal
turban Como's idea and well the three
that put together along with you mayor
the driver the drivers I'm I want to
circle back with a couple are at least
three of us have have really expressed
their concern about people being out and
about especially in our parks and river
and and those kinds of things and I I
would really want to encourage us to
fashion emergency Proclamation about
keeping indoors and maybe the driving
and maybe it's during a certain amount
of time and maybe the driving the
drivers will be helpful because I think
a lot of people are feeling like they
need to go to the store and pick up
grocery items those kinds of things and
to be able to say we have a kind of
curbside you know where we're paying
drivers to pick up things and drop it
off at your at your um at your home I
think it it I think it's the other part
of where I'm concerned it's not simple
like to just the curbside there are a
lot of folks it's kind of cumbersome to
do that so I can't imagine or elderly
folks being able to navigate that easily
especially move most of that or a lot of
them don't have like there have a
handheld device or I don't know if you
can call in um your orders and whatnot
but I think that we need to really as a
government entity really consider some
of these different outside of the box
weights by which our people are are
getting sort of their basic needs and
the other thing is I think I had
forgotten but I'll say was gonna say I
think that's that man for now thank you
more pretend so if I may just kind of
review some of things that I've heard
that we need to do first first and
foremost is we need to get a resolution
to rescind or rescind the resolution
that says that the total funds are can
be used for other purposes other than
health care health care so we can get
that ready to go hopefully we'll be able
to have another meeting such as this by
this Friday I think we probably get that
done
don't you think David well I'm sure we
can okay and then oh yeah sorry about
that Merrick it takes me a little on top
of the woods okay so I can get with
staff we will know early tomorrow
morning on how soon we'll be able to get
that resolution to you and I can let you
know by tomorrow morning what time frame
we'd be looking for and that way it
allows us enough time for the
notification of the meeting as well okay
that and then so let's just say we have
another council meeting this Friday so
we'll have that resolution and then
following that two different resolutions
that we give additional funding to at
least lacasa and la pinyon we need to
take a look at Community Action Agency
to see it wouldn't do that and in
probably even community of hope so that
they can have additional funding for
well let's just use because I'm sure
that everyone needs additional space and
those were I think where hotels can be
used
Jennifer you want to chime in on that
yes mayor and council I think we will
double-check the ordinance the
resolution that we passed in November
because
we may have already changed that
language based on the asylum seeker look
we sinned there we may have already
changed that but I'll double-check okay
good and then and then we need to look
at the contact more medical to see if
they'll be able to have the money for
additional drivers and if they don't I
think the city has some that are ready
on our list that we use so these
additional drivers would be for running
the these tests back to Albuquerque to
work with the meals on wheels that they
need additional drivers I think it was
brought up that that there's some
hard-to-reach areas also I know our
drivers already worked 40 hours a week
so these other drivers would be working
say on the weekends okay and then also
look at working with the schools to
provide additional funding for children
at the very minimum that qualify under
the low income and in free we do lunch
programs I think they qualify for the
999 high-speed Internet from Comcast
and then if if the schools can identify
those of those families that have no
type of computer whether there's a
desktop where there's an iPad in their
home well let's just see let's see how
Dell has been coming down here a few
times and just see if that's something
there then we might be able to have them
work with the schools to get them some
computers to these these children I
heard about a hundred thousand more to
the Las Cruces utilities assistance fund
I think that's kind of low
maybe another maybe additional 250
thousand does the way it looks like run
through that and then under that go
through no time hmm and then contact Oh
Cruces creatives to get cloth mask or
for our transit and bus drivers for them
to to have and and you know what in all
fairness to them they probably should
have at least five each so that they
don't have to keep washing it every day
they have one that it used every day and
then at the end the week you know wash
it I guess so at least five maybe more
they've got covered pretty much almost
what we discuss is anyone listen
counselor sore get you what have
anything you wanted to add counsel Estes
tells are sort going once twice mayor
and Catherine air I'm on now as anybody
on the kitten concerning the schools
have they contacted Karen true you or
anybody at the school to talk about
these issues concerning the schools I
can't come sir sir yes as if I funding
for meals for the parents of the
children who receive the free meals and
so that's something there that I think
we can even work with as well about
computers and Internet at all sorry I
have I communicated with them about
laptops and computers especially as
they're now moving into distance
learning and they were going to have a
better idea in the next couple of days
okay thank you good chance Alaska sorry
oh sorry this is blink Gallagher can I
add one thing about Los Cruces public
schools I've been in contact with them
to share the resources that are
available through the library
we provide a lot of free online content
and I have been in contact with them to
let them know how we can help be a
resource as well which it you explain
that more further Oh more so our library
services while we we do have a computer
lab that has about 20 stations we do
have internet at the library they are
not because of the gathering requirement
they are not allowed obviously to be
there to meet that and we want everybody
to stay home we would prefer that people
stay home but we have a online book
checkout so if you go to the Thomas
brenigan library site on the city site
we are providing a lot of free content
so that they can access book checks out
they can check out books online they can
read resources we established
relationships with organizations like
tumble root and we have a music
streaming we have exercise streaming we
have a lot of different resources that
teachers can take advantage of that is
available through our city service ok
thank you man Joseph ascus Thank You
mayor yeah I just don't want us to lose
sight of a couple of I think big-ticket
items in this discussion one of them
being the Community Foundation of
Southern New Mexico's together Las
Cruces fund which has generously been
contributed to by members of our local
community here for the purpose of
helping the recently unemployed lab
self-employed or others who have lost
income or have lost their jobs you know
in terms of what float what what
potential areas we have to fill or
backfill that the federal government is
not doing again this is an this is a
fund that's available to undocumented
workers and families and make status
families in Las Cruces they're not
eligible for federal funds and so I
think being able to contribute to this
fund
the city as we did with the asylum
seekers is an important option for us to
consider I know Jennifer mentioned she
had to legally review whether that would
be a violation of the anti donation
clause or not but just want to make sure
that if if we can even if we're treading
the line of legality I think this is the
most important thing that we can do is
to stop people from losing their homes
to stop people from you know potentially
not making rent and I think the the
point that Jennifer made was can we
determine that these people who receive
this money are indigent and if so we can
do this and so being able to determine
if those folks are indigent under
whatever definition we have to meet is
an important next step for me I think to
determine that the other piece is the
same the same thing with the rent and
mortgage relief fund that we described
right if we can right now
provide money to people to pay for their
utilities who otherwise can't and those
people are considered indigent or
legally we're able to do that so Casa
that bodega Dinos how can we apply this
to other nonprofits and how can we apply
this to things besides just the city
utility that seems like a very
self-serving thing you know for the city
to do like hey we'll give you money if
you have to pay for a city bill but
nothing else right but and like in
reality it's tough so that was just me
thinking out loud I don't know no no no
not on your part mayor no I mean just in
a way that that program is designed I
think in terms of you know if we can
apply to other basic human needs besides
water and gas and wastewater service
then we should write legally so so I
think you know being able to explore
what our options are under what we're
currently doing with that program and
expanding its a housing and and that
kind of thing is important and then the
other thing I wanted to make sure to
also capture is from MMC's perspective
mayor you have outlined this very well
in terms of what should our priority be
and that's the health certainly the
health of our community first and so
hopefully MMC can come back to us with a
memo of recommendations that they can
provide to the city of things that we
can be doing from a health and public
safety perspective
that we can look at for next Friday's
meeting if there's any actionable items
in there for us to have best practices
on I think hopefully there's some best
there's some consensus amongst the
council that perhaps in emergency
Proclamation that gives some teeth to
this idea of enforceable social
distancing practices in the city that
that might be a direction we want to go
in in the next couple of days right so
that we can actually prevent people from
paying those pick up basketball games on
a Sunday as much as it pains me to do
that or a Saturday to prevent you know
six or seven people from gathering folks
you know getting together at the park
other things we normally try to
encourage and stimulate and build
community with we're now telling people
they can it's it's hard to do but I
think we heard from my health
professionals today that that's the
number one thing that we could be doing
and so I would be looking forward to
those recommendations from MMC on what
else we can be doing as a city to limit
those activities and keep our community
safe I did just look at the email that
came in from with the latest results of
growing cases in our state I think
there's only one case in Dona Ana County
which is spectacular right in terms of
where the trends are in other places so
I want to keep it that way and I want to
be as aggressive as possible and keeping
it that way so thank you mayor for
running this meeting I want to thank the
staff also for doing a tremendous job
under emergency situation they put this
all together and get us all on the same
page and for anyone who is out there
listening from from the city who's who
stuck with us or who listened to part of
the meeting I just encourage you to keep
communicating with us to your individual
councillors and mayor's we are listening
we're trying to do our job are as best
as we can and so please please provide
your feedback and again thank you Thank
You mayor and thank you to my fellow
councillors for your leadership
throughout this process and Stan
trusting those of us because I have a
question for you before you do this
regarding the undocumented unemployed as
well as those mixed status would it
I think that if we could identify those
we might be able to do this quicker at
least even them from food to you know
different utility assistance and things
of this nature it may not be the actual
dollars that might you know that I think
Jennifer's going to be researching but
like for example let's say Community
Action Agency knows a certain group and
can I be identified and if we were
getting funding they may be able to do
this or do that and then also same with
custody peregrinos you know as far as
give more money the few food bank and
then they know who these individuals are
and then they can either have boxes for
them or you know things of this nature
is that's something that in the interim
at least is somehow I I think so mayor
and you know when speaking with Tara van
winter over at Community Foundation with
the current fund that they have now
which is I think has over a hundred
thousand dollars in it currently
undocumented families and individuals or
mixed status families are eligible to
receive financial assistance through
private donations in the community but I
think obviously the fear is always going
to be there from undocumented folks in
our community and what they can and
can't apply for and what they feel
comfortable applying for so I think what
would go a long way at this point is for
the city to put out information about
what resources are currently available
to undocumented individuals and families
or mixed-status families throughout the
network of services that the community
provides as a way for them to come
forward and to receive that assistance
in addition to the city being able to
provide funds to those existing
organizations who serve those
populations so yeah so I think that's a
great idea
right being able to plug in funds where
we can existing Lea and then also you
know making sure that as a city we're
communicating well with that population
to say that hey here's their list of
resources if you're are documented that
you can that you can access today for
food for rental relief any any number of
things didn't even including medical
screening right I'm sure there's might
be some folks out there who are sick and
are thinking this is a big federal
operation and they might not go to the
hospital right and so that might be a
good thing for us to do as well mayor's
to put some information out on those
purposes being available to everybody
okay and I got a question for Jennifer
so no fear still there Jennifer and okay
so along the lines of what councilor
vastus was asking so let's just say and
I'm looking at a meeting this Friday
the third at say 9:30 a.m. if I was to
put a well I don't know this have to be
in the ordinance that would prohibit
groups of six or more persons gathering
in public places such as public parks
any athletic facilities or any other
public gatherings and so I'll say April
14th does that have to be can that be
put on Friday's agenda or does that have
to be done as an emergency Proclamation
nearing council the we've already passed
the emergency ordinance so all you would
need to do is to have a public
Proclamation you don't need to pass an
ordinance that was the that was the
point of passing the ordinance that we
just passed last week so you would just
need an Proclamation and you can near
the language of the governor's mandate
it's I believe it's five or less
individuals the one thing that you have
to consider is enforcement of that
because and we can talk about that with
well well so I guess I was trying to get
at is if I wanted to could I instead of
it being an emergency Proclamation say
today or tomorrow can it be put on the
same agenda as Friday if needed
you could have well you could have a
resolution to do that yes you could it
could be effective immediately after its
passed yes if you could do that
say well I'll work with you on this
wording that's why I didn't want to get
as far as enforcement there's a couple
other things that we need to look at but
uh I'm Mary if it's your desire to get a
vote on the language then you would you
can do the resolution if you just want
to do the proclamation as I'm you don't
need a resolution its own saying well I
want to have it before the weekend so
then Friday as long as this before
Friday our order before Saturday the
third main it will fit mr. Meyer oh this
nice custard but I got Mayor Pro Tem
done that up first is don't know I guess
I'm I think when I'm hearing Jennifer
Vega Brown say is that we don't need a
resolution to do this you can do that
tomorrow with an emergency Proclamation
we don't need to vote on it you have
back right agree no I agree it's just
that it's just that you know whether or
not I just want to just put it included
on friday's agenda because because it'll
accomplish what I was hoping and that is
before the weekend and not necessarily
have to make it such a you know the
emergency you know what you know I'm
trying to get it did it's just it's you
know the order would still go through
effective writing and so that it
prevents on the weekends and mayor also
if what you're thinking you want it to
be the seven the seven days or to run
concurrently with the state for up to 14
days then that would be appropriate to
put it on the agenda okay yeah that's
what I was hoping to do Council for this
but there you wanted to chime in on that
yes yes the same on the same
proclamation the same and and yeah my
understanding is that you can do the
proclamation if you want to but I really
you know I I don't know the city of
train would have chimed in on this one
too
but I would really like to see a curfew
not a lockdown but a curfew just to
drive it home and then as the city
attorney and says has stated we need
enforcement jacket there has to be some
teeth any proclamation regarding you
know by 411 - language or we also add
curfew and and and the reason for that
is because it really has to be driven oh
that people have to understand that you
just can't be out willy-nilly because
you ran out of you know your favorite
perfume or something and you make it
over to the wall so I would like to see
that language in there I don't know how
other councillors being on how do you
feel well I appreciate that and and and
I have to tell you I you know I guess I
would probably I don't think we're there
yet and let me tell you why because once
we put a curfew now you give anyone
let's say it's 10 o'clock or midnight
it's my opinion that vehicles out there
let's see legitimately go to work we're
doing what they need to do can get to
get already pulled over you know and and
and it could look like it's being
harassed when that when it's not but you
know want to know why are you being that
why is it 12:30 a.m. and you're out on
Drive well you know it's alright I
understand let me just say in response
to that the city of El Paso has that now
and what what group my cousin's had to
do was get letters from their employer
indicating that they work at
such-and-such a place so if they haven't
been able to enforce it but that is out
there and it carries a fine of thousand
dollars and even some time you know
sometime I think in jail I don't I don't
know what the days would be but I you
know it's just that people are not
taking this seriously and if we have
language in there that says that we are
setting a curfew not a lot down put a
curfew
because I think that because there has
been limited testing I don't think we
have the right numbers I think that if
and it's council when Tomo brought up if
we had facility facilitation to be able
to go door to door to really find out
because I think that there might be some
people out there who aren't standing up
for a myriad of reasons so but the
stay-at-home thing and the Kurd view I
think the curfew will drive home how
important the stay home messages is and
how that's going to curtail any kind of
spread of the virus that's my opinion I
would have anybody else enforce that but
that's what I'm gonna ask appreciate
that and I'll do respect you know that's
why I wanted to try this prohibiting in
groups of six or more greater than six I
guess I should say pretty much greater
than five you know because I think
that's where the biggest holdup is Josh
it's very difficult to start restricting
people you know I understand that but I
mean it's just it's it's I mean want to
just try this first okay let's see who
else is here
councillor Ben Coleman thank you um I
think mr. mayor I I have a couple more
notes I'm thank you for first of all mr.
mayor for making that list I'm glad that
you were taking good notes I think that
for now that looks like a really good
list I'm really glad that councillor
ruckus mentioned the together Las Cruces
fund I mean I think it's I mean we've
seen over and over again that this
community is incredibly resilient that
Las Cruces love each other and support
each other and to me it feels like if
there's been private citizens who've
been donating to this fund the city
should be able to as well like I just
like that is what government is for is
to take care of its vulnerable and so um
I'm glad that he reiterated that on this
point of
um curfews and a punitive enforcement
for stay at home I don't know that I
would support those I you know I think
we have to be careful when we're talking
about harsher policing in this moment I
actually wanted to ask chief Gallagher
if he's still on about what their sort
of processes have been like lately I
know that the County Jail released
people that have been releasing some
folks and I think that that's a good
thing I think people in small page
spaces like a jail is a bad idea
especially if they're simply awaiting a
court date because they can't afford to
pay bail you know and I think we should
really consider ending temporarily
ending nonviolent arrests so to me
asking people to pay a fee for being out
is the opposite of what we're trying to
do right now with this relief package
we're like adding more debt and stress
to people when I don't think we've tried
different ways first I think mayor I
think your idea of doing some sort of
stronger order but I could support a
layered perhaps a warning second warning
type of thing I I feel really
uncomfortable with the idea of this
being punitive at this moment and so
maybe I do want to come back to so I'll
end with my non non violent arrest
question but I wanted to add a couple
things I shouldn't I know just one
public input are we where are we on the
status of ensuring that the public is
able to provide input during our zoom
virtual meetings I think I'm really glad
that people are home and I hope they're
watching but I'm sure they're feeling
frustrated that that can't they can't
give public input right now it's such an
important topic and so I'm wondering
what the status of that is right now I'm
sorry also what was the less less
Jetson on public input during our
virtual meetings Oh what has been the
status of that yeah mayor if I could I
could address that for councillor
Bencomo councillor Bencomo
staff has begun to look into that the
discussion we had about the limited
public forum
there are several criteria that we need
to make sure we have in place so for a
resolution based on our timelines for
getting them to council in advance
timeframe we were looking at potentially
the second council meeting in April if
we were to have a separate meeting or we
could look at a different time but right
now with the current calendar that
resolution would be coming to you for
that second meeting and then what that
would do is allow us the ability to to
seek input either kind of like we did
now beforehand or during the meeting
during our zoom conversations what we
did for this one if you might recall we
added language in the agenda notice to
let people know that if they had any
comments or they wanted to pass on any
information to their council they could
do that via the email addresses that we
provided or by phone call so I'm not
sure if you if you've got several items
from your constituents that way but as
as mentioned previously we're looking at
having a resolution ready for you
probably a second meeting in April
thank you David yes I definitely did get
emails and text messages and Facebook
messages from constituents which I'm
really thankful for and I'm glad and so
I do want to let people know that we are
reading them and we are listening I
think and I know that staff is working
really hard on this I know that this
this particular virtual meeting came
sooner than we all have hope so I know
that people are working hard on that
so I appreciate that David and everyone
else working on it I'm sharing it there
far away from me but tech guys here so I
they're working hard today so yeah my
last question then will be to chief
Gallagher I'm curious chief if you're on
what are some sort of some of the
processes like um you've seen
um in terms of a rash like who are we
arresting are we putting people in jail
right now and I understand that for
those that need to be because they're
violent um yeah yes so yes we have made
some changes I prefer not to get into
the specifics as to who we are and who
we are not arresting for public safety
reasons I can say we have reduced to the
extent possible the interaction that our
officers have with the public you can
read into that what you will I can also
say that our mission today is changed to
two folds and I've made this perfectly
clear that all the officers and city
management mission now is one of
sustainability for our officers and one
of visibility for the public so I do
have some concerns that I will share
with the mayor and the city attorney in
the city manager with regard to the
declaration of an emergency I've reached
out to my command staff and get their
opinions as well we are seeing a drop in
cost of service that's a good thing we
have realigned some of our services
allowing for more officers to be on
patrol for that visibility component of
that twofold mission and I mentioned
some of the crimes that we're seeing
here to date the crime had been up again
increased as compared to last year but a
flop a switch from last year if you were
caught last year we saw a drastic
increase in violent crime this year
today we have seen an increase in
property crime comparing March of this
year to March of last year it's pretty
static there hasn't been much of a
change but what has changed as you can
imagine with the increase of people
being required to stay home there's been
an increase in domestic violence calls
the most prevalent call for March has
been people asking us to check on the
welfare of their friends and relatives
so that's a good thing people are
concerned and caring and we've been
called upon to do that my concern with
regard to some of the enforcement
regarding the groups of 5 or more is to
the sustainability aspect of it we we
have to be prepared to be in this in the
long run
currently we have five staff five
officers on quarantine Lima due to
travel thankfully so far we haven't had
no officers test positive we had one
office who get tested because he was
symptomatic manually that came back
negative
my concern with increased enforcement at
a time like this is putting more
officers in contact with people who may
be sick thereby adversely affecting the
staffing of the Las Cruces Police
Department down the road when we remain
I'm the most that's all I really need to
say right now
so chief let me ask you something using
the state's directive if if let's say
New Mexico State Police Officer know or
witnessed a group of twenty kids all
hanging around somewhere could they they
have the authority to break that up they
do right now right now they do and
they're what they're doing is similar to
what we're doing is requesting voluntary
compliance I just spoke to the state's
up and down here they have not begun
enforcement in terms of citations of
arrests I can tell you with regard to
arrest nobody would probably be arrested
for this let's be giving citations for
this what they would happen in court
would be up to the judges but I know
judges are kind of putting off anything
that's nonviolent - down the road so I'm
not sure citations would have the
desired effect okay so then we could
have asked residents if they see
something like this to notify their
counselor or me or whomever and then you
could your Department in conjunction
with the state at least at the very
minimum remind them hey even if they
have to use a mega fire no I watch TV
this please first we'll have those
megaphones where they get talked into it
they have many other vehicles here and
that would be my dis a new day sir
violating the state first to crowd or
something like that and right now we
don't have that authority to do we can
request that they move on and anything
call state police
no just requirement right now in our
attempt would be unlawful okay we could
so you could request that we are
requesting it okay good okay so
we need to get that out yeah well good
III really didn't want to put any type
of emergency directive basically saying
for people not to gather in public
places but if it's if we can piggyback
off the state and and be able to utilize
them and yourselves - you know it's
called in state police asked to assist
and you all go out there and just
request and if they don't do it then say
all right
yes that's Colonel perfect perfect great
Meredydd I just I just want to let you
know also as far as Municipal Court both
we have asked I sent a communication
last week to judge and requested that
she allow the attorneys and the police
officers to appear to help phonic Lee if
possible to reduce its possible exposure
and we did a search to see how many how
many defendants were being held and
being in under on municipal charges in
jail there were only four and I took
action to release all of those all four
of those so we are trying to reduce
court appearances and that increased
court appearances very good great Thank
You Jennifer looks like the last comment
or counselor Bencomo read yeah mayor
pro-tem onto that Thank You mayor um I
do want to say that I Tara winners
reached out to me and there is an
application process it's like it's live
on their on their website they've
already received two hundred plus
applications and looking to receiving at
least 24 daily and so some of the
questions are you know have you lost
your job have you applied for
unemployment I'm asking if there's an
income guideline I'm trying to really
pay attention here and and there
as she's sort of sending me information
so um I just I think to the councillors
points about really trying to not forget
about this fund and what how beneficial
it can be to folks and to counselors org
points about asking staff to look at
sort of the care package and what if
you're unemployed what you're getting
how quickly you would get that that
funding and how much that would be would
be really important because I think it's
important to ensure that things are done
expeditiously and not that we're waiting
weeks and weeks and weeks for all to get
sort of the aid the other thing is I was
going to make mention and Thank You
councillor Bencomo for bringing that up
I think it's really important that the
public is aware of sort of these
proposals
they've been floating around and there's
no real way to sort of share with the
public unless I put it on my facebook
and send it out but I think it's
important that as we move forward and
and we continue to have these sort of
virtual meetings that we do everything
possible to garner the public input and
I understand about criteria and crisis
in these sort of times but I I think
it's really important that we get public
comment especially again like I said
these proposals that are being put
together quickly and and and not shared
with the public so public has an
opportunity to weigh in on them
beforehand the other the other thing is
I'm trying to
read my notes here and everybody knows
my scratches my chicken scratch um I I
want to move back to the stockpile again
there's a I didn't meant I didn't hear
it
I mentioned mayor and you're sort of as
you're reiterating things I think it's
important that the city some sort of
stockpile of these sort of items diapers
formula hand sanitizer the mass and and
such and it's to the point these large
organizations are having trouble so
shouldn't we have a I don't know if the
city has an opportunity to to be to get
those reasonably without struggling to
get them I'm not sure how that how that
works but I still feel really strongly
that that we need to do something around
around that and lastly I just want to
remind folks about the Taos or fund and
how important this fund is to to quash
at this especially at this time but I
also want us to think diddly I think
it's easy to mention before to look at
the other agreements that we the
contractual agreements we've made as
we've issued out funding VN RMP process
and I want you to know that there there
are nonprofits that have had great
difficulty um um seeking and being
approved funding from this and this
particular fund and so it it it makes it
difficult for a smaller nonprofit that
probably is doing amazing work to get in
on on this particular fund because the
same usual suspects and I don't mean
this is a criticism but they're the same
ones that get it over time and so I
I just want to caution us about it being
easy to give these folks when there
might be other other programs or
nonprofits that really need this funding
and have not had the opportunity to have
a stellar grant proposal submitted and
approved okay thank you okay thank you
sir well you know what I mean if you
have some if they reach out to you he's
run it by me and well by a council but
getting back to the diapers formula and
I'm sorry what else diapers formula
primer diapers formula hand sanitizer
and like the whites and whatnot you know
I saw Friday like no products all those
things that have been um that have been
deemed to limit when you go to the
grocery stores were you were you wanting
that to be given away or were you wanted
that to be resold at cost reason that
Kazmir okay good well that makes things
a lot easier i I think we might be able
to work out something perhaps using some
certain drop-off points or maybe even
the senior centers as a possibility I'll
get with Jennifer on that okay okay so
Friday this this coming Friday the April
3rd that should give us enough time at
9:30
is that good have a by then we should be
able to shore up a lot of these and
start directing staff to start ending up
doing you know the funding for this
looks like a lot of these should work
okay and all the staff and Jennifer I'll
get you this list if you haven't gotten
it already okay then Oh counselor sort
oh come on oh there it goes sometimes it
takes two or three clicks to hit a
button mice are very yea troublesome so
we ever going to have a conversation
sometime about how this whole gorona
biases Peck use city government such as
such how how it affects our GRT revenue
oh yeah
I think you'd ask that that are left and
I think staffs file I can put that
together you know obviously there's
gonna be certain drop offs from
restaurants and such but then you're
gonna see I think a lot of these other
goods that are just really going up so I
don't know I would I would think that
we're gonna be down at least 10-15
percent yeah they're it's going to be
down and I wonder if our staff has any
better idea than now the the interesting
thing is I think the the state is you
know they do it in a rear so it's like
two or three months behind I don't think
it's like immediate yeah we won't see it
until June yeah
so hopefully it'd be over by then and
then you know but we're still gonna have
two or three months where it's going to
be a fair agree but the good thing is is
is maybe we can they're there to be some
projects that the city has that had been
on hold you know maybe we can start
obviously he's still moving forward with
our geo bond things that need to be
finished that keeps ERT coming in and
people doing some work you know so it's
really about would you be opposed to
using our reserves in the meantime so
it's all over I mean I think we would
have an increase in G
well I don't think we need to ow I
don't think we need to use the reserves
the kind of conversation I wish we could
have someday mayor if I can mayor
Councillor sorg
staff has worked on projections based on
the changes caused by the corona virus
and a lot of the restrictions have been
placed on businesses and obviously our
impact to the GRT as mayor pointed out
the good thing for us is we won't really
see that drop until we get to the latter
parts of our fiscal year May and June so
for this fiscal year the decrease will
we'll be there but it won't be as
significant next fiscal year we will see
an additional decrease as we continue to
move further into this right now they
are not projecting the need to have to
jump into our reserves are to 12 however
that is an option if we get to that
point and staff will continue to review
and monitor I can have if you would like
to or Friday as part of the discussion
when we when we start looking at what
funding and what areas for funding might
be approved well we can have staff give
a brief discussion that would be LeAnn
the Moose and Francisco biotics will
work together on this
dr. Forrest and they can give a brief
description of where we're at and where
they project we might be again keeping
in mind that we don't know how long this
is going to last and there could be
differences in next fiscal year yes
thank you very much thank you David
you're welcome okay if there's nothing
further at a motion to adjourn
so I'll second it okay motion made by
council vasca second by councilor sword
then we adjourn all those the diversity
by by saying aye
aye all right we're adjourned it's 5:52
p.m. see you guys Friday