The Doña Ana County Health and Human Services Department has implemented a pilot program to assess whether county residents will opt for a taxi ride rather than get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

Project Home is a collaborative initiative with Las Cruces Shuttle and Taxi by which a person or group who has been drinking can call (575) 524-TAXI to be picked up for a discounted ride home. For up to two people, the taxi fee is a flat $5 to any destination within Doña Ana County . For up to four people, the flat fee is $10. Grant funding pays the balance of the transportation charges.

Silvia Sierra, director of the Doña Ana County Health and Human Services Department, said the pilot program will run through June 30 or until available funding is exhausted, whichever comes first. At that point, the data will be compiled to determine whether additional grant funding should be applied for and dedicated to continuation of the program.

"There are no perfect solutions to Doña Ana County 's DWI problem," Sierra said. "We're hopeful this program will become another tool that residents will use on the infrequent occasions when they find they have had too much to drink and need to get home safely."

DWI Prevention Coordinator Jesus Ruben Segura said the program does have limitations.

"These taxi rides are only authorized to get people home," he said. "You can't use the program to take you from your home to some place where alcohol is served, and you can't use it to go to the store. It's called Project Home, because the focus is purely on getting people safely home if they suspect they've had too much to drink."

The program is available on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays from 5:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.

One of the most rewarding parts of my first year as a commissioner was working with the Dona Ana County's Youth Initiative.

I worked with them to produce this video on colonias from a youth perspective. Dona Ana County has 37 designated colonias. That's more than any other county in New Mexico which has a total of 141. The state of NM just passed the Colonias Infrastructure Act which will appropriate about $10 million per year to colonia infrastructure.

At Dona Ana County we have started comprehensive infrastructure planning for the non-incorporated areas of the county. This will ensure that we are a good investment for this money, which means that the day when Dona Ana County colonias are no longer thought of as incomplete communities is in sight.

SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING Comes to Las Cruces and Dona Ana County

Las Cruces and Dona Ana County are moving forward quickly with recycling improvements and expansions, evidenced this month by the signing of a five-year single stream recycling contract between the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA) and Friedman Recycling in Northeast El Paso.

"We've made enormous recycling strides in the past year throughout our community, but this is a milestone - it's the biggest thing that's happened in recycling in Las Cruces in 15 years!" says Patrick Peck, Director of the South Central Solid Waste Authority.

"Single stream recycling means residents don't have to separate cardboard from plastics from metals, anymore! Single stream makes it much easier: you mix all your recyclables together and put them in the bin. The separating is done at the plant.

"We are moving quickly toward curbside recycling, but are still in the drop-off phase of recycling, with bright blue recycling bins available to the community: SIX Commercial locations in Las Cruces , THIRTEEN Schools , EIGHT Community Collection Centers throughout the County, and FIVE State Parks ."

All recycling bins are in the process of being retrofitted, with larger openings to accommodate the mixed - or single stream - recyclables. But residents can start single stream recycling NOW. Peck adds, "We are sending FIFTY tons of recyclables a week from Las Cruces and Dona Ana County to Friedman Recycling, and that's before we've really geared up."

WHAT'S RECYCLABLE: Aluminum and tin cans, cardboard, newspapers, office paper and mixed papers, junk mail and magazines, catalogues and phonebooks, #1 and #2 plastics (milk jugs, detergent bottles, soda and water plastic bottles).

NEW STICKERS reflecting Single Stream Recycling

Will be fixed to recycling bins at Sam's Club

2711 N. Telshor (by the gas pumps)

Tuesday, February 2nd @ 10 a.m.

For more information or other recycling questions, please call the South Central Solid Waste Authority at (575) 528-3800.

Getting Fit in 2010

My New Year's Resolution this year is to lose weight and get in better shape. In my motivational conversations with myself I refer to it as "Getting Fit in 2010."

I recently realized that we are doing this at Doña Ana County , too.

On Tuesday, Jan. 5, the county held its first strategic-planning meeting. It was the first time in recent history that the commissioners sat shoulder to shoulder with upper-level management to talk about our priorities.

At this meeting, we prioritized the list of non-mandated projects in the county. We then developed commission goals for staff. Department heads are currently taking these goals and developing department-level goals and objectives.

There were 6 commission goals:
1. Develop revenue streams
2. Develop community partnerships
3. Identify ways to invest in staff and resources
4. Increase organizational efficiencies
5. Set up a process for following-through
6. Continue to preserve and enhance the health and public safety of the communities we represent

These goals are meant to help the county continue providing excellent services while addressing a shortage in gross-receipts tax. The ultimate long-term outcome will be that you have a county government that provides quality services for the least possible amount of taxes.

Another step in getting fit is an independent review of each department. In 2009, the commission was tasked with fixing internal issues in the Health and Human Services Department. We contracted an organizational specialist to help us.

As a result of this review - and its positive results - we have decided to expand it county-wide. Each department's organization will be independently reviewed to determine if there are more efficient ways to accomplish its goals.

Together, the strategic planning process and the organizational review constitute an internal renewal that we have never before seen in Doña Ana County . The results of this process will be a more efficient organization that continues to provide quality services even when the economic times are tough. I am hopeful that seeing this through will continue to inspire me to fulfill my individual goal of getting fit in 2010.

At my request, the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners will hold a work session at 9 a.m. on Sept. 15 to discuss drainage on the East Mesa, and Doña Ana County ’s ongoing efforts to control it with maximum results and minimal adverse impact on the residents and businesses in the area. It’s a complicated task, and I believe it merits further discussion and public input before we proceed.

I requested the work session shortly after I hosted an Aug. 13 public meeting at Oñate High School to discuss the proposed Moongate Stormwater Diversion Channel, which is one part of a much larger stormwater diversion and containment strategy designed to help protect property on the East Mesa from flooding during heavy seasonal rains. The community’s adverse reaction to the Moongate proposal was strong and unequivocal.

While no one argues that drainage is a serious issue on the East Mesa , there is a lot of dissention about how – or whether – additional steps should be taken to address it proactively. For more than 15 years, the Doña Ana County Flood Commission and Public Works Department have worked together to design and obtain funding for a multi-faceted drainage-interception and channeling system that would move water away from populated areas and allow it to flow to Isaac’s Lake , where it has traditionally accumulated during heavy rains.

Fast growth on the East Mesa has complicated the planning, because many areas of land that were available 15 years ago for the diversion channels are now developed. Construction of the Moongate channel, for instance, would have required purchase of several private properties for construction.

Further complicating the matter is the proliferation of private roads on the East Mesa that act as drainage channels due to development in and around arroyos that used to drain the water to Isaac’s Lake. Doña Ana County cannot legally maintain or improve these private roads, which complicates the goals of controlling drainage.

Some residents pointed out at the Aug. 13 meeting that the Moongate channel project would not address flooding issues along Weisner Road . They’re right. It wasn’t designed for that purpose. It was designed as part of a system of projects that would move water to the north before allowing it to flow to Isaac’s Lake .

Should we move forward with this system of projects? That’s the big question, and its answer grows more complicated by the ongoing growth of the East Mesa and the accompanying proliferation of private roads to support the development.

I don’t have the answers, but I believe we must set aside 15-year-old plans and engage in a new discussion about what to do and in what scope and in what timeframe to address an issue that is not going to go away by itself. I am hopeful that the Sept. 15 work session will be well-attended and productive. I am hopeful it will be a discussion about realistic expectations and workable solutions for the long term.

At our July 28th meeting the Board of Commissioners approved the DAC final budget with $100,000 devoted to the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance.

Considering that this has been a set amount for MVEDA for several years, you may not think this is significant. However, if you've been paying attention you know that this was a hard fought battle. MVEDA's funding was almost cut by 40%. 

It's hard to believe that DAC would consider reducing its commitment to economic development during a recession, but that's exactly what was being proposed earlier this year. What a huge mistake that would have been.

Think like a business

There is a simple business principle that when times get tough you increase your commitment to marketing. Over the next few years watch how many small business make the mistake of cutting back their marketing and go out of business.

How does this relate to DAC and MVEDA? Well MVEDA is the marketing arm of economic recruitment for DAC. It's the only group out in the business world who is actively recruiting new economic based jobs for Dona Ana County. Imagine how competitive this environment is right now. It shouldn't take much convincing that just about every economic development agency and every community who is seeing job loss (in other words everyone) has stepped up their efforts making it harder then ever to close a deal. And we almost cut our funding.

Saying all of that, I must admit that I am very concerned about the future. Companies looking to relocate have more options today then ever before. They are being bombarded by recruitment efforts. Our chances of landing deals are slimmer then ever. And next year we are going to rehash the same old argument over the necessity of funding MVEDA. So what are we to do?

Here is my plan

We need to develop a larger economic development plan for DAC. It was a surprise to me that we currently do not have a comprehensive ED plan. Until now we have relied on MVEDA to be our ED plan. We are seeing that this is no longer enough. We can't rely on MVEDA alone to solve all our problems.

There are ED issues in our colonias that need satisfying in order for them to step into the 21st century. We have policy issues that need to be worked out including both setting up a way for DAC to use state incentives for companies to locate here, and strengthening our quality of life. There are also issues throughout our county regarding convenient access to grocery stores, restaurants, recreational activities and other businesses that are not economic based (meaning they bring dollars in and keep them here).

We need a comprehensive plan that addresses all of these issues. And it needs to includes the commercial real estate, developer, and business communities in an effort to work with residents to identify specific needs and find solutions. At the same time we need to increase our commitment to MVEDA's economic base recruitment efforts so that there are more dollars spent within the county that stay in the county.

One of the most clear issues to me is the need for better jobs in Dona Ana County. It was clear long before this current recession. Maybe it's so clear because I've heard so many clichés throughout my life regarding jobs and keeping young people here. Well, I'm not just going to talk about it. I plan to do something about it.