Otero County Commissioners Meeting November 2nd

Description: The Otero County Commissioner Meeting for November 2nd, 2020. Includes excerpts from planning and zoning meeting and previous minutes.

Otero County Commissioners Meeting November 2nd

Prior to the regular public hearing, Otero County Commissioners held a planning and zoning meeting.

Lex Nichols with Planning and Zoning presented several minor subdivision requests for approval.

The commissioners approved the minutes from their previous meeting.

Minor subdivision of 2.63 acres at 27245 county road 17.25 was approved. It partially included fragile lands and land designated agricultural. Approved by the board. 

Minor subdivision of 1.82 acres from 636 acres located at 33138 county rd 3 in Fowler, it is located in an ag zone, according to Nichols. Approved by the board.

Further, Nichols presented a land use by review regarding allowing horses to be kept at an address on Adam's Avenue, the commissioners approved.

The commissioners approved their minutes from 10/13/20.

Mollie Brown presented two grant applications. 

The first application would benefit local law enforcement officers, it totalled $7,800 and covers mental health counseling services including telehealth sessions, one year of a peer support group, doctor visits and more. Brown said that Undersherriff Matt Wallace helped with the grant application. The commissioners approved the application. 

She also presented the underfunded courthouse grant application, which is for $153,173 matching funds, covering a partial remodel of the courthouse entryway. This grant is a 50 percent match for a grant through DOLA, according to Brown.

Commissioner Keith Goodwin commended Brown on her hard work on the grant application. The commissioners approved.

The sales tax report was presented by County Assesor Amy White-Tanabe. She said annual county sales taxes are up thirteen percent, August 2020 is nine percent higher than August 2019, according to White-Tanabe.

Online sales have increased due to packages shipped here being taxed, Goodwin said.

County Clerk Lynda Scott presented a grant application for ERTB, for approximately $128,000. Otero County was approved for the grant which updates computer equipment as well as indexing programs and several other computer system improvements. The commissioners signed the neccessary paperwork. 

White-Tanabe recommended Amber Webber for the Arkansas Basin Roundtable. The commissioners approved. 

Public Works Director, Lex Nichols presented a supplemental budget request to compensate for repairs to equipment a new equipment purchase, as well as covering extra road oil and signs for County Road and Bridge. The total supplemental budget total is $340,000. The commissioners approved the supplemental budget for County Road and Bridge.

Commissioners Schedule:

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