Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 124, No. 27 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
January 31, 2015
SATURDAY
www.rdrnews.com
Gomez runs in Dexter School Board election
By Mary Morgan Record Intern
Michael E. Gomez is one of four candidates running in the Dexter School Board elections. Gomez is a writein for the Dexter School Board. The election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 3. Voters may cast their votes at the Central Office Dexter School at 100 N. Lincoln, Dexter. Other candidates are Amanda Bogle, Bobby Dale Vaughn and Jared Sanders. The following are Gomez’s answers to a ques-
tionnaire sent by the Roswell Daily Record: Why are you the best candidate for the school board? The reason I am the best candidate to serve on the Dexter School Board is that I have an invested interest to serve my community and the future of our schools. I am familiar with the mandates implemented by the New Mexico Public Education Department and the Department of Education. I have attended meetings
and conferences that relate directly with education and educational services (college readiness).
have been involved in the schools, both middle and high school as the Outreach Coordinator, GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Grant. Through my work, I have assisted students/ parents with scholarship applications, college admissions and ACT testing information. I have also been involved in assisting administrators and teachers with technology support (laptop and iPad carts, and
Have you been involved in the school district in the past, either as a parent, teacher or volunteer? Though I have not participated as a volunteer in Dexter schools, I have supported my children in their activities during their Dexter school years and through college. In my current (occupation) I
smart boards), as well as professional development.
What is/was your career experience and what is your educational background? I have worldwide leadership experience, having served in the U.S. Marine Corps (21 years). During my military career, I served in many different capacities worldwide and had a very successful career. As a Marine, I served in differSee DEXTER, Page A3
Submitted Photo Michael E. Gomez is one of four candidates running for the Dexter School Board election.
Fundraising effort may have violated
SNMVTN drivers train for more rides
county’s policies
By Randal Seyler Record City Editor
Max Scally Photos Above: Drivers for the Southeast New Mexico Veterans Transportation Network gather for in-service training at the Roswell Toyota showroom Friday. The SNMVTN recently acquired five vans from the dealership to transport veterans to medical appointments. The drivers from Artesia, Carlsbad, Hobbs and Roswell present were Charles Berry, Lindsey
Bosch, Charlie Chrisman, Alex Clark, Magil Duran, Ernie Endes, Ozzie Gorbit, Dan Johnson, Bill Jones, Joseph Knight, Larry Longo, George McGonigal, Greg Neal, Gene Peterson, Norbert Rempe, Herschel Robinson, Chuck Russell, Jim Smith, Steve Smith, Diane Stallard, Marsha Terry, Michael Wade and Guy Wileman. Right: Magil Duran, center, president of the Southeast New Mexico
Veterans Transportation Network, talks with Roswell Toyota sales consultant Jeff Capps Friday while drivers from
New Mexico AG makes mental health audit public ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — State Attorney General Hector Balderas on Thursday took aim at how the state has investigated allegations of fraud and abuse involving nonprofits that provided behavioral health services to needy New Mexicans, saying improvements have to be made to ensure services that citizens depend on are not disrupted. His comments came during a news conference in which he outlined changes his office plans to make. He also released a redacted version of the 2013 audit that prompted the shake-up of nonprofit providers. The 355-page document has been at the center of a public records dispute. The previous attorney general, Gary King, refused to release it and the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government sued. King defended the secrecy, saying the audit was part of the ongoing investigation into the 15 providers. Balderas, who began his first term at the start of the year, said his office reviewed the audit to find a
balance between public disclosure and the integrity of the investigation. The information that’s redacted — the names of staff members and patients and dates of service — is meant to protect the criminal review, he said. “There needs to be more transparency when targeting waste fraud and abuse,” Balderas told reporters. “I think that our decision and our directives moving forward as a result of this review are important steps in the right direction.” The audit alleged $36 million in state Medicaid funding was mishandled by the 15 nonprofit providers. That prompted Republican Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration to freeze Medicaid payments to the providers while the attorney general’s office launched an investigation. The Human Services Department eventually replaced the nonprofits with companies from Arizona despite protests that the due-process rights of the nonprofit providers were violated when the state froze payments without
Today’s Forecast
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hearings. Investigations into three of the providers are complete, and no fraud was found in at least two of the cases. Balderas said he plans to release the findings of the third in the coming weeks. Four other providers are still being investigated, and reviews of the remaining eight have yet to begin. Any criminal activity that is uncovered will be presented to a grand jury, Balderas said. King’s office initially projected that the investigations would take as long as five years. Balderas called that unacceptable. The attorney general’s office is asking the state Legislature for an additional $1 million to speed up the process. Any money that’s not used would then be returned to a consumer protection fund. Balderas said New Mexico is behind when it comes to detecting Medicaid fraud. His office has more than 380 referrals and active Medicaid fraud cases, something that added to the delay in investigating the 15 nonprofits.
SNMVTN received training on the features of five new Toyota Sienna vans recently acquired from the dealership.
See FUNDRAISING, Page A3
Workshop focuses on unmanned systems
Max Scally Photo Coy Speer, from left, a mathematics instructor at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell, Chad Smith, dean of Division of Business and Science at ENMU-R, Ken Maguire, dean of Career and Technical Education at ENMU-R, Cliff Hudson, project director of the Autonomous and Unmanned Systems Cluster of Southeastern New Mexico, and Arlan Grover, an adjunct professor at ENMU-R, show two unmanned aerial vehicles during an inaugural workshop at
Today’s Obituaries Pages B3 & B5
• Eva Nadine Aguilera • Magdalena Schaffer • Jeffery James Kellams
The Chaves County Sheriff’s Office has been calling on local businesses selling advertising for a calendar, but the fundraising effort may have violated county personnel policies. “This is on the up and up,” said Sheriff Britt Snyder via email on Friday. “We have a deal with this vendor to produce a Chaves County Sheriff’s Office ‘calendar.’ The vendor sells the advertisement in order to pay to produce 500 calendars.” The vendor had a sample calendar from another county to show potential supporters what the calendar would look like. “I sent a deputy with him to help the vendor find sponsors who would support our efforts and to help ensure them the project is legitimate,” the sheriff said. According to the website of the vendor, Hero Press, the company produces a quality calendar for police, fire and sheriff’s departments. “Our family owned and operated business has been fortunate enough to work with police, fire and sheriff departments throughout
the United States,” according to the website. “Our program which is at no cost to your department, is an outstanding fundraiser and an effective public relations tool.” “They had a sample poster from Roosevelt County,” said Nicole McWilliams of the Swickard Agency, one of the business people approached earlier this week about advertising on the calendar. McWilliams said she purchased an advertisement for $125. John Trujillo, office manager of Hinkle Shanor LLP, said that he met with the deputy and was told that they were selling advertising to raise money for training and equipment. “He said it was for equipment and training that the County Commission does not pay for,” Trujillo said. “I told them that we do not practice family law and the advertising did not fit with what we do.” County Manager Stanton Riggs said county officials were unaware of the campaign until they received a phone call on Tuesday asking about the calendar sales.
• Fidel Jimenez • William C. Fleming • Barry Douglas Brown
ENMU-R on Friday. The AUSC, which supports collaboration and the growth of the expanding field of robotics and unmanned systems, hosted the workshop. Workshop sessions focused on unmanned systems, funding, workforce training, regional infrastructure and teaming and contracting opportunities. The Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corp. is a founding partner in the venture to attract high-technology firms to southeast New Mexico.
Classifieds...........B6 Comics..................A7 Entertainment. ....A8 Financial..............B3
Index
General...............A2
Opinion.................A4
Horoscopes.........A8
Sports. ................B1
Lotteries. ............A2
Weather...............A8