Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 124, No. 78 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
April 1, 2015
Wednesday
www.rdrnews.com
Mental health program changes hands today By Jeff Jackson Record City Editor Behavioral health services for the indigent will transfer agencies today, but those who need treatment still could be left out in the cold. La Casa Family Health Center takes over today for Turquoise Health and Wellness, but the transition has just begun and La Casa will need about a month before it’s a fully functional facility, said Seferino Montano, the chief executive officer of La Casa who is based in Portales.
In the meantime, La Casa will offer partial care through a drop-in program for mental health at its Roswell location, 1511 S. Grand Ave., until several details are resolved that will allow local services to be provided at 100 percent. A lease is nearly finalized between Chaves County and La Casa for the social service agency to work out of the old Turquoise building, 110 E. Mescalero Road, County Manager Stan Riggs said in a phone conference Tuesday that included health care providers, other social service
workers, a top-level state Health Department representative and Roswell Mayor Dennis Kintigh. La Casa has requested access to patients’ records and was required to submit an application to the state Department of Health, which Montano said he “hand-delivered on Friday.” Montano said his agency should be able to retain Turquoise’s phone number of 575-623-1480, but furniture and office equipment also need to be worked out. Any calls made to Turquoise will be redirected to La Casa, he said.
“Hopefully, they’ll be able to be taken care of (Wednesday). If all else fails, we’ll be able to refer them over to our south clinic,” Montano said. The center’s target date is May 1 to be up and running at full force out of the Mescalero Road building. Until La Casa receives a stamp of approval to operate a clinic in Roswell, however, mental health services will be limited, said Judy Parks, state deputy division director of health improvement. That certification covers a wide range. Among other
things, it clears the way for Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements, although there is a possibility for waivers, she said. “It’s in the process. As soon as we get that we’re ready to go,” Parks said. Another stumbling block will be what types of behavioral health services can be delivered through a dropin basis, and intensive-type services can be provided only through a licensed agency, she said. Just a few services she mentioned that would be off-limits include professional consultation, crisis and ther-
apeutic interventions and medication services. According to the DOH’s Behavioral Health Benefits Summary, which was last updated in October 2012, other areas would include substance abuse for outpatient and residential treatment, sexual assault services, supportive housing, transitional living services, specialized veterans and family services, jail diversion, Native American traditional services and patient education. Another local agency See PROGRAM, Page A3
Locally-owned bank expands ‘lots’ By Bill Moffitt Record Correspondent
Bill Moffitt Photo
Barry Stone, chairman of the board of James Polk Stone Community Bank, leans on one of the traffic cones now that construction of an expanded parking lot is finished at the north Roswell branch. The project also added more space to the drive-thru, located at 1901 N. Main St. Nearly 25,000 square feet of parking space was added by the recently completed project.
Udall’s office accepting applications for military academy nominations ALBUQUERQUE — Beginning April 7, US Sen. Tom Udall will accept applications for nominations to U.S. military service academies. Throughout April, members of Udall’s staff will host several information sessions across the state for high school students and recent graduates who are interested in applying. Four of the five service academies — the US Military Academy (West Point), the US Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the US Merchant Marine Academy — require a congressional, vice-presidential or service-connected nomination. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require a nomination. In Roswell, the information session will be held
from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, in the Pearson Auditorium of the New Mexico Military Institute. Representatives from Udall’s office, the New Mexico congressional delegation and the military service academies will be available at the upcoming information sessions to field questions from prospective applicants and parents. “Each year, I have the privilege of nominating outstanding young people from across New Mexico to our nation’s military service academies,” Udall said. “The service academy information sessions offer a great opportunity to learn more about the nominatSee UDALL, Page A3
The folks at James Polk Stone Community Bank can truthfully say that they have “lots to offer” their customers now that the construction is finished and 24,700 sqare feet has been added to its parking lot. The next project will be putting in a door on the north side of the bank so that customers can get in from the new parking area, Chairman of the Board D. Barry Stone told the Roswell Daily Record Tuesday. Stone’s family as been involved in the banking business since before New Mexico achieved statehood with the start of their first bank in Elida in 1906. The bank was later moved to Portales and now has
branch offices in Roswell, Clovis, Hobbs and Hagerman. Roswell also has a second branch office south of K-Mart. The expansion of the parking lot is hoped to help customers getting in and out of the lot from the busy intersection at North Main and 19th streets. The bank also bought property north of the bank building to allow more room for its drive-thru customers. “To get out of the drive thru you had to make a (hard) right angle to get to the alley,” Stone said. “It has changed our whole attitude.” The Main Street entrance is now further north as well. See LOTS, Page A3
Ezzell’s water bill awaits approval By Jeff Tucker Record Staff Writer
State Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell sponsored six bills in the 2015 legislative session, two of which were passed by both the New Mexico House of Representatives and Senate, although one of them was vetoed by the governor. Ezzell, the new chairman of the House Agriculture, Water & Wildlife Committee, sponsored House Bill 578, which authorizes the New Mexico Finance Authority to make loans or grants from the Water Project Fund for certain water projects, while declaring an emergency. A fiscal impact report of the bill prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee states the bill would authorize the NMFA to make loans or grants for 127 projects from the
Water Project Fund. “It’s to help these smaller communities, like Dexter, Hagerman and Lake Arthur, the little towns,” Ezzell, R-Roswell, said Tuesday. “This Water Project Fund was not designed to help the big towns. It was designed to help the smaller communities that don’t have the funds.” The bill passed the House on March 13 by a 64-0 vote and passed the Senate on March 20 by a 38-0 vote. It awaits the governor’s signature or veto. “This was a committee referral bill,” Ezzell said. “We made sure it got all the way through. It’s up on the governor desk in its natural form.” Ezzell also sponsored House Bill 379, which would have revised and expanded racehorse drug testing laws.
Ezzell House Bill 379 would have required drug testing for racehorses by the New Mexico Racing Commission to follow internationally recognized model rules published by the Association of Racing Commissioners International, or a successor organization. The bill also would have added pre- and post-race testing, testing for racehorses out of competition
and necropsy drug testing. Currently, the New Mexico Racing Commission has select pre-race testing and random post-race testing, Ezzell said. House Bill 379 would have mandated blood serum plasma, urine or other appropriate test samples identified by the racing commission to be taken from racehorses, while also reconciling conflicting amendments in existing state law. Ezzell’s bill passed the House on Feb. 26 by a 61-0 vote and the Senate on March 14 by a 39-0 vote, after clearing committees in both chambers. However, the governor vetoed the bill on March 17. In her executive message to the House, Gov. Susana Martinez said the See EZZELL, Page A3
Roswell company helps nearby Village of Hope with water system upgrade Staff Report White Cloud Pipeline of Roswell was the prime contractor for a project in which the Village of Hope recently had water system improvements made to its water infrastructure system. The incorporated community is located about 20 miles west of Artesia on US Highway 82. The $194,174 construction project included upgrading the backup well
to include new plumbing, valves and fittings. A new booster pump and well house was also constructed as part of the project. Two hundred feet of new waterline was installed to tie the backup well into the existing water tank. OCCAM Consulting Engineers, with offices in Roswell, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, was the design engineering firm for the project and also provided the construction manage-
ment during construction. The project was funded with State of New Mexico Colonias funding. The Village anticipates future improvements to their water infrastructure to include water meter upgrades and a new water tank. Submitted Photos
White Cloud Pipeline was the primary contractor for this water infrastructure upgrade in the Village of Hope.
Today’s Forecast
Today’s Obituaries Page A7
HIGH 88 LOW 53
• Keith L. Schrimsher • Robert Louis Hatcher Jr. • Dr. William George Liakos Sr.
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