Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Billboards will continue to inform eastbound and westbound drivers on Interstate 40 about the attractions of Tucumcari, after the city commission approved three-year contracts with the respective leasing companies Thursday.
The three commissioners who attended the Thursday meeting unanimously approved the following deals:
• An annual $18,720 deal with Lamar Advertising for billboards visible to westbound drivers coming from the Amarillo area. Documents indicate the billboards are in Amarillo, Wildorado and Adrian, Texas.
• An annual $27,831.72 deal with Sun Vista outdoor advertising of Albuquerque for billboards between Albuquerque and Tucumcari.
The commission also approved annual certifications and commitments that obligate teh city to citizen participation, fair housing and residential anti-displacement and relocation assistance policies to qualify for federal Community Development Block Grants.
The city approves a similar resolution annually, Project Manager Sharayah Sisneros and City Manager Britt Lusk told the commission.
In his regular report to the commission, Lusk said a recent Albuquerque Journal article advocating rural locations for conventions singled out Tucumcari due to its convention center and ample lodging, especially along Route 66.
District 1 Commissioner Ralph Moya, along with Mayor Pro Tem (and District 5 Commissioner) Todd Duplantis, discussed a need to make renovations to the convention center.
Lusk said he has been talking to city officials and community leaders about the convention center’s needs, and a list of priorities is being compiled. He added that $75,000 in lodger’s tax proceeds are being used to renovate the convention center kitchen for caterers.
Duplantis and Moya also asked about publicity. Lusk said he plans to distribute copies of the Albuquerque Journal story and evelop and distribute brochures to publicize the convention center.
Moya also propsed the city look at ways to preserve historic architectural styles, especially along Route 66.
Moya said he has noticed some buildings are being replaced with structures not along the style of Tucumcari’s heyday, when Route 66 was the main tourist route between Chicago and Los Angeles.