Lodgers' Tax Board delays electing officers

The election of officers was on the agenda Wednesday for the Tucumcari Lodgers’ Tax Board, but it was delayed on the urging of city manager Britt Lusk because of a vacancy.

Lusk, noting the board vacancy after the recent departure of former chairman David Brenner, recommended the board defer its election of officers until a new member from a Tucumcari lodging establishment is seated.

Al Patel of the Desert Inn, sitting in the audience during Wednesday’s meeting, said he would consider serving as board secretary. He must submit an application to the city before being seated.

The lodgers’ board election won’t be until March 6. Current Vice Chairman Larry Smith of Motel Safari said he would be out of town in February and recommended the next meeting be delayed to March. The other board members, Gar Engman and Matt Bednorz, did not object to the delay. Board secretary Brenda Lopez was absent Wednesday.

In other board business Wednesday:

• Dezaree Vega-Garcia of Griffin & Associates of Albuquerque said in a conference call her office was preparing Tucumcari tourism ads for the Pandora music-streaming service in May and June, digital ads from June through August, a New Mexico True tourism email in May, plus a social media campaign.

• Lusk said the city is working with the Tucumcari-Quay County Chamber of Commerce on a possible Christmas-decorating contest for businesses along Route 66. The winner would be featured on the New Mexico True website.

• Lusk reported all but three street lights on the city’s east side near Interstate 40 are operating again. He said Xcel Energy would relight street lights on the west side near I-40 “any week.”

• Rachelle Arias, the city’s administrative services director, reported lodging-tax revenue in November was 5 percent higher than projected. She anticipates a significant increase in December revenue because a snowstorm after Christmas resulted in every available motel room in Tucumcari being booked for two days.