County commits to infrastructure work

The Quay County Commission on Monday unanimously approved a resolution that commits up to $1.75 million for public infrastructure improvements leading up to the site of a proposed horse-racing track and casino on Tucumcari’s east side.

If the New Mexico Racing Commission awards a sixth license to Coronado Partners to build a nearly $80 million “racino” in Tucumcari, county officials said they anticipate not all of the $1.75 million would be needed to upgrade sewer, water, roads and utility lines to the site between Route 66 and Interstate 40. They said an upcoming project to improve South Mountain Road near the site would address many of those issues.

County manager Richard Primrose said the county funds wouldn’t be used at the racino site itself, but in areas leading up to it.

The racing commission was scheduled to award a license in early December, but one of the applicants in Lordsburg filed a request for an injunction to halt the process, alleging a feasibility study was flawed and that one of the commissioners had a conflict of interest with a Clovis applicant. The commission, on the recommendation of the attorney general’s office, delayed a decision until the legal matter is resolved.

Warren Frost, one of the principals for Coronado Partners and the county's attorney, told the county commissioners he and his group were using the delay to beef up its case to the racing commission via the county’s resolution.

“What we’re trying to do is identify potential holes while we have the time,” he said. “We want to show we’re willing to put our money where our mouth is. We’re trying to distinguish ourselves from the other communities (applying for the license) with this. This is not a handout to the developer.”

Frost said the Tucumcari city commission is working on a similar infrastructure resolution and expects to act on it during its next meeting.

Primrose said he supported the resolution because the racino would be a large economic-development project for the county. The county, along the municipalities of Tucumcari, Logan and San Jon, will receive a small percentage of the racino’s revenue.

In a related matter, Frost said Coronado Partners is identifying “issues” with the new administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and will “retool our approach.”

In other business by the county commission Monday:

• Commissioners voted 2-1 to repeal a part of the county’s personnel and procedures policy and adopt state laws governing that part of the policy regarding per-diem and mileage payments.

Commissioner Mike Cherry, who voted against it, said the New Mexico Legislature was considering “drastic” changes to the per-diem regulations during its current 60-day session and wanted to wait to see the outcome.

Commissioner Sue Dowell expressed reluctance in not following state law.

“We want to make sure we are following policy,” she said. “I would choose that we do our job right.”

Dowell moved to adopt the resolution, and Commissioner Franklin McCasland seconded it before both voted to approve it.

• The commission approved an application for a loan from the New Mexico Finance Authority to help buy a $472,800 firetruck for the Bard-Endee Fire Department. The agreement includes a $150,000 loan, $100,000 for a grant and $222,800 in cash reserves to pay for the truck. The truck will be delivered by fall.

• The commission approved the appointment of Alida Brown as the county representative for the Tucumcari Library Advisory Board.