Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
A Logan resident commended the Quay County Commission for “taking a stand” and passing its “Second Amendment sanctuary county” resolution last month.
During the public-comment portion of Monday’s meeting, Kent Terry thanked the commission for unanimously passing the resolution after Sheriff Russell Shafer urged the measure during its Feb. 11 meeting.
Terry said the commission’s action has prompted him to pay more attention and be more involved.
“Things are happening we don’t like ... so we’ll probably be here more often,” Terry said during his brief comments at the meeting.
In an answer to a question, Shafer said 30 counties and eight municipalities in New Mexico have adopted their own “Second Amendment sanctuary” resolutions or stated their opposition to gun-control bills working their way through the Legislature, including a background-check bill on gun sales that recently was signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Quay County was the first to adopt such a sanctuary measure, which is not legally binding.
Rural Tucumcari resident Daniel Garcia spoke out against the resolution during the commission’s Feb. 25 meeting. Garcia said he was troubled by Shafer’s vow to not enforce new gun-control laws he deemed unconstitutional, fearing such a stance would put the county in legal jeopardy.
Terry said Monday he was unaware of Garcia’s comments at the previous meeting.
In other business Monday:
• The commission approved $24,200 in law-enforcement protection funds for the Quay County Sheriff’s Office for the July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, fiscal year. Shafer said the money is used for equipment, training and some salaries.
• The commission approved annual Public Emergency Retirement Association applications for Fire District 2, Bard-Endee, Fire District 3, Jordan, Quay, Porter, Forrest and Fire District 1.
• County Clerk Ellen White reported the board of registration is purging 175 registered voters who have been inactive for the last two election cycles from its rolls. She also said the number of occupation licenses for businesses has remained steady, and only about 12 haven’t paid their annual fees.
• County Road Superintendent said repairs on Quay Road 64 would be finished by the end of this week, and his department will begin repairing Quay Road AJ next week.