Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The annual Quay Day on Wednesday morning before the start of the New Mexico Legislature’s 30-day session drew one of the biggest crowds in the history of the event, according one longtime local official who attended.
Because the state remains flush with money from oil and gas revenue, local leaders stated their optimism the region would receive more money in the coming year for roads and other projects.
The state for the first time had a $7 billion budget last year, and some projections have added another half-billion to that this year.
County manager Richard Primrose noted the optimism in a crowded room during Quay Day at Inn & Spa of Loretto in Santa Fe.
“We’ve been doing Quay Day for a long time, and it was one of the best-attended,” he said. “It was great.”
Patrick Vanderpool, executive director of the Tucumcari Economic Development Corp., said 68 people attended Quay Day, and the venue had reserved 65 seats.
“I was really pleased with the number of Cabinet secretaries who attended,” Vanderpool said. “To have them show up at 7 when they had an 8 o’clock meeting with the governor, I thought it was pretty cool they did that.”
Tucumcari Mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield saw a sunny outlook during last year’s Quay Day. If anything, she said prospects are even better a year later.
“Everything was really positive,” she said. “I think they’re even more optimistic this year. They kept saying how much money there was. We’ll all keep our fingers crossed we’ll get a big chunk of it.”
One thing that encouraged Primrose was the prospect of another big allocation to the Local Government Road Fund. Quay County was awarded a multimillion-dollar grant from last year’s fund to replace a 1930s bridge between Endee and San Jon on old Route 66. That bridge had been on the county’s to-do list for more than 15 years.
“What I see is they’re looking for another $50 million for local projects, which is huge for us,” he said.
Primrose also noted the state’s recent commitment to shore up other area infrastructure, including a new U.S. 54 bridge at Logan, improving Mountain Road in Tucumcari and replacing an overpass at Russell’s Travel Center in Endee.
“The infrastructure projects in Quay County are a big boost,” he said.
Litchfield said the group also heard from Environment Secretary James Kenney about the eastern New Mexico’s wind-energy potential.
“He says we have a good opportunity in the eastern part of the state for Environmental help,” she said.
Primrose said state Sen. Pat Woods (R-Broadview) introduced a bill to increase the per diem rate for travel and accommodations. The current rate is $135 in Santa Fe and $85 for the rest of the state. Woods’ measure would increase the statewide rate to $131.
Primrose said the current rate is too low and creates a hardship for many county employees.
“It’s almost impossible to get a room under $100,” he said “You can reimburse the employee for actual expenses, but most employees don’t have the money to do that. It’s kind of a problem to figure out how to get employees to training they need without dipping into their pockets.”
Vanderpool said Quay County leaders’ visits with state lawmakers didn’t end with the conclusion of Quay Day.
“I saw area folks over at the Roundhouse that day and the next, visiting with legislators,” he said. “I think we were well represented; I was pleased.”
Vanderpool noted Quay Day switched from an evening reception to a breakfast about five years ago.
“I think that works better with a lot of legislators and Cabinet secretaries,” he said, “because there are so many events they have to attend. That’s about the only game in town that first Wednesday (of the session), that breakfast.”
Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce director Carmen Runyan assembled 140 goodie bags for state legislators. They contained an assortment of cheese from Tucumcari Mountain Cheese Factory, a T-shirt from 66 Outlaw Apparel and other items from Quay County Health Council, Tucumcari MainStreet and Mesalands Community College.
“Kudos to Carmen and the chamber for delivering those gifts to the legislators,” Vanderpool said.
Among the state officials who attended Quay Day were Woods, Kenney, Cabinet Secretary for Department of Transportation Michael Sandoval, Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard, state Reps. Jack Chatfield (R-Mosquero) and Joseph Sanchez (D-Alcalde) and former state senator Clinton Harden, now a lobbyist for Quay County.