Tucumcari designated virus emergency area

The city of Tucumcari is officially included among designated emergency areas in New Mexico in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as of Thursday.

The Tucumcari City Commission unanimously approved a resolution that declared the city an emergency area and authorized the city to exercise “necessary emergency powers,” expend resources and request aid as needed.

The commission amended the resolution Thursday to grant emergency power to Mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield as well as to the city manager.

• City manager Britt Lusk’s last day in the post is April 5. Assistant city manager Mark Martinez will serve as acting city manager when Lusk leaves.

The emergency declaration includes cancellation of all public events and an agreement to follow the plan of Quay County Emergency Management.

The commission also:

• Approved receipt of a $1.125 million loan and grant agreement with the New Mexico Finance Authority’s (Drinking Water State revolving Loan Fund to build a 165,000-gallon water tank at the city’s well complex near Five Mile Park, as well as new water lines, chlorination facilities and other water system components, according to NMFA documents. The city will cover $375,000 of that through a loan from NMFA. Lusk said the loan would be repaid through water system revenues.

• Approved receipt of a grant of $42,178.83 from the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps to operate the city’s annual YCC programs where up to six young adults work for up to 20 hours a week. Lusk said the young adults would work on parks projects that include mulching areas around playgrounds, installing playground equipment and repair backstops at baseball fields.

• Recognized a proclamation of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Tucumcari in cooperation with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department.

In comments from commissioners, Litchfield observed Tucumcari “is a wonderful place” to live in during the pandemic emergencies.

“Our grocery store and dollar stores are keeping things stocked,” she said, “I’m glad I’m not anywhere else.”