County officials approve reopening resolution

The Quay County Commission on Monday unanimously approved a resolution urging the governor and state to “reopen immediately” non-essential businesses that implement the same coronavirus safeguards as essential businesses and demanded rules that “recognize different situations” during the pandemic.

The nonbinding resolution states “no one rule … is appropriate” for every geographic area of New Mexico, and “the harm to the county …. under current blanket restrictions are as great as the threat posed by the virus.”

The Tucumcari City Commission by a 3-2 margin Thursday passed a somewhat similar resolution to reopen businesses. That measure also commended the governor for the protective actions she ordered during the pandemic.

The county’s document acknowledged social distancing, as recommended by the Department of Health’s secretary, “constitutes the most effective means of mitigating the potentially devastating impact” of the virus and that non-essential businesses closed for weeks by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s emergency health order can impose the same safety rules as essential businesses.

The resolution states “if the State does not immediately allow these businesses to reopen, many of these businesses will never recover, and the economy of the County, as well as the state, will suffer.”

Commissioner Sue Dowell said 185 businesses in Quay County remain open with some COVID-19 restrictions, and about 80 have been closed entirely since the emergency order in March.

“There are so many ramifications” of the order, she said. Citing only four confirmed coronavirus cases in the county as of Monday morning, she said “not one rule fits everybody” compared to hard-hit areas in the state’s northwest region.

Dowell noted closures of businesses may have added to crowds at essential stores. Citing the closing of the Smoker’s Discount store in Tucumcari, she said smokers instead are going to high-traffic convenience stores, truck stops and grocery store.

“The average citizen exposes himself to more danger because of that,” she said.

Dowell said she’s heard about some stores being forced to close in some towns and other remaining open. She indicated enforcement of the essential-business list “lacks consistency.”

She said intervention by area lawmakers, including state Sen. Pat Woods, enabled Love’s Appliance in Tucumcari to reopen after it briefly was shut down. Dowell said the store is essential because it remains the only appliance store in an 80-mile radius that also does delivery and repairs.

She acknowledged some residents are frightened of the virus, but added: “I think Quay County citizens are smart enough and can follow rules in relation to that.”

Commissioner Mike Cherry agreed with Dowell the restrictions are too stringent for many rural counties with few cases.

“What we’re doing is burning our houses down to get a mouse,” he said.

Cherry also said 82% of New Mexico’s coronavirus cases are concentrated in four counties, and only 10% of the cases are in 27 counties.

Commission Chairman Franklin McCasland said the closure of non-essential businesses was unfair when big-box retailers were allowed to remain open.

“But I don’t want to diminish the work (county emergency management coordinator) Daniel Zamora and healthcare workers have done,” he added.

Cherry and County Clerk Ellen White praised the recent appointments of Ryan Moore, co-owner of the Ranch Market in Clayton, and Christina Campos, administrator of Guadalupe Regional Hospital in Santa Rosa, to the governor’s economic recovery council that will guide reopening the state’s economy. Dowell said she wished the panel had more representation from county commissioners.

In later comments, Dowell praised residents for their acts of kindness during the pandemic, including free meals to first responders and healthcare workers. She said, with a voice that cracked with emotion, some were unable to visit critically ill relatives in hospitals because of pandemic restrictions.

In other business:

• County manager Richard Primrose, who gave the monthly Presbyterian Medical Services report for absent administrator C. Renee Hayoz, said the clinic had converted to 85% to 90% telephonic visits because of the pandemic. He said patients no longer are allowed to wait in the lobby and are quickly escorted to examination rooms. The clinic’s inventory of personal protective equipment is “OK” but has to keep making orders to maintain supplies.

• Road superintendent Larry Moore said he hadn’t received a response from state officials about a county resolution passed last month requesting safety improvements at U.S. 54 and Airport Road, but state lawmakers “are aware of it.” Primrose said there probably won’t be a response until after a special session of the New Mexico Legislature this summer to deal with budget issues.

“I ask that we do not let this go away,” Dowell said, noting residents’ longtime concerns about the intersection. “Please don’t let it go mute.”

• In brief comments about gross-receipts taxes, Primrose said revenue in February was comparable to the year-ago period, but “that could change in a hurry” because of the economic slowdown from the virus. He said a March receipts report will be received in mid-May.

• Primrose said Cannon Air Force Base notified him it soon would conduct landing exercises with Osprey aircraft on U.S. Bureau of Land Management property near Quay Road 58 and Quay Road AK in the southern part of the county.

• County Treasurer Patsy Gresham said her office had successfully converted to online debit and credit-card payments aside from “a few glitches.” She said the timing was good because it allows property owners to pay tax bills without having to come to the courthouse during the pandemic. Gresham said the new online system also would speed research for title companies.

Gresham also noted interest rates for certificates of deposit had dropped 1.5 points since the last meeting. She said local banking institutions recently had offered interest rates of 0.3%, but the Local Government Investment Pool rate was 0.7%. She said when CDs come due, she hated to move money away from local banks, but the rate difference was too big to ignore for now.

• The commission approved the third-quarter distribution report of $19,128 in expenditures for the county’s DWI Program, plus a $600-a-month office rental agreement there.

• The commission approved an 2020 fiscal year audit contract of $41,343 for the New Mexico-based Carr, Riggs and Ingram accounting firm for a fourth year.

• The county commission’s next meeting will be May 11, with a work session to discuss its budget before the May 26 meeting. The commission had temporarily reduced the number of meetings to one a month instead of two because of the pandemic.