County discusses COVID-19 funds

Quay County Commissioners on Monday discussed how to distribute more than $370,000 in federal coronavirus relief funds earmarked for local businesses.

The county itself also received $152,550 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to cover expenses for disinfectant foggers, wipes, shields and other expenses due to the pandemic. He said that money also can be used for other COVID-19 expenses incurred through Dec. 31.

County manager Richard Primrose said state officials recommended the county apply for the federal funds. He acknowledged the request came with little notice, and “we didn’t get very much direction” about it. He admitted some surprise on how much money the county received.

He said more details on how to distribute the $372,750 earmarked to local businesses, nonprofit organizations and civil groups for COVID-19 expenses would be known after he watches a webinar about it Wednesday.

Primrose said he has enlisted the help of officials from Tucumcari MainStreet, Mesalands Community College and Tucumcari Economic Development Corp. on how to properly distribute the funds. He said a two-page application for reimbursement likely would be used.

He said it’s also possible businesses that have been closed since March because of the pandemic might be able to apply to reimburse for overhead expenses.

He said public-relation notices and other publicity to let businesses throughout the county know about the program would be used.

In other business:

• The commission without discussion approved property tax rates for 2020. County Assessor Janie Hoffman said most areas except the Grady school district would see increases. The largest hike, she said, would be in House, where voters approved a school bond issue and saw municipal rates increase. House tax rates will rise about $169 per $100,000 of assessed value. The average in the rest of the county is an increase of about $85 per $100,000, she said.

• The commission approved its annual infrastructure capital improvements plan. The county submits to the state a prioritized wish list of projects it wants funding. Below are projects by fiscal year, priority and the amount of money requested. A few projects request funds over multiple years.

2022: Quay Road 63 construction, $1.25 million; Quay Road 62.9 construction, $1 million; Quay County Detention Center renovations, $500,000; Bridge 1042 on Historic Route 66, $250,000; sheriff’s vehicles, $200,000; Quay Road AR construction, $1.5 million; Quay Road AP construction, $550,000;

asset management procedure plan, $100,000; fire and EMS radio equipment upgrade, $100,000.

2023: Bridge 1042 on Historic Route 66, $3 million; Quay Road AP construction, $300,000; Ute Reservoir watershed restoration, $500,000; dump truck equipment, $350,000; pneumatic roller, $170,000; courthouse window replacement, $1.164 million.

2024: Dozer equipment, $750,000; and county vehicles, $300,000.

No projects were listed in the 2025 or 2026 fiscal years.

• Commissioners instructed Primrose to prepare a resolution for its Sept. 28 meeting requesting federal drought aid to farmers and ranchers. De Baca and Guadalupe counties are preparing similar resolutions.

Primrose cautioned that getting federal disaster aid might be difficult because the county was designated by the National Weather Service as in a “severe” to “mild” drought, not “extreme.”

Commission Chairman Franklin McCasland and county extension agricultural agent Jason Lamb expressed doubt over the NWS designations. McCasland said Quay County was nine inches short of rainfall this year, and Lamb said most of the grass on pastureland has died or is not growing.

“It’s pretty bad out there,” Lamb said.

• Commissioners approved an inmate housing agreement with Lea County, mostly for juveniles. Johnny Reid, assistant administrator at the Quay County Detention Center, noted three of seven juvenile facilities in the state have shut down due to costs. Primrose said housing Quay County juveniles elsewhere cost the county only $25,000 last year.

• Commissioners approved a state Homeland Security grant application for $50,000 to upgrade the county’s cybersecurity. Daniel Zamora, county emergency manager, said the money would be used to upgrade computer hardware and buy software to protect sensitive data.

• County Clerk Ellen White said her office has received 480 applications for absentee ballots for the November election. Noting there was “a lot of confusion about voting” and “a lot of misinformation,” she urged residents to call her office if they had questions. Absentee ballots would be mailed starting Oct. 6, and early voting in the county begins that day, as well.

• Commissioners approved a state planning grant agreement that will reimburse the county $24,470 for a feasibility study on a new road from 12 Shores Golf Club to South Shore Drive. The new road would greatly reduce commute times to and from the golf course for Logan residents.

• Commissioners approved grant requests from county fire marshal Lucas Bugg to help rural fire departments buy equipment: Bard-Endee, $200,000; Forrest, $89,463; Rural 1, $115,000; and Porter, $200,000.

• C. Renee Hayoz, administrator of Presbyterian Medical Services, said during her monthly report a medical director who showed up at the clinic twice a month now will appear once a month personally and once by telephone, saving money. She said more services are slowly reopening amid lifted COVID-19 restrictions, including meetings.

• Commissioners approved a joint powers agreement with Ute Reservoir Water Commission. Primrose said the original agreement in 1995 involved water allocation with 12 entities. Three of those entities have dropped out for not using water and have been consigned as nonvoting members.

• Commissioners approved a 25-year franchise agreement with Southwestern Public Service Co. Primrose said the pact allows the utility to place power poles on county right-of-ways.

• Lamb, giving his April-to-June report of extension service activities, said COVID-19 canceled or rescheduled many planned activities and prompted a 25% capacity at its offices. He said family and consumer science agent Susann Mikkelson’s virtual workshop on navigating finances during the pandemic was “one of the most successful in the state.” He also said businesses are assisting in the construction of a county shooting sports range for youth. He also said local wheat production was down about 16%, and he was setting boll weevil traps at local cotton fields.

• Commissioners held a closed session to discuss threatened or pending litigation. No action was taken.