Interim city manager's position made permanent

After serving as Tucumcari’s interim city manager twice in three years, Mark Martinez has become city manager without the “interim.”

The Tucumcari City Commission voted to hire Martinez as the city manager Thursday and approved a two-year contract with Martinez that includes an annual salary of $80,000. As interim city manager, Martinez’s salary had been the equivalent of about $76,000 a year.

“We’re very pleased and happy to welcome Mark as our city manager,” Mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield said in introducing the contract for commission vote. “He’s done a great job as interim manager.”

After the vote, the commission gave Martinez a round of applause.

In his city manager’s report, Martinez expressed appreciation to the commission.

“Everyone has been supportive,” he said. “We have made some difficult decisions, and there are more difficult decisions coming.”

He pledged to work “in the best interests of the city” and said he will keep an “open door” policy.

“I will try to be there to hear questions, comments and concerns, but sometimes I run a million miles an hour. I may not always be there, but we can schedule an appointment,” he said.

In other action Thursday, the commission approved its annual Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan to be submitted to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).

Ralph Lopez, a project manager in the city’s Community Development department, said the ICIP, which forecasts needs for five years, forms the basis of the city’s annual “wish list” for capital outlay funds from the New Mexico Legislature and is needed to qualify for other assistance from the DFA.

The five projects on this year’s list include:

n A fourth cell for the city’s landfill, expected to cost $3.3 million over five years;

n Repairs and upgrades to city water and wastewater systems, estimated to cost less than $2.8 million over five years;

n A second phase of Aber Addition infrastructure improvements, about $550,000 over five years;

n Water tank rehabilitation and replacements, $6.3 million over five years;

n East Route 66 infrastructure improvements, $2.4 million over five years.

The commission also authorized an agreement between the city and New Mexico State University through Sept. 1, 2023, that will authorize students enrolled in health-care programs at NMSU, including students in Dona Ana Community College’s EMS/paramedic program, to observe Tucumcari Emergency Medical Services personnel as they respond to calls. Dona Ana college is in Las Cruces.

The commission previously tabled the proposal to get some legal questions answered, Martinez said.

The agreement calls for health program students to do “ride-alongs” with Tucumcari emergency medical services crews as a part of their educational programs, Martinez said. He said, “Maybe if some of them come for ride-alongs, they may want to live here.”

The city also approved an agreement with Stantec Engineering, which has an office in Tucumcari, for design of the replacement for Hoover Tank, a 165,000-gallon tank six miles west of Tucumcari.

The plan will include a new 165,000-gallon water tank and new transmission lines to replace fixtures that have stood since 1938.

Stantec would be paid a total of $155,655 for design services, which are expected to be complete by Aug. 27, 2021. The agreement extends and adds to work Stantec was doing related to planning for the project, according to documents related to the contract.

The commission also authorized the DFA to reimburse the city for providing up to $27,956 for small business assistance and $13,221 for assistance to the city in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds.

For small business assistance, Martinez said he is working with the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation, the Small Business Development Center at Mesalands Community College and Tucumcari MainStreet to develop a plan for distributing the funds and will attend related training next week with the DFA.

For the city reimbursement, Martinez said he has asked for reimbursement to cover costs related to personal protective equipment purchases and overtime pay made necessary by COVID-19.

Martinez said the city had applied for “much more” in small-business reimbursements, but received what it applied for in aid to the city.

Jerry Lopez, an officer with the Tucumcari Zia Club that has applied for a liquor license for the former Cooper Cleaners building at 428 S. Second St., defended the Tucumcari Knights of Columbus, which he said has not declared bankruptcy nor gone inactive, he said.

The K of C, he said, hopes to return as a parish-based organization through St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Tucumcari.

Lopez said the Zia Club is a separate nonprofit organization. The Zia Club, he said, is acting within its rights to seek a liquor license at the Cooper’s Cleaners site and would operate in compliance with Tucumcari Police and the New Mexico Alcoholic Beverage Control board.

A neighbor protested to the commission about the liquor license on a site next to residential properties due to noise and concerns related to drunken driving.

District 1 Commissioner Ralph Moya, who owns the Cooper’s Cleaners building, said that neighborhood had a history of drug-dealing and other difficulties over the years.

He purchased some of the homes there, he said, “as a service to the community.”

He reminded the commission the block in question has the proper commercial zoning to qualify for a liquor license.

District 4 Commissioner Chris Arias donated to the city a certificate and a plaque he earned by completing the certification program of New Mexico Municipal League’s Municipal Officials Leadership Institute.

Litchfield read a resolution proclaiming Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week to honor the U.S. Constitution, recognizing its 233rd year. She received the proclamation from Gigi Parker, representing the Tucumcari chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.