Outgoing officials recognized

Monday's meeting of the Quay County Commission proved to be the finale for commissioners Sue Dowell and Mike Cherry, who had served in their posts since 2012.

Commission Chairman Franklin McCasland gave each a plaque of appreciation for their service to the county shortly after the meeting began. Dowell and Cherry both were term-limited and couldn't run for re-election.

"It was an honor to serve with you," he said, and invited both to attend future meetings.

Dowell, who served in District 1 in the county's northwest side, will be replaced by Robert Lopez of rural Tucumcari. Cherry, in District II in the county's southwest section, will be replaced by Jerri Rush of Forrest.

Lopez and Rush won their respective primary elections this summer and were unopposed in the general election. They will take office during the next meeting Jan. 11.

During brief remarks, Dowell and Cherry thanked county manager Richard Primrose, county staff, elected officials and voters who supported them during their tenures.

"That was a quick eight years," Cherry said.

"There's a lot of unsung heroes who make the county the success that it is," Dowell said, reading from a prepared statement.

Dowell also thanked residents "who stood by me on the issues."

Later in the meeting, Dowell ticked off issues she hopes her successor and other county officials would keep in mind.

One is traffic safety on U.S. 54 at Airport Road and Mine Canyon Road between Tucumcari and Logan.

A new concern voiced by Dowell is the courthouse lobby's incomplete list of area soldiers killed in action. Primrose said he contacted the local VFW post, which would provide an updated list.

Finally, Dowell said she hoped her successor regularly would stay in touch with constituents.

"It's the duty for an official to reach out for communication," she said.

In other business:

• County Assessor Janie Hoffman detailed her "Make the Call" suicide-prevention campaign for the region. (See story in this edition about Hoffman's program.)

"There's a whole lot of people who are homebound and feeling hopeless," she said.

"This is outstanding what you're doing," Cherry said of Hoffman's efforts.

• Commissioners approved four budget-increase resolutions by request of county Finance Director Cheryl Simpson. One resolution was for $152,000 in federal CARES Act funds for the county's COVID-19 expenses and another $372,000 for small-business relief during the pandemic.

Another resolution covered $270,000 to the Porter Fire Department for a tanker truck and $98,593 to the Forrest Fire Department for self-contained breathing apparatuses for firefighters.

Another $94,000 resolution came from road-match waivers to the county.

One of the resolutions dealt with a $1,000 donation to the sheriff's department from a resident who wished to remain anonymous. The money will be used for supplies for deputies. McCasland said he'd try to make arrangements with Sheriff Russell Shafer to see whether commissioners could send him or her a thank-you card.

• Commissioners approved New Mexico Department of Transportation match waiver agreements totaling about $94,000 for road projects and a lease extension for the county road department's two graders. Primrose said the lease, which did not go up in price, is about $2,400 a month.

• Commissioners approved an annual resolution that sets meeting dates and that commissioners would conform to the state's Open Meetings Act. Commissioners also approved the 2021 holiday schedule.

• Primrose thanked emergency management coordinator Daniel Zamora for his efforts in landing a $50,000 grant from Homeland Security for cybersecurity and a $42,000 grant for communications technology.

• Primrose said the county's gross-receipts tax revenue in November was "still looking good" because of construction projects and internet sales.

• Primrose said he was assured the county soon would receive $350,000 from a previously announced capital-outlay award to repair a roof at the county fairgrounds.

"With the (poor) financial status of the state, we hope it doesn't get swept" back into the state budget, he said.

• Commissioners went in a closed executive session to discuss threatened or pending litigation.