County approves change in return-to-work provisions

The Quay County Commission on Monday approved a resolution that requests a change in return-to-work provisions regarding the Public Employees Retirement Association.

County Manager Daniel Zamora, who recommended the resolution’s passage, said the proposal would allow retired employees to return to work without an adverse affect on their pensions.

The resolution was prompted by the struggle of many counties and municipalities to fill job vacancies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under current rules, a retiree who returns to work for a PERA affiliate has his or her benefits suspended, preventing them from collecting both a salary and their retirement benefits.

The resolution urges a five-year moratorium on enforcement of current state law pertaining to retired members who choose to return to work and “mentor” younger employees.

Sheriff Russell Shafer told the commissioners he was in support of such a moratorium.

In other business:

• Commissioners approved a resolution recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Quay County Health Council, proclaiming Nov. 4 as Quay County Health Council Day.

Council coordinator Brenda Bishop said the council has administered $23 million in services during that time — representing $35 in return for every dollar given to the council — and has 80 active members.

On Nov. 4, the health council will hold an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Liberty Room of the Tucumcari Convention Center.

Bishop also gave her annual report that summarized the council’s activities, including Narcan training against opioid overdoses, gun locks for suicide prevention and battling alcohol abuse, which Bishop said is one of the county’s top contributing causes of death.

• In a routine matter, commissioners approved the first- and second-quarter mill levy and gross-receipts tax payments of $250,000 each to Trigg Memorial Hospital.

Assistant administrator Vickie Gutierrez said the hospital recently published it annual report to the community. It states the hospital saw more than 11,626 outpatient visits and almost 4,000 emergency room visits in 2020. Trigg employs 82 people.

• Commissioners approved Shafer’s request for a grants agreement to cover $5,015 in officer overtime for the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s STEP and BKLUP programs. BLKUP is funds overtime for law enforcement agencies to conduct safety belt and child restraint or booster seat use activities. STEP provides funding to target specific speed, DWI, road rage, distracted and reckless driving, fatigue or drowsy driving, occupant protection and crashes involving pedestrians -- primarily through the use of safety corridors.

• Commissioners approved a memorandum of agreement with the New Mexico Department of Health and its longstanding use of the county’s building at 310 S. Second St.

• Andrea Shafer, coordinator of the county’s DWI Program, gave her July-to-September report. Among the eight arrests during that quarter for driving while intoxicated, one suspect had been arrested for such an offense a fifth time.

• Commissioners approved a first-quarter financial report to the state’s Department of Finance Administration and the first-quarter DWI Program report on financial distributions. The county’s share of funding the DWI Program was $3,873.

• Zamora said the county’s gross-receipts tax revenue last month declined slightly but was “mostly stable.”

• Zamora also commended county fire marshal Lucas Bugg and the county’s rural fire chiefs for recently getting five of eight state grant requests approved for firefighting equipment. Bugg said county fire departments will receive about $850,000 of $1.5 million requested, which was a better proportion than many other counties.