Chamber hired as events coordinator

The Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday approved a short-term contract with the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce to serve as the city’s events coordinator through June, with the option of a longer-term deal later.

The contract with the chamber is prorated at a salary of $1,250 a month from Thursday through June 30, the end of the 2022 fiscal year, with the hope that chamber director Scott Crotzer can organize a festival — tentatively billed as a revival of the long-dormant Pinata Festival — by June 4 in a spot once occupied by the New Mexico Music Showcase. About $12,000 has been earmarked to book entertainment for the festival.

After that, the city and Crotzer will reassess whether to draw up another contract for the 2023 fiscal year.

City Manager Mark Martinez acknowledged Crotzer doesn’t have much time to organize a festival by early June.

“It’s a trial run — not for the success of the event — but on how well we work together,” Crotzer said of the contract, who weeks ago advocated having the chamber resume its role in that position.

Commissioners agreed on the contract after a few small amendments suggested during a work session earlier Thursday.

Martinez first unveiled the contact during a Lodgers Tax Advisory Board meeting earlier this month.

Other action

• Commissioners approved $16,990 in executive lodgers tax funds to install new baseboards at the Tucumcari Convention Center. The low bidder was Illmatic Construction of Santa Fe, the same firm hired to install polished concrete floors and carpet panels there.

• Commissioners approved $39,519.21 in executive lodgers tax funds for painting the interior of the convention center. The low bidder was Daniel Construction Co. of Tucumcari. Martinez said all the renovations would be finished by Thursday — in time for a wedding booked for Saturday.

• Commissioners approved a Tucumcari Municipal Airport design and construction agreement to fill cracks and sealcoat a runaway and apply new markings. The city’s share of the $423,000 project is $3,256. Commissioners also approved an engineering agreement with Bohannan Huston of Albuquerque for the runway project for $50,407.41. According to documents, the city will be reimbursed for engineering costs when federal and state grants arrive.

• Commissioners approved an amended contract with CDM Smith Engineering of Albuquerque for the wastewater reuse project north of town that will cost an additional $349,128 on top of the original pact’s $347,679. One commissioner was taken aback by the cost, but Martinez pointed out it is part of a $5.2 million project, and other alternatives to meet federal wastewater guidelines would have cost at least $20 million.

• Commissioners approved Michelle Chavez’s request to rezone a church on South Sixth Street into a daycare center. Chavez is moving her Turquoise Child Development Center from East Tucumcari Boulevard. It was the second and final reading of the request, with no one objecting.

• Commissioners approved MT Tucumcari Properties’ request to rezone land on South Mountain Road between the Fairfield Inn hotel and an RV park. Building a recreational marijuana dispensary and coffee shop are planned there. It was the second and final reading of the request, with no one objecting.

• Mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield read a city proclamation recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month. Litchfield said the issue is “close to her heart” because she has an autistic grandson. Local special-education teacher Jackie Duplantis and several children accepted the proclamation, to applause from the audience.

Comments, reports

• During public comments, Paws and Claws Animal Rescue President Kathi McClelland accused an animal control officer of leaving animals at the pound without care for up to 72 hours, which she said is against the law, or the officer directed other city employees to care for them.

Later in the meeting, Commissioner Ralph Moya expressed alarm about the accusation and wanted an explanation of actions taken against the employee.

“I don’t like animals to suffer,” he said.

Martinez said he addressed the issue as a personnel matter.

“I was very disappointed, and I took action,” he said.

Commissioner Mike Cherry said he also discussed it with Martinez and said, “I think we have a handle on that.”

• Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corp. director Patrick Vanderpool gave a quarterly report on his activities. He said at least two state entities are intrigued by a proposed 132-mile Dawson Rail Trail bicycle and pedestrian trail, using the long-defunct Dawson rail line from Tucumcari to near Cimarron. The Dawson line, discontinued in the 1950s, once connected a large coal-mining town.

Vanderpool outlined seven Create Bridges projects that can benefit Tucumcari: regional tourism marketing such as Needo-NM.org, broadband programs such as Tech Tuesdays, a workforce database, entrepreneurship such as Tucumcari MainStreet’s FORGE business accelerator program, agribusiness such as the Tabletop Co-op beginning farmers program and, finally, a Create Business resource fair.

Vanderpool said Albuquerque is running out of warehouse space, and Tucumcari might benefit from built-to-suit proposals and financing mechanisms for new warehouses.

• During public comments, real-estate agent Tonya Rigdon praised the efforts of Tucumcari MainStreet, the chamber and Paws & Claws, but added that turning on utilities for new residents was “a real hassle.” In response, Moya noted city hall’s hours had been increased about a month ago, and he urged more city employees be cross-trained for other duties.

Rigdon also said there needs to be a central location for new residents to find volunteer opportunities.

• During public comments, Bobby Hockaday and Karen Alarcon told about the Tucumcari Rawhide Days festival set for April 29-30.

• During commissioner comments, Moya said he received complaints about raw sewage running down driveways at Quay Apartments due to plumbing problems.

“It’s a safety issue for the people living out there,” he said.

• Moya said with new tax revenue from legal cannabis sales, he said the city soon should consider pay raises for police officers and city employees.

• Moya said he received complaints about vendors at the closed Hardee’s property who don’t pay business license fees. He said that’s unfair, and asked why the city wasn’t enforcing those.

• Commissioner Paul Villanueva said he received complaints about Dumpsters missing lids or having holes. He also received several complaints about potholes, but Litchfield said she turned in five work orders for potholes, and all were filled.

• Litchfield said one hub for the annual Run For the Wall cross-country motorcycle ride would make a stop in Tucumcari on May 20.

• During his city manager report, Martinez said a work session would be at 5 p.m. April 28 with the lodgers tax advisory board to discuss aid requests from festivals and tourism entities. The commission then would take final action on those recommendations during its regular meeting.

• Martinez said he again met with a water rights attorney regarding refilling Tucumcari Lake. He said the plan for now is having New Mexico Game and Fish drill a new well to refill the lake to turn it into a wildlife sanctuary.