New city manager presides over first meeting

Paula Chacon attended her first city commission meeting on Thursday as the new city manager and presented a lengthy list of issues she had resolved or was trying to address.

Chacon, a former county manager in Quay and Union counties and longtime official with the 10th Judicial Circuit, logged her first official day at City Hall last Monday after being hired earlier in August.

Several city commissioners welcomed her during the meeting Thursday, and one acknowledged she faced multiple challenges.

"Do you need Tylenol or anything?" commissioner Mike Cherry said.

Chacon took over for Mark Martinez, who reverted to his old position as assistant city manager.

Chacon listed these items in her first city manager's report:

-- Recent storms had caused damage to the roof and ceilings to the main building at Tucumcari Memorial Park cemetery and prompted concerns of black mold, she said. Chacon said she had submitted an insurance claim and was awaiting word on that.

On a related note, Chacon said she was advertising for openings on the cemetery board. The board earlier had been disbanded because of lack of volunteers, though several residents in recent weeks had offered to serve on it.

-- Chacon talked about widespread staffing shortages, with 11 positions open in the city. She said it was not just a Tucumcari problem, noting the City of Las Vegas recently held a job fair and no applicants showed up. She said she would "reach further out" to address those vacancies.

"People aren't wanting to work at this time," she said. "We're going to keep trying."

-- She noted the Tucumcari Police Department also had openings. Chacon said New Mexico State Police and Quay County Sheriff's Office were serving as backup in law-enforcement situations.

Acting Police Chief Pete Rivera noted accidents involving commercial vehicles, especially at the city's truck stops, were being investigated by state police only.

-- Chacon, noting Quay County's recent lift of its burn ban, said she advocates the city also lifting the ban after consulting with the acting police and fire chiefs.

She cautioned, however, that residents need to contact police dispatch before beginning an open burn and follow their recommendations.

-- Chacon said an irate customer prompted the closure of City Hall for about 90 minutes last Monday. She said water customers still could make payments during that time via online, by phone or using the city's drop box.

-- Chacon also described the steps she'd taken to address a late audit for fiscal year 2021 and submit it to the state. (See other story in this edition.)

-- Referring to a complaint about torn flags at Veterans Park downtown, Chacon said new flags had been ordered to replace them.

-- Chacon said city workers had trimmed tall weeds along Main Street that had been growing quickly after recent rains.

Action items

-- Commissioners approved by a 4-1 vote the donation of a city-owned tract near the fairgrounds rodeo arena to Quay County.

Martinez said the city and county are discussing sharing costs to renovate a nearby concession stand so it can be used for Little League games.

Mayor Pro Tem Ralph Moya cast the only dissenting vote, saying he wanted the city to maintain an easement on that tract if future development occurs. City attorney Jared Najjar said the city can negotiate an easement if that happens.

Commissioners also approved a donation of a sliver of county land to the city near the Tucumcari Convention Center.

The donations were prompted after a recent survey for the ballpark redevelopment project by Tucumcari Public Schools.

-- Commissioners approved two measures for the Tucumcari Senior Center involving the facility's capital improvements plan.

-- Commissioners approved an amendment to the wastewater effluent disposal project with CDM Smith. Martinez said the amendment has been approved by the state for $12,310, with the cost to the city of about $2,300.

Comments

-- Sherry Bruhn, who lives along Barnes Avenue, said a neighbor owns 12 dogs, including one canine that has killed two dogs in the past year. City ordinance limits dogs to three per household.

Admitting she was "at my wit's end" about the situation, she said another neighbor said she's afraid of being injured by the roaming dogs. Bruhn said she does not let her grandchildren play in the front yard without seeing whether the dogs are around.

Several city commissioners, expressing alarm by Bruhn's story, instructed Rivera and other city officials to look into it.

-- Tonya Ridgon, a local real-estate broker, levied complaints about the difficulty of residents connecting or disconnecting water service. She said new residents find it easier to connect their gas and electrical service than water.

"Tucumcari should be welcoming," she said. "Tucumcari is not welcoming."

-- During commissioner comments, Moya asked when the recently approved $1.50-an-hour raise for all city employees would go into effect. Chacon said the raises are retroactive to July 12 but the city budget still requires approval by the state.

Moya also asked that vendors along Tucumcari Boulevard be checked on whether they have business permits.

-- Arias said Carlson Coffee Co. and Kandel's Street Sips are participating in Children's Miracle Network fundraisers. Arias said the fundraisers will benefit Children's Hospital in Amarillo.

-- Commissioner Paul Villanueva said he received a complaint about speeding motorists on Fourth and Fifth streets. Chacon said she was "considering options" for that problem.