Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari City Commissioner Christopher Arias asked for an amendment to city ordinances to address drag racing on streets.
Arias said Thursday during the commission’s regular meeting that drivers are racing on First, Main, Seventh and other streets.
He said he observed a motorist go around a corner at high speed “at no regard to life.”
He expressed concern that children, pedestrians or law-abiding motorists might be hit.
“I think it’s time to focus on quality of life of our residents,” he said while asking for a future work session to discuss changing the ordinance.
Arias said he saw no language in city code that addresses drag racing.
Police Chief Pete Rivera said the city generally follows the Uniform Traffic Code. He also noted a few drag racers are younger than 18 years old and not subject to adult criminal penalties.
Rivera said his officers recently arrested an individual for driving 130 mph on Main Street.
Manager report
City manager Paula Chacon listed these items in her report:
• She introduced Rivera as the city’s police chief after he’d been acting chief for months, and the city’s newly hired fire chief, Garrett Nash.
Chacon also said the city recently hired five new employees in varying departments who will begin work in the next two weeks.
• Chacon announced Tucumcari Rawhide Days will return in 2023. The Tucumcari Historical Museum will organize the event.
• She said the long-delayed audit for fiscal year 2021 had been submitted to the state, and auditors will show up at City Hall later this month to begin work on the FY2022 audit.
• Chacon said she and other officials are researching the city’s water capacity to see how much can be used to restore Tucumcari Lake. The plan is to lease excess water rights to New Mexico Game & Fish to fill the lake and use it as a wildlife refuge.
• She said a repairs to a city ambulance should be finished this week.
• Chacon said the cemetery board recently landed three applicants, but all would need to attend meetings to have a quorum.
• She praised the New Mexico Route 66 Association for its ambassador program. It has begun repainting a fire-scorched wall on the former Outlaw Tattoo property on East Tucumcari Boulevard.
• Chacon said she received interest from a party to buy a city-owned house at First Street and Laughlin Avenue, but it needs an appraisal. Noting the expense of appraisals, Arias and Mayor Pro Tem Ralph Moya suggested selling a few of those properties each year.
• Chacon said a complaint about too many dogs at a home near Barnes Avenue and Rock Island Street was being monitored by animal control, but the case was “in limbo” until the city hires a municipal judge. She said addressing code violations also would be difficult until the judge is seated.
• She said a complaint by Fran Tollett by during a recent meeting about alleged sewer overcharges was addressed, noting fees are averaged over a three-month period.
Action items
• Commissioners approved a $787,500 allocation from the state Department of Finance and Administration to the Tucumcari Police Department. Rivera said most of the money will be used for salaries and benefits when seven openings on the force are filled. He said he also was considering $3,000 in incentives for new hires.
• Commissioners approved services of $144,526 with Stantec Engineering for the $1.07 million Aber Addition street-rehabilitation project south of the Tucumcari Recreation Center.
• Commissioners approved a $107,125.23 task order with Bohannan Huston of Albuquerque for an apron and Taxiway A rehabilitation design at Tucumcari Municipal Airport, with a 1% match by the city. The commission also approved Bohannan contract documents for airport runway pavement maintenance at a cost of $174,250.
• Commissioners approved the appointment of Nola Hendrickson to the senior citizens advisory board.
• Commissioners approved a date change of its next meeting from Oct. 27 to Oct. 24 because Chacon had a scheduling conflict.
• In the consent agenda, commissioners accepted the resignation of Alida Brown from the library board.
Work session
• Commissioners discussed a proposal to give lodger tax executive funds to Tucumcari Public Schools for lighting at its ballpark redevelopment project. A final decision on funding likely will occur during the commission’s Oct. 24 meeting. (See other story in this edition.)
• Chacon said she needed more time to research the city’s at-will and personnel policy so it can be amended. She anticipated proposing a rewritten policy in early December. Commissioner Mike Cherry suggested adding Easter as a holiday and restoring time-and-a-half pay for work during holidays.
• Chacon said an interview with a municipal judge candidate was scheduled for Oct. 14, and the commission could make a hiring decision on the position during its Oct. 24 meeting. Chacon said the city attorney noted a municipal judge is not required for cities with fewer than 10,000 people, but she noted 81 of 105 municipalities in New Mexico have a municipal judge. She recommended keeping a municipal judge in Tucumcari for code enforcement purposes.
• Commissioners discussed Chacon’s proposal to change meeting dates and times. She said it would boost staff productivity and allow them to spend more time with family. Chacon also said she wanted to see a relative play volleyball. Commissioners seemed split on the idea; others noted conflicts with other entities’ meetings on suggested times. Chacon said she also had not compiled survey results on the proposal but would have those by the next meeting.
Comments
During commissioner comments, Cherry suggested a change in public-comment rules. He noted commission meeting agendas state: “Public comments is an opportunity for citizens to comment on non-agenda items …” Cherry suggested deleting the term “non-agenda.” He said it violates freedom-of-speech principles for a resident to not be allowed to comment on an agenda item.
Other commissioners said the rule was added by a previous city manager, Britt Lusk, about three years ago. Arias said commissioners never voted on that change to his knowledge.
Cherry also asked for a plan to address a leaking roof at the Tucumcari Recreation Center, noting its gym floor is ruined. Chacon also said the facility’s air conditioning needs to be replaced.
• Moya complained about trains blocking the Rock Island Street crossing for hours. Cherry agreed, saying it is “a life-safety issue” slows responses by ambulances and firetrucks.
Moya also said deep potholes need to be filled near public housing and on Rock Island Street near High Street.
Moya said it was time to revive the Princess Theatre board, noting more interest in the long-closed venue.
• Commissioner Paul Villanueva said the city’s pothole machine needs better material. He said large chunks of material in it may break the device. He also reported several missing street signs.
• Mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield asked residents to consider serving on the city’s library, cemetery and Princess Theatre boards.
She also commended Mike and Melissa Lee for their recent announcement of moving Fast TV Network to Tucumcari.
“It’s fantastic for New Mexico, eastern New Mexico and especially Tucumcari,” she said.
• During public comments, Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce director Scott Crotzer listed upcoming Halloween events, including a giveaway of 2,000 pumpkins at the ag research center on Oct. 22, a Pumpkin Crawl at the Tucumcari Historical Museum, a Spook-tacular Halloween Block Party on Second Street downtown and Hocus Pokey dance and costume party at the Elks Lodge, all on Oct. 29. He added the Odeon Theatre will offer a screening of “The Exorcist” on Oct. 31.
• Steve Farmer, speaking on behalf of La Casa Verde, said the store expanded its line of produce and is working with state and federal agencies to allow poor people and senior citizens to buy fresh food.
• Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corp. director Patrick Vanderpool said the TableTop Cooperative recently received a $30,000 grant to help establish a community kitchen in the area.
He also congratulated Tucumcari MainStreet director Connie Loveland for her role in persuading Fast TV Network, New Mexico Route 66 Association and Classical Gas Museum to move here.