Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
A representative from the Tucumcari Historical Museum talked Monday to the Quay County Commission about the museum’s takeover of Tucumcari Rawhide Days and its expanded plans for the annual festival.
Alan Daugherty, speaking on behalf of the Tucumcari Historical Research Institute that runs the museum, said it plans to expand the scope of the festival to a “Rails, Reels and the Route” theme — basically, Tucumcari’s railroad and Route 66 heritage, plus resuming a film festival — in 2023.
Daugherty also said Tucumcari Rawhide Days also would bring back its Texas longhorns livestock show, which was started this year.
The festival pays tribute to the “Rawhide” television drama of the 1960s (starring a young Clint Eastwood) that was shot near Tucumcari. The festival typically is held the first weekend in May.
Daugherty also brought Rawhide Days’ fairgrounds-use agreement to the commission, which likely will be approved by commissioners at its next meeting in November.
He said he appreciated the county’s support to the museum, which has expanded its hours of operation and is negotiating with bus-tour companies to make more stops there next year.
In other business:
— C. Renee Hayoz, administrator of the Quay County Family Health Center in Tucumcari, presented her report for September. She said her clinic administered more than 90 COVID-19 vaccination boosters last week and has ordered 100 more doses. It also has administered more than 200 flu shots.
Hayoz said the coronavirus boosters are available for anyone age 6 and older, and the clinic soon should receive direction on the shots for children age 6 months and up.
— Commissioners approved an annual report from Quay County Health Council Chairwoman Janie Hoffman, who also is county assessor.
The Health Council has leveraged over $25 million in services since 1992. Among its priorities are lowering obesity, improving access to healthcare, reduce drug and alcohol abuse, improve access to oral healthcare and improve consumer health literacy.
Hoffman said the council’s Narcan trainings to prevent opioid overdoses has “helped in a lot of areas,” and it also plans to provide training in suicide prevention.
— Jamie Luaders, director of the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center, provided an update on the service for the months of August and September . She said the center still is shorthanded on the number of dispatchers needed, including one on maternity leave.
— Commissioners approved a first-quarter 2023 fiscal year financial report and the DWI distribution financial report, also for the first quarter of FY 2023.
County finance director Cheryl Simpson said the first financial report will have to be amended next month because of a $765 receipt was mistakenly left off. Regarding DWI program, Simpson said that office plans to buy and install security cameras there.
— County manager Daniel Zamora reported the latest gross receipts taxes revenue numbers in the county showed a slight decrease but were “still strong.”
— Zamora said he planned to attend a state infrastructure and finance conference, where he hoped to get funding for bridges and building a new hospital in Tucumcari.
— Commissioners approved almost $5,000 in hospital claims in October to the Indigent Claims Board.
— During public comments, Kevin Sanders, representing Glenrio resident Roxann Travis, thanked Zamora for listening to concerns about access to her land. A developer wants to open a recreational marijuana dispensary and RV park in Glenrio.