Lopez chosen as county commission chair

The Quay County Commission on Monday elected District 1 Commissioner Robert Lopez as its chairman for the next year while a new commissioner served in his first meeting in the role.

With no discussion, District 2 Commissioner Jerri Rush nominated Lopez as chairman, and new District 3 Commissioner Brian Fortner seconded it before the vote.

Rush and Lopez each were elected as commissioners two years ago. Lopez also previously served as a county commissioner from 2005 to 2012.

Rush was named alternate chair of the commission if Lopez is absent.

The commission approved changes to varying boards and subcommittees to reflect the addition of Fortner and the departure of former commission chairman Franklin McCasland, whom Fortner replaced after he was term-limited.

However, the commission accepted McCasland's offer to continue serving on water-related boards because of his expertise as manager of the Arch Hurley Conservancy District.

In a routine matter, the commission approved a resolution regarding compliance with audits, minutes, budgets, financial reports and warrant lists.

In other business:

- During public comment, ranchers Bill Humphries and Tom Sidwell asked commissioners to petition the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delay implementation of the lesser prairie chicken an endangered species, scheduled for Jan. 24.

Humphries said the new rule would be the "most onerous to Quay County."

Lopez said because the item wasn't on its agenda, the commission could not take action during its meeting Monday. However, he said commissioners could individually write letters or he could ask Zamora to write one.

"I've seen one when I was a child," said Lopez, also a rancher. "They don't exist here anymore."

- During public comments by state Sen. Pat Woods, Rush asked him to fund a study to turn U.S. 54 into a three- or four-lane highway or make safety improvements to its intersection with Mine Canyon Road northeast of Tucumcari.

Highway superintendent Larry Moore said the New Mexico Department of Transportation knows about the Mine Canyon Road problems.

- Commissioners approved an amended memorandum of agreement to construct a regional psychiatric hospital and mental health facility in Clovis.

The pact involves the cities of Clovis and Portales, village of Fort Sumner and counties of Curry, De Baca, Union and Roosevelt. Union County is a new partner in the agreement.

Initium Health will be paid a total of $190,000 for a financing and capital campaign for the facility, development consulting services and post-development implementation of its construction. Quay County's share is 4.68%, or $8,886.16, which Zamora said will be partially covered by opioid settlement funds.

- Commissioners approved Harding County's donation of a decommissioned 2017 Dodge Durango to the sheriff's office. Its estimated value is $14,342.

Sheriff Dennis Garcia said the vehicle has only 79,000 miles and would need only a radio, camera and new markings.

- Commissioners approved an EMS Fund Act application of $7,100 to the Forrest fire district. Rush, a volunteer firefighter in the district, abstained from voting.

- Commissioners approved the purchase of a $292,870 wildland firetruck from Steele Fire Apparatus in Haskell, Texas, for the Bard-Endee fire district. County Fire Marshal Lucas Bugg said the district is pre-approved for a state loan if more money is needed.

- Andrea Shafer presented her second-quarter report for the county's DWI Program. She said the program presented more than $1,000 worth of gifts to the local New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department office.

- C. Renee Hayoz, administrator of the Quay County Family Health Center, said it has changed the date of its COVID-19 vaccinations to Wednesday mornings. She said the clinic is injecting only bivalent boosters against the disease. She said the health center has been treating many influenza cases and is seeing an increase in COVID-19.

- Zamora said gross-receipt tax revenue in December was strong, including big increases in the construction sector. Rush again pointed out the revenue increase was partially due to inflation. "It's not necessarily a good thing," she said.