Attorney wants county to get new lobbyist

Quay County government’s attorney, alleging a conflict of interest with its current lobbyist, on Monday suggested to commissioners the county share the cost of another lobbying firm being considered by the Village of Logan.

Warren Frost of Logan said the county’s lobbyist, Clinton D. Harden & Associates, has showed to have a conflict of interest with other Clovis-area clients regarding Tucumcari’s longstanding bid to land a horse-racing track and casino and Logan’s fight to stop the Ute Lake water pipeline project to the Clovis region.

“It seems to me like we need to have someone looking out for us,” Frost said.

Frost said the Village of Logan is looking to hire the Hull Consulting lobbying firm of Albuquerque for $24,000 a year. Frost advocated Quay County share half that cost, with its contract slated to begin July 1.

Commission Chairman Robert Lopez said Frost’s proposal was listed as a discussion item only on Monday’s meeting agenda and could not take action. He also said the commission could act on a contract by its next meeting.

“Your points are well taken,” Lopez said to Frost.

Frost, observing Hull has relatively few municipalities on its client list, suggested the firm might be able to devote more of its efforts to Quay County and Logan.

Commissioner Jerri Rush suggested they meet with members of the Hull firm before acting on the proposal. Frost said that request “seems reasonable” and signaled he would make arrangements to do so.

Harden & Associates’ contract with the county expires in July. Lopez said if county hires Hull, it didn’t necessarily mean it would fire Harden, and noted it might keep both firms.

Harden & Associates is paid $12,000 a year by the county.

Reached by phone after the meeting Monday, Harden said his firm is not doing any lobbying work for the City of Clovis or Curry County about the pipeline.

“Warren doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said Harden, a former state senator.

The commission previously has been divided on whether to retain Harden.

In 2019, it voted 2-1 to renew its contract with the firm. Sue Dowell, then a county commissioner, voted against it and questioned whether the county was “paying someone to work against us” regarding the proposed Tucumcari racino.

In other business:

— Commissioners heard a presentation from Steve Farmer, co-owner of La Casa Verde plant nursery and produce market in Tucumcari, about its proposed partnership with the nonprofit Rio Grande Community Development Corporation.

Farmer, noting Tucumcari is considered a “food desert,” said their mission is to expand local access to healthy foods and promote local food production. La Casa Verde co-owner David White said 22 residents are participating in the Table Top beginning farmer and rancher program.

Farmer, noting Rio Grande’s partnership with Bernalillo County, suggested the same with La Casa Verde and Quay County. Farmer said the county could help it acquire a new building or land access or forge a private-public partnership.

Commission Chairman Robert Lopez said he appreciated Farmer’s enthusiasm and that “we will definitely give some thought … to see where we can help.”

Lopez also suggested La Casa Verde making a presentation to the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation’s board.

Answering a question from Frost, Farmer said the market is equipped to take donations from cattle suppliers and took it one step further: “You grow it, we’ll buy it from you.”

— Jamie Luaders, director of the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center, reported the region’s 911 system likely will be updated before April 2024 at a minimal cost to the county.

Luaders said the 911 center should have eight employees but has just five, with another in training. She said she hopes to raise their pay from $13.03 to $14.03 an hour.

The 911 system answered more than 3,400 calls from January through March.

— Commissioners approved a $44,178-a-year contract with Hinkle & Landers of Albuquerque to perform audit services for fiscal year 2023.

County finance director Cheryl Simpson said four proposals for audit services were received in a request for proposals. Hinkle & Landers submitted the second-lowest price and earned the highest score from the evaluation committee.

— Commissioners approved an fiscal-year 2024 office rental agreement with the county’s DWI Program for $600 a month, which is not changing from the current year.

— Commissioners approved Clerk Ellen White’s recommendation to change their Aug. 14 meeting to Aug. 7. White and other members of her staff will be out of town for mandatory election training the week of Aug. 14.

— Rico Marano, coordinator of the county’s DWI Program, presented his third-quarter report. He mentioned the program likely would use a billboard that targets youth drunken driving.

— Stephen Salas, road superintendent, said his department is motivated to finish work on Quay Roads AL, Q and Y as soon as it rains.

— Commissioners approved a resolution of a $43,000 budget transfer to purchase caliche for road maintenance.

— Commissioners approved a proclamation declaring May as Motorcycle Awareness Month.

— County manager Daniel Zamora said gross receipts tax revenue was “doing well” despite a slight decrease from March to April.

— Commissioners approved $1,790 in indigent medical claims in March. In 10 months of the fiscal year, the county has paid more than $42,800 for such claims.

— In routine matters, commissioners approved the third-quarter financial report and third-quarter DWI Program financial report.

— Commissioners went into a closed executive session to discuss pending litigation regarding a section of Quay Road 41 that was closed nearly a decade ago. When open session resumed, the commission voted to dispatch three road viewers to the site and make a final determination on the road closure by the next meeting.

— Also after the closed session, two commissioners, Frost and Zamora said they would inspect a disputed cattle guard. Bucky Stone in October filed a lawsuit against the county, claiming the installation of a new cattle guard on Quay Road 69 prevented access to his land.