County approves preliminary budget

The Quay County Commission with little discussion approved its 2023-2024 preliminary budget that includes raises for most of the county’s 79 employees.

Many of the budget’s details were recommended by county manager Daniel Zamora before Monday’s meeting, including during a work session the week before.

The budget anticipates $15.7 million in expenditures and an ending cash balance of a little over $7 million.

Finance director Cheryl Simpson said payroll will see a big increase, with employees receiving a raise of at least $1 an hour, plus $2-an-hour raises to the road and sheriff’s departments. Elected department heads do not receive raises until after the next election.

She also said the budget reflects capital outlay funds to build a concession stand at the fairgrounds and purchasing emergency communications equipment.

The budget also accounts for a new roof on the Quay County Family Health Center in Tucumcari and repairing Quay Road AP.

As previously recommended by the commission, the county will reduce its contribution to the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation from $50,000 to $30,000. It increased extension service funding by about $15,000.

Property tax rates will remain the same, though Simpson noted increases in that revenue because of higher valuations.

Simpson said the budget reflects substantial expenses for computers, internet technology and training. Zamora said later in the meeting the county is paying Plateau about $80,000 a year for phone, internet and cybersecurity.

Because of the county’s dependence on the internet, Zamora said “there’s no way around” the expense and didn’t want to risk operations being disrupted by a cyberattack.

The budget needed to be submitted to the state by June 1.

In other business:

— Renee Hayoz, administrator of the Quay County Family Health Center, said patients at the clinic no longer are required to wear masks unless they show signs of COVID-19. The pandemic was declared over on May 12.

Hayoz also said the advisory board is seeking more funding for dental services, optometry and medical service transportation.

— Zamora said the county’s gross receipts tax revenue had exceeded $300,000 in three months of the past year, when more than $200,000 once would have been considered a very good month. He said that trend confirms his hunch that more small shops are opening in the county, including coffeehouses and marijuana dispensaries.

— During his manager’s report, Zamora said the jail will use an intern from Huffman Counseling. The intern will be paid with a stipend, at no cost to the county, designed to increase mental health access to inmates.

— Zamora said he recently attended a meeting he said he discovered that federal broadband funds will be used for unserved areas.

— Road superintendent Stephen Salas reported that construction of the new low-water crossing on Old Route 66 between San Jon and Ended will be substantially completed by next week.

— Commissioners approved $586 in indigent healthcare during the month of March. The total in the current fiscal year is more than $43,000.

— During public comments, Mesalands Community College interim president Allen Moss said the college received its full $2 million appropriation from the state, which will get it through its current fiscal year and cover some contracted costs in the next fiscal year.

Moss noted a few Mesalands employees had left, which will require some adjustments when the new fiscal year begins in July. “We’re trying to maintain as much as possible” at Mesalands, including retaining its rodeo and esports programs and the dinosaur museum.

Moss also said new board of trustees chairman Richard Primrose, formerly the county manager, has been “a great help in moving the college forward.”