Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Tucumcari City Commission during a special meeting Wednesday approved a preliminary 2023-2024 budget that gives $1-an-hour raises to employees, with a $2-an-hour raise and a $5,000 retention bonus to police officers.
The brief discussion and motion from Commissioner Mike Cherry and fellow commissioner Christopher Arias, who attended by phone, followed a three-hour work session earlier in the day.
The budget passed unanimously, with Commissioner Paul Villanueva absent due to illness.
Commissioners gathered during the work session to go over spending for each department and more than a dozen budget scenarios with city manager Paula Chacon and city finance director Rachelle Arias.
City officials initially proposed raises of 3% across the board, but Cherry labeled that option as “not equitable” for the city’s 86 employees. He advocated the $1-an-hour raises instead.
Rachelle Arias estimated the $1-an-hour raises would lead to an additional $390,000 in city expenses. The $2-an-hour raises for the police department would cost another $276,500, she said.
Police Chief Patti Lopez repeatedly asked for $3-an-hour raises.
Mayor Ralph Moya wasn’t willing to entertain that, but he acknowledged the difficulty Lopez has in recruiting personnel. TPD has three vacancies.
Citing a recent power outage and severe storm the following day, Moya said “I’m very scared” about the police department’s lack of personnel if another crisis occurs.
Cherry said it seemed unfair new officers in the coming fiscal year essentially would receive the same raise as veteran cops. He advocated a $5,000 retention bonus for seven officers who have been with the department for several years. Cherry also noted the $5,000 would be roughly equivalent to a $2-an-hour raise.
Chacon said half the bonus could be awarded this month, and Lopez recommended the other half be given in December.
The city did not fund a vacant deputy chief position, despite Lopez’s pleas.
“I really need that position,” she said. “I have no supervisors. I need help. You’re putting the department in a huge liability problem.”
Moya said the city could fund the deputy chief position later through a budget-adjustment request.
Rachelle Arias pointed out that employee raises won’t take effect until after the state approves the budget, which would be in August or September.
Other factoids that emerged from the meetings:
— Rachelle Arias estimated the city will receive an additional $300,000 in revenue in the coming fiscal year.
— The city is adding a grant writer position.
— The city has 19 vacancies at full-time positions and two vacancies in part-time positions.
— Chacon said the city is applying for $750,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for a new multipurpose center that would house senior services and a pool.
— Commissioners agreed the city needs to increase its capital outlay requests, noting it has 12 vehicles in varying departments that are more than 10 years old.
— Rachelle Arias voiced concerns about revenue for the wastewater department. Cherry suggested an increase of 4% for those fees and dropping the annual increases a percentage point in one of the other services.
— Moya requested a work session with individuals who bill to third-party health providers for ambulance services. He said “we have a problem” with the service’s collections. Cherry said staff aren’t submitting bills in a timely manner.
— Cherry advocated increasing the stipend for firefighters from $22 to $30 per call, and the city increased the budget for that.
— Commissioners said it would cost about $5,000 to replace each inoperable fire hydrant. Moya said the city could make a capital-outlay request for those.