County again asks for $25M for new hospital

Acquiring $25 million in state money to build a new hospital in Tucumcari remains the top item in Quay County’s proposed infrastructure and capital improvement plan.

The county commission held a public hearing on July 24 about the plan, which serves as a wish list for the county. The infrastructure and capital improvement plan gives the New Mexico Legislature a framework to issue funds for capital outlay projects.

The commission is scheduled to approve the plan at its next regular meeting.

Trigg Memorial Hospital is almost 60 years old and no longer meets several building codes, including its plumbing system. Trigg Memorial Hospital is operated by Presbyterian Healthcare Services.

The county requested a similar amount from the legislature during the early 2023 session. The county also is requesting federal money for the project.

Stantec Engineering, which was paid nearly $1 million to design the hospital, envisions a 41,000-square-foot building on county-owned land just south of the existing hospital, plus the remodeling of an existing physical therapy building.

On a related note, hospital administrator and chief nurse executive Vicky Gutierrez reported the hospital has recorded nearly 300 more emergency-room admissions midway through the year than the same period in 2022.

Other projects on the plan listed by priority:

— Quay Road 63 construction, $1.25 million over two fiscal years;

— Quay Road 62.9 construction, $1 million;

— Fire and EMS radio equipment upgrade, $300,000;

— Bridge 1042 on Historic Route 66, $5.25 million over two fiscal years;

— Regional behavior health facility, $45 million;

— Fairgrounds concession stand, $75,000;

— Asset management procedure plan, $100,000;

— Detention center renovations; $300,000;

— Excavator, $800,000;

— County vehicles, $300,000;

— Pneumatic roller, $250,000;

— Courthouse window replacement, $1.164 million;

— Dumptruck equipment, $400,000;

— Quay Road AR construction, $1.5 million over two fiscal years;

— Quay Road AP construction, $850,000 over two fiscal years;

— Ute Reservoir watershed restoration, $500,000.

The total price tag for all the projects is a little more than $84 million.

In other business:

— The commission approved a class-action opioids settlement with Walgreens. The county’s share will be about $717,000, according to documents. The money will be set aside for a proposed regional mental health facility, likely in Clovis.

— Sheriff Dennis Garcia gave a Lifesaving Award to deputy Mario Chavez-Thicc’ums for his actions at an Interstate 40 accident east of Tucumcari in early July. (See other story in this edition.)

— Garcia reported his acceptance to the National Sheriffs’ Institute Leadership course at the FBI Academy in Virginia later this month.

— Garcia was appointed to the state’s Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council from July 1 to Feb. 15, 2024.

— The commission approved a partnership with the Utah-based TextMyGov app, which allows residents to communicate with county officials via smartphone. The cost is $4,300 annually over two years with a onetime $2,150 setup fee.

— The commission approved an agreement with the state Department of Transportation for $2.92 million to build a new bridge on Old Route 66 between San Jon and Endee, with a $426,030 county match. The bridge sits close to another bridge that was destroyed by flash flooding in May.

— The commission approved a $1,050 contract with the New Mexico State Library to purchase books for Rural Bookmobile East.

— The commission approved the continued housing of up to 24 adult inmates at the De Baca County Detention Center for $131 a day.

— Quay County Detention Center administrator Johnny Reed proposed a Heroes Campaign by radio, digital media and newspapers to improve the image of corrections officers. The cost would be about $4,800.

— The commission approved a four-year contract with Danny Wallace as voting machine technician at a rate of $30 an hour.