Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
With no apparent objection from the public, the Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday adopted ordinances that slightly change annual rate increases for water, sewer and garbage collection services.
The commission held a public hearing for a second and final reading of ordinance changes that were approved unanimously by Mayor Ralph Moya and commissioners Mike Cherry, Christopher Arias and Paul Villanueva. No one from the gallery rose to speak against or for the alterations.
Arias and Villanueva each cast their votes by phone. Moya said Arias was at home after contracting COVID-19. Villanueva was traveling.
For water rates, the annual rate increase was lowered from 4% to 3%. Responding to a question from Commissioner Mike Cherry, city manager Paula Chacon said the city’s water department holds no debt, so the change wouldn’t affect bond ratings.
For garbage and sewer rates, annual rate increases for each were raised from 2% to 3%.
Chacon said the additional revenue would help cover higher expenses for those departments. She also noted the garbage department used up almost all its cash to build a new cell at the landfill.
“We feel that evening (the rates) out would be beneficial,” she said.
Cherry pointed out the changes would result only in $11,000 in estimated additional revenue annually to the city.
During a previous meeting, city officials said the rate changes would take effect in October.
Work session
Cherry’s objections to last-minute changes to fourth-quarter financial reports in fiscal-year 2023 prompted commissioners to move approval of it and other financial resolutions from Thursday’s agenda to a special meeting scheduled for Monday.
City finance director Rachelle Arias said several changes were minor updates to revenue numbers, but Cherry said “I don’t want to act five minutes after receiving it.”
That prompted Moya to suggest moving the item to Monday’s meeting. (The meeting was after the Quay County Sun’s deadline.)
Rachelle Arias reported the general fund rose from $4.57 million at the beginning of the previous fiscal year to $6.68 million by the end of FY2023 — an increase of $2.1 million.
— During a discussion about the Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan, sewer superintendent Calvin Henson said a sewer line and lift station at South Mountain Road would be too small if another truck stop located there.
Henson also said one of the truck stops allowed an improper hookup that allows spilled diesel fuel to run into the sewer after rainfall. He said he wasn’t sure who allowed that.
That revelation alarmed Moya.
“We don’t want the EPA to come after us,” he said. “The fines can be $10,000 a day.”
When Moya later in the meeting again objected to diesel infiltration into sewers, Chacon said, “We’ll get on that right away.”
— Cherry asked for clarification on how Local Economic Development Act funds can be used for retail businesses. Though state law permitted such funds for retail starting in 2013, he questioned their fairness against longstanding businesses. Arias and Villanueva agreed.
Moya asked the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation provide monthly reports. He indirectly criticized its previous director, Pat Vanderpool, for lack of action and information on EDC activities. Vanderpool resigned and took another position in the Albuquerque area in June.
Cherry said the EDC for now has a part-time employee answering the phone and sending correspondence. He said the organization is checking with the state before it hires a new director.
— Chacon said she still was working on updating its credit card policy. She said she learned the Tucumcari Historical Research Institute, which operates the Tucumcari Historical Museum, had obtained a credit-card machine without permission. She said she would have an audit performed to see how much in fees are owed to the city.
Manager’s report
Items from Chacon’s report:
— Regarding Tucumcari Municipal Pool, she said a new pump would be installed Tuesday and plastering would be done Wednesday.
Chacon said the pool can open after the lifeguards are certified, a process which must done with water in the pool.
She said she hoped to reopen the facility by Aug. 19. The pool has been closed since 2019 due to the pandemic and disrepair.
“It’s going to be a short season,” she said. “But it will be ready to go at the beginning of next season.”
— Chacon said she and Police Chief Patti Lopez have increased efforts to dispose of “Miss Kristy,” an abandoned pontoon boat that has bedeviled city officials for years.
Chacon said Lopez couldn’t find the file about the boat’s ownership after an extensive search, though Moya said a Conchas Lake park ranger had tracked down that data several years ago.
Chacon said Lopez tried to track the boat’s ownership through its hull number, but the Motor Vehicle Department doesn’t have data dating back that far.
Chacon said a previous police chief didn’t follow instructions on disposing the boat.
She said state law allows the city to dispose of the boat within 30 to 60 days if no one claims it.
— Chacon said Xcel and the state Department of Transportation are assessing street lights along five exits of Interstate 40 for repairs.
— She said she had just received a state agreement on capital outlay money earmarked for new police vehicles. Chacon said other capital outlay agreements likely would arrive this week.
— Chacon thanked Tucumcari Convention Center manager Loy McSpadden and several employees for a successful Rattler Reunion.
Other action
— Commissioners approved using $16,317.68 in lodgers tax promotional funds so Mesalands Community College can lease three billboards to promote its dinosaur museum.
Josh McVey, vice president of student affairs, said the number of billboards to promote the museum had dwindled from four to one. As a result, he said, the number of visitors fell from 3,500 a month to fewer than 1,500.
Two of the new billboards would be west of Tucumcari on I-40. The third would be west of Amarillo along the I-40 corridor.
Use of the funds had been recommended the previous week by the lodgers tax advisory board.
— In the consent agenda, commissioners approved the closing of Main Street from First to Third streets during the annual Fired Up festival on Sept. 9.
Comments
— During public comments, Gilbert Pacheco applauded Moya for recommending stiffer enforcement on nuisance properties, but he accused Moya and the city of ignoring the former broom corn factory building. He said the city needs to get rid of tall weeds, skunks and rattlesnakes behind its fence.
— During commissioner comments, Moya said the city needs to cut tall weeds in front of the Princess Theatre.
He complained about yellowing grass at Tucumcari Memorial Park cemetery and Northside Park.
Moya also again urged the city to foreclose on liens against nuisance properties.