Bill contains $10 million for new hospital

Quay County manager said a bill in the New Mexico Legislature contains $10 million to help build a new Dr. Daniel C. Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari.

Daniel Zamora told commissioners during their meeting Monday if the bill passes this week with the hospital funding intact, he will apply for a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would complete funding for the project.

The Legislature’s session ends Thursday.

During a break in the meeting, Zamora said he was hopeful ground would be broken for the new hospital by spring 2025, though he admitted that timeframe might be optimistic.

Zamora said with state funding, the county could pay for the last 10% of the design for the new Trigg Memorial Hospital by the end of this year.

Commissioner Jerri Rush, noting the original cost estimate for the hospital was $20 million, asked whether the county could “whittle down” spending for the project.

Zamora noted the original cost estimate came in 2020, with several higher-inflation years since that time. However, he said he could take a look at the project to see whether savings could be found.

“There’s probably some room to trim the fat, so to speak,” he said.

The infrastructure at Trigg Memorial Hospital, built almost 60 years ago, is beginning to fail. The county has acquired land just north of the hospital to build a new facility.

Attempts to obtain funding for the project during the 2023 legislative session failed.

In other business:

— Alan Daugherty asked the commission about possibly setting up a beer garden at a corner of the Quay County Fairgrounds during Tucumcari Rawhide Days on June 14-16.

Daugherty, an officer with the Tucumcari Historical Museum that runs the festival, said the beer garden would be in a shaded spot southwest of the rodeo arena and sponsored by a local organization.

He said such a setup likely would prove popular with rodeo athletes and players from softball and baseball tournaments planned for that weekend.

He said no children would be allowed in the beer garden, and such beverages could not be consumed outside of it.

“We still want (the festival) to be family-friendly,” he said.

Commission Chairman Robert Lopez said he was unsure whether local regulations would prevent a beer garden on the county-owned fairgrounds.

Deputy county clerk Veronica Marez noted individuals and groups have obtained picnic licenses to serve alcohol there.

Rush suggested the nearby Tucumcari Convention Center, which owns a license to serve alcohol. Daugherty said that was a lengthy walk from the rodeo area.

Lopez instructed Zamora to research the matter to see whether alcohol at the fairgrounds could be permitted with the Rawhide Days proposal.

Daugherty said the festival would bring back a gun show, junior livestock show, junior ranch rodeo and roping competitions. He also was hopeful a barrel-racing competition would be officially sanctioned.

— Commissioners approved the $93,453.16 purchase of personal protective equipment from Daco Fire Equipment of Lubbock for the Porter Fire Department. County fire marshal Lucas Bugg said it would be nearly entirely covered by a state fire protection grant.

— Commissioners approved the $33,355 purchase of extrication equipment from Advanced Rescue Systems of Amarillo for the Forrest Fire Department.

— Commissioners approved the appointment of Agnes Marano of Tucumcari to the Tucumcari Library Advisory Board. Marano has been a library volunteer for more than 20 years.

Library director Linda Gonzalez said a Dr. Seuss birthday party set for March 2 at the fairgrounds already has attracted 24 vendors.

— Commissioners approved a budgetary increase of $189,907.02 to the Tucumcari-Quay Rural Emergency County Communications organization to buy the former Bob’s Budget Pharmacy building as its new headquarters.

— Commissioners approved an annual lease agreement with the county’s DWI Program at 113 E. Main St. for $600 a month. Utilities at the office are reimbursed by the county.

— Road superintendent Stephen Salas said work on Quay Road 96 likely would be completed this week.