George Molinas Park may become dog park

The Tucumcari Rotary Club is proposing spending $1,500 of its own money to convert at least part of George Molinas Memorial Park into a dog-friendly park.

Bobby Hockaday of the club made the proposal during a work session Thursday of the Tucumcari City Commission.

The estimated budget for the conversion is $1,000 to repair fencing and add a double-gate entry, plus $500 for waste stations, a water station and signs that dictate rules of the park.

Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Lopez expressed concern about one section of the park along East Main Street being used as a soccer practice field. Hockaday responded that the park is large enough to make one section for dogs and the other for soccer.

Commissioner Jonathan Brito agreed with that arrangement, noting the park "has a lot of room to split in half."

Lopez acknowledged: "We do need a dog park."

Kristine Olsen, representing the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce, said more tourists are traveling with their dogs, and such a park would be ideal for them and residents who want to exercise their dogs in a safer environment.

Mayor Mike Cherry signaled the commission was supportive of the proposal.

"We're not against it," he said. "We need to work out the details."

Olsen said accumulated Rotary funds also might be used for other community projects, including a splash park.

Other items

During a work session, Kristine Olsen of the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce presented a proposed contract that received pushback from Chacon and at least one commissioner.

The pact proposes the city spend $65,200 for the chamber, including $15,000 for advertising and promotions for the Tucumcari Visitors Center, $33,200 for operating the visitor center, $15,000 for visitors guide production and other publications to promote tourism and a $2,000 for memberships to the National Travel Association and the American Bus Association.

Olsen said the chamber lacks adequate funding.

"We'd like to know it's funded and serves its purpose," she said.

Chacon said the chamber needs to submit a budget and generate other revenue - points of which she said she pressed former chamber director Scott Crotzer, who resigned his post last summer.

She also said a private business - the Route 66 Welcome Center and Gift Shop - already performs many of the same duties as the Tucumcari Visitors Center.

Chacon said the chamber is making "no attempt to be self-sufficient. Show us those attempts are being made."

Hockaday, a chamber board member, said the chamber plans to resuming its annual fundraiser.

Olsen said it also is considering a monthly luncheon and an After Hours event for networking. She said requests for annual chamber dues were set to go out that week.

Lopez suggested the chamber needs to go to the lodgers tax board for additional aid.

Olsen admitted it would take a while for the chamber to be strong again after being decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We're basically having to start from scratch," she said. "It takes time, and it takes money."

- Also during a work session, commissioners discussed a proposed memorandum of understanding with the Film Tucumcari to formalize its relationship with the city.

Hockaday, a volunteer film liaison for the city, said his role is to help attract and assist film productions in the region. It has a website at shoottucumcari.com and an office in the chamber building.

Hockaday said film production is "exploding" in New Mexico, and Tucumcari is well positioned to land those because of an extra 10% state tax incentive for rural areas. Up to 40% of a film production's expenses can be rebated by the state government.

Cherry said he was supportive of the office, but he wanted the city attorney to examine at the memo and compare it to other municipalities that have a film liaison.

- Commissioners were informed that former District 4 commissioner Christopher Arias had withdrawn his candidacy as alternate municipal judge. Arias had submitted a letter of interest in mid-June for the position.

Cherry said he wanted to talk to Municipal Judge Jerry Mares before pursuing another candidate for alternate judge. Municipal court convenes twice a week.

- Commissioners approved an amendment with an engineering agreement for Phase 2 of the wastewater reuse project. The CDM Smith firm, which has an office in Albuquerque, will be paid $335,020 for its management of the project.

- Commissioners approved a Workplace Solutions cooperative acceptance agreement with Cintas for uniforms for city workers, plus shop towels in the mechanic's shop. Lopez said he wanted to see more employees wearing their uniforms because it makes them look "more professional."

- Commissioners discussed the recent resignation of District 4 commissioner Renee Hayoz and a timetable of appointing a replacement. (See other story in this edition.)

Manager's report

Chacon criticized Lopez and Commissioner CJ Oglesby for overstepping their duties, jeopardizing city relationships with the state department of transportation and hurting city workers' morale. (See other story in this edition).

- Though she is set to retire at year's end, Chacon said she wanted an evaluation from the commission as an action item during its next meeting. She noted that although city employees received raises last year, she didn't receive one.

- The city has not yet submitted a fiscal-year 2025 budget to the state, but Chacon said she felt confident she could award raises of $1.50 an hour to city employees, with the option of another 50-cent raise in December if finances permit it.

Lopez asked: "Do you feel comfortable that (the money) is there?"

"I do," Chacon replied.

- Chacon said the state awarded $393,750 to hire three firefighters or emergency medical technicians. She said she would present a resolution at the next meeting to accept the agreement.

- Chacon said she was pursuing a part-time contract with former Plateau Telecommunications employee Jerry Byrd to provide information technology service. She said such an arrangement likely would provide cost savings to the city.

- She introduced Casey Mackey as the city's new fire chief.

- Chacon said she would send five employees for commercial driver's license training, which would benefit sanitation and other departments.

- She said one trash truck broke down, requiring $13,000 in repairs. The city still is awaiting a new trash truck it had ordered.

- Chacon said a fence had been repaired at Northside Park, and a pump is being replaced in the Fourth Street and Maple Avenue area.

- She said pothole repairs were ongoing, and millings from Santa Rosa would be hauled to the city last Friday or Aug. 26.

- She said she set an Aug. 22 work session with a representative of Monarch Properties to discuss its troublesome Quay Apartments.

- Chacon said she would soon convene a meeting of the Route 66 Centennial Task Force to plan for the highway's 100th anniversary in 2026.