City OKs deal for airport fuel farm

The Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday approved a nearly $2 million construction agreement for a new fuel farm at Tucumcari Municipal Airport.

Project manager Ralph Lopez urged approval of the pact, or else about $1 million in state funding for it would be rescinded in about five months.

Lopez said the city is short about $55,000 to cover the total cost of $1.97 million. He said the New Mexico Department of Transportation has pledged to cover that shortfall.

The commissioners’ approval of the contract is contingent on the state coming up with those funds.

Innovative Fueling Solutions of Amarillo provided the quote for the fuel farm, which includes a self-serve island with a canopy, new fuel lines, new storage tanks, fencing and bollards around the tanks and removal of existing tanks.

Mayor Mike Cherry said the city might sell the old tanks for a substantial sum for scrap.

The city-owned airport in 2022 received $1.3 million in state funds to build a new fuel farm. However, two previous bids far exceeded the money available.

Lopez said Innovative’s proposal is the “first good bid” for the project in three attempts.

Lopez and Cherry said without a new fuel farm at the airport, the city was in jeopardy of being cited by the state’s Environment Department.

Tucumcari’s airport often is used as a refueling stop for private planes flying across the country along the Interstate 40 corridor.

Action items

Other actions taken by the commission:

— Commissioners approved a funding application to the EMS Fund Act to buy a new ambulance.

Fire Chief Casey Mackey estimated a new ambulance would cost between $200,000 and $300,000, with a 25% match from the city.

He requested approval of the application because it faced a Dec. 13 deadline to submit it. If the city is awarded the grant, it would receive it in August during the next fiscal year.

Mackey said the city’s newest ambulance, a 2021 model, has 110,000 miles on it.

— Commissioners approved a professional services agreement with the Harwood & Pierpont firm for water rights legal counseling.

The city had a contract with Egolf + Ferlic + Martinez + Harwood firm, but principals Kyle Harwood and Luke Pierpont opened a new practice and terminated the agreement in November.

Legal services would be $265 an hour and not exceed $25,000 during the agreement.

— Commissioners approved a $19,825 pact with Lamar for three billboards rented near Wildorado, Amarillo and Adrian in Texas. The Lodgers Tax Advisory Board urged the approval.

The city also was quoted $720, $1,344 and $800 for new vinyl on the billboards if it wished to submit new designs. Commissioners would act on that in a separate contract.

— The commission had an at-will employment agreement for future city manager Renee Hayoz on its agenda, but it tabled action on that early in the meeting.

Hayoz, an assistant city manager, will take over city manager Paula Chacon’s position after she retires at the end of this month.

— Connie Loveland of Tucumcari MainStreet gave an annual performance report for the organization. She said such reports are required for its annual accreditation, though that had been approved for 2025 in November.

Among the projects that should begin or be completed in 2025 are the wayfinding project and the second phase of the Great Blocks project along Main Street in downtown.

The report did not require commission approval, though Cherry praised Loveland for “a great job.”

Spay-neuter clinic

Kathi McClelland, president of Paws & Claws Animal Rescue of Quay County, presented a report about a November low-cost spay-neuter clinic it hosted for RezDawg Rescue.

McClelland said more than 300 animals were spayed or neutered, including several feral cats trapped by RezDawg.

She said Paws & Claws and RezDawg have tentatively scheduled another spay-neuter clinic from Feb. 27 to March 1.

She asked whether it could be hosted at the city’s Del Norte Center, which has more room than Paws & Claws. Cherry signaled he would be open to such an arrangement.

McClelland said local restaurants provided meals for the RezDawg people during the event, and the Roadrunner Lodge provided motel rooms.

McClelland asked the city for financial support for future spay-neuter clinics, noting each one costs $27,000 to $30,000. She said grants lower the cost of spay or neuter fees.

Angela Cerci of RezDawg said her organization and Best Friends Animal Society helped remove dogs from the city pound and provided training for the kennel technician. She also praised Commissioner Jonathan Brito for helping.

Cerci said the city is “at a pivotal point” in addressing its loose-dogs problem. A pack of five dogs attacked and killed a Tucumcari resident in February 2023.

Commissioner CJ Oglesby thanked McClelland and Cerci, adding he noticed “a big change” in the number of at-large dogs.

“You can tell a big difference,” he said.

“There’s much more to do,” McClelland responded.

During public comments earlier in the meeting, Toni Wilson said dogs recently attacked a tax assessor and tore his clothing. She said it is “a very, very serious problem” and suggested that residents be allowed to shoot loose dogs.

Manager’s report

Items from the city manager’s report, presented by Hayoz:

— Because the city failed to submit a fourth-quarter financial report and an FY2025 budget in a timely manner, it forfeited the possibility of a match-waiver from the New Mexico Department of Transportation for street projects.

The city has been months behind in reconciling its books due to turnover in the finance department.

Hayoz said City Clerk Angelica Gray will issue a request for proposals for financial services to the city.

— Hayoz said the city has submitted funding requests to the state legislature for street repairs, water and sewer upgrades, street equipment, a new cemetery building and a new trash truck.

— Hayoz said a contractor for a new trash truck “is backed up indefinitely” on fulfilling its orders.

Instead, the city obtained a $190,903 quote for another trash truck, plus refurbishing the city’s current Pak-Mor receptacle for $91,000.

Hayoz said the city could take delivery of the vehicle by mid-February, though she was unsure how long it would take to refurbish the Pak-Mor.

Hayoz said the quotes would save the city about $72,000 compared to buying a new truck.

— Hayoz said the street department spread millings on a potholed section of Fourth Street near Main. She said it would install “Rough Road” signs there, but Commissioner Clayton Thorne said the street was smoother with the millings.

— Hayoz said the risk-management department is conducing a city-wide inventory of equipment.

— Hayoz thanked the street department for installing Christmas decorations on First Street sooner than expected.

Work session

Commissioners discussed a temporary spending limitation proposal due to the city’s unclear finances.

The idea first was proposed by Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Lopez, who was unable to attend Thursday’s work session and meeting due to contracting COVID-19.

Hayoz said it was her understanding that spending limits be concentrated on the general fund and not daily operations or emergency spending.

Gray said such an action would have to be approved via a resolution that expires at a certain date. Cherry recommended a stipulation of “when finances are in order.”

“I do believe … we need to control excess spending,” Hayoz added.

Cherry generally was supportive of Lopez’s proposal, except he believed department heads should approve their spending. He said requiring the city manager to approve all spending would hurt that office’s productivity.

Cherry said the city manager’s office needs to issue guidelines on spending and asked it to come up with an amount where approval is required.

Hayoz said the reconciliations recently had been completed for fiscal-year 2023 and were starting on FY2024.

She said the city’s contracted auditing firm Axiom, which recently merged into another firm, has not given a timeline when it would start on the FY2023 audit.

Commissioners also discussed proposed revisions to the city’s social-media and dress code policies.

Hayoz said the social media policy would have no changes except for requiring departments that have their own pages forward their usernames and passwords to the city manager’s office. Also, department posts must be approved by the city manager.

Regarding the dress code, Hayoz said one section about a prohibition of wearing T-shirts would be redacted for Casual Fridays.

Hayoz said the changes will need to be an ordinance change, which requires two readings and public hearings.

Comments

— During commissioner comments, Thorne passed along a complaint about a damaging pothole in the 1600 block of South Rock Island Street. He also heard complaints about a junkyard in the 1400 block of South Third Street.

— Oglesby asked for quarter code-enforcement reports as once promised. He passed along complaints about a neglected property in the 1600 block of South Seventh Street.