Treasurer finalists named

QCS Senior Writer

The Quay County Commissioners announced five finalists for the County Treasurer position.

All five be interviewed Friday in a closed meeting.

The finalist are: Christine Moriel, Diann Morrow, Robin Alden, Perri Jennings and Patsy Gresham.

The Commissioners reviewed 12 applications submitted for the County Treasurer position and narrowed them down to five finalist, said Mike Cherry, district 2 commissioner.

The commissioners announced the finalists during Monday’s regular meeting following an executive session.

Current Treasurer Nadine Angel’s letter of resignation was accepted by the commissioners during the March 23 regular meeting in Nara Visa. The commissioners also voted to advertise the vacancy and open the position for application.

Angel sited personal reasons for resigning.

The Treasurer’s job is an elected position. The person hired will fill out Angel’s current four-year term that ends in December 2016.

The commissioners also approved a new joint powers agreement (JPA) for governing the Tucumcari/Quay Regional Emergency Communication Center.

Primrose said the changes in the JPA would give an independent communications board oversight and control of the dispatchers, as well as input into day-to-day operations of the dispatch center. The dispatchers would be placed on the county government payroll. Currently the dispatchers are employed by the city of Tucumcari.

Cherry said it makes sense to make the dispatchers county employees since the gross receipt tax approved by voters in September 2014 to help fund the dispatch center is collected by the county.

In response to a question from District 1 Commissioner Sue Dowell, Primrose said current county employees will be able to handle the additional administrative work created by adding dispatch center personnel to the county payroll.

Before the new JPA can go into effect, all five members of the communications board and the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration must approve the changes.

Other items before the commissioners included:

• The appointment of Tenth Judicial District assistant attorney T.J. O’Quinn to the Driving While Intoxicated program’s planning council.

• DWI Quarterly statistics report presented by Bryan Rinestine, DWI coordinator.

• a quarterly update by Economic Development Director Pat Vanderpool.

• Approval of a 2015-2016 Fire Protection Funding Application for a total of $559,162.

• Approval of 2015-2016 funding of $34,500 for U.S. Department of Agriculture New Mexico Wildlife Services.

• Approved the fiscal year 2015 audit contract with Kubiak and Melton LLC.

• Approved a $17,833.32 budget increase to the Planning Grant Fund.

• Approved a $71,000 budget increase to the Nara Visa Fire Fund.

• Approved a toll agreement between the County Commissioners and the acting receivers of the Ute Lake Ranch Inc. DVR LLC.