DWI prevention yielding results

Staff Report

Quay County commissioners learned Monday that efforts to educate students about the hazards of drunken driving could be having the desired effect.

County DWI coordinator Bryan Rinestine presented the second-quarter report to the commission.

Rinestine said from Oct. 1-Dec. 31, there were 21 DWI arrests in Quay County. He said 13 where first-time offenses and seven were aggravated. The average blood alcohol level was .28, the highest was .31, Rinestine added. The minimum blood-alcohol level to be considered too drunk to drive is .08.

Rinestine said there were 14 DWI cases that went to court, resulting in 12 were convictions or pleas; two were dismissed. He said the age of the offenders ranged from 18-33 years of age with the oldest being 61 years of age.

There is an indication that the prevention programs have been effective in area schools, said District 1 Commissioner Sue Dowell, who added that there could be the same kind of effectiveness in an adult prevention program.

Rinestine said the county’s juvenile DWI is at the state average, but is dropping every year. He said this is different from most small counties across the state that have increased juvenile DWI rates.

Rinestine said while arrests for DWI are up this quarter it is largely due to the aggressive saturation patrols by city and state police.

Quay County Deputy Clerk Ellen White also presented the First Occupational License 2016 notice.

White said that Jan. 1, was the due date for businesses outside of Tucumcari, Logan, San Jon and House to renew their county occupational license for 2015. She said businesses have a 30-day grace period in which to purchase the license.

White said if a business is no longer in operation, or a new business has been established in the county, they need to contact the County Clerk’s Office at 575-461-0510.

Commissioners also approved the 2015-2016 per diem grant agreement presented by Quay County Emergency Manager Curtis Simpson.

Simpson said the $1,000 grant requires a match of $1,000 from the county to be used for Per Diem and registration cost from attending training through the year.

In other business, commissioners:

• Approved the second DWI quarterly reports.

• Approved second quarter Department of Finance Authority financial report.

• Approved the 2015-2016 Resolution 23 in support of the NMAC Healthcare Policy Committee.