Area municipalities hold elections

Staff Report

City of Tucumcari and Village of Logan held municipal elections Tuesday where voters retained and elected new candidates to represent them.

All results are unofficial until the canvass is held today at Tucumcari City Hall and the Village Of Logan.

In Tucumcari city commission seats in districts 1, 2 and 3 were up for election for four-year terms.

In District 1:

Rick Haymaker (incumbent) 23

Ralph Moya 65

Moya said when it was time to sign up for election for the City Commission, it was residents who encouraged him to run. He said the residents of District 1 had major concerns with the decline of the city with the increasing number of vacant houses and the poor condition of the city’s infrastructure. "A large percentage of our population has left due to their being no developments or growth to encourage them to stay," Moya added.

“The people of Tucumcari are good-hearted and we all have investments in our home and community,” Moya said. “Those investments suffer when the city’s state declines.”

Haymaker could not be reached for comment.

In District 2:

Jonathan R. Brito 25

Ammy Gutierrez, (incumbent) 44

“I am pleased that I get to continue to serve the residents of Tucumcari,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez said she is looking forward to working with the commission to help Tucumcari grow and prosper.

“I appreciate the support of those who voted for me and will seek election again in four years,” Brito said.

In District 3: Ruth Ann Litchfield, (incumbent) unopposed, 45

Also on the ballot will be the following question to amended the use of an existing Gross Receipts Tax.

The question passed 251-52.

"Shall the City of Tucumcari expand the use of the one-fourth (1/4) of one percent (1 percent) of the Municipal Capital Outlay Gross Receipts Tax funds (Ordinance Number 980) from the acquisition, construction and maintenance of a Ute Lake Water Treatment and Delivery System to also include municipal infrastructure improvement projects including but not limited to: construction and repair of streets and street lighting, construction and repair of water and sewer lines and treatment systems, construction and repair of municipal buildings and structures, construction and repair of sidewalks and pedestrian improvements?"

The city’s existing local capital outlay gross receipt tax is a quarter percent from gross receipt taxes that are used for protection of the city’s water rights at Ute Lake and the construction of an intake and delivery system to bring the water to the city, said Mayor Robert Lumpkin.

Lumpkin said there has been concern that the city is abandoning its efforts to secure the water rights at Ute Lake; he said that is not the case. He said the money that will be collected from this existing tax previously approved by voters will be used to repair city infrastructure, including streets, water and sewer lines and the wastewater treatment plants.

The current funds – totaling $1.9 million -- will only being used for the protections of city’s water rights.

The City Commission drew slightly less than 11 percent of the city's registered voters to the polls; 9 percent of the city's registered voters cast ballots on the question.

In the Village of Logan

The position of Village Council Member positions 1, 2 and 4 were up for election for four-year terms.

Council Member 4 was vacant and had four candidates seeking the open seat.

Tommy J. Smith 66

Debbie L. McClure 103

Angelina Cordova 47

Leslie K. Osborn

“I am very pleased and grateful for all the people that voted,” Osborn said.

Osborn said she is ready to serve the residents of Logan and looks forward to working with the council members to ensure Logan’s success.

Smith said Leslie Osborn will do a great job as council member and will serve the residents well. He said he appreciates all of the support of the residents who got out and voted for him in this election.

Cordova said she is glad for Osborn and feels she will do a good job on the council. She said she is thankful for the support of the residents who voted.

McClure said the community showed a great level of support for her during the election. She said she is thankful for all those who campaigned and voted in the election.

Council Member 1

Benny Newton 229

Council Member 2:

Russell Feerer 257

The election for the council drew 335 of the village's 821 registered voters.

Municipal Election results from the Villages of San Jon and House were not available at the time of publication.