Nuisance ordinance amendments reviewed

Proposed amendments to Tucumcari’s nuisance ordinance would reduce fines but would also authorize the city to use criminal proceedings against property owners.

Amendments to the city’s nuisance ordinance received a first reading Thursday at the Tucumcari City Commission meeting.

The amendments include reducing the initial fine for failure to correct property violations from $100 to $50 but also authorize the city to use criminal proceedings against property owners who fail to respond to citations.

Other changes would eliminate fines for persons or agencies that try to delay enforcement of penalties against property owners for nuisance violations and eliminate requiring owners of vacant buildings to insure those structures, according to the text of the amended ordinance.

The changes must receive a public hearing and a commission vote at a second reading that could come as early as the March 23 commission meeting.

At a public workshop before their regular meeting on Thursday, commissioners discussed possible uses for the Tucumcari National Guard Armory, which the New Mexico National Guard may donate to the city.

Mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield suggested the facility replace the current Tucumcari Senior Citizens Center.

District 1 Commissioner Ralph Moya suggested the city lease the facility to a tenant.

The following are other actions taken by commissioners Thursday:

n Approved a change in the city’s contract with the Tucumcari Chamber of Commerce to allow the chamber to waive fees to use the Tucumcari Convention Center for one event per year. This arrangement allows the city to waive convention center fees for the chamber without violating the state’s anti-donation clause, which prohibits governments from making donations to individuals or private organizations.

n Authorized the Tucumcari Police Department to apply for $23,600 in Law Enforcement Protection Funds from the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration. The money will be used to repair and purchase equipment, according to the Tucumcari Police’s application form.

n Agreed to waive convention center fees if Tucumcari hosts the 2018 New Mexico Convention for National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Tom Anderson, president of the Tucumcari chapter of the employees association, said the local chapter has petitioned to host the 2018 convention.

n Agreed to increase funding for Tucumcari MainStreet to $45,000 from $35,000 after hearing an annual report from Gail Houser, Tucumcari MainStreet’s executive director. Houser’s report highlighted successes with MainStreet’s Fired Up! event on Sept. 24, and in achieving accreditation as a MainStreet America community, which can help Tucumcari MainStreet compete for grants. He also cited progress in planning for downtown improvements under the state Metropolitan Redevelopment Act and the Great Blocks on MainStreet program of the state MainStreet organization.

In his regular report to the commission, City Manager Jared Langenegger said he is making progress on pursuing funding for a proposed disc golf course at Five Mile Park through the New Mexico Department of Tourism. He said the current plan is to include interpretative information about the Tucumcari area’s history and attractions at tee boxes on the disc golf course. He said he is working with disc golf specialists to develop a plan for the proposed 18-hole course. He said he hopes the course can be ready to use by June 1.