County approves radio coverage grant

The Quay County Commission on Monday unanimously approved a $41,016.49 grant to build a new radio-transmission repeater to boost radio coverage to sheriff’s deputies on the county’s east side.

The repeater will be built on the caprock off Highway 469 south of San Jon. The sheriff’s department currently has only one radio repeater, at the top of Tucumcari Mountain.

The money, which requires no match from the county, comes from the state’s Homeland Security Grant Program.

County Emergency Management coordinator Daniel Zamora, who shepherded the application, said the grant covers all aspects of the radio repeater, including equipment and installation. The county owns the land where the repeater will be placed.

“Good job,” commissioner Scott Cherry praised Zamora. Fellow commissioner Sue Dowell echoed Cherry’s sentiment.

In other business:

• The commission approved contributing $10,000 to an engineering study for a new road from Mine Canyon Road to U.S. 54 after hearing from Village of Logan manager Scott Parnell the village also is contributing $10,000 for the study. The study’s total cost would be $45,000. The county recently received a $25,000 state grant to help cover part of it. County attorney Warren Frost, who requested the county contribute $10,000 during a previous meeting, said 12 Shores Golf Club requires a 15- to 20-mile drive to retrieve supplies in Logan or Tucumcari. The new road would reduce such a trip to four or five miles to Logan. An engineering study is required to estimate a final cost of the road.

• The commission approved a resolution listing 2020 legislative priorities for New Mexico’s counties. Among them were more money for the detention reimbursement fund, prisoner transport, emergency medical technician funding, law enforcement protection fund, behavioral health and keeping the state employees’ pension fund solvent.

• The commission approved an application from county fire marshal Lucas Bugg for a $71,236 grant to buy an air compressor for self-contained breathing apparatuses for Fire District No. 1. The compressor is used to refill air packs for firefighters. The grant requires a 10% match, or $7,123.

• The commission approved several measures from county finance director Cheryl Simpson, including an amendment of a $1,435 funding increase for the DWI program. Simpson said the money was left over from the previous fiscal year, and the county can request the state to send it back so the office can buy a new computer.

• Road Superintendent Larry Moore said workers were trying to repair a section of Quay Road AK after a water-line leak buckled part of the roadway. Moore said the affected spot was marked with signs and construction barrels, but it was “dangerous” for motorists if they drove through it too fast. He said they were working on removing soaked soil and rebuilding the base.

• Moore said New Mexico Department of Transportation soon would begin replacing an overpass at the Endee exit of Interstate 40, near Russell’s Travel Center. He said the state anticipates it being a 28-day project. Moore also said his crews soon would repair a culvert at Quay Road Ai and Quay Road 50.

• County manager Richard Primrose said gross receipts tax revenue was “extraordinarily good” this year, and he expected that to continue with ongoing work to build a new U.S. 54 bridge in Logan and reconstruction of Mountain Road in Tucumcari.

• Sheriff Russell Shafer said areas of San Jon and Porter recently had been “hit by vandals.” He said he was encouraging the residents in those areas to call the department with such reports.

• The county’s Indigent Claims Board approved claims of $5,762.30 for the September and October period.

n Primrose announced the Quay County Courthouse would be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, and the commission would hold a special meeting at 1 p.m. Nov. 12 to canvass the Nov. 5 election.