Food company considering Tucumcari

A representative from the state’s economic development department told Quay County commissioners on Monday that Paulita’s New Mexico was considering a second location in Logan or moving its operations to Tucumcari.

Tim Hagaman, a representative for seven counties with the agency, attended the commission’s regular meeting to recommend it draft and approve a Local Economic Development Act ordinance, or LEDA. He said Quay County was the only county in the region without one.

Hagaman said Paulita’s, based in Rio Rancho, was looking for a 2,000- to 5,000-square-foot building with natural gas access.

He said the company was looking at a second manufacturing location in Logan and was “open” to moving its operations to Tucumcari.

Paulita’s New Mexico makes a variety of green chile-based foods.

Hagaman said he also would meet with the Evans family later Monday about offering assistance for their custom meat-processing facility in rural Tucumcari that will open in early 2022.

County Commissioner Jerri Rush initially voiced skepticism about a county LEDA ordinance, saying it was “redundant” and “another layer of government.”

Hagaman said an ordinance would allow the county to avail itself of all state economic development programs that are available.

Patrick Vanderpool of the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Commission said the ordinance provides one of the few avenues where prospective businesses can access state funds.

County Commissioner Franklin McCasland said he was interested the ordinance proposal, saying it would provide a partnership with the Tucumcari’s EDC.

Locally, Tucumcari and San Jon each have adopted a LEDA ordinance.

In other action by commissioners except for Robert Lopez, who was absent due to knee surgery:

• It approved a resolution supporting New Mexico Counties’ legislative priorities for the 2022 session. Among those are restoring the County Detention Facilities Reimbursement Act from $2.3 million to $5 million, creating a line item of $750,000 to reimburse counties for prisoner transports, increase funding for mental-health programs for inmates to reduce recidivism, plus more funding for local law enforcement and courthouse renovations.

• After a two-hour closed executive session, commissioners approved a budget increase of $21,600 of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to give county employees additional hazard pay during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• It approved a one-year time extension for participation in the Local Government Road Fund Program for the Old Route 66 bridge project between Glenrio and San Jon. Road superintendent Larry Moore said the project was delayed because of historical surveys, then certification from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He said he was uncertain when bids would go out to build the bridge adjacent to the current span, but the six-month construction likely would be finished in 2023.

• It approved Tom Sidwell of rural Tucumcari as the county’s third land viewer.

• Moore said road workers soon would clear tumbleweeds blocking roads in the southern part of the county. He in cited Quay Road AY, which he said contained a 15-foot-tall wall of tumbleweeds.

• It approved a sub-recipient grant agreement request from new county emergency manager Paul Lucero for the state’s Homeland Security grant program. The $41,016 will be used to install a new radio repeater near Montoya to improve radio communications among sheriff’s deputies in western Quay County.

• It approved a resolution for budget increases to reflect state fire-protection grants. The fire districts of Rural No. 2, Nara Visa, Forrest, Bard-Endee and Quay recently were given a total of $853,435 to pay for equipment.

• It approved budget increases for the county’s reappraisal fund and the rural addressing funds. The former was for health insurance premiums and higher fuel costs; the other was for vehicle repairs.

• It approved 2022 commission meeting dates to comply with the state’s Open Meetings Act. The commission meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

• It approved the 2022 holiday schedule for county employees. It adds the federal holiday of Juneteenth, which is June 19, and removes Good Friday because the county is going to a four-day workweek in 2022. Juneteenth will be observed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

• County manager Daniel Zamora said the county’s audit recently was submitted on time, with no changes.

• Zamora said Quay Day, an event where local leaders meet with state lawmakers before the legislative session, will be at 6:30 a.m. Jan. 19 at the Inn at Loretto in Santa Fe.