Hayoz chosen as District 4 commissioner

The Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday unanimously voted to appoint C. Renee Hayoz as District 4 commissioner to serve the rest of Christopher Arias' term.

Hayoz, administrator for the Quay County Family Health Center in Tucumcari, was chosen from five candidates.

Arias resigned from the commission for personal reasons in September. Arias was elected to a four-year term in 2021. Hayoz would serve through 2025.

Commissioners made their choice after a 30-minute closed executive session. Paul Villanueva made the motion to appoint Hayoz, and Mike Cherry seconded. All three voted for her with no other discussion.

The other District 4 candidates who applied:

- Krishana Sandoval, general manager of Rocky Mountain Cannabis in Tucumcari;

- Clayton M. Thorne, owner of the CCMS motorcycle repair shop;

- Desary Dawn Urioste, housing manager at the Eastern Regional Tucumcari Housing Authority;

- Toni A. Wilson, bartender at The Annex Bar & Grille in Logan.

Candidates were interviewed by commissioners in late October.

District 4 sits in the southeast side of the city, with boundaries generally along South Third Street and Tucumcari Boulevard.

Mayor Ralph Moya asked City Clerk Angelica Gray to contact Hayoz about her appointment on Friday morning.

Hayoz cited her previous experience as city clerk for the villages of Roy and Mosquero in neighboring Harding County as a reason she applied for the city commissioner position.

"I want to improve Tucumcari and help it move forward," she said in a phone interview Friday. "I want to increase tourism into Tucumcari and help grow our gross receipts tax so we can put that money to our streets, improve abandoned properties, bring more business to Tucumcari.

"At the same time, I understand there's a process in how that goes with legislative funds and stacking all your funding sources so you can get a bigger bang for your buck, such as grants, to help you achieve your goal for that project. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can contribute to the city for the better."

According to a resume Hayoz submitted with her application, she has been administrator at the Quay County Family Health Center since 2017.

She also was a human resources recruiter and licensing technician at the Pueblo of Sandia for 3 1/2 years, an administrative officer for Bernalillo County's Department of Substance Abuse Programs for about 3 1/2 years, and a human resources administrative assistant for New Mexico State Police for a year.

Other business

Robert Hockaday, president of the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corp., said he and the EDC board were trying to track down all the information and funds used after director Patrick Vanderpool left for another position in June.

Hockaday said the EDC and Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce are considering one director to serve both offices. For now, Kristine Olsen is serving as interim director.

He said the EDC is working to update its website with information about sites and incentives available for prospective employers.

"There are several companies looking at Tucumcari right now," Hockaday said. "There's a lot of exciting stuff, but I can't tell you about it."

Manager's report

Items from city manager Paula Chacon's report:

- A recent bid on city-owned property at 407 E. Maple Ave. was $1,001, below the minimum bid of $2,000. The commission will decide at its next meeting whether to accept the bid.

- She said a new request for proposals for a tourism marketing position has been issued, and the bid window would close on Dec. 15. A previous RFP for the position drew no bidders.

- She said she would attend a meeting this week in Santa Fe to discuss state health insurance premiums, which are set to rise 10% on Jan. 1 and "will affect the budget."

- Chacon said roof repairs on the chamber of commerce building would begin on Nov. 20. The building has been closed since a severe hailstorm damaged it in May.

- Chacon asked the commission to consider moving its Nov. 30 meeting to Dec. 4 because she would be out of town at a conference.

Public comments

- Kristina Colby, a representative for the former Quail Ridge assisted-living facility, asked for a status report on a rezoning application for the property filed this summer. Moya asked Chacon to check on it.

- Bobby Hockaday, the city's film liaison, said five film productions are looking at Tucumcari as a shooting site. He said film production in general is "ramping up" after the recent resolution of an actors union strike. Hockaday also said the city's annual film festival is tentatively slated for April 26-27.

- Derrick Matthews, a resident at the Pow Wow Inn, complained about mold, dead insects and residents who are dealing drugs. Moya asked that code enforcement look into the matter.