School bond issues and hospital tax pass muster

Voters last week approved tax questions at all four of Quay County’s public schools, including one that would lead to a new school at San Jon.

A renewal of a gross receipts tax to support Trigg Memorial Hospital also passed comfortably.

In San Jon, a $250,000 bond question passed by a 2-to-1 margin, with 73 voting “yes” and 38 voting “no.”

The district now is eligible for a $22 million state grant to build a new school. School officials have said campus’ current infrastructure — including its boiler, plumbing and roofs — is declining.

San Jon superintendent Alan Umholtz said he first learned of the bond issue’s passage from his business manager, Stormi Sena, about 90 minutes after the polls closed last Tuesday night.

“I’m excited,” Umholtz said after the school board’s regular meeting Wednesday. “We were going to need a new school building no matter what in the next few years. I don’t think we’ll have another opportunity like this for a long time.”

Umholtz, noting San Jon is highest on the state’s priority list for a new building, said he expects to receive the $22 million from the New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority as soon as January once the required paperwork is submitted.

After that, he said, he anticipates construction to begin by summer. He expects building a new school will take about 18 months.

The Tucumcari Public Schools’ $3 million general-obligation bond question for a new Rattler Stadium track surface and new climate-control units at the middle school passed by more than a 2-to-1 margin. A total of 574 voters approved the measure, with 231 opposed.

The school district’s continuation of a two-mill tax for general maintenance also was approved by 452 to 258.

Tucumcari superintendent Aaron McKinney said he was confident both measures would pass because “it has in the past.”

“Everybody kind of supports what the school does,” he said. “I’ve found I’ve had support of the community.”

House Municipal Schools’ $400,000 bond question for security fencing and housing for teachers passed with 46 in favor and 21 opposed.

“House Municipal Schools has the good fortune of having deeply rooted pride and support from our community,” House superintendent Coby Norman stated in an email. “We are so very appreciative of their willingness to continue supporting our efforts to maintain quality facilities and educational programs for all of our present and future generations of students.”

Logan’s $1.1 million bond question for fencing, new doors and locks and other security improvements sailed to approval by nearly a 3-to-1 margin.

A renewal of a one-eighth-cent gross-receipts tax to support Trigg Memorial Hospital gained 955 “yes” votes and 370 opposed.

The tax, which generates about $200,000 a year for the hospital and its primary care clinic in Tucumcari and Logan, goes to operations and maintenance.

The tax has been in place since 1987.

“We want to say thank you to the voters — this is wonderful news for our team and our community,” hospital administrator Vickie Gutierrez stated in an email. “We appreciate the trust and confidence that community members place in our incredible team every day. I think Quay County residents understand just how important it is to keep healthcare services close to home, and the GRT helps us do that.”