County considers raises for employees

Quay County manager Daniel Zamora said Monday during a budget work session he would advocate a $1-an-hour raises for employees for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, plus additional pay for hard-to-fill positions.

Zamora said he considered $2-an-hour raises across the board, but “I don’t see having that wiggle room.” He said he wanted input from commissioners before proceeding.

Commission Chairman Robert Lopez agreed with generally keeping raises at $1. He said there were indications that growth in gross receipts tax revenue was beginning to level off.

“I want to play it safe,” Lopez said.

Zamora said he wants to consider bigger pay raises for the sheriff’s office, road department, detention center and emergency dispatch.

Zamora said he considered merit raises, but that would make the county more prone to lawsuits. He instead suggested comparing pay rates in the surrounding area, then adjusting compensation for certain departments to make them more competitive.

Zamora said he wanted commissioners to consider allocations for other projects, including:

— $8,000 to the City of Tucumcari to help it purchase lawn equipment for its Little League fields. The city is using $35,800 in lodgers tax funds, but the quote for the equipment ran higher than that.

— An additional $50,000 to address plumbing issues at the detention center. Zamora said the addition of a water softener likely would add to the life of fixtures and reduce costs in the long term.

— Additional funds for new software at the jail that would be compatible with what is used by local law-enforcement agencies and emergency dispatch.

— Additional funds to find a new information technology vendor. Zamora said its current IT contractor, Plateau, soon will phase out that service.

— Possibly sharing the purchase cost of pothole-filing equipment with the City of Tucumcari.

Zamora said he was hesitant on sending a full budget plan to commissioners until he receives more data on revenue. He said data from the state on property tax and collection rates are unusually late this year.

Commissioners suggested another budget work session in May before approving a budget.

Zamora also noted the detention center and road department for years has operated with fewer workers than what was budgeted. Zamora said he could eliminate several vacant positions from those departments.

County contributions to other entities are expected to remain the same except for the extension service, which has requested an additional $6,000, up from last year’s total of $108,000.

In other business:

— During his manager’s report, Zamora said the New Mexico Department of Transportation is applying to the federal government to perform a study on U.S. 54, leading to the possible addition of passing lanes from Tucumcari to Logan and perhaps to the Texas state line.

On a related note, county road superintendent Stephen Salas said he has ordered a flashing stop sign to be installed on County Road AI, aka Airport Road, near the railroad tracks and U.S. 54. Salas said too many truck drivers run the current stop sign at the tracks. Sheriff Dennis Garcia said he’s assigned more patrols to the road.

— Salas said work is scheduled to begin on April 29 to demolish remnants of a bridge on Old Route 66 between San Jon and Endee. Salas said it would pile the gravel from the demolished bridge and apply for permits to build a temporary road through the area.

A flash flood washed away the bridge in May 2023. The county has filed a lawsuit against its contractor and architect, both which deny responsibility to rebuild it.

— Commissioners approved these applications to the state Fire Protection Fund Distribution for these fire districts and the amounts requested: Conservancy 1, $84,279; Conservancy 2, $54,483; Conservancy 3, $54,483; Forrest, $52,418; Jordan, $89,422; Nara Visa, $39,058; Porter, $52,418; Quay, $52,418; Bard-Endee, $137,723; and county fire marshal, $55,501.

— Commissioners approved an agreement for $315,150, plus taxes, with Miller Engineering Consultants of Albuquerque for work on Quay Road 63.

— Commissioners approved a master agency agreement with Alcohol Monitoring Systems of Littleton, Colorado, that provides ankle monitors for jail detainees. The cost for using ankle monitors is $3 to $5 a day, compared to $125 costs daily for detention in a cell.

— During her monthly report, Quay County Family Health Center administrator Renee Hayoz said her clinic and others in Estancia and Mountainair are seeking to hire a community health worker who would set up rides with patients who need to see doctors out of town.

— Commissioners approved a $45,945 audit services contract with Hinkle & Landers PC of Albuquerque for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

— Commissioners approved a proclamation declaring May as Motorcycle Awareness Month.

— Commissioners approved $33,743.71 in indigent health claims submitted in the month of April. The county is on pace to pay more than $100,000 in indigent claims by the end of the fiscal year.