Roosevelt selects negotiators for shared services

PORTALES — The Roosevelt County Commission took its first step toward negotiating a new shared services agreement with the city of Portales on Tuesday, selecting the commission’s vice chair Matthew Hunton to join County Manager Amber Hamilton in those negotiations.

Last month the Portales City Council unanimously voted to terminate the existing joint powers agreement between the two municipalities covering the Portales Police Department’s use of a county-owned building, necessitating Tuesday’s selection by the commission.

PPD is scheduled to move out of that building this week, according to City Manager Sammy Standefer.

“As we’re migrating out and have our new police station, it’s just time to start negotiating. That old agreement is not going to matter anymore so we need to develop a new one,” Standefer said. “We still expect to exchange services and it’s just time to work through that process and I’m confident we can do it.”

Standefer said Mayor Ron Jackson will likely join him in negotiating on behalf of the city.

The law firm Doerr & Knudson P.A. provides legal services to both Portales and Roosevelt County. Randy Knudson said he will be answering questions for the county and Steve Doerr will be answering questions for the city during the negotiation process.

Knudson said he did not expect a conflict of interest to arise during the negotiations, but if one did he would notify both parties that they should obtain outside counsel.

Commissioners Dennis Lopez and Shane Lee were absent.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting:

• No action was taken following a 30-minute executive session held to discuss limited personnel matters and threatened or pending litigation, according to the agenda.

• The commission selected members for the county’s board of ethics, board of registration and road viewer committee.

• In her report to the board, Hamilton said the county was recognized with a mid-size county audit achievement award.

• In his report to the board, Sheriff Malin Parker asked the commission to oppose several bills being considered by the Legislature, which would restrict access to firearms.