Roosevelt asks state to delegate authority

PORTALES — Add Roosevelt County to the list of entities looking to amend its own path forward dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

By a 4-0 vote, county commissioners on Monday approved a resolution asking the state to delegate authority to local governments during the pandemic and reopen businesses closed under public health orders, provided they implement the same mitigating practices required of essential businesses.

Roosevelt County as of Monday had one positive COVID-19 case, and that person has since recovered, according to the resolution. The state as of Monday afternoon had reported 1,971 positive tests, 501 recoveries, 116 current hospitalizations and 58 deaths.

Commission Chair Matt Hunton noted the resolution doesn’t override current state public health orders in place through April 30, but the resolution states no one rule is appropriate for every geographical division of the state. He said the matter was a plea to the governor that while the county understands an economy requires healthy and capable citizens, small communities are bleeding and depend on small businesses far more than urban areas.

Commissioner Dennis Lopez recommended tabling the matter until the commission’s May 5 meeting, noting he wasn’t ready to vote in either direction, and abstained when his suggestion failed to gain traction. Lopez said he had planned to vote in favor, but had a change of heart over the weekend when he saw infection rates spike in McKinley County, which is similar to Roosevelt in size.

“We’ve got a week and a half (before the public health order’s end date),” Lopez said, “and I don’t know what this resolution would do for us in (that) week and a half.”

Hunton said he understood Lopez’ sentiments and appreciated the comments. He noted McKinley County has a higher Native American population, and he wasn’t sure what has contributed to the virus’ spread in Native American populations.

“I do take this virus seriously,” Hunton said, “but I’m worried about the pending economic collapse and the state and federal government overreach. We are not in the same boat as a state, but we are in the same storm. This has definitely affected not just New Mexico, but the entire world in very different ways.”

Hunton is not under any illusion the area can “just jump straight back to what we’re doing,” but said he believes in the community where he grew up and doesn’t see why it can’t reopen businesses with local leadership determining the way forward.

“We are capable of doing these things,” Hunton said. “We were elected by these citizens. If the state doesn’t believe we’re capable of doing it ourselves, at least I hope they’ll work with us because we’re not a one-size-fits-all state.”

Regarding similar resolutions done by various municipalities around the state, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office has noted public health is the overarching priority and that changes to existing public health orders would undo much of the progress made under social distancing guidelines.

No other commissioner weighed in on the resolution except to agree with Hunton. Commissioner Tina Dixon did want to note for the record that she’d received comments that the New Mexico State Police didn’t need to be in the county. She noted the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office can handle law enforcement matters, but its authority doesn’t supersede that of the state police.

In other business at the Monday meeting:

• The commission approved an agreement with Dona Ana County for juvenile detention services. Roosevelt County has been housing juveniles in Curry County, but that facility is expected to close next month.

Hamilton has also contacted Lea and San Juan counties for juvenile housing agreements, noting it’s good practice to have multiple options. An agreement from Lea County reached Hamilton after the agenda deadline, and San Juan County declined to offer an agreement.

Dona Ana will charge $185 per day to house juveniles. That is less than Curry County’s $200 rate, but Hunton noted transportation costs would eliminate most savings. Hamilton said the Lea County agreement would be presented at the May 5 meeting, and that it would be the county’s preferred option due to proximity and its cost impact.

• Commissioners approved an award to Lydick Engineers for drainage and Americans with Disabilities Act planning and engineering at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds.

Lopez said the work was needed and appreciated, and asked if the pandemic had changed any scheduling with the Community Development Block Grant process funding the fairground work. Hamilton said nothing has changed, but that significant dates in the process are still several months down the road.

• The county agreed to retain Cordova CPAs, LLC, for an audit of the 2019-20 fiscal year. The county is required to find a new auditor next year under state rules that cap municipality-auditor relationships at three years.

• The meeting had a brief delay when Hunton, who was chairing the virtual meeting from home, had a power outage and consequently lost Internet service. The meeting resumed after he reconnected via the call-in number.

• The next meeting, Hunton said, will be 9 a.m. May 5, “fingers crossed it’s at the Roosevelt County Commission room.”