Roosevelt approves purchase of gutter system

PORTALES — Roosevelt County commissioners approved the purchase of a new gutter system for the Show Barn at the county fairgrounds Tuesday at the county commission meeting.

Bruce Nixon of Nixon Construction told commissioners that he recommended going entirely with the cricket gutter system discussed in the last county commission meeting.

“An internal gutter is always going to be a failing system unless it is one giant piece,” Nixon told commissioners.

Commissioners voted to approve the cricket gutter system for one side of the building at the previous commission meeting but expressed concerns over the other side due to damage to the wall of the building from the current internal gutter system.

Commissioners were quoted a cost of $3,000 to replace the current internal gutter system and $17,000 to put in a cricket water system.

Nixon told commissioners that if they continue to use an internal water system, it will need to be repaired again and again over time.

Nixon explained to commissioners in detail what repairing the internal gutter system would look like.

“It’s not going to fix the problem. All it’s going to do is prevent it from getting worse in the future,” he said.

County Manager Amber Hamilton told commissioners that although the county’s insurance can only allot the $3,000 for the value of the current internal system, they also recommended the county not continuing with an internal gutter system.

Commissioner Tina Dixon asked what the additional cost would be to repair the damaged wall with the internal gutter system.

Nixon said clearing the rotted parts out of the wall was included in the $17,000 cost.

Rufino Rodriguez of Cordova CPAs out of Albuquerque gave a report to commissioners on their 2019-2020 fiscal year audit, saying that the county’s revenues for that fiscal year went up by $5.2 million (mostly due to gross receipt taxes) and their expenses increased by $628,000. Capital assets increased by almost $2 million, which had a lot to do with all of the work the county had done to improve county roads, according to Rodriguez.

He told commissioners that his company gave Roosevelt County an unmodified opinion, which is the best opinion a county can receive on an audit. He said balances were correct, and county officials did a great job managing county finances and providing all of the information and documentation needed.

Rodriguez said no significant exposures were noted, with only one finding pertaining to material assets. He explained that county officials discovered two county assets that had been assets for years but had never been put on the books. So, it was a finding but one that required no action on his company’s part.

He said an estimated significant impact to the county’s finances within the next few years is a $1.2 million increase in county pension expenses due to people retiring.

He said his company had recommended in previous years that the county put increased security measures into place for the treasurer’s office, and he was pleased to see that some of those suggestions were followed. He added that current suggestions made by his company included the county having an outside company come in to test their IT and cyber security to see how vulnerable they are to hacking and implementing measures to ensure a smooth transition if a top official in the county were to leave.

Commissioners approved accepting the 2020 fiscal year financial audit report.

Also Tuesday:

• County resident John Underhill expressed concerns to commissioners about drivers speeding down Roosevelt Road 4.

He told commissioners that people travel down the road at high speeds and do not slow down at the four-way intersection. He said he has helped many people who have flipped their vehicles or become trapped in the ditch due to traveling down the road at high speeds.

“I’m surprised someone hasn’t gotten killed. I’ve seen kids walking on it, riding their horses on it. People give no thought to slowing down. I know that’s a tough nut to crack, because it happens all over the county,” Underhill said. “I don’t know what the answer is. The little band-aids don’t work — putting a cop there, putting a sign there.”

Sheriff Malin Parker told commissioners that he and his deputies write traffic tickets all the time on that road, and it does not deter the problem.

“It’s a problem that is going to take more than just monitoring,” he said.

Commissioner Dennis Lopez asked that commissioners consider placing road safety discussions on the agenda for the next meeting or two to discuss solutions to the road dangers.

• County Clerk Mandi Park reported to commissioners that when the Board of Registration met on March 10, they voted to remove all 305 voters who were on the list for removal from voter registration. She added that the term of service for current board members will end in June, so they will bring new names to the June meeting for new members for the voter registration board.

Park also told commissioners when county officials begin looking at redistricting the county in October, they will be looking at splitting districts 9 and 10. She said she would give commissioners the how and why at a later date.

• Detention center Administrator Justin Porter reported to commissioners that the detention center has resumed visitation for detainees with COVID-19 safety practices in place, with the visits having to be scheduled in advance, so the facility officers can prepare for them.

• Road Department Superintendent Ricky Lovato reported that his department is working on 2021 Local Government Road Fund (LGRF) projects. He said due to running into a problem with state lands, it will be four weeks before they can start on the Sundale Valley project.

• Hamilton reported to commissioners that the roof repair at the detention center is reaching completion, and the front part of the roof will be inspected this week, so they can meet their certification in time. She mentioned several other county repair projects that have been completed. She said the Enterprise Center and the Bonem House will be next on the repair list.

Hamilton also told commissioners that Roosevelt County unemployment is at 6.2 percent (up 2 percent from this time last year), and state unemployment is at 8.2 percent (up 3 percent from last year).

She told commissioners to bear in mind that the county has been struggling to fill certain positions, because people are getting really good unemployment benefits right now, so people are realizing they can stay home for more pay than what they would get working.

“We are hearing that local businesses are having the same struggle with finding people or with having call ins or no shows after people are hired,” she said.

• Commissioner Shane Lee inquired as to whether the county could have inmates come clean up trash on highways again or if COVID-19 practices would not allow for that.

Porter said the detention center has had a decline in positive COVID cases just like the rest of the community, and they have been limiting contact and certain activities. He said he hopes to be able to begin such projects again within the next month or so but will come to commissioners at the time they want to reinstate them.

Commissioners approved the following at Tuesday’s meeting:

• The donation of a new tanker trailer to the Arch Fire Department.

• Investing up to $1 million into various local banking institutions.

Sanchez told commissioners before investing additional county funds as discussed in the previous county commission meeting, she would like to first offer $2 million to local banks to see about doing CDs with them before otherwise investing the county money.

• A tower lease agreement between Southwestern Wireless, Inc. and Roosevelt County for the Milnesand Fire Department for a tower that will house their radio repeater.

• A resolution to continue to declare an exceptional drought and fire danger emergency in Roosevelt County.

• A proclamation declaring the month of May as Motorcycle Awareness Month.