By REBECCA HAUSCHILD
For the Daily Press
Residents of the Happy Valley area of Carlsbad kicked off the July 18 meeting of the Eddy County Commission with thanks for the addition of speed bumps and complaints about continued speeding by vehicles and ATVs on Texas Street.
Eddy County Sherriff Mark Cage addressed the concerns of the speeders in Happy Valley and reported he will attend the National Association of Counties National Conference July 21-24 in Austin, Texas, and will be voting for New Mexico on several things.
The commission also approved the purchase of a new vehicle for the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office at a total cost of $50,564 to replace a vehicle that was damaged after a collision with a drunk driver.
During the comment portion of the meeting, Commissioner Jon Henry reiterated his position on the border issue.
“I did see that Texas has now deployed buoys in the Rio Grande to try to help stop that flow coming across the border,” said Henry. “I’m gonna continue to say it. New Mexico as a state, our state leadership and federal leadership, if they have to say one thing, we have to think about how we are going to stop the opioid crisis. As Texas continues to be aggressive, that flow is going to get funneled harder and harder into the state of New Mexico.
“I am so happy y’all are here to have a voice today in this. I think we need to, as a state, as citizens, as representatives, as everything else, we need to use our voice to help the state understand we don’t accept this. We are not happy with this. And I’m sick and tired of seeing people destroyed by a drug that could be slowed down if we even tried.”
After an executive session regarding pending opioid litigation, the commission authorized the county manager to sign the necessary documents for Eddy County to participate in settlement agreements with Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, KVK Tech and Walgreen’s for a total amount of $3,937,846.94, which includes Eddy County, the City of Carlsbad, and the City of Artesia.
As part of its consent agenda, the commission approved:
- amending the Education Incentive Program and incorporating R-22-109 with R-22-51.
- a donation of fire apparatus to the Springer Town Fire Department.
- a donation of fire apparatus to the Village of Cimarron.
- on-call engineering, surveying, testing and/or environmental services with Smith Engineering (RFP 22-06).
- renewal of inmate commissary with Keefe Commissary Network, LLC.
- renewal of on-call general architectural services with Huitt-Zollars.
- renewal of on-call general architectural services with MRWM.
- renewal of on-call engineering, surveying, testing and/or environmental services with Stantec Consulting Service.
- a maintenance/support agreement contract with Terralogic Document Systems.
- funds appropriated for ballistic resistant safety gear, body armor, and related equipment for law enforcement in Eddy County.
- funds appropriated for ballistic shields for the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office.
- funds appropriated to purchase and equip vehicles for the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office.
- an agreement between Eddy County and Cambiar Consulting, LLC, for professional services.
- a work and financial plan between Eddy County and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services for July 1 through June 30, 2024.
- Eric Threlkeld to attend the National Sheriffs’ Association Conference in Grand Rapids, Mich.
- William Marion to attend Property Room Management Training in Humble, Texas.
- Jarvis Seamore to attend At Scene Traffic Crash/Traffic Homicide Investigation Training in Tempe, Ariz., from Aug. 6-19.
