Tucumcari commissioners advance comprehensive plan despite calls for more review

The Tucumcari City Commission on May 8 held a public hearing and then voted on Resolution 25-14 to adopt the city’s final draft comprehensive plan, amid several commissioners saying they had not had sufficient time to study the document.

The hearing opened for public comment before the commission and included an appeal from resident Steven Salas, who urged approval so the city could access state and federal infrastructure funding. “It’s really important that this be approved, for the simple fact that without this and without the audit, your funding sources are pretty much obsolete,” Salas said.

Commissioners debated whether the plan presented was an update or a new plan, whether adequate public notice and a second local hearing had been provided, and whether mitigation measures (flooding, wildland-urban interface) were addressed in enough detail. Commissioner Thorpe said she had not had enough time to review the large document and voted no. Mayor Cherry recorded an abstention and asked for more time; other commissioners supported moving forward.

The commission recorded the following votes: Commissioner Rico — yes; Commissioner Oglesby — yes; Commissioner Thorpe — no; Mayor Cherry — abstain; Mayor Pro Tem Lopez — yes. The motion to adopt the resolution carried.

City staff said the draft had been advertised for 20 days and copies made available at City Hall, the library and Community Development, and that state and federal funding partners were urging timely adoption so grant applications and commitments would not be delayed. Staff also said the document is titled “draft” until formally adopted and that the latest draft was completed in 2024.

Commissioners asked staff to circulate the plan to the commission again, to highlight changes and to schedule a follow-up reading if members wanted more time to review specific mitigation language. The commission did not identify new specific funding awards tied directly to the adoption during the meeting.

The commission’s action advances the plan to adoption while flagging internal concerns about member access to the draft and the absence of a locally held second hearing earlier in the review process. Officials said they will provide additional time and materials for commissioners to examine mitigation and infrastructure sections.