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Eddy County commissioners approve grant applications, budget reports and multiple permits; reject renewal of oil-and-gas audit contract
Summary
At a regular meeting, commissioners approved revenue and budget reports, authorized a HIDTA grant application and multiple local permits, and voted not to renew a county contract with Total Assessment Solutions Corporation after members debated state responsibility for oil-and-gas assessments.
Eddy County commissioners met to consider routine financial reports, grant applications, event permits and contracts, approving several items while voting against renewal of a three‑year oil-and‑gas personal property audit agreement.
The board approved the county’s revenue report for January 2025 and the January budget-versus-actuals report. Roberta Gonzales reported January gross receipts tax distributions of nearly $5.4 million and year‑to‑date gross receipts of about $40.8 million; oil-and-gas production, equipment and royalty distributions for the October business month (paid in January) were presented as well.
Commissioners also authorized a grant application to the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) for $289,823, and approved the county’s third-quarter Safety Net Care Pool certification. The commission approved an expenditure to upgrade the Eddy County Detention Center’s communications system from existing detention facility funds and authorized the special-use permit for the City of Champions pro‑rodeo event (contingent on the event’s state alcohol license). The board gave formal support for Eddy‑Lee Energy Alliance to respond to a U.S. Department of Energy site RFP and endorsed Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative’s BEAD broadband application.
A contested action on a professional services arrangement drew extended discussion. The commission considered renewing a contract with Total Assessment Solutions Corporation (known in the meeting as “task” or the audit contractor) for oil‑and‑gas personal property field auditing. After debate about whether the state assessed bureau, not the county, has statutory responsibility for state-assessed property and revenue impacts of the contractor’s work, the board voted not to approve the pending contract renewal (identified in the meeting as D-23-157). The recorded vote on the non‑approval motion was Carlson: yes; Trost: yes; Klein: yes; Cordova: no; Bowen: yes.
Other formal approvals on the consent and travel agendas passed without further discussion. The meeting closed with an executive session on a limited personnel matter; commissioners said no action was taken in executive session.
Votes at a glance - Approve commission minutes (approved, unanimous). - Approve January 2025 revenue report (approved, unanimous). - Approve January budget vs. actuals (approved, unanimous). - Authorize HIDTA grant application SF424 for $289,823 (approved, unanimous). - Approve renewal / final review for Total Assessment Solutions Corp. contract D-23-157 (motion to not approve passed 4–1: Carlson, Trost, Klein, Bowen yes; Cordova no). - Approve Safety Net Care Pool certification (approved, unanimous). - Approve detention center communications upgrade (approved, unanimous). - Approve issuance of special‑use permit for pro‑rodeo alcohol service at Eddy County Fairgrounds, contingent on state license (approved, unanimous). - Adopt resolution supporting Eddy‑Lee Energy Alliance submission to DOE RFP (approved, unanimous). - Adopt resolution supporting Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative BEAD application (approved, unanimous).
Several discussion items — including a draft Community Wildfire Protection Plan update, a proposed county EMS division, volunteer paramedic reporting, and county support for the Eddy County Fair — were discussed but not acted on at this meeting.
Ending: The board asked staff to return several items (notably the proposed fair funding level) for a follow‑up vote at a future meeting.
