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Lee County commissioners approve a slate of resolutions, capital purchases and appoint interim manager as county manager
Summary
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners on March 13 approved multiple resolutions including purchases of a reserve fire pumper, detention-center equipment, airport gate designs and fairground upgrades, recognized opioid settlement revenue, and appointed Corey Needle as county manager following an executive session.
Lee County’s Board of County Commissioners approved a series of resolutions and capital expenditures at its March 13 regular meeting, and after an executive session appointed Corey Needle as county manager.
The commission voted to approve procurement and capital items including: a $537,888 purchase of a reserve commercial pumper for the county fire service (Pruitt), two redundant 100‑gallon industrial water heaters for the Lee County Detention Center ($91,598.13) and industrial washers/dryers for detainee housing ($150,128.15) (Mark Gallegos), and a design contract with Nelson Corbin Engineering to plan two sally‑port gates at Lee Canyon Regional Airport (Shalana Rodriguez). The board also approved CES proposals for fairgrounds improvements (wash bays, electrical upgrades and bleacher/drive work) and confirmed appointments to the Fair and Rodeo Board liaisons.
Finance staff presented Budget Adjustment No. 3, which includes reallocations for salary adjustments, IT software purchases, hail-damage repairs for sheriff vehicles, an HR assessment, and recognized incoming opioid settlement funds; staff said about $1.5 million in opioid‑related revenue had been recorded to date with additional sporadic receipts in smaller amounts.
Votes at a glance: - Resolution 25March82R: Purchase of reserve commercial pumper — approved (price quoted $537,888; $20,000 discount if delivered by March 31). - Resolution 25March085: Two redundant detention‑center water heaters — approved ($91,598.13). - Resolution 25March086: Washers/dryers replacement at detention center — approved ($150,128.15). - Resolution 2024‑7: Nelson Corbin Engineering design for airport gates 1 & 2 — approved. - CES proposals for fairgrounds (LASCO; Ramirez & Sons) — approved. - Budget Adjustment No. 3 (including opioid settlement revenue recognition) — approved. - Resolution 25March91R: Appointment of Corey Needle as county manager — approved.
Personnel and procedural notes: the commission moved into closed (executive) session under NMSA 1978 to discuss the hiring/appointment of a county manager and, on returning to open session, approved the appointment. The resolution states Corey Needle had served as assistant county manager since 2016 and was interim county manager since January.
The meeting also included routine approvals (minutes), grant certifications (law enforcement protection fund application and SF‑424 certification for the HIDA Region 6 drug task force) and various presentations. The board adjourned after completing business.
