Commission plans second phase of tax implementation

County commissioners made the second step towards the implementation of additional gross receipt taxes on Friday during the Roosevelt County Commission meeting.

Roosevelt County Administrator Charlene Hardin said the announcement was made of the intent to adopt the ordinance. There will be a special session for the members of the public to attend at 1 p.m. on June 22. This is the next step in the implementation process, which requires a public hearing.

Hardin also said commissioners approved a ban on certain fireworks, such as aerial and ground audibles. Portales Fire Marshall Mike Running said city officials also implement the ban of aerial and ground audibles.

“I applaud the commissioners for placing the ban,” Running said. “It shows they are working together with the city. I think the commissioners’ concerns are (justified) because fireworks can cause fires out in the county and with the high winds it will make it worse. Houses can get caught up in the fire storm.”

Running said examples of aerial fireworks are roman candles and rockets. He said examples of ground audibles are such as whistling fireworks.

“The ban is on fireworks on the ground which move erratically,” Running said. “As for aerials, fountain sprays are allowed. The ban is on rockets which go above 12 feet from the ground.”

Running said there have been six requests from firework vendors interesting in selling in the city. He said they begin selling fireworks on June 20. Running said the ban is not because of the amount of rain, but because of community safety.

Running said fireworks such as sparklers and smoke bombs are allowed. He also said the ban doesn’t effect the fireworks display on July 4th, next to Greyhound Arena.

“The (people who put on the displays) have levels of training they have to go through,” Running said. “They take safety precautions and they go through an inspection by my office. We can’t monitor families who have fireworks in their backyard.”

County Clerk Janet Collins also said there was a canvas on Friday morning to confirm all of the election results from Tuesday’s primaries.