Roosevelt approves memorial bench for county clerk

PORTALES — After suddenly losing its county clerk last month, the Roosevelt County Commission approved a family gesture to honor Stephanie Hicks McMath going forward.

County Manager Amber Hamilton told commissioners during their Tuesday meeting at the Jake Lopez Community Building that she was approached by Hicks McMath’s family, who asked for permission to place a bench in her memory under the shade tree outside of the clerk’s office at the Roosevelt County Courthouse.

The commission approved the request, with Shane Lee noting it was his honor to make the motion to approve.

Hicks McMath had spent 16 years in public service in the area, working at both the Curry and Roosevelt clerk’s offices. She was appointed to the clerk’s position in late 2018 following the retirement of DeAun Searl, and was heading to her first elected term with no general election opposition on the November ballot.

Deputy Clerk Nath Baca is fulfilling clerk duties until the current term ends. Mandi Park of the office was selected by the Roosevelt County Republican Party to take Hicks McMath’s place on the ballot.

In other business at the meeting:

• Commissioners approved the receipt of $289,625 in CARES Act money the county received from a $150 million state allocation. Of the grant total, $239,625 is designated as funding for small business grants, and the other $50,000 is reimbursement for various expenses dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lee raised the question of who the small business funds were open to. Hamilton stated that every business is eligible, though there are some criteria that is considered during the process. Hamilton said a state training was scheduled to begin the following day.

“It will be open to every business but they will have to qualify for certain aspects. They would have to have under $2 million. Owner payroll expenses cannot be included. The state has put in several criteria and they will highlight some more of those tomorrow,” Hamilton said. “We of course had to have some of the criteria in there that if they’ve received additional funding that will be take into consideration. But that doesn’t necessarily disqualify them from receiving this type of funding”

Hamilton said there will likely be a cap of $10,000 so the county can provide as many businesses as possible with grants.

• The commission approved a resolution in support of Bond Issue C on the upcoming general election ballot. The money would provide $8 million to Eastern New Mexico University, with $7 million dedicated to improvements at the Roosevelt Science Center.

• During the department reports, Detention Administrator Justin Porter gave an update on a tablets for detainees project. He said this project allows those held in the detention center to have access to a tablet for phone calls, different online programs, and for potential job searching. The detention center will have training set up for officers to learn how to manage these tablets before they are given to detainees.

• Hamilton addressed a county contest for promoting the U.S. Census. Participants are asked to text people they know about the Census, with contacts accepted as entries for prize drawings that include gift cards and vouchers from local vendors.

As of Tuesday morning, Hamilton reported about a dozen entries.

“It’s really important right now for citizens to understand the importance of completing it,” Hamilton said. “We’ve seen that there are some with fears of completing it, or their security of their information. There are some who don’t understand the importance. There are some who feel like they may not need some of the programming attached to it or financial aspect, but everyone needs the representation at that House level in our Legislature as well as there in the U.S. Congress.”

• The next commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 6.