Meetings watch: Roosevelt County Commission

During their meeting Tuesday at the Roosevelt County Courthouse, Roosevelt County commissioners:

• Approved an intent to adopt a franchise agreement with Southwestern Public Service Company. The agreement would allow SPS to continue to use county right of ways as necessary to provide electricity to county residents, County Manager Charlene Hardin said. The current franchise agreement expires next year.

A public hearing on the new agreement is scheduled for the Jan. 5 commission meeting.

• Authorized the City of Portales to submit an application to participate in the Local DWI Grant and Distribution Program.

• Approved a budget adjustment to allocate Operation DWI grant money.

• Approved almost $17,800 in payments from the indigent health care fund.

• Approved installation of a new phone system for the courthouse. Plateau Telecommunications gave the low bid of about $14,800 plus tax.

Hardin said the current system doesn’t allow the county clerk’s office to add an extension and makes it hard to find compatible new phones.

Commission Chairman David Sanders said the treasurer’s office only has one line, and his calls often go to the fax machine.

• Portales Fire Chief Gary Nuckols said he discovered requests for Portales ambulances to intercept county volunteer fire department ambulances had doubled since 2007. He believes the aging population and possibly fewer intermediate-certified volunteer emergency medical technicians accounted for the increase.

— Argen Duncan