HARDING COUNTY NEWSLETTER
February 2007  Volume I, Issue 2

The HomeTown Competitiveness Volunteers announce a "NAME THAT GROUP" Contest! We are trying to come up with a name for our group that covers Harding County and a portion of Union County and will signify that we are working toward bringing new life to our rural communities. There will be a cash prize ($100 or more, depending on additional donations that we receive) and the deadline is February 28, 2007. Please submit your entries to barbjcopeland@plateautel.net before that date. Be sure to include your name and phone number!

The next meeting of the HTC Group will be Monday, March 5, 2007, at 4:30 am in the Mosquero Court House. At that meeting, the group will select the new name and the Prize Money will be awarded. We will also develop a plan for the next steps we can take in helping to meet the needs of our local communities. Everyone is invited to attend this meeting to participate in creating a brighter future for our local area and solving some of our current problems. For more information, contact Tuda Crews at 673-2267 or Barbara Shaw at 673-2927. We need your help!

Several road projects have been identified for construction during 2007. They include: Singleton Road (1.45 miles); Johnson Road Area #3 (1.7 miles); Barbeau Road (.6 mile); Baca Road (.55 mile); Mosquero Canyon Road (2.7 miles); Chicosa Road (2.2 miles); Maddox Road (2 miles); Campbell Road (2.2 miles); Emplazado Road (2.25 miles); Hopson Road (1 mile); Gambrel Road East (2.05 miles); and Baum Road (2.25 miles). This work will be done in participation with the "Cooperative Program," the "County Arterial Program," and the "School Bus Program."

A new county vehicle will be purchased for use in land evaluations and other county business travel. The existing county car will continue to be used on a limited basis, due to the high mileage it has accumulated over several years of service.

A new janitor is needed at the Courthouse and advertisements are out for the position. Commissioners will meet in special session on February 26, 2007, to interview and hire prospective candidates. The upstairs office space vacated by the Farm Service Agency is scheduled to be painted. The County Extension Office will be moving into those rooms to allow them more space.

Harding County has two new residents! Congratulations to Becky and Brandon Smith on the birth of their baby girl, Natalie Brynn. Congratulations to Jennifer and Mathew Baca on the birth of their baby girl, Sylviana. Blair Clavel has been helping the Roy FFA to practice their judging skills while Mrs. Smith was having her baby. Thanks, Blair!

Congratulations to Courtney Mitchell, daughter of Esther and Matt Mitchell, who was recently chosen as a candidate for the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award. She, along with other candidates from the surrounding area, will be recognized at a luncheon in Tucumcari on February 9, 2007, joined by her parents.

All Harding County High School and Junior High Students are invited to participate in the "Baca County Youth Entrepreneurship Fair" March 23 & 24, 2007, in Springfield, Colorado. This is a program that is set up to encourage our rural youth to build skills and knowledge of business in a rural setting before they get to college. The students will be required to fill out a short application, build a presentation board, and be interviewed by judges concerning their existing potential business. They will also receive 3 hours of training on the development of a business plan. The Grand Prize is $1,000.00 sponsored by Ogallala Commons. Student applications are due by March 1, 2007, and are available online at www.ogallalacommons.org (under Commonwealth Communities). This is a great way for our young people to learn how they can create their own job in Harding County. The Fair will be open to the public during the "Spring Equinox Festival" - make it a family weekend!

County Commissioner Robert Casados will be attending the Northeastern Regional Planning Meeting on February 22, 2007, in Santa Fe. Scenic Byway applications will be reviewed and rated at this meeting, as well as the election of a new Chairman. Mr. Casados currently serves as Vice-Chairman.

Congratulations to our new Under-sheriff, Ramond Gutierrez, who started on January 22, 2007. All County Departments are beginning work on the budget for the coming year. This is a long process, but it is very important!

Commissioners are working closely with Oxy USA, Inc. and Hess Corporation, two companies that are planning CO2 exploration in our county in order to stay aware of the activity that will soon be starting. We understand that approximately 60 wells will be drilled in the next year and the process is scheduled to begin in June.

There will be a "Community-Scale Renewable Energy Workshop" on March 13, 2007, in Hereford, Texas. This program will cover wind, hydrogen, and solar systems, cost/benefit analysis on potential applications, explore incentives through the Farm Bill, and includes lunch and tours of local installations. The fee for the workshop is $25 per person before March 2 and $35 per person after March 2. For questions or more information, contact Darryl Birkenfeld, Executive Director, Ogallala Commons at 806-945-2255 or e-mail at darrylb@amaonline.com.

We are excited about the upcoming opening of a new business in our county - the Chill-n-Grill! Sherrita and Lee Fluhman have been working hard to prepare for the opening of their new eating establishment at 275 Richelieu in Roy (Intersection of NM Hwy 39 and NN Hwy 120) on Thursday, February 21, 2007. You can place your to-go order by calling 485-GRIL (495-4745) or just stop by to try something from the menu. Congratulations to the Fluhmans and we wish you much success!