Board discusses potential lockdowns, armed guards

Several projects regarding school safety were discussed during the superintendent report at the Oct. 16 Gallup-McKinley County Schools board meeting.

Tim Bond, assistant superintendent of support services, spoke about monthly meetings held with the district security team and members from organizations such as the county response team, the N.M. State Police and Navajo Nation Police among others.

Bond said the team is currently working on a memorandum of understanding with Red Rock Security & Patrol on the use of firearms and public announcement protocols.

“[The goal is] to make sure information gets where it needs to be,” he...

Implements resources for student career skills

Gallup-McKinley County Schools Superintendent Mike Hyatt spoke about several recent developments during an Oct. 16 board meeting.

Hyatt said Tohatchi was awarded $75,000 for a feasibility study to replace the high school. The next step, he said, is to examine factors that could come into play when the building is replaced.

Hyatt said the district was given other resources for renovations and new furniture for several other schools. He cited Crownpoint, Thoreau and Navajo Pine as potential beneficiaries.

Hyatt also said a recent lawsuit, in which families and schools sued the state for not providing students with a sufficient education...

Concerns about livestock, pedestrian safety addressed

The McKinley County Board of Commissioners discussed the creation of a new shooting range for the City of Gallup Shooters Range at both the Oct. 2 and Oct. 16 regular meetings.

Bernie Gomez spoke for the item on Oct. 2. He said the commission has worked on matters concerning the range in the past.

“[We’re] trying to develop another part to draw in outside people,” he said Oct. 2.

Martin O’Malley, general manager of Gallup Land Partners, said the new range has been approved with GLP as the leaser.

At the Oct. 2 meeting, O’Malley asked for a complete property layout that included ample space for adjacent properties, and...

The City of Gallup discussed a budget increase for the Church Rock Lighting Extension Project at the Oct. 9 regular meeting.

Gallup Fire Department Chief Eric Babcock spoke for the item. He requested approval for an increase of $90,000 to fund project change orders, with $25,000 of that amount set aside for project contingencies.

“[I want to] get this job done and some lights on those streets,” Babcock said during the meeting, adding this is one of many projects he’d like to tend to.

Contractor Murphy Builders, Inc. will install approximately 8,100 linear feet of two-and-a-half-inch conduits, quadruplex aluminum conductors, over two dozen 30-foot-tall street lights and two...