Commission accepts $1.5 million barn contract

During the Roosevelt County Commission meeting Tuesday in the county courthouse, the commission:

• accepted a contract of about $1.5 million to have contractor Basic IDIQ move a barn from Colorado to the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds. The vote was unanimous with Commissioner Paul Grider absent.

Basic IDIQ Regional Manager Lyndon Brinegar said if everything went smoothly, the cost would be less. The barn was offered free to any non-profit organization that would pay to have it moved.

The contract includes installation of rigid insulation Brinegar said would last longer, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms and a 50-foot addition. Commission Chairman David Sanders said he wanted wash racks for show animals as well.

Brinegar said he planned to have the barn up in six months after the start date.

County Manager Charlene Hardin said investigation of getting a new building 18 months ago showed costs greater than $5 million. She expected demolishing the fairgrounds buildings the new barn is to replace would cost $30,000 to $50,000.

• decided to leave prices for housing jail inmates from outside the county at $65 per day. Sanders said Curry County is no longer housing inmates here because a jail in Texas offered a lower price. Roosevelt County Detention Center Administrator David Casanova said Roosevelt County’s price was about on par with other New Mexico counties.

• heard County Clerk Janet Collins say citizens had shown a lot of interest in early voting for the upcoming general election.

• voted to do an additional $20,000 in roadwork for the Town of Elida under an existing memorandum of understanding, and then use that money to buy a Ford Explorer from Elida for the jail to use.

Compiled by PNT Senior Writer Argen Duncan.