Money transfer to pave part of County Road 6 approved

Following a debate on the need for road improvements, and the need to go through proper channels, the Curry County Commission moved ahead on a $300,000 budget transfer from cash reserves to pave a five-mile stretch of County Road 6.

Commissioner Frank Blackburn, head of the road committee, said the road had just received new caliche, and timing was perfect to improve the road between State Road 348 and Curry Road F — known, he said, as an unofficial truck bypass from Clovis to Farwell.

He said the road, which was not in his district, has had annual presence on the needs list from the road committee that he chairs.

But other commissioners were stuck on why the request for cash reserves did not come with a recommendation from the lower committee.

"We have a road committee for a reason," Commissioner Daniel Stoddard said. If commissioners constantly put in for roadwork without any input, Stoddard continued, citizen committee members would be volunteering for no reason.

The agenda item was discussed during a Friday special meeting, and Stoddard had the opinion that between that discussion and the Tuesday morning meeting that the road committee could have met to give the commission such a recommendation.

Commissioner Bobby Sandoval agreed, but seconded Blackburn's motion on the budget transfer because the road has been a priority for years and always been a backburner project.

Though he knew of the need for the roadwork, Commission Chairman Wendell Bostwick said Stoddard raised a salient point.

"I'm concerned about the precedents set," Bostwick said.

Blackburn noted that work on County Roads 5 and 7 had previously been approved under similar circumstances.

County Road Superintendent Steve Reed said the work could still be done if the commission waited for their July 24 meeting to take action, but County Manager Lance Pyle did note that such action would move the work to August due to the cycle of the fiscal year.

"This is a big problem with one meeting a month," Sandoval said, noting that small concerns become big ones with the county forced to make decisions that can't wait four to five weeks.

The vote on the transfer was 4-1, with Stoddard casting the dissenting vote.