Road voted closed

A BNSF Railway train enters a train crossing Tuesday on County Road R.

Curry County commissioners on a 4-1 vote Tuesday approved closing a chunk of Curry Road R between U.S. 60-84 and County Road 7 because of security concerns at Cannon Air Force Base.

The decision was questioned by Commissioners Frank Blackburn and Robert Sandoval as well as some angry landowners, who charged the county ignored their concerns.

Additionally, Clovis attorney Quentin Ray said there is a possibility he may take legal action to try and stop the closure. Ray represents landowners Steve Reeves and Fred Moore.

"I'm very unhappy at the way this was conducted," Sandoval said, noting that none of about a half dozen landowners at the meeting spoke to the commission before the vote.

About a dozen supporters of closing the road, many associated with the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce, also attended but did not speak. Clovis City Commissioner Sandra Taylor-Sawyer was the only supporter who spoke, saying closing the road would help ensure Cannon AFB remains in the community.

Sandoval said while he supported closing the road, he believed landowners present didn't understand they could speak about the issue earlier in the meeting under a part of the agenda labeled, "Recognition of visitors and public input for which no action will be taken."

Commission Chairman Wendell Bostwick said he thought he made it perfectly clear that anyone with any issue was welcome to speak. He and County Attorney Stephen Doerr noted that Ray did speak to the objections of his clients during the public input portion of the meeting.

Commissioners Dan Stoddard and Caleb Chandler said closing the road is not a new issue, as the county began preparations in 2009 for the closure by building County Road S as an alternative route.

Blackburn, who cast the dissenting vote, said he opposed the closing because he felt either the county or the base should be trying to buy property from landowners directly affected, such as Reeves and Moore.

The road closure will landlock Moore, according to Ray.

"We're ahead of this thing," Blackburn said. "We have not acquired any property ... so, I cannot support this."

Chandler offered the motion to close the road. He noted the plan was supported by the Chamber, U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, the Clovis Industrial Development Corp., state Sen. Stuart Ingle and The Committee of Fifty, among others.

Chandler said the issue for Cannon is largely runway encroachment. He said a letter received from Cannon Commander Col. Buck Elton in June noted traffic on the road was limiting aircraft operations at the base.

Landowners gathered outside after the vote to plan their next move. Ray, acting as a spokesman, said money may be the deciding factor.

"It takes a lot of money to fight the county," Ray said. "If lawyers were free, they would fight it in an instant."

Commissioners offered no comment in response to two landowners who approached the microphone at the end of the meeting.

"The people directly affected by this weren't even considered," said Mark Myers, adding he considered the commission's attitude "offensive."

The closing will take place within the next 45 days, allowing the county time to rip up asphalt from the road to be recycled for other projects. The road easement will then revert to adjacent landowners.