YIR: Allegations, new faces mark Curry County's year

The election of two new faces on the Curry County Commission and a state auditor's inquiry were among the notable events within the county's government in 2016.

Robert Thornton delivered the biggest victory in June, unseating District 5 incumbent Tim Ashley while in District 4, Ben Smith garnered a win over Steve Gershon and Donald Harrell. Smith is the son of former Curry County Commissioner Albin Smith and will take the seat to be vacated with Wendell Bostwick term-limited. In District 2, incumbent Ben McDaniel defeated challenger Stephen Whittington.

Two allegations against the county from 2012 were probed by the state auditor's office. County Manager Lance Pyle confirmed he and County Attorney Steve Doerr had meeting at Auditor Tim Keller's office and noted the county requested the meeting. A pair of complaints, Pyle said, were filed earlier in the year regarding:

• A 2012 exchange of property between the county and Master Trim, allowing the county to expand its footprint around the county courthouse and county detention center and create flexibility for future renovations. The county was noted for running contrary to the state's antidonation clause because the property given to Master Trim was worth about $250,000 more than the property the county received.

• A 2012-13 Community Development Block Grant, which funded the paving of portions of Curry Roads N and 11 north of 60/84 and west of Buffalo Road.

Commissioner Chet Spear filed the complaints, and said the people involved on the property exchange should resign their positions. Bostwick said he felt the property exchange was a necessary move to the county, and the property next to the landlocked jail was worth more to the county than it was to an average citizen.

Curry County moved a step close to moving into newly renovated administrative digs at 417 Gidding Street after securing an occupancy permit in June. Officials originally targeted a completion date of April for the $4 million, 18,000-square-foot initiative.

The building was displayed during the final quarterly city / county luncheon of 2016, and more than 3,600 people visitors before its Clovis / Curry County Chamber of Commerce thanks to early voting.

Meanwhile, a lengthy executive session that resulted in four Curry County commissioners censuring the fifth grew from a disagreement on an investigation of Curry County Manager Lance Pyle, Commissioner Ben McDaniel said in June. The censured party, Commissioner Spear, said he first learned of his censure by reading about it in the newspaper and called it "disrespectful and spineless" that no commissioner told him of the move.

Additionally, a potential proposed arrangement between Curry County and the city of Clovis drew the ire of a Spear. At issue, said Spear, was a county / city Mutual Aid Agreement and a letter from Commission Chair Wendell Bostwick to Clovis Mayor David Lansford.

During the discussion Spear entered a motion at a commission meeting seeking to have the letter retracted, but the action died for a lack of a second. Discussion between Bostwick, County Manager Lance Pyle and city officials was slated to continue.