Obstacles remain for waterless residents

CLOVIS — Budget uncertainty and legal obstacles loomed large over the Curry County Commission at their regular meeting Monday afternoon.

These obstacles were accentuated by the matter of some 30 or 40 county residents without easy access to water and no immediate solution in sight.

Speaking before the commission as vice president of the Curry County Water Cooperative, Josefita Griego advised commissioners of the trials of over three dozen county residents (identified thus far) without a steady water supply. For a short-term solution, the cooperative recommends seeking a grant to purchase a water supply vehicle that will service the domiciles in need.

Many of the residences are clustered down Grove Street, a back road to Portales, but many others are scattered in other parts of the county, said Griego.

“At least 30 of them are actually hauling water,” she added. In many cases, she added, the residents manually transport the water they need in 5-gallon jugs or large plastic containers in a truck trailer, paying $200 a month just to fill up.

Establishing a pipeline infrastructure to serve those homes would be time-intensive and likely cost millions, so the cooperative proposed a short-term solution: Purchase a water truck, costing approximately $500,000, by working with the county to secure a USDA rural development grant from powers-that-be in Roswell.

The need is apparent, but it is not easily met, replied commissioners.

“We really care, and we really want to help, but there’s all kinds of rules and regulations,” said Commissioner Angelina Baca. An anti-donation clause prevents the county from providing direct financial assistance to the cooperative, she said.

“I appreciate your time advocating for these people,” said Commissioner Robert Thornton. “As for the (cooperative), you were either misinformed or misunderstood. A co-op is a privately-owned business ... you have to have a business plan and a business structure. Our hands are tied with the amount of things we can do for a private individual.”

Griego told the commission she had been previously advised by the commission to create the cooperative in the interest of better accessing water supply resources.

Thornton and Baca told her Monday that the best course of action now was to continue seeking insight from the Roosevelt County Water Cooperative as a model and to formally enroll members into the group’s structure.

“Get it going, and then I think some things can fall into place,” said Thornton.

The concern over water supply for a handful of residents was compounded Monday by general anxiety over the budget for the coming fiscal year.

County leaders fear the outcome of the upcoming special session in the state legislature will result in the state’s budget crisis being resolved on the backs of its counties.

“We do have some uncertainties coming before us that would make the final budget in July extremely difficult to balance” said County Manager Lance Pyle.

‘We’re taking a hit thanks to the state” said Commissioner Chet Spear, calling in to the meeting from Hawaii. Spear was referring to the phase-out of hold harmless, which previously compensated municipalities for funds lost from the exemption of certain products from sales tax.

Pyle also pointed out various rising costs for the county, including expenses for inmate health care and efforts to house more jail inmates at the local detention center.

With that in mind, commissioners hesitated to approve the multimillion dollar addition of 200 new covered stables to the Curry County Fairgrounds.

Wilma Fulgham argued that the addition would generate revenue by bringing more out-of-town dollars into the county and improve quality of life for all residents.

“I think we would be remiss to build covered horse stalls when we have so many other things to deal with right now,” said Spear.

Commissioners voted to table the item, in the meantime setting aside $50,000 from existing grant funds for the stalls to be implemented at a later date.

Other items of note from Monday’s meeting:

• A new sign, in red and white, was approved for construction outside the Curry County Events Center and fairgrounds and is expected to go up in the next two months.

• A new information technology director will be in place in time for next month’s regular commission meeting May 15.

• Commissioners approved the “disposition and transfer of ownership of a K-9 dog to its trainer with determination of no longer being usable to the sheriff’s office and of no threat to public safety.”

• The county road department exceeded its budgeted revenue in the third quarterly fiscal year financial report, having sold some equipment and receiving storm relief funds from the state.