Contracts approved for road barn, water line extension

CLOVIS — Nearly two months after contracts for a new county road barn and a water line extension agreement to provide water to the barn were first presented to the Curry County Commission, the two projects are moving forward.

The commission on Thursday approved a contract with Nick Griego & Sons Construction Inc. to build the road barn at a cost of $409,642.50 and a water line extension agreement with EPCOR Water at a cost of $525,554.

The water line extension agreement passed by a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Angelina Baca and Robert Thornton favored the project, as they did on Nov. 16 when the water-line issue was first put to a vote. Commissioners Ben McDaniel and Chet Spear opposed, as they did Nov. 16.

Incoming Commissioner Seth Martin cast the tie-breaking vote to approve the water line extension agreement during his first meeting as a member of the commission.

Commissioners Baca, Thornton and Martin largely pointed to the benefit the water line extension could provide to Curry county residents in the area near Curry Road 6 where the barn will be built who do not currently have access to water.

“This would be a start to begin to build that infrastructure to get water to those people out in the county at a later date,” Thornton said. “I think this is something that we need to do to help where we can and it also gives us the opportunity to start moving the road barn to a different location.”

Baca said one of the reasons she joined the commission was to help her constituents and stressed that money is available in the environmental fund to pay for the water line extension.

“The underlying issue here is that wells are running dry in that part of the county, we’re all aware of that,” Baca said. “Many, many families that are without water and have been for years and the only way they bathe and cook and flush toilets is by hauling water.”

“I think that the bottom line is that we’re going to be able to help people that truly need help, at the same time take care of our own equipment and we’ve got the money in the environmental fund.”

Martin said water access in the area will allow for new homes or businesses to move to this section of the county, which is not currently the case.

“I grew up in this area and I’m familiar with the water issue. We left that area probably 25 years ago when it was an issue then, it has only increased and spread. With this extension, that opens up the opportunity for the county to grow,” Martin said.

Opposition from Commissioners McDaniel and Spear largely revolved around the high cost of the projects, considering the county is currently involved in a number of other projects.

“My position has not changed since our Nov. 16th meeting, if anything my position has been strengthened that this is not a proper, justifiable or timely expenditure of over 910,000 tax dollars,” Spear said.

Spear lamented the fact there is a well located on the property that has not been checked for serviceability despite his requests to do so.

“We would be totally remiss to even consider paying over a half a million tax dollars for the infrastructure of a pipeline without first checking to see if the well on this property could provide sufficient water to meet our needs,” Spear said.

Spear also pointed to other facilities available that could meet the needs of the road department at a lower cost, including a building for sale on Swift Plant Road for $300,000 that is larger than the proposed barn and already has access to city water.

“When I suggested this option I was told it was not budgeted for, we would be sending the wrong message to the state about purchasing a building that was not listed in our capital outlay projects,” Spear said. “Is this really how government works? It’s OK to spend $910,000 but not OK to save the taxpayers $610,000?”

McDaniel also expressed concern with the amount of money the county would be required to spend for the two projects, and said it was one of the toughest issues he’s had to deal with since joining the commission.

Once the water line extension was approved, McDaniel felt the road barn should be approved too.

“If we’re going to have a water line going to it, might as well have a building,” McDaniel said.

Spear cast the lone opposing vote on the road barn contract.

Curry County Manager Lance Pyle said $363,314 was originally budgeted for the road barn contract, of which $335,983.60 is still available.

Pyle said a resolution to budget the remaining funds needed to complete the project will be brought in front of the commission in February.