Wind tops Roosevelt agenda

PORTALES — Wind energy came up twice in Tuesday's Roosevelt County Commission meeting — once for the past, and again for the future.

In a new business item, commissioners approved the creation of the county's Windmill Museum Steering Committee, as requested by administrator Carol Acosta-Flores.

Meanwhile the commission heard from David Essex with an update on the Xcel Energy Sagamore Wind Project . The plan is for some 240 turbines, with an estimated construction start date midway through next year and a construction timeline of roughly a year.

"We've got the old museum and the new farm coming in," said County Manager Amber Hamilton.

The lengthy meeting included a 30-minute executive session, following which the commission announced it would take action to allow the county attorney to intervene on the county's behalf for past-due taxes it is owed in a case involving Natural Chem Holding, Hamilton said.

Commissioners and some members of the general public also toured the Roosevelt County Detention Center in the afternoon for an annual visit to the site. Outgoing commissioner Gene Creighton toured with his wife and was recognized earlier with a plaque of recognition and appreciation for his four year term in the office that will be assumed next year by commissioner-elect Tina Dixon.

"It's been good," Creighton told The News of his public service. "I enjoyed it, served with some good people and served some good people. The county's got a good staff right now, good commission and good administrative crew."

The commission meets next on Jan. 8. Also during Tuesday's commission meeting, with all commissioners present and votes unanimous:

• Discussion of relocating the county sheriff office into a county-owned building instead of leasing from the city, with no action taken.

• Approval of a resolution authorizing the city of Portales to apply for local DWI grant funding from the state.

"The county works in conjunction with the city, and annually the county gives the city authority by resolution to continue to apply for DWI program funding," Hamilton said. "So we provide of a component of that program with DWI compliance."

• Approval of 2019 Capital Outlay request list.