Virus causing delays for Curry

CLOVIS — The Curry County Commission dealt with three other Cs during its Tuesday morning meeting — COVID-19, cameras and control.

When it comes to adult detention center renovations, the first is keeping the county from getting the second, and the third is difficult to find.

The commission met for 2 1/2 hours over the phone, a result of a state public health order banning mass gatherings.

Paul Farless and Colton Treharn of SDV Construction noted there has been substantial progress on detention center work with increases in staffing at the labor and supervisor levels and a transition from a four-day week to a six-day week.

Simply put, Farless said, “there’s a much larger presence in the field to complete the work.”

Farless anticipated having most of the work done by mid-May, with the caveat that, “the only aspect to this that is really unknown, as everybody on this call knows, is the impact of COVID-19.”

Travel restrictions with the pandemic have limited the willingness and ability of some out-of-state consultants to come to the site, and a fire marshal inspection of the booking area is pending.

The biggest delay, which Farless hoped could be done in 60 to 90 days, would be acquisition and installation of additional cameras sought by the county. SDV was still working on getting a quote that had more detail than a simple lump sum price, and the cameras are largely made in China — which took the initial hit from the virus and houses nearly all of the camera manufacturers that would supply the county.

“We don’t want to place a bet that all of these will be shelf items,” Farless said.

Commissioner Bobby Sandoval, who felt like he already knew the answer but asked anyway, inquired as to looking at non-China suppliers. Farless said the county would more likely lose time starting another procurement process.

“We believe we are at 99 percent ready to let this thing loose,” said Farless, who felt the order could be done within 24 hours. “If we were to start over, I believe we would delay the process weeks and even months.”

In other business at the Tuesday meeting:

• County Manager Lance Pyle said he planned to recommend at the county’s April 21 meeting to close the county’s juvenile detention center. There is currently one Roosevelt County juvenile housed there, and he doesn’t see the point of a $938,000 budget when it has a juvenile housing agreement in place with San Juan County and is negotiating another with Lea County.

• During his detention center report, Administrator Mark Gallegos was asked about a state push to release some inmates and lessen chances of COVID-19 outbreaks at detention centers. Particularly, Commissioner Seth Martin asked if Gallegos had any concerns about the people who have been released early.

Gallegos said his job is to worry about the people in the jail, and he trusts district judges, the district attorney’s office and the public defender’s office to make good decisions. The people who have been released, Gallegos said, largely had good behavior and were just a few weeks away from serving their full sentences.

• Commissioners approved approximately $19,400 for the Curry County Fairgrounds to purchase a mister system for its livestock barns and half a dozen portable coolers.

About $100,000 in other requests, ranging from a used water truck to an outdoor speaker/public address system, were tabled and Events Center Director Kadee Hande was asked to look at less expensive ways to fulfill goals. Commissioners didn’t think Hande’s other requests were necessarily out of line, but noted tough economic times ahead increase the necessity to separate needs and wants. Hande said she understood and appreciated what the commission did approve.

• Commissioners approved hazard pay stipends for employees who couldn’t telework at a rate of $100 per pay period for full-time employees and a prorated amount for part-time employees.

Pyle said the cost over the next five pay periods would be $73,000, covered through salary savings in other areas.

Commissioners agreed with Pyle it was a necessary thing to do, with Commissioner Martin noting the money would be appreciated even though it wasn’t a large amount.

Pyle said county staff has been flexible and responsive to the various public health orders, and more than 230 hours of online training has been completed by employees working from home.

• The commission approved a design for a parking lot on the 800 block of Main Street, intended to alleviate parking issues near the Curry County Courthouse and Clovis-Carver Public Library.

The parking lot design includes more than five dozen parking spaces, green space and electrical hookups. Facilities Director Ben Roberts said the electricity could be used by food trucks or possibly electric vehicle charging stations in future years.

• The next commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 21.