Curry to consider cannabis rule repeal

Curry County commissioners may drop the county's cannabis ordinance entirely.

The idea came up at a public hearing held during Tuesday's regular commission session.

The hearing was originally slated to take public comment on an adjustment to the county's cannabis ordinance regarding the distance between a cannabis business and certain property owners: Was it to be property line to property line or door to door.

During the public hearing on the ordinance local Realtor Brett Johnson addressed the commissioners and pointed out that a cannabis business is faced with such tight regulations, regulations that other businesses don't have to adhere to, that the county government might find itself as defendant in a civil rights lawsuit.

Commission Chairman Chet Spear raised the question, "Why do we have an ordinance when 99% of state law covers these operations?"

"I am against cannabis, I've seen what it does to people," Spear said. "But I believe this ordinance sets the county up for lawsuits. We're putting Curry County out on a limb."

"Do we want to repeal this and have the state handle this?" Spear asked.

Commissioners may consider repeal of the ordinance at their regular meeting in May.

The possible repeal was not the focal point of the agenda, determining exactly how to measure the distance between a cannabis business and such places as schools and churches was.

In the end, commissioners voted 3 to 2 that the measuring standard would be from the property line of the school, church and such to property line of the cannabis business, not door to door.

There will also be a change in that licensure of Curry County cannabis businesses will now be handled by the county clerk's office, not the county manager.

In other business the commissioners voted unanimously to allow Curry County sheriff's deputies to receive incentive pay.

After a deputy has been with the department for six months the deputy will receive $500. Six months after that, after the deputy has been with the department for a year, the deputy will receive another $500 payment.

Curry County Sheriff Wesley Waller said the payments were a way to compete with recent pay raises for state police officers. He sees the incentives as a tool to help retention of deputies in his department.

Waller pointed out that his deputies make $19.53 an hour while a state trooper earns $26.40 per hour.

"That's what we're competing with," Waller said. "It's had a ripple effect across the state."

Commissioners also voted to allow a "Line of Duty" life insurance policy of $50,000 for deputies as a benefit.

Curry County Events Center General Manager K. C. Messick gave a report on business at the center.

Messick also requested capital outlays for new equipment for the center to cut down on man hours. The request for a new water truck to replace a worn and run-down model was tabled as was a request for a utility trailer.

Commissioners approved Messick's request to concrete the east entrance to the Events Center and to acquire a floor sweeper and a utility vehicle.

Curry County Adult Detention Center Administrator Mark Gallegos reported that bookings are up from the previous month, 177 compared to 135.

Commissioner Seth Martin asked Gallegos if he believed the uptick in bookings was due to the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Commissioner Tom Martin asked a similar question of Gallegos. Gallegos said he'd be keeping track of that.

Gallegos also told commissioners that as a result of the CCADC's recent job fair a nurse for the facility has been hired.

From the Curry County road department, Superintendent Walon Jones reported that chip sealing on county roads begins next week. Targeted areas are around Melrose, Broadview and north of Clovis in the vicinity of CR 19.

County commissioners approved change orders for modifications to the remodeling of the Curry County courthouse.

Curry County Fire & Safety Director David Kube appeared before commissioners asking for a declaration of "severe fire hazard restrictions for Curry County."

Kube's request was denied by a vote of 3-2.

Commissioner Robert Thornton, who voted "no," said, "I don't think you should be telling people what to do on their property."

Commissioner Bobby Sandoval, who voted "yes," said, regarding controlled burns, "People should be concerned if their fire gets out of control and burns down their neighbor's house."