Curry officials vote 4-1 to keep road open

The Curry County Commission voted 4-1 on Tuesday to keep Curry Road 11 between Curry Road R and Curry Road S open, despite the wishes of area residents.

Commissioner Tom Martin voted against the motion.

A county committee composed of three members went to look at the road, said Martin in a later interview. Rick Masters from Cannon Air Force Base and area farmer Doug Reid were on the committee, which recommended closing the road.

Martin said the committee made its decision based on the fact that “it is not being used,” and that the property owner on both sides of the road and area residents favored closing it.

Martin went out to view the road himself, he said. It was “not well traveled at all” and “quite overgrown.”

Another reason he said he voted against the motion was it would “have to be maintained, which would be an expense for very little usage.”

Commission Chair Chet Spear said “it is a public road” and does not belong to the area property owners.

Doug Carpenter, who owns the land on either side of the road said it should be closed because “it is a safety factor.”

Spear told Carpenter it is not your road. Carpenter said the county has an easement on it.

The chairman said it is “not unique to joyride” on these roads. “If they are doing something illegal, it is up to the sheriff to handle that.”

Martin said he thinks the commission voted to keep the road open based on its future use.

Spear said “once you close a road, it is hard to get it back going.”

Reid said the more open these roads are could present more security problems for the county.

“In my mind the slim possibility of future usage did not warrant keeping (the road) open,” Tom Martin said.

In other business, the commission heard a presentation from Albuquerque-based Vigil & Associates Architectural Group on a County Sports Complex/Recreation Center, which is in the planning stages.

Commissioner Seth Martin said it was his idea to construct a sports/recreation center in the county and it is on the county’s legislative plan for funding in the upcoming session.

Architect Vicente Castillo, who gave the presentation, said the firm posted an online survey for the public to provide input on what type of a center they wanted. On Monday night, the group hosted a public input meeting, which was well attended.

The online survey asked, “What is the best reason to go to a rec center?” Fifty-eight percent of respondents said for sports and 23 percent said for personal fitness.

The survey also asked, “What part of Clovis would you like to see a new recreation center built?” Twenty-nine percent said north side of town and 25 percent said “anywhere as long as it is safe and accessible.” Eighteen percent selected the south side of town followed by 12 percent for the eastside of town and another 12 percent for the central part of town. Four percent chose the west side.

Asked, “Would you support building a new recreation center adjacent to the Curry County Events Center & Fairgrounds,” 59 percent said “yes” and 25 percent said “no.”

When asked what are the top three indoor recreation spaces needed in the community, a sports complex came in first, followed by a multi-use indoor facility and next an indoor pool.

The architectural group will analyze the public input, develop concepts and options, draft a report and then present the study to the commission in December.

In other business, the commission heard a presentation on New Mexico Detention Trends and Curry County Data.

Taylor Horst, managing director of the New Mexico Insurance Authority, said New Mexico counties are struggling with hiring enough staff and that is the reason for this presentation.

“We are seeing staffing problems and this is impacting our re-insurer, and in the midst of this we are struggling with our re-insurer,” Horst said. Insuring detention center-related issues “consumes about one third of your budget.”

Grace Phillips, general counsel for New Mexico counties, next spoke about these liability issues.

The number of people going into the detention centers has been increasing since pre-pandemic levels and that is a trend, Phillips said.

“Statewide, there is a lot of understaffing,” she said. “About one half had a 20 percent vacancy rate. At 44.4 percent, Curry County led the pack.

“I would say anything more than 20 percent is cause for concern,” she said. It is important that the county find a way to “grow this quality staff.”

Robin Martinez, New Mexico Counties claims examiner, said Curry County paid out $6, 373,319 in claims from 2011-2022. Twenty-seven percent of the claims related to a “failure to protect.”

Commissioner Seth Martin said there is a delay in the system to prosecute these court cases. The detention center “has the ability to recommend half time.”

Detention Center Administrator Mark Gallegos said they have hired 20 new people since mid-August. “Three more are in the cue.”

Another item on the agenda addressed a proposal to add Juneteenth to the schedule of county employee holidays. The commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of excluding the Juneteenth holiday. Commissioner Tom Martin voted against the exclusion.

In other business, the commission voted unanimously to submit a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Application to the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department.

Kristin Price, county grant administrator/writer, said the county would use the money to provide shading for tables at the corner of 8th and Main Street, where the food truck parks and the entrepreneurial fair is held.

In County Manager Lance Pyle’s report, he said the community continues to have an issue in the school districts with how cannabis is being marketed. This is a legislative issue and there are no restrictions on the advertising and marketing of cannabis. The commission briefly discussed passing an ordinance to encourage legislative action.

In the public comment period, Sarah Williams, owner of Williams Livestock Ranch, said the store is collecting donations to provide local underprivileged children with Christmas presents.

Williams said they usually help about 700 kids. They are selling tickets to a goat drop on the 19th.