Curry County to seek disaster declaration

Curry County will be seeking a disaster declaration from the state as a result of the damage from the precipitation laden super cell that hit the county May 24.

Director of Clovis/Curry County Emergency Management Dan Heerding appeared before county commissioners Monday at their regular session. He outlined the damage in the county from three "tornadic events," large amounts of rain, hail and high wind.

With approval from commissioners, Heerding would apply to the state as well as to the federal Department of Homeland Security for the disaster declaration. If approved by the state, an assessment team will be sent into the area.

"An emergency declaration allows us to seek funding from the state for damage repairs for government buildings and infrastructure, particularly roads, along with repairs for non-profit organizations and churches," Ruthann Kelly said after the commission meeting. Kelly is emergency management specialist in the Clovis/Curry County Office of Emergency Management.

"If the assessment team reports over $4 million in damages that opens up federal disaster money, which may be accessed by citizens," Kelly said.

Asked about road damage by commissioners, County Road Superintendent Walon Jones said portions of the county road system have been closed due to significant water washout damage. He noted CR 22 was probably the worst damaged but others also need repair.

In other business:

• Commissioners approved a plan for the beginning of the construction of the new fairgrounds Livestock Pavilion. Commissioners heard from Steven Teeters from Formative Architecture of Albuquerque on the advertising for bids on the project June 14, a mandatory June 23 meeting at the fairgrounds of all firms who are interested in bidding on the project and a July 14 deadline for applications.

Teeters said the contract will be awarded July 26.

• Commissioners heard from Curry County Events Center General Manager K. C. Messick who reported on Pioneer Days Rodeo attendance and plans for the Curry County Fair in August.

Messick said he did not have exact figures as of Monday but he knew attendance was up from last year.

"Y'all did a phenomenal job," Commissioner Dusty Leatherwood said of Messick and his events center staff handling matters during the week's events.

Messick went on to tell commissioners about the lineup for the fair in August.

"Tuesday will be 'Food Bank Night,' fairgoers will be asked to bring in cans of food in exchange for a reduced midway admission," Messick said.

Wednesday will be "Military Appreciation night, Thursday will be "Discount Wristband Night."

"Thursday will also be 'Special Needs Day' and 'Hispanic Heritage Night' with concerts by Yehari and Grupo Apache," Messick said.

Messick said the Baca Rodeo will be Friday and Saturday nights, the second annual 'Battle of the Bands' Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday's Plateau's Great American Turtle Race at 9 a.m., the Southwest Cheese Truck Pull at 10 a.m., Plateau Youth Day activities at 10:30 a.m., Old Timer's Luncheon at noon and other activities.

"Our headline act for our Saturday night concert is Kevin Fowler," Messick said.

Fowler, born in Amarillo, has had a few hits on the Country Top 40 chart over the years according to Allmusic.com.

• Shelly Meeks of the county DWI task force and Sheriff Mike Reeves appeared before the commission to request funds for their departments from the Cannabis Excise Tax.

One of the items Reeves requested was a GPS for all of his department's vehicles for ease of locating those vehicles in the field.

• Commission Chair Robert Thornton urged those in attendance to attend a Thursday meeting in Farwell and a June 15 meeting in Texico regarding the proposed overpass between Texico and Farwell.

"I believe the Texas DOT (Department of Transportation) and the New Mexico DOT are ready to talk after all these years," Thornton said.

After the meeting Thornton was asked why he considered the overpass important.

"You can sit there for 45 minutes while one train passes followed immediately by another," Thornton said.