Meetings watch: County Commission — June 25

Staff report

Changing county polling locations to coincide with those used during municipal elections was discussed during a regular Curry County Commission meeting Tuesday morning at the Clovis-Carver Library.

All commissioners except Wendell Bostwick were present.

Commissioner Ben McDaniel ensured the issue would be on the agenda following a series of complaints from residents about not knowing where to vote during county elections. Any action on changing the polling places was tabled until the July 1 commission meeting, when a resolution to change the polling locations to those of municipal elections will appear on the meeting’s agenda.

All items on Tuesday’s consent agenda were approved unanimously. Other action/discussion items on Tuesday’s agenda:

• A public hearing on the preliminary plat of a proposed subdivision, Wyldwood Estates. The property is located at the intersection of State Road 523 and Sugar Beet Road.

County Assessor Candace Morrison said the subdivision proposal received a negative opinion from the Office of the State Engineer. The reason given for the negative opinion was that it is believed the subdivider “cannot furnish water sufficient in quantity to fulfill the maximum annual water requirements of the subdivision, including water for indoor and outdoor domestic uses,” according to a letter from the OSE.

Chad Lydick of Lydick Engineers & Surveyors, which oversees the project, noted that Wyldwood would be the first subdivision outside of city limits to count on EPCOR for its water supply.

EPCOR is the municipal water supplier.

Morrison said the OSE’s negative opinion would have to change to a positive for the proposed 130.7-acre subdivision to move forward.

After the meeting, she said further information will be supplied to the OSE so that it is clear that the subdivision will have sufficient water.

• A request for approval of agreement for inmate healthcare services with Correctional Healthcare Companies, Inc. The agreement was approved unanimously and will last one month; from July 1-31. The county is out for proposals for those services to be provided from Aug. 1, 2014-July 31, 2015, said County Manager Lance Pyle.

• Several non-compliance service agreements between various agencies and Curry County were discussed.

Pyle said that the county entered into an agreement with the agencies last year, requiring them to give the county quarterly reports on their activities, number of citizens who benefit from their services, and the cost of providing such services. In return, the county would help fund those agencies. However, several failed to provide a quarterly report within an allotted time frame.

“State law requires accountability on expenditures of public funds,” Pyle noted. “In order to allow those agencies to receive funds, the commission agreed to give them a 60-day grace period to turn in their reports.”

The non-compliant agencies are: Beacon of Light, Curry Residents Senior Meals Association, La Casa Senior Center, SANE, Texico Senior Center, Texico Fire Department, Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce and Clovis Mainstreet.

The commission agreed to the grace period unanimously, but the extension will not be allowed again. Under reports of boards, committees departments and presentations:

• Curry County Detention Center Administrator Tori Sandoval gave a report about the center’s inmates. She said that as of June 16, there are 209 inmates at the jail; 161 males, 48 females. Also as of this date, there are 34 inmates housed out of county.

The majority of the out-of-county inmates, 20, are in Bailey County; with 11 in Parmer County. One inmate is housed in Roosevelt County, and two at the Department of Corrections.

— Compiled by staff writer Vanessa Kahin