Craft beer sales at peanut festival denied

Staff writer

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Roosevelt Brewing Company owner Justin Cole’s request for deviation from fairground policy to allow the sale of pre-packaged beer at the Peanut Valley Festival next weekend was denied during Tuesday’s Roosevelt County Commission meeting.

Cole requested to sell his locally brewed beer in bottles to take home during the annual festival.

Cole said his product is a local craft and the festival is craft oriented.

Commissioners were split with two votes from commissioners Rick Leal and Kendell Buzard for tabling the issue and two votes from commissioners Jake Lopez and Bill Cathey against.

A motioned to deny the request was approved 3 to 1. Lopez, Buzard and Cathey voted to deny the request while Leal voted to grant it.

“If you do it (deviate from fairground policy) for one person, someone else will want to do it,” Cathey said. “We should stick with policy.”

Lopez agreed the commission should not deviate from policy.

Buzard wanted to table the issue because he wasn’t sure of the legal issues that would arise from selling alcohol in a dry county.

Leal said he thought the request was a needed change in the community.

“Portales is coming to a point where new businesses need opportunities and it (Roosevelt Brewing selling beer at the peanut festival) would have been a good one,” said Leal.

Commissioners did approve the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

The ordinance approval is the final step in joining the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Plains Insurance Program, according to Johnny Montiel, Roosevelt County geographic information systems technician.

The program will allow Roosevelt residents to purchase flood insurance at a lower rate than available through private insurance companies.

Montiel said construction in the areas mapped by FEMA as flood prone areas will have to comply with the NFIP’s standards once the ordinance takes effect.

The ordinance is now waiting approval from FEMA, which Montiel said he hopes will happen by mid-November, before it can take effect.

“(Joining NFIP) is good deal for the community. It will benefit a lot of people and give more people access to flood plain insurance,” said Montiel.

Montiel said the new ordinance will help bring development to the county’s rural areas.

For more information about the Flood Prevention Ordinance contact Johnny Montiel at 575-359-2869.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners::

• Approved a resolution opposing the expansion of federal control under the Clean Water Act. The resolution opposes the CWA’s expansion of its definition of the “Waters of the United States.”

• Approved a resolution in support of General Obligation Bond Issue C inn the Nov. 4 general election The bond provides $139.8 million for education projects across the state, including $11 million for Eastern New Mexico University to convert the Golden Library into the Golden Student Success Center.

• Heard a report from Roosevelt County Detention Center Administrator David Casanova. Casanova said the detention center has hired a new compliance supervisor as well as two detention officers.

The detention center had 74 inmates as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, 67 of which are male , according to Casanova.

Roosevelt County also has three inmates housed in Colfax County, one in Chaves County, and one in Curry County.

• Approved an 18-year lease between the county and the Administration Office of the Courts. Roosevelt County will lease a space located at 1700 North Boston to the office of the courts beginning July 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2034 at a price of $6.13 million.

• Approved a contract with Stephens Construction and Ready Mix Inc. to haul chipseal aggregate, crushed caliche, and pit run caliche for the county road department.