Year in review: Curry County focused on building

Curry County began building for its future in 2015 — despite failing to secure voters’ approval.

“The county did go to the voters three times and voters told the county no three times,” County Manager Lance Pyle said this month.

“But with all the challenges at the detention center, having to classify and house inmates, we had to do something. Commissioners didn’t want to raise taxes. We had no choice.”

Voters rejected proposals in 2010, 2012 and 2013 that would have funded projects to ease crowded conditions throughout the county, modernize the county jail and increase security at the courthouse.

Then in 2014, state lawmakers allowed the county to increase taxes without voter approval. Commissioners that summer voted to raise gross receipts taxes by one quarter of 1 percent.

The $14 million that’s expected to generate over 22 1/2 years will pay for new county offices at 417 Gidding St., expansion for the jail and improvements to the courthouse.

Officials began the Gidding Street project in August, with $4 million earmarked for offices that should be ready in the spring.

Commissioners early next year are expected to start focusing on the jail.

“Preliminary costs for the jail have ranged from $7 million to $9.3 million,” Pyle said.

“What we’re looking at is additional housing — double-to-single occupancy cells,” Pyle said.

The courthouse will come after that, using any leftover money from the tax increase, plus money the county has in reserve, if necessary.

“We have to get the sheriff and courthouse the space they need,” Pyle said.

Taxpayers will ultimately benefit, Pyle said.

“I think 417 Gidding is going to be an asset the public will be proud of. It will address the county’s needs and future needs. And it gets all the judges in the historical courthouse and provides the space they need. And we’ll be able to address courthouse security in a facility we have outgrown.”

Pyle said commissioners are well aware of voters’ rejections, but he also believes communication with taxpayers was a key factor in those elections.

“I think we said it every time. ‘We’ve got to do this; we’ve got to have additional housing units.’ We were sending inmates out of town.

“But we didn’t get that message out as we should have to the public. It was something we had to do, but looking back, it’s obvious we didn’t get the message out.”

Other top stories involving the county in 2015:

• After lawmakers left Santa Fe without approving capital outlay requests during their regular session, they returned in June to award Curry County more than $500,000 for road improvements.

Commissioners had asked for $1.7 million for road work, and Pyle said county roads remain a high priority for funding into 2016.

• Jail Administrator Tori Sandoval resigned in August after publicly sparring with County Commissioner Chet Spear over her management abilities.

She was the county’s 10th jail administrator in 12 years.

Spear even sought criminal charges, alleging Sandoval misappropriated public funds, but no charges were brought, and other commissioners applauded Sandoval’s management of the jail.

Commission Chair Ben McDaniel credited Sandoval and her supervisor, Public Services Director Sandra Stewart, with bringing calm to the detention center in 2015 after years of upheaval, including high-profile inmate escapes and violence.

“I think there were a lot of good things that Tori did and I think there were a lot of things Sandra is good at,” McDaniel said.

“They have totally different managing styles, I would say, but in the last couple of years it’s been better than it has in forever.”

McDaniel said Pyle began seeking a successor for Sandoval this month.