Meetings watch — March 16

Roosevelt County Commission

The following were actions taken at the Roosevelt County Commission meeting Tuesday in the county courthouse:

• Treasurer Layle Sanchez reported to commissioners that there is $2.6 million in the county’s general fund.

She also told commissioners that a mistake was found in her most recent report, a negative number entered where a positive number should be. The mistake has been corrected, she said.

• Road Superintendent Ricky Lovato reported that road crews are now moving north in the county, and he hopes to be working in the Portales area again in a month to month and a half.

He said crews are also finishing up the road work at one of the local peanut facilities at no cost to the county.

Commissioner Gene Creighton asked Lovato if he could do some patching on a road south of Elida that will become very unsafe if it rains.

Lovato said he will work on the road personally as soon as he can get to it.

• County Manager Amber Hamilton reported that road crews are planning to fix the last half mile of Sundale Valley Road sometime in April or May.

Hamilton also reported to commissioners that a New Mexico Association of Counties meeting will be held March 30 in Clovis.

• Contractor Steve Adkins reported that the Southern Hills Subdivision is being halted; plans are changing from a 36-lot division to an eight-lot division due to state ordinances requiring chipsealed roads in and around the subdivision.

He said building chipsealed roads would have increased the project cost by $250,000 with 36 lots and would also have increased the value of the lots, causing them to be sold for $30,000 per lot, which people would likely not pay.

• Commissioners approved a resolution showing their support for House Bill 4313.

Commissioners were asked by the Coalition of NM/AZ Counties to support the Historic Right-of-Way bill, which is “to establish a procedure for resolving claims to certain rights of way” to resolve conflict regarding right-of-way for state and local government land and roads.

• Commissioners approved Hamilton moving forward with a contract for Rodey Law Firm for bond counseling regarding restructuring the county’s 2006 Roosevelt County Detention Center bond and how to proceed with restructuring the bond.

Commissioners were told in the last county commission meeting that they could gain almost $165,000 in savings by re-funding the debt.

• Commissioners approved Hamilton moving forward with a contract for Arthur Gallagher & Company for insurance on the magistrate court building project.

Hamilton told commissioners that the county cannot cover the entire scope of the $2.7 million project’s insurance with the county’s insurance, so they need to pay for additional insurance, which is a contract requirement and will cost a little over $3,000.

• Commissioners tabled a county buildings rental agreements until the April 5 meeting, so Hamilton could make revisions to it.

Commissioner Shane Lee said he wanted the contract to encompass out-of-town entities who might rent county building rather than just including county entities.

• Commissioners went into executive session.

No action was taken.

— Compiled by Managing Editor Alisa Boswell