Court building construction nears completion

STAFF REPORT

Roosevelt County Manager Amber Hamilton reported to county commissioners at Tuesday’s county commission meeting that construction work on the magistrate court building is ahead of schedule from the original contracted completion date of April 2017.

Hamilton said she hopes Magistrate Court Judge Linda Short and her team will move into the building by the end of the week.

Hamilton said paint crews worked on the building on Tuesday while Road Superintendent Ricky Lovato continued work on the parking lot, the only work that has been delayed due to recent rainy weather.

The lease is already in place and will go into effect once a certificate of occupancy is received by the county, Hamilton said.

An open house for the building will be held at 1 p.m. Sept. 30 at the building next to the Roosevelt County Detention Center.

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

• Commissioners approved adoption of written procedures for ongoing tax compliance to support the county’s previous restructuring of a 2006 bond used for the detention center. The amount restructured was $2.1 million.

• County Treasurer Layle Sanchez reported to commissioners a general fund balance of $1.3 million.

Sanchez also said they received tax rates from the assessor’s office, with tax bills to be sent in about one month.

• Commissioners approved Health Care Assistance Program claims presented by Health Care Assistance Administrator Carol Flores.

Flores said six claims recommended for approval total $651.58 from Bailey County Detention Center, Charles W. Brooks O.D., Roosevelt General Hospital and Sievers Sports Medicine.

Claims also include a disapproved claim from Aris Radiologist for $266, Flores said.

• Commissioners approved a resolution to adopt an Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan by La Casa de Buena Salud Senior Center.

The plan requests $55,645 for a new 12-passenger van for fiscal years 2018-2022, according to the center’s request report.

Hamilton said the state required the county to review and approve the plan because the county currently owns the building, even though she cannot comment on if they will serve as the fiscal agent for the center for the next fiscal year.

She added the plan will not replace the county’s own ICIP plan.

• Commissioners approved a notice of intent to revise personnel ordinance for Roosevelt County, it’s first revision since 2007, according to Hamilton.

Hamilton said a draft for the ordinance will be available for commissioners to review for any final changes that need to be made before approval on the Oct. 18 meeting.

• Commissioners approved a contract with Xerox Government Records Services to store public record documents on microfilm, including land agreements, probates and marriage licenses held by County Clerk DeAun Searl.

Searl said this contract “is the most economical step we can make” since HOV Services in Amarillo, Texas, with whom the county previously worked with, went out of business.

• Commissioners approved a year-to-year contract with Magistrate Misdemeanor Probation Officer Tamara Peel to provide both DWI and misdemeanor compliance at the new magistrate court building.

Hamilton said the county’s legal councilors and the state have approved the contract, with the DWI compliance a new addition with the misdemeanor compliance.

• Commissioners approved a contract with Rockcliff Energy to improve a half mile of South Roosevelt Road W.

Hamilton said the improvements start half a mile from the Lea County and Roosevelt County line and will move north on the road.

She also said the county will have a zero dollar impact on the county’s budget from the agreement.

• Commissioners held an executive session to discuss limited personnel matters and/or attorney-client privileged information pertaining to threatened or pending litigation.

No action was taken.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Kurt Munz-Raper