Curry announces burn ban

CLOVIS - Due to the ongoing drought in eastern New Mexico, the Curry County Commission unanimously adopted a burn ban at Tuesday's meeting.

"Everything is just tinderbox dry," Curry County Fire and Safety Director David Kube said.

The approved resolution is based off a similar ordinance approved by the commission in 2016.

The burn ban prohibits open flames outside of a building in the unincorporated portions of the county, with some exceptions.

According to the resolution, incinerators may only be used when the wind is below 15 mph and grills must be covered.

There is an agricultural exception, which would allow landowners to burn off crop stubbles or other vegetation after receiving prior approval.

Anyone found in violation of the resolution would be subject to a fine not to exceed $300 and imprisonment for not more than 90 days, along with paying any costs incurred by the county.

The resolution takes place right away and will need to be renewed by the commission every 45 days if it wishes to continue the burn ban.

Commissioner Chet Spear said, "I know none of us like to impose restrictions on our community but sometimes we just have to."

Also at Tuesday's meeting:

• By a vote of 4-1 the commission agreed to waive procurement policy and make a payment in the amount of $1,485.75 to Tom Costello for repair work to the water storage tank at the Field Fire Station.

Kube said confusion led to Costello completing the work before a purchase order had been drawn up.

Spear motioned to table the item until a revised document showing what work was completed could be produced and included tax on the labor that was omitted in the original invoice, but that motion failed as it did not receive a second.

Commissioner Seth Martin said, "if the work was done and he's been out-of-pocket this long, why not just pay him with the tax included?"

Spear cast the lone dissenting vote.

• The commission unanimously decided to table a Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional architectural services for the Curry County Courthouse to give the commissioners more time to study the request.

"I want to make sure you all are comfortable with it before we issue it," Curry County Manager Lance Pyle said. "It's more difficult to modify an RFP after issuing it. We want to make sure we got it right."

• The commission unanimously approved mid-year adjustments to the fiscal year 2018 budget decreasing budgeted revenues and expenses in the amount of $456,418 due to gross receipt taxes for the first half of the fiscal year coming in under projections, according to Pyle.

Pyle said the county had based its projection off a 2 percent increase from last year’s gross recept taxes, but the county actually saw a decrease over the first six months of fiscal year 2018.

• The commission unanimously decided to accept the evaluation committee's recommendation to approve a RFP and begin contraction negotiations with HB Construction, Inc. for additions and renovations to the Curry County Courthouse.

The item had been listed under the consent agenda but was placed on the regular agenda at the request of Commissioner Robert Thornton,

Thornton said he wanted more information about the procurement process.

The other 10 items on the consent agenda, including a Joint Powers Agreement between the county and the village of Grady to provide law enforcement services to the village, were approved.

• The meeting was followed by a 90-minute executive session to discuss pending or threatened litigation and limited personnel matters.

No action was taken following the executive session.