Curry commission meets in person at chambers

CLOVIS - Home at last. Sort of.

The Curry County Commission, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began last March, met in person at its commission chambers on Tuesday. The three-hour meeting was not without its hiccups, but nothing that happened gave commissioners any concern they made the wrong decision.

"I want to thank Lance (Pyle, county manager) for getting this going," Commissioner Chet Spear said.

"The way it went today, I don't see why we couldn't continue to meet like this even if (COVID-19 infection) numbers do go up."

The commission dais that normally has space for a dozen people held seven, all socially distanced - the commissioners, Pyle and Chief Deputy Clerk Adrian Ancira.

The normal audience section was reduced to two chairs for information technology workers, a table for media and a table for County Attorney Steve Doerr. Anybody else with business before the county either came into the room one at a time or called in by phone.

Business handled at the Tuesday meeting included:

• A discussion with Christina Campos and Daniel Schlegel on behalf of the state's economic recovery council. The talk discussed the state's county-based approach to public health orders and its four categories of red, yellow, green and turquoise. The designations are based on two-week data of the gating criteria of eight daily cases per 100,000 residents and test positivity of 5% or lower. Red counties meet neither, yellow counties meet one, green counties meet both and turquoise counties make the green designation for two straight collection periods.

Commissioners pointed out the difficulties of long-range planning when conditions on allowable capacities at events change every two weeks. Campos said she understood the frustration, but was optimistic case counts would begin to drop with vaccinations and more events going outside.

Commissioner Seth Martin asked if any other colors were coming. "I don't know what comes after turquoise," Campos said. "Hopefully, nothing."

Commissioner Chet Spear said based on news reports, he was concerned about a flow of illegal immigrants and what effect they might have on local COVID-19 infection rates.

"We need some help from Santa Fe," Spear said, "to make certain these immigrants don't come up here and start another epidemic in Curry County."

Campos responded that she didn't believe it was a question for the state's economic recovery council to answer.

• In his report, Events Center and Fairgrounds Manager KC Messick was asked by commissioners if he was having difficulty scheduling events that had to be canceled over the last year. Messick said most of the events he couldn't reschedule fell into one of two categories. In some cases, the organization had other schedule conflicts, like the High Plains Junior Rodeo Association being unable to push into the high school rodeo season. In others, like the American Kennel Club dog show, sanctioning simply took too long to complete.

• The commission approved going to the construction documentation phase for renovations at the Curry County Courthouse, contingent on NCA Architects having discussions with the High Plains Historical Society on some building features and Trane on the HVAC elements of the building.

• Thornton said he'd been approached by the New Mexico State Land Office about the Melrose Woods, which is a gathering place for migratory birds. It was his understanding information would be coming about state efforts to spruce up the area to protect the wildlife. Commissioner James Ridling said the land was originally called the Cottonwood Groves, and he believed it was actually in Roosevelt County or at least very close to the county line.

• Commissioners met for an hour in executive session to discuss personnel matters, but returned to open session and adjourned without taking any action.

• The next commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 14.