Curry commission hears plans for Curry County Fair

CLOVIS -- Some things will be the same at this year’s Curry County Fair, but some new events are planned, too.

So said Curry County Events Center General Manager K. C. Messick as he appeared before Curry County commissioners Tuesday during their regular monthly meeting.

The county fair is set for Aug. 16-20.

Messick said Thursday will feature Michael Salgado, a county fair regular, along with opening act The Liberty Band from San Antonio, Texas.

Country Night at the fair will feature Reckless Kelly and opening act Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.

Messick added a Mutton Bustin’ challenge for Friday and Saturday nights.

“The sign up period was very popular,” Messick said of the interest in the mutton busting event.

Messick is bringing rodeo to the county fair for Friday and Saturday nights. The events center has contracted with the Renegade Rodeo Tour for the event.

“It’s a different kind of rodeo,” Messick said. “It has rougher stock.”

Another new event is the Battle of the Bands for Friday night of the fair.

Messick said Wright’s Amusements will return to provide the rides and amusements for the fair. The company has daily ride promotions, Messick said.

In other business at Tuesday’s commission meeting, there was a discussion between Commission Chair Chet Spear and county Road Superintendent Walon Jones over roads slated for improvements.

Jones presented a list of roads put together by the county roads committee for chip sealing and other improvements, including portions of CR 6, CR 3, CR 19, CR V and CR 8.

Spear, who is the commissioner representing District 3, noted there were no roads slated for improvement in District 3, particularly CR 11, which is 21st Street outside the city limits.

Spear said the commission has been trying to get CR 11 improved since 2019 since it’s a commuter route into the city for Cannon Air Force Base area residents.

District 4 Commissioner Seth Martin said he would endorse moving funds from a couple of roads listed on Jones’ list to improve CR 11.

District 5 Commissioner Robert Thornton said CR 11 was not brought up in the road committee meeting, of which he is a member, because members knew it would take up the bulk of the money available for improvements.

In the end, commissioners voted to approve the CR 6 improvements along with CR 3 and CR 19 from Jones’ list and to get a cost estimate for CR 11 improvements to report on at the commission’s next meeting July 29.

Ladona Clayton appeared before the commission to report on an update of the Ogallala Land & Water Conservancy.

This is a group working with agricultural people west of Clovis to the north and west of Cannon Air Force Base to stop use of water from their wells in exchange for payments.

In the group is Curry County, the city of Clovis, the state, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Air Force and private landowners.

Clayton said the 10 water right leases come to just over $1.5 million in payouts to landowners involved in the first year.

Money to make the lease payments comes from grants from the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Clayton reported the initial agreement for the plan is set for three years during which close to 9 billion gallons of aquifer water would be saved.

The plan was set to begin June 15 but, according to Clayton, “back and forth” discussions continue on the matter.

Seth Martin was concerned about whether the money for the landowners actually makes it into their hands.

Clayton assured Martin the money would make it to the landowners.

Thornton pointed out the water savings will be significant.

The group’s action was described by Clayton as a measure to buy time for the area when it comes to use of water from the Ogallala aquifer.

The county’s cannabis ordinance was again brought up for discussion. Most of the talk was about distances between cannabis stores and certain businesses and other operations.

“Your ordinance you have is fine,” said County Attorney Daniel Macke.