Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Curry commissioners welcome back jail administrator

Curry County commissioners welcomed back Curry County Adult Detention Center administrator Mark Gallegos at Tuesdays regular commission meeting.

Gallegos left the post at the end of June but decided to return to the job. He was back at his post Aug. 15.

“You’re thinking outside the box,” commission chair Chet Spear said responding to Gallegos’ report to the commission. “Glad to have you back.”

Gallegos spoke of his “all hands on deck” policy where 27 correctional personnel are providing service in the CCADC.

The Curry County center was reviewed by personnel from the Albuquerque metropolitan detention center and those people praised the Curry County facility for good morale.

Gallegos outlined how detainees are allowed and encouraged to work on getting a GED, that faith-based programs are continuing, and mail is coming to the center electronically thus cutting down on time required for a detention center employee to inspect mail.

Gallegos told commissioners how computer tablets, a donation, are passed out for study purposes to each detainee.

“And that helps with discipline,” Gallegos said. “If the detainee’s room or pod is not clean the tablets are not passed out in that area.”

In other business, commissioners unanimously approved an annual cost of living (COLA) and longevity allowance for county employees. The measure was proposed and submitted by county manager Lance Pyle but does not apply to his position.

Once employees have been with the county for over a year the COLA kicks in: 7% increases for sheriff’s, corrections and road department personnel; 5% for all other county employees.

There are other provisions to the proposal that will add $430,000 to the county budget.

Administrators from SDV Construction, the company working on the Curry County Courthouse renovations, appeared before commissioners to discuss plans for the county extension building at the county fairgrounds.

They spoke of completion in 2023 and a ribbon cutting at next year’s fair.

The renewal of the county’s fire danger emergency declaration was on the agenda, but commissioners agreed the recent rain did away with the need for such a declaration.

The vote was unanimous to rescind the declaration.

Commissioners unanimously approved an agreement between Curry County and Presbyterian Health Care for Presbyterian to run the Melrose Health Clinic.

County manager Lance Pyle reported the health clinic would be open one day a week, the village of Melrose and the county will join together in operating the clinic and Presbyterian administrators are “excited” about the venture that will run from next month until the end of August 2023 with renewal options.

“I am certain the people of Melrose are excited about this,” District 1 commissioner Robert Sandoval said. “This will also serve other communities like Fort Sumner and Grady.”

 
 
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