Curry County commissioners approve sponsorship deal direction, multiple infrastructure and funding actions

The Curry County Board of Commissioners met Feb. 25 and approved a series of motions affecting the county’s fairgrounds, roads, infrastructure projects and intergovernmental grant work. Commissioners voted to authorize staff to negotiate naming-rights exclusivity with Citizens Bank of Clovis for the Curry County Event Center and to structure the initial signage cost as an amortized payment over five years, with staff proposing $32,000 per year in year one under the draft terms. Mesick, the county events director, said the arrangement would make Citizens Bank “the exclusive category of all facility naming rights of the property” while allowing one-off event sponsors to maintain temporary event-level partnerships.

Commissioners approved an expansion of the fairgrounds liquor-license floor plan limited to the Livestock Pavilion interior (option 1) and discussed control-area fencing and age-restricted events. The commission also approved a $129,050 entertainment budget for the 2025 Curry County Fair and gave staff authority to sign contracts within that budget, with the goal of shifting some Saturday-night programming into the new pavilion to boost attendance for regional acts and family-friendly grounds attractions.

On transportation and infrastructure, commissioners certified 1,330.147 miles of county-maintained roads and approved a combined Transportation Project Fund maintenance application totaling $1,396,525.89 with a $69,826.29 county match. Road Department Manager Jones described the application as a strategic combining of two previously listed projects to increase scoring in the SERPO process. The commission also authorized awards and contracts for spec caliche (aggregate) suppliers to reduce hauling distances and create more consistent pavement material for upcoming projects.

The board approved multiple construction items tied to the new indoor pavilion and mounted-patrol arena. That included awarding a guardrail-replacement contract for the Mounted Patrol Arena (Limited Physics Engineering, $71,777 plus gross receipts tax) and greenlighting several change orders and credits for the indoor pavilion project that reduced some line items and added a small structural repair charge. Commissioners also approved budget adjustments to place courthouse-improvement IGA funds and mounted-patrol handrail funds into the correct accounts.

The commission agreed to serve as fiscal agent for the City of Texico on 2026 capital-outlay applications to the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department for senior-center improvements, stating the county will evaluate such requests case by case and consider administrative-fee arrangements if ongoing support becomes necessary.

Roll-call votes and motions were recorded for each action; staff will return final contract language and specific fiscal terms to the board where required. The meeting adjourned following routine reports and the commission’s indigent-board approvals.

Votes at a glance - Motion to place items 1–25 on consent: approved by roll call. - Action 1 (waive purchasing policy; Melrose Volleyball Club $400): motion approved. - Action 2 (offer naming-rights exclusivity to Citizens Bank): motion authorized to negotiate (approved). - Action 3 (negotiate signage cost to be paid over a five-year term; proposed $32,000/yr): approved to negotiate and proceed. - Action 5 (Resolution 2025-14 opposing National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors): approved by roll call. - Action 6 (liquor-license expansion option 1, Livestock Pavilion): approved. - Action 7 (fair entertainment budget $129,050): approved; staff authorized to sign within budget. - Action 8 (courthouse hours revised to 07:45–16:00): approved. - Action 9 (certify 1,330.147 miles of county roads maintained): approved. - Action 10 (award spec caliche contracts): approved. - Action 11/13 (five-year road plan amendment; CRD moved to CRC and related local-government road-fund amendment): approved. - Action 12 (apply for 2026 TPF maintenance application $1,396,525.89): approved. - Action 14 (award guardrail contract for Mounted Patrol Arena; Limited Physics Engineering, $71,777 + GRT): approved. - Action 15 (resolution 2025-20 authorizing budget adjustments for courthouse and mounted-patrol work): approved. - Action 16–21 (indoor pavilion change orders: credits and one small added charge totaling net credits overall): approved. - Action 22 (approve county to serve as fiscal agent for City of Texico on certain senior-center capital-outlay grants): approved. - Action 23 (notice of intent to rescind Ordinance 2019-05 tracking commercial wireless/wind towers): approved to publish notice of intent.

What happens next: Staff will return finalized contract language for the naming-rights agreement and related signage terms, complete the TPF application submittal, execute construction contracts and process required budget transfers. Several items (final contracts, fencing cost estimates for liquor-control areas) will return to the commission for final approval.