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Commissioners weigh DAR-funded paving for North Roosevelt Road AV amid maintenance and easement concerns
Summary
CAFB staff urged using expiring DAR funds to pave North Roosevelt Road AV to the Melrose Bombing Range before an Aug. 30, 2025 encumbrance deadline; commissioners raised long-term maintenance costs and state-easement complications and scheduled a public follow-up.
George Jones, director of staff at Cannon Air Force Base, told the Commission the Department of Defense wants to expend allocated DAR funding to pave North Roosevelt Road AV (NRRAV) leading to the Melrose Bombing Range and that the "approved funds must be encumbered prior to August 30, 2025." He said the base's ability to secure future funding would be diminished if the current allocation is not used.
Commissioner Malin Parker warned that paving the road now — even if paid with DAR funds — would place maintenance responsibility on the county later and could cost "$8,000,000.00" or more to maintain. Commissioner Tina Dixon said there are "very few residents who benefit" from paving that road and that "99% of the traffic on that road is directly related to CAFB," noting the last two miles cross state land and would require easements through the State Land Office that "would not benefit county residents." Commissioner Roy Lee Criswell added the county has at least 108 additional sections of roadway requiring state land easements, not just the final two miles.
Jones said the existing MOA (signed April 2021) requested DAR funding to pave the road and that the process has stalled; his intent is to see the funds expended as originally intended before the deadline. Commissioners expressed interest in meeting publicly with base staff and representatives from the State Land Office to clarify easement, cost and maintenance responsibilities; a special meeting was scheduled for further discussion.
Why it matters: accepting DAR-funded paving could deliver an immediate infrastructure improvement but create long-term county maintenance obligations and involve easements across state-owned lands, raising questions about the public benefit and fiscal impact on Roosevelt County.
Next steps: Commissioners and base staff will pursue a public meeting with the State Land Office to examine easement requirements and long-term maintenance responsibilities before any final county commitment.
