LOCAL

Search on for county road department relocation

New site sought for Lincoln County's road department yard

Dianne L Stallings
Ruidoso News
  • Capitan school campus needs to expand

Although no alternate site is proposed for the Lincoln County Road Department equipment yard in Capitan, county commissioners agreed to obtain an appraisal of the land as a first step for a possible sale or swap to the Capitan School District.

District Superintendent Sean Wootton said the student population has outgrown the campus and the logical direction for expansion is the adjacent road yard land. He reiterated the district’s interest in acquiring the property. “This is an excellent opportunity to partner with the county and continue to grow,” he said. “We’ve finished phase one and need to continue with additional phases.”

Capitan School District Superintendent Sean Wootton and Chief Financial Officer Kimberly Stone reminded commissioners the district remains interested in acquiring the county road department yard for the expansion of the school campus.

County Manager Nita Taylor reminded commissioners at their meeting last week that in November 2011, a former superintendent expressed to the commission the district’s interest and received approval of a first right of refusal, if the property ever was sold. The county briefly looked at property for a new road department, possibly a three-way trade among government entities, and also setting up on county fairgrounds land.  The estimated cost was $1.6 million.

County Attorney Alan Morel said the first right of refusal does not obligate the county to sell the land.

“It’s more an issue if you want to get rid of that property, where do we go with the road department and who bears the cost of the moving and relocating the road department,” he said.

“Are we looking at other property to move the road department?” Commission Chairman Preston Stone asked.

She hasn’t placed a priority on a search for land, Taylor said, “but it is on our capital improvement plan.” With direction from the commission, she can make it a priority, she said.

“I know the use of Smokey Bear Boulevard always has been a concern to the schools, the road department and village,” Stone said. He sees many road yards placed outside the village limits of the community they serve, he said.

County Commissioner Tom Stewart, who formerly was county manager, said he recalled one of the biggest obstacles to using land at the fairgrounds was the cost associated with installing a bridge across Magado Creek strong enough to support heavy equipment. The bridge has to meet flood plain requirements and a significant cost was involved, he said.

“It’s a comparison of what it costs to cross the creek against purchasing or acquiring other property,” Stewart said. “I understand the need to expand the campus, but we need to have the money to acquire additional property or a bridge.”

When Commissioner Lynn Willard was told the road yard property has never been appraised, he offered a successful motion to move ahead on an appraisal as a first step toward any exchange or sale.

Stone and Wooton agreed the road yard was the logical direction for expansion of the elementary school and a new cafeteria.

Curt Temple, flood plains manager, planning director and since last month, in charge of the county road department, said every time heavy equipment leaves in the morning from the yard or returns at night, dangerous situations are created on the highway leading into the yard.

“There are school on three sides and lots of little kids,” he said. Because heavy equipment tends to grab the attention of children and even some adults, at night all of the hydraulic equipment must be “dropped” to maintain safety. Places in the fence exist where people could squeeze through, he said.

“It would be nice to be in a more remote area,” he said. “I just received salt (for roads in the winter) and have to keep it at the (Sierra Blanca Regional) airport, because we can’t keep it at the yard” to protect against runoff to neighboring high school fields.

By requiring an adequate bridge across Magado Creek, heavy road equipment wouldn’t be stuck away from the road in a flood, he said. “We’re just holding ourselves to the standard we do others in the county.”

The estimated cost of a bridge at the time a master plan was drafted for the county fairgrounds was three quarters of a million dollars, he said. The bridge was to ensure access to roping pens, stables and parking for big livestock rigs, Temple said. No back entrance or exit exists from the property, although in an emergency, equipment might be able to cross through the Brewer Ranch, he said.

With the four-day 4th of July Smokey Bear Stampede rodeo growing into one of largest in the United States and bringing into the county and Capitan significant revenue for the four-day event, the extra land will be needed for development of more fairground assets, Stone said.

“I would prefer looking at a piece of property outside the city,” Stone said.

Stewart asked Wootton if the school districts was “bringing anything to the table.”

Wooten replied, “the best education (for graduates) to come back and inject into the county. Kids are our top priority.”