Curry County will renegotiate its contract with the company managing the Curry County Events Center. But it won’t attempt to terminate the agreement as commissioners discussed last month.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Seth Martin said he’s still not happy the Oak View Group 360 exceeded its budget for the last fiscal year.

“If it were up to me, I would escort y’all off the property and have Curry County take over,” Martin said. He said commissioners and administrators were “led to believe” the management group was under budget until a final report was delivered on Sept. 24.

Officials said OVG 360 exceeded its budget by about $180,000. The Events Center operated at a loss of $858,000 for the year, though most of that was expected.

Martin asked County Attorney Dan Macke to look into whether OVG 360 breached its contract with the county by exceeding its budget.

“But the important thing,” said Commissioner Robert Thornton, “is we instructed (county) management to re-negotiate our contract with OVG 360.

“If we were to just end the contract we would have to give them 30 days notice, they would have 30 days to correct the problem and then we’d have to give them 90 days notice of termination. And their contract ends Jan. 1,” Thornton said.

One thing commissioners, county administrators and OVG representatives seemed to agree on: the Events Center is more an equestrian center than a concert venue.

“The Events Center was built as an equestrian deal,” Thornton said after the meeting.

Rebecca Bolton and Kevin Ortiz, administrators from OVG 360, appeared before commissioners with plans the company has to rectify the problematic financial issues. And Bolton said the company’s equestrian and rodeo events professional will be brought in to work with events center General Manager K. C. Messick.

Ortiz told commissioners, “K. C. is severely understaffed.”

Martin reiterated he was interested in cutting losses.

“I’m not trying to make this facility make money. It won’t. I would like to see us work together,” Martin said of OVG 360 and the county government.

“We are partners and stewards,” said Bolton.

Some commissioners expressed support for Messick.

“I believe K.C. was blamed for things he didn’t do,” Commissioner Dusty Leatherwood said.

“K.C. works his tail off there. And I don’t dislike OVG 360,” Commissioner Brad Bender said.

“K.C. cares about this place,” Thornton said.

“I think we can do better. I think K.C. can do better,” Leatherwood added.

Much of the Commission’s other business at Tuesday’s specially called meeting dealt with more routine matters:

n In a proclamation, commissioners declared Thursday as “Blue Day” in Curry County celebrating Zia Elementary School being named as a “National Blue Ribbon School.”

As a “Blue Day,” area residents are encouraged to wear blue that day.

• Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution of support for the General Obligation Bond 3 on the Nov. 5 ballot, which contains $2 million for Clovis Community College if voters approve the measure.

As the Director of New Mexico State University’s Military and Veterans Programs, I’ve worked with many veterans who have chosen to further their education. It’s been both a privilege and a challenge to hear their stories — how they’ve navigated the transition from military service to civilian life and how they’re working to build a better future for themselves and their families through higher education. I appreciate the sacrifice of everyone who has served and I am proud to work every day to honor this sacrifice and make NMSU one of the most veteran-friendly campuses in the nation.

Unfortunately, one of the most common hurdles these student veterans face is financing their education. With the rising cost of a college education, it has become more difficult for veterans to pay for books, supplies, and other essential materials.

I recently had the pleasure of discussing these challenges with Congressman Gabe Vasquez during his visit to NMSU to speak with student veterans and administrators. Congressman Vasquez has shown a deep commitment to supporting our veterans, understanding their unique needs, and advocating for meaningful change.

It was clear from our conversations that he is genuinely dedicated to uplifting New Mexico’s veterans and backing up his words with action. Recently, Congressman Vasquez introduced the Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act, a bill designed to ease the financial burden on veterans pursuing continued education.

Like most Americans, every dollar counts for our veterans, especially regarding education. Currently, the stipend for veterans to spend on books and other supplies is $1,000 — a figure that has not been adjusted since 2008. In today’s world, $1,000 does not stretch nearly as far as it once did. Congressman Vasquez’s bill proposes raising this stipend to $1,400, which will adjust based on inflation and provide the funding necessary so our veterans can focus on their education. The bill also ensures that this amount will continue to increase with inflation, guaranteeing that veterans have the support required each year.

During his visit, Congressman Vasquez took the time to meet with both student veterans and university leadership, including myself, in a roundtable discussion. We were able to share our experiences, challenges and hopes for the future. It was clear that Rep. Vasquez was not just there to listen — he was there to understand.

Congressman Vasquez’s proposed stipend increase reflects his understanding of veterans’ challenges. It is not just about the immediate increase but the message it sends: that he values our veterans and is committed to investing in their future. I’m grateful to Congressman Vasquez for his visit to NMSU and hope he will continue his vital work in Congress to uplift New Mexico’s nearly 140,000 veterans.