“The taxpayer building in the heart of Lea County” is what Chairwoman of the Lea County Board of Commissioners Rebecca Long has labeled the county’s new Judicial Complex. Chairwoman Long, who represents the county’s District 2, was mistress of ceremonies at the facility’s grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony, on Saturday, December 18. The complex is located at 100 North Love Street in Lovington.
Chairwoman Long opened the ceremony very simply. All she said was “Wow!” … “Did you ever think this day was going to happen?”
History Repeats Itself
After introductions and the invocation given by District 4 Commissioner Jonathan Sena, the commission’s vice- chairman Dean Jackson took the podium. Reminiscent of the new complex’s groundbreaking ceremony some five years ago, Commissioner Jackson said, “It’s been a long five years, but now the citizens of Lea County have a beautiful judicial complex. Hopefully, a building that will take Lea County into the next century and beyond. Best of all, it’s already paid for.”
The fact that the building is paid for in-full before its occupancy is nothing new to Lea County. This reality speaks for the fabric of the citizens of the county and for the truism that history does repeat itself.
Few are still alive who remember September 11, 1937 when what now is fondly referred to as the county’s “historic courthouse” was dedicated without debt. An August 27, 1937 news clip about the upcoming dedication of the facility reads, “It will be something unheard-of in all the country, not only for recent years, but for all past history, for a public building of the magnitude and beauty of this structure to be completely and fully paid for without a single dollar of indebtedness against the county.”
Commissioner Jackson continued his remarks pointing out that other countries are not able to build new facilities debt free. “The citizens of Lea County have always elected physically conservative commissioners that by saving and planning were able to build buildings such as this, and every other county building, that are debt free when they are completed.”
In 1937 the good judgment of commissioners was also highlighted. A newspaper article dated September 3, 1937 states,” By [the Commissioners Court of Lea County’s] good, sound business management, one of the very best buildings in all of the great Southwest has been erected and not a single dollar of indebtedness has been incurred by the county.”
After his accolade to the taxpayers of Lea County, Commissioner Jackson concluded by saying that the new Judicial Complex continues the tradition of “downtown Lovington being the anchor of Lea County.”
Oil and Gas Keeps the County Debt Free
Price tags for the 1937 and the 2021 courthouses were quite different, even taking into account inflation – $200,000 then compared to approximately $30 million today. This figure seems monumental, even though 84 years have elapsed between the construction of the two buildings. Of course, needs today are very different from those so many years ago and a much larger structure was required to see the county into the next decades.
Although remarkable that taxpayers in Lea County are able to fund necessary projects, Chairwoman Long painted the picture as to why taxpayers today are still able to do what was done in the past. She said, “Lea County wasn’t blessed with any mountains, rivers, lakes – no forests anywhere near, but we were blessed with oil. Oil and gas drives our economy, and it supports all of our small businesses.” … “Oil and gas is the reason we are standing here debt free today.”
Commissioner Long then thanked all of the oil and gas crew members and all of the truck drivers who get up at all hours to make everything work correctly. “We know that you are away from your family for 80 hours a week and days and days on end, and we do care about you, and we are so appreciative of you…Year after year you bring oil and gas revenue to Lea County and to the entire state of New Mexico.”
Soon in Full Use
The new complex brings with it much improved working conditions and facilities. All four county judges will now have courtrooms. Juggling judges among three, small cout rooms is now gone. Staff will have the space necessary to work efficiently and effectively. Cases, hopefully, will be heard more quickly, and the needs of the public will be much better served.
During the next few days judges and staff will move into the new Judicial Complex and full operations will commence. After the Lea County Historic Courthouse is vacated, refurbishment will start there. Much progress is on the drawing board for the county, and in the words of Chairwoman Long the grand opening of the new Judicial Complex was a “wonderful, monumental day for Lea County.”
