Jeff Davis County commissioners voted Thursday not to release county funds to pay Aztec Contractors, the firm hired to renovate the future Jeff Davis Community Center — a decision that leaves roughly $580,000 in unpaid invoices, including a newly submitted invoice not yet due.
The vote, taken at the June 27 Commissioners Court meeting, came amid growing concern over the stalled $3 million project on Cemetery Road, which remains unfinished more than a year after its planned groundbreaking. A federally promised $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — key to the project’s financing — has yet to arrive.
An interim payment plan of up to $300,000 had been floated as a way to keep work moving while the county waits on federal reimbursement. But commissioners ultimately rejected the idea, citing the county’s limited cash reserves and previous public assurances that the community center would not draw on local taxpayer funds.
County officials now say the HUD money “could come any day now” — but also acknowledge it was supposed to have arrived already.
The project, located at 601 E. Cemetery Rd., about a mile from the courthouse, is intended to serve as both an emergency shelter and a multipurpose community facility. It involves repurposing the former Fort Davis Outfitters store into a 10,000-square-foot venue for public events and disaster response.
The county completed its environmental review in 2024 and awarded the construction contract to Aztec Contractors of El Paso. An additional $125,000 grant from the Permian Basin Area Foundation funded kitchen equipment, which the county purchased separately through BuyBoard.
As delays have mounted, so have questions over financing and oversight. Of particular concern: one of the subcontractors on the job is Curtis Evans Ranch Construction, Inc., a company associated with County Judge Curtis Evans, who signed the primary contract with Aztec. That relationship has prompted conflict-of-interest concerns and calls for Evans to recuse himself from any votes related to project payments.
Judge Evans has warned that Aztec may begin charging interest on unpaid balances if payment isn’t made soon. But others argue that even with interest, delaying payment may be safer than prematurely liquidating interest-bearing investments — especially with less than $10,000 left in unrestricted county funds.
The location has also drawn criticism from residents who question why a multimillion-dollar facility was sited a 20-minute walk from the town center. Some have described the project as a mismanaged, overbuilt boondoggle with more political value than practical utility.
Public records show the facility still requires substantial interior renovations. Even if the HUD funds arrive soon, it could be months before the building is usable.
For now, the building remains dormant, the invoices are stacking up, and Jeff Davis County is left balancing federal promises, local skepticism, and a ticking contractor tab nearing $600,000.
