Jeff Davis County Judge Curtis Evans recused himself last month from a vote on whether the county should temporarily pay nearly $580,000 in outstanding contractor invoices for the delayed Jeff Davis Community Center. But while Evans stepped away from that vote due to a conflict of interest, he has refused to answer follow-up questions about his private company’s reported role as a subcontractor on the $3 million project he signed off on.
According to multiple witnesses at a Commissioners Court meeting held months ago, Evans acknowledged during public comment that his company — Curtis Evans Ranch Construction, Inc. (CERCI) — is working on the community center project as a subcontractor. The meeting was recorded, but obtaining a copy requires mailing a USB drive and self-addressed envelope, and no transcript or summary of the exchange has been made public.
During a recess of the June 27 Commissioners Court meeting, Fort Davis resident Melanie Blackman reminded Big Bend Times of that earlier exchange. Around the same time, the outlet also received a Facebook tip encouraging scrutiny of Evans’ financial involvement in the project. Big Bend Times sent a list of questions to Judge Evans before the June 27 meeting, asking him to clarify his company’s role, payments received, scope of work, and disclosure history.
He has not responded.
The community center — a 10,000-square-foot renovation of the former Fort Davis Outfitters building at 601 E. Cemetery Rd. — remains incomplete more than a year after its planned groundbreaking. The project was originally scheduled to be finished by May 1, 2025, and is funded in part by a still-unreceived $1.3 million federal HUD grant.
Evans signed the county’s contract with general contractor Aztec Contractors, which has so far submitted nearly $580,000 in unpaid invoices. A newer invoice is not yet due. On June 27, the Commissioners Court voted not to use local funds for partial payment, citing financial risk and limited reserves. Evans recused himself from that vote, but has not addressed whether his own company has billed or been paid.
In comments to The Big Bend Sentinel published after the June 27 meeting — in which Big Bend Times publisher David Flash was tackled and detained by deputies while photographing the court — Evans attacked Flash personally and suggested the county is not done pursuing charges:
“He’s crazy and not suitable for public settings,” Evans said. “Other charges are pending on that incident. There’s a two-year statute [of] limitation on disrupting a public meeting, a Class B misdemeanor.”
Flash is the publisher of Big Bend Times, which has been reporting on Evans’ dual role in the project. No additional charges have been filed as of July 9. Flash was issued a Class C misdemeanor citation for disorderly conduct, an offense typically punishable only by a fine. Video of the incident shows Flash repeatedly stating that he is not resisting and was attempting to leave the room when he was physically grabbed.
As the building remains unfinished and federal funds remain in limbo, Judge Evans — who acknowledged in open court that his private company is on the job — has offered no transparency and no answers.
