Presidio County commissioners are scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday to discuss establishing a special permitting procedure for the use of county roads, according to reporting by the Big Bend Sentinel.
The agenda item comes amid Barnard Construction’s effort to improve Chispa Road so the company can transport materials and heavy equipment to border wall construction sites along the Rio Grande.
Chispa Road is a rough, unpaved public road that begins in Jeff Davis County and continues through Presidio County toward the international border.
According to the Sentinel, Barnard’s work was halted, at least temporarily, after officials in both counties told the company it was not authorized to perform work on the public road.
The discussion follows Hudspeth County commissioners’ recent approval of a “Road Use and Improvement Agreement” with Barnard. The 54-page agreement establishes plans and requirements for road upgrades, including detailed maps and cross sections. Most of the proposed work involves Indian Hot Springs Road.
Presidio County Judge Joe Portillo placed the special road-use permitting discussion on Wednesday’s agenda. Portillo could not be reached for comment, the Sentinel reported.
County Commissioner Deirdre Hisler told the newspaper that she believes the discussion is premature because Barnard has not provided the county with requested surveys and detailed plans explaining its proposal.
“I think it’s putting the cart before the horse,” Hisler said.
Hisler also noted that Presidio County commissioners previously approved a resolution opposing construction of the border wall. Any county action that facilitates wall construction, she said, could conflict with the county’s formally adopted position.
The original reporting was by Rob D’Amico of the Big Bend Sentinel.
