Commissioners Reject Request To Abandon Road

Roosevelt County commissioners voted against a request to abandon County Road 2058 during their weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 14.

Commissioner Robert Toavs made the motion not to approve the request. The motion was seconded by commissioner Gary Macdonald and approved unanimously.

The request was made by landowner Lynn Labatte for property near Culbertson.

Toavs said he understood abandoning the road up to the gate, but not for the requested area.

Commissioner Gordon Oelkers said that he was advised by a commissioner from a different county not to abandon roads because there might be a need in the future.

Commissioners agreed that signs could be posted to distract oil companies from using the road.

Labatte said that a sign is already in place, but it isn’t stopping oil trucks from using the road.

“I can’t believe you aren’t going to close this,” Labatte said to commissioners. “It’s our property, the whole thing.”

Lane Labatte, Lynn’s son, added, “We will just take the next step.’

Lynn Labatte said that commissioners are heading for some serious trouble because of their decisions.

A public meeting was held on March 7 in the county building in Culbertson to discuss the situation.

During a commissioners’ meeting in late January, residents said that there was a petition to abandon the road in 2007, but the request wasn’t approved at that time.

Landowners said a gate has blocked off the road for about 15-17 years without any legal documents required.