City hopes to trade cash for services

Jack King

CNJ STAFF WRITER

[email protected]

The city commission directed the city Thursday to offer the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority with between $100,000 and $150,000 worth of services.

City Commissioner Catherine Haynes said the services will be used as a partial match for $200,000 in federal funds that will fund the administration of the ENMRWA’s project to build a Ute Lake surface water distribution system. Other members of the authority also are offering services, she said.

Among the services Clovis is offering are office equipment, legal advice, staff support, service as fiscal agent, office space and utilities, according to Commission documents.

Commissioner Robert Sandoval was appointed Clovis’ alternate representative on the authority’s board.

The Commission also voted to form a steering committee to study the feasibility of building a civic center. Expo Inc., a non-profit citizens’ group, has offered land on Schepps Boulevard as a site for the center.

The steering committee will be made up of the mayor, three commissioners, three Expo Inc. representatives, a representative of the Clovis-Curry County Chamber of Commerce, a representative of the Clovis Industrial Development Corporation, a representative from Clovis Municipal Schools and a member of the general public, the Commission said.

The steering committee will report to the Commission within 30 days of appointment, but the appointments have not yet been made, according to commission documents.

The Commission also approved building a new parking lot in Greene Acres Park. The new lot would be located near Aucutt’s Paint Store on Mitchell Street inside the park. Parks Director Rob Carter said the city has all the materials to build the lot on hand and the only additional expense will be labor.

Audience member Randy Crowder asked if provision had been made to chip seal the lot’s surface, saying it could become rutted if composed only of caliche. Assistant City Manager Joe Thomas said city crews probably will use asphalt millings to pave the lot and consider chip sealing later.

In discussing a transfer of funds for improvements at the Hillcrest Park Zoo, Commissioner Kevin Duncan asked Carter if fencing at the zoo could be completed. He said the city appropriated money to complete the work two years ago, but the fencing materials are still lying down at the park, unused, and are beginning to rust.

Thomas said he would talk to the city’s Public Works Department about assistance with the job. But he added the money the city appropriated two years ago was for improvements, not just fencing, and since then the city has paved walkways there, added a security system, replaced some animal houses and built new pens.