Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Clovis city commissioners on Thursday gave approval for the city to formally intervene in a hearing before the state Public Regulation Commission on New Mexico-American Water Company’s request for 27 percent rate increase. On behalf of Clovis’ city government, the interveners will attempt to limit the rate increase, said City Attorney Dave Richards.
In other business, commissioners:
n Heard a request from City Manager Ray Mondragon that commissioners send letters to Gov. Bill Richardson’s Blue Ribbon Tax Reform Commission asking that cities be “held harmless” — somehow reimbursed — if the state legislature approves gross receipts tax exemptions for food and medical services.
Mondragon said the exemptions could cost Clovis approximately $1.4 million. The state legislature may hold a special session on tax reform in October, he added.
n Enacted a labor management relations ordinance, including a city collective bargaining policy and creating a labor-management relations board composed of six members — three appointed by the mayor, one appointed on the recommendation of individuals representing labor, one appointed by the city manager and one appointed on the recommendation of the first two appointees, according to the ordinance.
The action was taken because of the passage of a collective bargaining statute for state and local government employees passed by the legislature earlier this year, according to commission documents.
n Elected Brian Chambers and Don David to the city’s Lodger’s Tax Advisory Board.