Public input gathered for master plan

Healthcare services, infrastructure and parks and recreation emerged as top concerns Monday during a meeting to gather public input on comprehensive plans for Clovis and Curry County.

For Clovis resident Christy Masterson, the meeting was an opportunity to shed light on hobbled recreation in the city.

“My biggest complaint is there is nothing for the kids to do in Clovis,” said Masterson, mother to two young children, ages 5 and 6.

Hers was one of a myriad of concerns. Others focused on a need to recruit and retain medical personnel, improving roads, and a lack of affordable and attractive housing.

Consensus Planning of Albuquerque has been hired to complete the plans, which will compress visions of the future for the city and county.

“We want to draft a plan that has been prepared according to issues you have,” Consensus Senior Planner John Valdez said.

“In the end,” added Consensus Senior Planner Paul Huckabee, “this is your plan and the city and county have to live with it.”

About 50 people attended the meeting. Many were city and county employees.

Attendants ranked their top concerns from a list created at a private meeting in July hosted by Consensus Planning.

Concerns could also be added to the list.

The city and county invited approximately 80 people from various sectors of the population to draft the initial list, according to Consensus planners.

Concerns were separated into the following six categories prior to the meeting:

Land use and community character

Community facilities and services

Economic development

Parks and recreation

Infrastructure

Housing

Based on Monday’s meeting, consensus planners will write an objective statement for each of the six categories, they said.

Consensus will dictate three plans, one for the county, another for the city, and a joint city and county plan, according to officials. The county does not have a comprehensive plan, and the city is updating its 1992 plan, according to officials.

The company is contracted through state grants which total $110,000, officials have said.

The next meeting will be held in late September.