Growth group considers hiring consultant

Local Growth Management Committee members say they’re impressed with the efficiency of their sister organization, the Local Growth Management Organization. They say planning for the transition at Cannon Air Force Base to Special Operations is falling in place right on cue.

“It’s amazing the people they have surrounded themselves with,” LGMC member and Portales City Councilor Robert de Los Santos said. “There’s an amazing amount of information coming in. I don’t think there’s any way we could go on (in the process) without their work.”

LGMC member and Curry County Commissioner Tim Ashley agreed.

“It just reaffirms for me that we have a tremendous resource available,” Ashley said.

During Wednesday’s monthly meeting in Portales, LGMC members quickly adopted the last month’s work by the LGMO. Key among those items was a request for proposal for a planning consultant to work on transition issues.

A timeline was included for the process of interviewing and hiring the consultant, which would have the contract finalized by Oct. 15.

The 16th Special Operations Wing plans to take ownership of the base on Oct. 1.

LGMC Chairman and Clovis Mayor David Lansford said the timing is perfect with the consultant being in place right after the change in command. He said any earlier and the consultant might just be cooling his or her heels.

“Right now we’re just dealing with projections,” Lansford said. “When the consultant comes on board, they’re going to be dealing with realities.”

The LGMC also appointed seven people, three from the LGMO and four from the LGMC, to serve on a committee to evaluate the consultant RFP: Lansford, Portales Mayor Orlando Ortega Jr., Curry County Commissioner Pete Hulder, Roosevelt County Commissioner Dennis Lopez, LGMO Chairman Lonnie Leslie, Gen. Hansen Scott and Everett Frost.