Mayor follows up on city issues

Clovis Mayor David Lansford is now serving his fourth term in office. We asked Lansford a series of follow-up questions about Clovis city issues.

Now that this year's 60-day session of the New Mexico Legislature has finished, what is the status of the legislative requests for the City of Clovis?

The requests for Capital Outlay are currently on hold. We are hopeful that the legislature will hold a special session and take action on the Capital Outlay Bill.

If state lawmakers do not go back into special session and pass a statewide capital outlay bill, which projects in Clovis will be most affected?

The Capital Outlay Bill (SB 159) includes $355,000 for the effluent re-use project and $50,000 for development of a new Senior Citizen Center that would include dining facilities.

The city of Clovis now has a new city manager on board, after the recent retirement of longtime city employee Joe Thomas. What do you see as the most immediate priorities for the new city manager?

The most immediate priorities are development of the 2015-2016 budget and finding and hiring department head positions that are being vacated in the near term.

Several key positions in city government administration in Clovis will be filled with new people, including city manager, police chief and fire chief. What are your greatest concerns regarding these positions and departments in terms of establishing stability and serving the citizens of Clovis?

Serving and protecting the citizens of Clovis is the sole purpose for local government. With the recent hiring of Mr. Larry Fry, we believe we have selected a leader with the qualifications and experience that will make quality decisions on a day-to-day basis that serve the best interests of the people of Clovis.

With regard to the CFD, this requires proper equipment and advanced training for personnel. Responding to emergencies and having successful outcomes will continue to be the goals of the City of Clovis.

With respect to the CPD, the same goals apply. However, I might add that respecting citizens and their Constitutional Rights are paramount when it comes to police policy and practice.

With the growing importance of water issues in the region, what are the advantages and disadvantages in Clovis right now of the water system for area residents and businesses being operated by a non-government entity rather than by the city of Clovis?

The advantages are that the City has less responsibility and expense for providing water to the customer. The disadvantages are that we cannot monitor usage and that we cannot control the rates charged to the customer.

— Compiled by Janet Lyn Bresenham, correspondent