Commission to discuss voter ID implementation

Staff report

Clovis voters, by nearly a 3-to-1 margin on March 1, said voter identification should be required in municipal elections.

Now, the Clovis city commission will take the first step in deciding how that gets implemented during its 5:15 p.m. meeting today at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.

By a 2,036-666 count, or 72.7 percent, Clovis voters said the city’s charter shall include a new section that reads, “The city commission by Ordinance shall require voter authentication by photo identification for municipal elections.”

Today’s agenda item is discussion-only, but will provide a direction for the appointment of a city charter commission.

That group will determine what photo identifications are acceptable, and if the city needs to offer its own photo identification for residents who don’t have any other form.

The next municipal election is scheduled for March 2018, but a voter ID requirement would likely apply to any special elections that take place after final approval of the ordinance.

The city charter commission was last active in 2011, with only one citizen showing up to the meetings. The commission did put a question on the 2012 municipal election to ban dual service on the Clovis City and Curry County commissions, and it was approved by voters.

Today’s meeting agenda also includes:

• A request for the city to serve as fiscal agent for Southwest Cheese for a $350,000 grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department.

The commission approved industrial revenue bonds of up to $160 million for the Phase III expansion of the Southwest Cheese plant in December. The expansion is expected to increase plant production by 30 percent and add about 50 jobs to increase the plant’s total to more than 400.

• Assignment of the mayor and city commissioners to the city’s 35 lower boards and commissions. In the unlikely event all seven returning commissioners retain their current posts, there would be four vacancies from former District 1 Commissioner Randy Crowder — water policy advisory board, request for proposal committee, railroad and public works.

There is a separate agenda item to appoint members of the revenue review committee. Discussion items will include golf course rates and the impact of hold harmless on the city budget.

• A letter of intent for the city to acquire the current Parkview Elementary building upon its scheduled 2020 vacation. The non-binding letter calls for the city to use the building — which already includes activity rooms, offices and a cafeteria — for senior activities. The letter was approved Tuesday night by the Clovis Municipal Schools Board of Education.

• Annual renewal of a geographical information system, with a subscription cost of $9,000.

• An election for three positions on the civil aviation board.

• A report from Capitol Consultants, which does federal lobbying on behalf of the city.

• A request to mark a building at 1620 Main as an unsafe structure and authorize its abatement.