Meetings watch — Oct. 21

Eastern New Mexico Water Authority

The following were actions taken at the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority meeting Thursday in Elida:

• Board members held an executive session to discuss limited easement matters.

• Board members approved a request for an offer and easement agreement.

ENMWUA Executive Director Justin Howalt said the easement is for the purchase of some private land owned by Roosevelt County residents Garcia and Rosa Guadalupe.

Howalt said it will cost $1,190. Funds will come partially from capital outlay funds and ENMWUA’s own budget.

• Board members approved a grant agreement for their capital appropriation project.

Howalt said the agreement is for re-appropriated capital outlay funds that were awarded to them from the 2016 budget for the Elida pump station.

• Board members approved a BNSF pipeline license for the pipeline that travels north of Cannon Air Force Base back east to Clovis.

Howalt said there is a $5,000 application fee with liability insurance costing $1,150 when purchased through the railroad.

With this agreement, Howalt said the board will not have to get additional insurance and would not have to pay an $18,000 premium increase because the railroad insurance company were satisfied with their current coverage.

Board members decided to purchase insurance through the railroad.

• State consultant Joe Thompson reported to board members that things are looking well for the board after the legislative special session, but the board should still be cautious with funds.

“Because of the rigors that we had gone through with the water trust board process, and because of the way the money is held, it’s probably not susceptible to being pulled back,” said Thompson, adding that the water board will need to plan ahead before the legislative session in January to determine what they need since more funds are expected to be cut during that session.

• Thompson reported on behalf of Federal consultant John Ryan that until there is a better idea of where the federal budget will stand, there is no telling what will happen with the energy and water appropriation bill generating $30-35 million for the Bureau of Reclamation’s rural water program, Thompson said.

Thompson said Ryan hopes the BOR will increase their $1 million commitment for the current fiscal year. Thompson added additional strategies are being looked at to secure additional funding.

• Board Chair Gayla Brumfield reported the board is looking into the possibility of private funding for the pipeline project.

Brumfield added it is significant that $1 million in federal funds was given to ENMWUA from the president’s budget, with support from the BOR, a significant growth from the $47,000 awarded four years ago.

• Howalt reported he submitted a water trust board application for $5 million in funding.

He said ENMWUA will most likely receive around $1.5 million because funds from the New Mexico Finance Authority are not available to fully fund every single project.

Presentations for the water trust board application are coming up possibly on Nov. 2-3, depending on the amount of applications received, Howalt added.

Howalt also said the organization received an additional $1 million through federal funding.

Board member Durward Dixon asked if they can anticipate capital outlay funding as well. Howalt replied that funding is short with only $57 million total available at the state level.

• Howalt reported $3.3 million in cash balances and $18,100 in revenue for the end of September, which was reimbursement from 2014 capital outlay. Total expenditures were $110,000.

• CH2MHill Assistant Project Manager Jim Honea reported he is working on determining the cost for running water from the Clovis water tanks to Cannon Air Force Base and Portales.

Honea said 17 easements for the water pipeline from Cannon to Portales still have to go through the appraisal process.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Kurt Munz-Raper. Managing Editor Alisa Boswell contributed to this report.