YIR: New faces took places on Portales council

PORTALES - A new set of faces was introduced to the city of Portales in 2016, and in the nine months since the city council election, the freshmen have worked to familiarize themselves with city government.

The March 1 election saw four new councilors enter the fray: Veronica Cordova (Ward A), Jessica Smith (Ward B), Chad Heflin (Ward C) and Jim Lucero (Ward D).

Heflin, who also owns the Dawghouze Bar, said he didn't anticipate the slow pace at which action is taken by government bodies, but he has since adapted.

"I guess I have preconceived notions, and after I know the rules of the game, I'll play the game. After I figured it out and talked to people and talked to different politicians that have been in this position, I got a sense of how things worked. You just do the best you can," he said.

While Heflin found representing all of his constituents' needs to be challenging, he gained a more well-rounded understanding of the issues that affect Portales.

"You live here your whole life and you think you know some of the stuff that went on. I just never knew about some of it. I didn't understand how crucial the water issue is," he said. "People tell you about it, but once you really dive into it and you start making decisions for it, it's a big deal."

As the manager of Ashley Furniture and a mother, Smith has learned to balance her duties as a councilor with the rest of her life.

"That's taken me a lot longer than I was expecting, so I think all of that combined - just realizing it's OK to take your time to do something the right way and not to rush it," she added.

Moving forward, Smith hopes her constituents will continue to familiarize themselves with her and approach her with concerns.

"I haven't had a whole lot of people in my ward, or even throughout the city, approach me personally, so I'm hoping that I can continue to attend events and become a face that people recognize and aren't afraid to approach with their concerns," she said.

In other city news, Portales Police Officer Nicholas Laurenz was shot in April while apprehending criminal suspect Anthony Ortega.

Laurenz, who was in field training, was assisting with a traffic stop when several people, including Ortega, fled the vehicle on foot.

Laurenz pursued Ortega on foot, after which an altercation ensued. Laurenz' handgun soon discharged, striking him in the leg.

Ortega, 28, was arrested on an active felony warrant, along with 24-year-old Jason Ford.

In November at a Portales City Council meeting, Laurenz was given the Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Award by Portales Police Chief Pat Gallegos. Officer David Haack was awarded the Medal of Valor and Meritorious Service Award for intervening in the altercation while he was off duty.