Meetings watch: Portales City Council

PORTALES — The Portales City Council at its Tuesday night meeting approved an application to the New Mexico Finance Authority for a $1 million loan to help build Portales’ fire substation.

The loan will allow the NMFA to pay for the construction directly out of the city’s fire fund, according to City Clerk Joan Martinez-Terry.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting:

• A resolution supporting the memorandum of understanding between Portales MainStreet and the City of Portales was approved by councilors.

The resolution was forgotten at the council’s last meeting, which saw the memorandum approved, Martinez-Terry said.

• The final draft of the city’s infrastructure capital improvement plan was approved to be adopted and sent to the state.

No changes had been made after the city held a public hearing on the ICIP earlier in August, Martinez-Terry said.

• Councilors approved the ratification of a Federal Aviation Administration application for fuel farm improvements at the Portales Airport. The $785,365 project will be funded $484,848 through the grant, $270,466 through the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and $30,051 by the city.

• Councilors approved a resolution to modify language in the city’s existing loans from the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority.

The language for the loans — which total $4,054,536 and date back to 2008 — was changed to add grant numbers to two proposed loans, Martinez-Terry said.

She added that the loans are being paid for on an amortization schedule.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Eamon Scarbrough