Portales hopes to update water tanks

PORTALES — The city of Portales is hoping to update its Johnson Hill water storage tanks, with some help from the New Mexico Water Trust Board.

City Manager Sammy Standefer said a resolution to file an application for $2.9 million to rehabilitate the tanks will be up for approval at tonight’s Portales City Council meeting.

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the Memorial Building.

“They’re not in dire need, but there’s some more piping issues that we have that we want to change up to make it work a little bit better,” he said.

Also on the agenda will be a discussion of security improvements on another city water storage area, the water recycling pond.

The item, which was tabled at the council’s Sept. 19 meeting, was brought up by Councilor Jim Lucero, who was concerned about residents attempting to swim in the pond.

“We already know that there’s already traffic in there. ... People have been swimming there,” Lucero said at the Sept. 19 meeting.

Standefer said city staff is looking “at more of a guard rail versus a fence, and looking at doing some landscaping” at the pond.

Another tabled item from the last council meeting, relating to a proposed change to the “public input” portion of the council’s meeting agendas, will be revisited.

The item was introduced by City Attorney Steve Doerr, and was met with several questions by councilors.

Doerr recommended that public input take place at the beginning of the meeting, limit speakers to three minutes, and prohibit councilors from responding to comments.

The item will be returning for further discussion, Standefer said.

Also at tonight’s meeting:

• A proclamation declaring next week “Fire Prevention Week” in Portales will be heard.

• Councilors will review a request for approval of a 10-foot easement agreement for a Portales resident.

• A request for adoption of the required certification and commitments for the city’s Community Development Block Grant will be heard,

• Councilors will hear a request for outside sewer services by a Roosevelt County resident.