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Portales council approves dumping ordinance

PORTALES — Bulk trash items are no longer allowed to be placed next to Portales dumpsters as the Portales City Council by a 4-1 vote approved a new dumping ordinance during Tuesday's meeting.

The new dumping ordinance requires bulk items to be placed behind a customer's home, should they not be brought to the convenience center or the Clovis landfill.

Councilor Oscar Robinson cast the lone vote against adopting the ordinance. After the meeting Robinson told The News that he was not opposed to the ordinance but took issue with some of the wording being incomplete, especially the section of the ordinance requiring residents place bulk trash items directly behind their property because some residents such as himself do not have an alley located directly behind their home.

The ordinance also establishes penalties for illegal dumping offenders, which Mayor Ron Jackson said the city will need to utilize should illegal dumping take place.

There was no input for or against the ordinance during a public hearing held prior to the council's vote.

Councilors Jake Lopez and Chadrick Heflin were not present.

Also at Tuesday's meeting:

• The council unanimously approved the city's 2020-2024 Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan, prioritizing wellfield improvements,fire protection/water circulation upgrade, 911 digital radio interface, drainage improvements and the planning and design of Kilgore Street improvements.

• The council unanimously approved the purchase of about 16.5 acres of land adjacent to the Portles Cemetery in the amount of $50,000 plus closing costs. Public Works Director John DeSha said the land would be used for drainage work and storing cemetery materials.

DeSha said the property was appraised for over $200,000.

• The council unanimously approved the application for an aviation grant with the New Mexico Department of Transportation for airfield maintenance in the amount of $20,000, of which the city would pay $2,000 as its 10 percent match.

• The council unanimously approved an application for $151,418.28 in federal funds to continue the Portales Area Transit program.

• Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority Executive Director Orlando Ortega updated the council on the ENMWUA's activities.

Ortega said the authority is about $4.5 million short of the $27,981,601 bid for the completion of Finished Water 2. He said the authority board is expected to award the bid for FW-2 at its Sept. 20 meeting, or earlier.