Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Curry hears funding requests

CLOVIS - The Curry County Commission heard just shy of $290,000 worth of funding requests for the upcoming fiscal year during Tuesday's meeting.

The commission began the process of setting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year by holding budget hearings for two county departments, as well as the county extension office and a request from the New Mexico State Library Rural Bookmobile.

County Clerk Annie Hogland said her office was requesting $53,000 for software upgrades related to the department's public access capabilities and $8,000 for a copy machine, which Hogland said would only be spent if one of the office's current machines breaks.

IT Director Todd Ulses requested $81,000 for new servers and $26,000 to streamline internet access at county facilities. Ulses said he was told by the company that makes the servers that the equipment, purchased five years ago, is at the end of its life.

"That's IT, there's nothing cheap about IT," Chairman Chet Spear said regarding the server costs.

Leigh Ann Marez, the eastern district department head for the New Mexico State University extension services, said the local extension office is requesting a $121,216 budget for fiscal year 2020, up from $80,000 in the previous fiscal year.

Marez said the increase is due to the extension office previously not being fully staffed and she expects that to change by the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1.

County Manager Lance Pyle presented a $500 request from the New Mexico State Library Rural Bookmobile to purchase library materials to serve Grady, House and St. Vrain.

Pyle said the county began funding the project during the '90s before pulling funding last year. He said the request is not currently included in the county's preliminary budget.

No action was taken on the informational budget hearings. Pyle said the fiscal year 2020 budget is expected to go before the board for approval at the commission's April 16 or May 5 meeting.

Also at Tuesday's meeting (all votes 5-0):

n Following a 40-minute executive session, the commission approved a new employment agreement with Pyle.

The new agreement adds a year to Pyle's contract, now extended through October 2023, and raised his annual salary from $145,427.54 to $160,000.

n The commission approved a $682,000 budget adjustment related to the sale of four motor graders, which was approved by the commission under the consent agenda.

n Barbara Riggan, senior services director for the city of Clovis, gave a presentation on the general obligation bond application for a new senior center in Clovis to be constructed at Hillcrest Park. Riggan said if the project is approved, construction would begin in spring 2021.

Currently split across three senior centers in town, Riggan said she hopes the new facility would be a "one stop shop for seniors" in the community.

Riggan requested the commission issue a letter of support for the project, which the commission approved as part of its consent agenda.

n The commission approved a non-exclusive franchise agreement with Eastern New Mexico Gas Company.

County Attorney Steve Doerr said the agreement will remain in effect for 20 years before an automatic renewal for 10-year periods and does not include a franchise fee.

There were no comments during a public hearing held prior to the commission's vote.

n The commission approved a $6,742.19 contract with Ambitions Consulting Group to conduct an audit of the county's IT systems.

n Seventeen county employees were recognized by the commission for anniversaries ranging from one year to 15 years of service.

 
 
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