Portales OKs money for repairs

PORTALES — There may well be “rumbling” on and concerning some roads in Portales, but city councilors hope to address the issue in time with repair work.

In a brief meeting Tuesday evening the Portales City Council authorized funding agreements for various repairs to city roads, hoping in the process to address issues previously voiced to representatives.

Councilor Oscar Robinson noted “a lot of rumbling about streets being in deplorable condition” and hoped the public would take note of the work in progress to correct problem sites. He commented on the matter after the commission authorized Mayor Ron Jackson’s signature on a grant appropriation agreement for $371,000 to make improvements to Kilgore at its intersections with 18th and Third streets.

“I think we need to address that rumbling by saying we are doing things for our streets,” Robinson added.

City Manager Sammy Standefer said there was a possibility the work could cost more but that officials would come back to the commission if so. He said the grant funds make the improvements “a good bang for our buck” even if the costs end up exceeding the appropriation amount.

The commission also authorized participation in a local government road fund program for repairs on 18th Street from I Street to New Mexico Drive, with approximately $99,000 coming from the state’s Department of Transportation and another $33,000 from the city.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, with votes unanimous from attending commissioners Robinson, Jim Lucero, Jake Lopez and Chad Heflin present:

• Authorization of contracts for a grant project coordinator with the Office of Substance Abuse Prevention and a Teen Court Coordinator / DWI Prevention Specialist. The latter position is funded in part by a grant of $38,000 between the city and the Department of Finance & Administration / Local Government Division, which was also approved at Tuesday’s meeting.

• Approval for participation in programs of the Eastern Plains Council of Government for Fiscal Year 2019-20, which starts next month.

• Approval of a participation agreement by which the city funds the Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation to the tune of $50,000 from its economic development fund.