Region mostly spared from governor's veto pen

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday vetoed about $150 million worth of “capital outlay” projects, but less than $3 million of that had been headed for eastern New Mexico.

Lawmakers had approved the items, but the governor made line-item vetoes, “given the volatility in global oil markets and global economic uncertainty related to the COVID-19 outbreak,” according to a news release from her office.

The $150 million in General Fund projects becomes available immediately to “bolster state reserves,” the governor said in the news release.

The big cuts for Curry County were at the county fairgrounds, Clovis Community College and in county road repairs.

In Roosevelt County, Floyd and Dora schools had big projects vetoed, as did the city of Portales, which was looking for well-field improvements.

Eastern New Mexico University also lost about $100,000 lawmakers had approved for general infrastructure improvements.

Local projects vetoed by the governor on Wednesday included:

• $1.1 million to plan, design and construct a building for the cooperative extension service at the Curry County fairgrounds in Clovis in Curry County;

• $500,000 to purchase and install exterior doors, fire doors and security card readers at Clovis community college in Clovis in Curry county;

• $246,000 to purchase and equip a backhoe, including a jackhammer attachment, for the cemetery in Portales in Roosevelt county;

• $185,000 to plan, design, equip, furnish, renovate and improve the business enterprise center in Clovis in Curry County;

• $107,000 to plan, design and construct county roads and road improvements in Curry county;

• $100,000 to plan, design, construct, purchase, equip and install an intercom system for the Floyd municipal school district in Roosevelt county;

• $100,000 from the general fund to the board of regents of eastern New Mexico university for expenditure in fiscal years 2020 through 2024, unless otherwise provided in Section 2 of this act, to plan, design, construct and equip infrastructure improvements, including fire alarm systems, access control systems, a safety camera system, sidewalks and parking lots, at eastern New Mexico university in Portales in Roosevelt county.

• $100,000 for well field improvements in Portales

• $75,000 to plan, design, construct, purchase, equip and furnish portable bleachers and shade structures for the Dora consolidated school district in Dora in Roosevelt county;

• $50,000 to purchase and equip wheelchair-accessible vans for the Fort Sumner senior center in Fort Sumner in De Baca county;

• $45,000 to plan, design and construct a parking lot for the Melrose municipal school district in Curry county;

• $32,000 to plan, design, construct, repair, replace and upgrade the kitchen, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning, for a senior meals program in Clovis in Curry county;

• $9,000 to purchase and install chairs for a jury box at the ninth judicial district court in Clovis in Curry county;

Curry and Roosevelt counties appear to have been spared the governor’s veto pen for almost $7 million worth of capital outlay projects that lawmakers had approved in February.

Those include:

• Curry County Courthouse improvements and renovations ($2 million)

• Athletic facilities improvements at Texico schools ($300,000)

• Expansion of a science classroom at Clovis Community College ($265,000)

• Clovis city parking lot ($250,000) and playground improvements ($75,000).

• Lighting at Beachum Field in Clovis ($100,000)

• HVAC improvements at the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico ($100,000),

• Design for a planned move of Curry County Magistrate Court to the county judicial complex on the 700 block of Main ($104,000)

• Defibrillator ($70,000) and fire department equipment ($52,000) for Grady.

• Kilgore Avenue improvements in Portales ($700,000)

• Renovations at Eastern New Mexico University’s Roosevelt Hall ($600,000)

• Elida wastewater system upgrades ($500,000)

• A covered storage facility for ENMU ($250,000)

• A Roosevelt County road facility construction ($250,000)

• Equipment for Roosevelt General Hospital ($250,000)

• Roofing upgrades at La Casa clinic ($175,000) and Elida High School ($150,000)

• Camera equipment for the ENMU Broadcast Center and KENW ($172,000)

• HVAC upgrades at Roosevelt county facilities ($60,000)

The governor also approved multiple November ballot issues that voters will decide — $8 million worth of projects at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, $4.7 million for a senior services facility at Hillcrest Park in Clovis, $1 million-plus for Clovis Community College projects and more.