Portales to host drive through trick-or-treat

PORTALES — The city of Portales will host a drive-through trick-or-treating experience at the Portales Public Library, Portales city councilors said at Tuesday’s regular meeting.

The event — created after the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce decided to cancel its annual Safe Trick-or-Treat event in the town square — will be held 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Oct. 29. The plan is to have staff on both sides of the library driveway who will pass out candy to kids who hold their bags or buckets out the windows of the cars, according to City Manager Sammy Standefer.

The council opened its meeting by recognizing new EMT and Portales Fire Department, as well as officers that were receiving promotions in rank.

These included Hugh Frank, who has served with Portales for 12 years and was promoted to battalion chief on B-Shift; Jared Shearer, who has served for over eight years and was promoted to battalion chief on A-Shift; Randy Soto, who has served for over seven years and was promoted to lieutenant on A-Shift; Scott Tweedy, who has served for six years and was promoted to lieutenant on B-Shift; Artie James, who has served for over four years and was promoted to Second Lieutenant and is serving as acting lieutenant on C-Shift; and James Bray, who has served for four years and was promoted to second lieutenant on A-Shift.

New licensures in the Fire Department included James as a Paramedic; Nathan Walker, Jonathan Montiel, and Hunter Rolan as AEMT/EMT-Intermediates; and Joseph Wisneski, Trevor Chacon, Michael Gonzalez, and Zachary Wirth as EMT-Basics.

“We are very much appreciative of everything you go through. The sacrifices you make, the sacrifices your family makes,” Mayor Ron Jackson said.

In other business at the Tuesday meeting:

• Eric Segovia of Portales was appointed as the city’s representative on the Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation board. While discussion Segovia’s qualifications the council said he helped many Portales restaurants establish outdoor dining.

• An easement agreement that the city had approved twice before was again approved. The private residence involved in the agreement has a block fence, a block planter, and a shed that encroaches onto the city’s right-of-way by over 11 feet. Planning Director Donna Rutherford explained that the agreement has to be redone every time the property changes hands, and ensures the city it can clear the area if city work requires it. The section of the right-of-way does include a 4-inch water main.

• The council authorized a payment to the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority. The council noted that several years ago these payments were included in the city budget and were not brought up at meetings. They are still budgeted, but not paid for until discussed at a meeting.

• The next meeting was rescheduled for Nov. 5, with its previous date of Nov. 3 being Election Day.