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Clovis officials receive land trust process update

CLOVIS — Spencer Pipkin of the Curry County Soil and Water Conservation District updated the Clovis city commission on an ongoing process to potentially build a land trust for water issues Thursday night.

The district, Pipkin said, is one of 43 conservation districts within the state. It is part of a steering committee to ensure good stewardship of Readiness Environmental Protection Initiative funding from the Department of Defense and the Conservation Fund.

The REPI process has already resulted in $14 million in local funding, and Pipkin said the funding should reach around $30 million to incentivize local landowners to retire agricultural water rights on properties surrounding Cannon Air Force Base. While the project targets Department of Defense installations, there are benefits to the surrounding community.

“Basically,” Pipkin said, “farmers quit irrigating. It’s a source of water for the city later on.”

Pipkin said the benefit of the process being set up is that local voices will guide the process instead of having a non-local agency come in and dictate matters.

Mayor Mike Morris also serves on the committee, but Pipkin said he was always willing to provide the commission with updates on the process.

In other business at the Thursday meeting:

• Morris updated commissioners on his recent trip to the National Security Forum at Maxwell Air Force Base. He said it was exciting just to go on the trip overall, but the experience gave him a new appreciation for the country and how the military handled issues. Morris said every civilian attending was paired with an officer who acted as a liaison, and his was previously assigned to Cannon Air Force Base.

He said it’s a reflex to think military policies change 180 degrees when new presidents take office, but his time in the forum showed how much the issues of the day drive decisions.

“Their political beliefs didn’t belong in the room,” Morris said, “and we need more of that.”

• Mark Huerta gave an update on EPCOR’s 40-year water plan, and said a few people have taken advantage of the company’s newest conservation-based rebate — rain collection barrels.

Huerta wasn’t sure what local merchants offered all of the materials necessary to create the collection system, eligible for up to a $500 rebate in the form of bill credits. He said the systems are varied in their features, and are available from local merchants and online.

In a separate agenda item, the commission approved leasing a well at Hillcrest Park to EPCOR. The well, which is no longer in use at Hillcrest due to the city’s water reuse system, will be converted into a potable well at city expense. The $110,000 conversion costs would be recouped within two to three years from EPCOR lease payments, and money received after that point would support parks improvements.

Commissioner Fidel Madrid pulled the item off of the consent agenda to inquire about how EPCOR would address security, noting fencing EPCOR has around other wells around the city is unsightly. Huerta said the company could certainly work on visual upgrades for the new well and existing wells.

• The commission approved continued membership in the Eastern Plains Council of Governments, and Executive Director Sandy Chancey gave a review of the council’s services to the city.

Chancey said the recent Urgent Hiring Fair was a success with 48 employers and 440 attending. The fair had to add additional breakout rooms in the Clovis Civic Center for interviews and application stations.

“There was no lull; it was constant,” Chancey said. “We have employers who are looking, and we have people who want to work. It’s about making those connections.”

The commission retained Madrid as its EPCOG representative, and Helen Casaus continued as alternate.

• Commissioners approved a grant application to the Economic Development Department Outdoor Equity Fund for a potential summer outdoor recreation program next year. The city, Assistant City Manager Claire Burroughes said, would not know the status of the $20,000 award until August.

• The next commission meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. June 3 at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.

 
 
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