Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
CLOVIS — Curry County’s financial advisor told commissioners Tuesday morning not much has changed regarding the county’s investment portfolio.
Everything else, on the other hand ...
Rob Burpo addressed commissioners for roughly 30 minutes on a variety of impacts they can expect to see over the next few years, with the nation still in the COVID-19 pandemic and a swath of federal stimulus measures and private industry dealing with labor and materials shortages.
Burpo said when you go to your local Applebee’s or Chili’s, the person greeting you is now making $17 to $18 an hour and “that’s not a $17/hour job.” He noted it would be difficult for the county to fill open positions going forward given the wage inflation private businesses have seen, and said government entities don’t have many tasks they can automate like private businesses can.
“How hard is it,” Burpo said, “to say, ‘Hi, welcome to Applebee’s,’ versus, ‘Hi, welcome to Curry County,’ and take a complaint?”
When asked by The News what qualified him to say what a private business should pay its employees, Burpo said he was simply using that as an example, and noted that a $15/hour wage does not mean the same thing in Clovis as it does in New York City.
Burpo said that on average, wages went up 4% from July 2020 to July 2021, but inflation went up 5.4% and gas prices are $1 more per gallon in the same time period.
The New York Fed, Burpo said, is anticipating additional 9% raises in health care and gas prices, and a 7% rise in food prices.
While interest rates for home and auto loans are low, Burpo said, it doesn’t help when the car dealership has nothing in stock and you can’t get materials for your house.
“COVID did a lot of damage,” Burpo said. “Some of it’s starting to rear its ugly head.”
Burpo envisioned in five years the country would have to deal with the debt it is incurring with so much stimulus.
Commissioner Robert Sandoval joked that he was planning to live another 4 1/2 years.
In other business at the Tuesday meeting:
• Francisco Sanchez, engineer for the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s District 2, gave commissioners a brief update on upcoming projects.
Sanchez said the district was looking to put in a bid in October 2022 for a $45 million U.S. 60/84 upgrade between Prince and Martin Luther King Boulevard. The district is putting in roughly half, while the last legislative session provided the remaining dollars.
“It’s not going to be a quick process,” Sanchez said. “This project will take over two years to complete.”
The district plans a bid process in November 2022 for a signal at U.S. 60/84 and N.M. 467. The DOT will be responsible for construction, while the county will provide electricity and the city of Clovis will provide maintenance.
In the more immediate future, a paving project is scheduled to start Thursday on N.M. 311 between U.S. 60 and N.M. 245, but Sanchez said inclement weather may push that back a few days.
When asked about progress on the railroad crossing between Texico and Farwell, Sanchez said the Texas and New Mexico departments are going over options. The New Mexico DOT is not in favor of a solution calling for an overpass, because it will essentially be a “flyover” of Texico.
• Community Programs Coordinator Kristian Price updated commissioners on the county’s participation in a Sept. 11 Flag of Honor program.
The flag that would be flown during the ceremony features the names of each person killed during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The event would begin with everybody meeting at 8:45 a.m. at the county courthouse flagpole, Price said, and the program would officially start at 9:02 a.m. — the time in New York when United Airlines Flight 175 hit the World Trade Center South Tower.
• The commission tabled a resolution offered by Commissioner Seth Martin on the authority it designates to County Manager Lance Pyle to make policy changes regarding COVID-19 mitigation.
Martin, who abstained from the 4-0 vote to table, said the changes would give the elected commission more input over non-emergency changes Pyle implements. He said he felt the commission was putting too many responsibilities on Pyle, and it wasn’t fair to him or the voters who put the commission in place.
Commissioners Robert Sandoval and James Ridling were concerned they were voting to micromanage Pyle.
Commissioner Chet Spear felt the change would be minor, but said Pyle should be commended for how he has performed during the pandemic.
Pyle, when asked by Spear how he felt about the matter, responded that he would be helped if the commission would provide a list on what he should specifically bring to the commission in advance and what should be brought back later for ratification.
Pyle said he didn’t want to do anything the commission didn’t want him doing, and that his priorities were to keep county employees healthy and safe while keeping county services going.
“I’m going to do whatever I have to for that,” Pyle said. “I’ll deal with the consequences.”
• In commissioner reports, Sandoval praised Fairgrounds Manager K.C. Messick for his handling of the county fair, particularly with an on-the-fly decision to move lawn mower races to the indoor events center following rains Thursday and Friday.
“You took a lump of coal and made a diamond out of it,” Sandoval said.
Messick was not at the meeting, and Pyle said a full fair report was scheduled for a future meeting.
Martin said he largely agreed with Sandoval’s assessment, but said he didn’t like the trend of downplaying agriculture while promoting entertainment when it comes to a county fair.
• The next commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 30.