Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Water authority allocated $20 million by Legislature

A $20 million capital outlay was granted to the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority by the New Mexico Legislature in its 2022 30-day session that ended Thursday.

The outlay was the largest among the capital outlay allocations the Legislature approved for Curry or Roosevelt Counties in its 2022 session.

The outlay allocation, like all legislation passed in the 2022 legislative session, must be signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by March 9 or be subject to veto.

Curry County received just over $26 million in capital outlay allocations, and Roosevelt County received more than $2.4 million in capital outlays in the session in the capital outlay bill.

Capital outlays for Curry County included:

• $2 million to Clovis Community College’s (CCC) medical triage training center expansion.

• $170,000 for CCC’s Performing Arts Center renovation.

• $176,000 for CCC’s welding lab expansion

• $400,000 for the city of Clovis’s building and parking lot improvements

• Nearly $1.4 million toward construction of the Hillcrest Senior Citizens Center.

• $375,000 for construction projects at Potter, Rierson, and Greene Acres parks in Clovis.

• $350,000 for the Countyline Volunteer Fire Station.

• $200,000 for Curry County Museum construction.

• $480,000 for Curry County roads 10 and 6.

• $25,000 for security improvement for the Eastern Plains Council of Governments

• $81,000 for Grady Park restrooms and lighting construction.

• $100,000 for the Melrose Municipal School District’s gym bleachers replacement.

• $300,000 for the Texico Municipal School District’s Science and Technology labs.

For Roosevelt County, capital outlays include:

• $100,000 for Elida Municipal School District building and grounds improvements.

• $60,000 for playground equipment for Elida parks.

• $375,000 for KENW-TV equipment for Eastern New Mexico University

• $300,000 for rodeo facility construction at ENMU.

• $60,000 for turf installation at ENMU’s softball complex.

• $300,000 for an activity bus for the Floyd Municipal School District.

• $300,000 for city of Portales street repairs.

• $100,000 for Roosevelt County heavy equipment purchase

• $490,000 for Roosevelt County road improvements

• $100,000 for Roosevelt County Sleep lab renovations

• $150,000 for Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office vehicle purchase

• $100,000 for Roosevelt County water equipment storage construction.

Besides $20 million in capital outlay funding, the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Project also received a $10-million allocation in the 2022 New Mexico Legislature’s General Appropriations Act (House Bill 2), bring the total 2022 allocations for the project to $30 million.

All legislation must be signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by March 9 to become law.

Also in HB2, Eastern New Mexico University received:

• nearly $57.2 million for instruction and general purposes;

• more than $2.3 million for KENW, ENMU’s public broadcasting outlet;

• more than $214,000 for student support systems;

• $250,000 for teacher pipeline initiatives;

• $40 million for other purposes.

• $400,000 for its soccer programs.

In HB2, Clovis Community College received:

• more than $17 million for instruction and general purposes in the general appropriations bill;

• $55,800 for student support services;

• $6.4 million for other purposes.

The Ninth Judicial Court that covers Curry and Roosevelt counties, received $7 million for operations in HB2.

The Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s office received:

• Nearly $3.7 million in personal services and employee benefits;

• $13,000 for contractual services;

• $151,700 for other purposes.

In a general obligation bond funding bill:

• Nearly $1.7 million was allocated for infrastructure improvements at Clovis Community College.

• $43,500 was allocated to the La Casa Senior Citizens Center to address code-compliance issues and installation of equipment and building systems.

• $9 million was allocated to design, construct, furnish and equip a new student academic services building at ENMU, Portales.

In a Senate general appropriations bill:

• $150,000 was allocated to the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office to purchase and equip vehicles.

• $250,000 was allocated to increase funding for ENMU’s Athletic Department, and $50,000 was allocated to public television station KENW.