Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Editor’s note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with candidates in the Nov. 7 elections. Eldon Merrick is challenging incumbent Chadrick Heflin for the Portales City Council C position.
Eldon Merrick
Q: Why do you want this job?
A: I have attended council meetings for the last 1-1/2 years and I have seen things I did not feel like were in the best interest of our city. What we have been doing isn't working. I feel an obligation to our community to try and bring new ideas to help resolve some of the struggles we encounter.
Q: If elected, what are your top three priorities?
A: 1. Water obviously is at the forefront of everyone's thoughts at this time.
2. Being fiscally responsible with the peoples tax dollars.
3. Improving our streets and alleyways.
Q: Portales has well documented water problems. What is your plan to address these problems?
A: We have to be diligent in assessing all options and come up with incentives through grants, or other monies, to be more conservative in our usage of water. We need to explore all options to secure new water sources for the community. That includes buying wet water rights from agricultural wells in the surrounding area, redeveloping and expanding our own well fields and exploring new technologies to locate new water sources. Nothing should be left on the table. We need to continue to explore and consider privatization of our water system, yet realize we must be self-sufficient in our sources before that will happen. Ute water is still seven to nine years away and we need options to bridge that gap.
Q: Do you consider today’s Portales business friendly?
A: In some aspects of our community, I would say yes! There are certain roadblocks, and red tape, that are being thrown up by the city government that have to change before I could say yes we are 100%.
Q: The city manager is the City Council’s only employee. What do you think of the job that Sarah Austin is doing? Is she a good leader? Does she follow directives of the council? What if anything would you like to see differently in her job performance?
A: Sarah Austin has been our city manager for a couple of years. Some of the problems she was tasked to solve have been here for 10 years and more. Honestly, it is too soon to evaluate her performance objectively.
Let's remove all the barricades and let her show us what she may be capable of accomplishing. I feel far more comfortable stating she isn't a miracle worker. She accepted a job in a city on the verge of crisis, but she did however accept that job.
Now I will say, she needs to be a good leader and take control of anyone under her that may hinder her from doing that job. I’m not qualified to answer that. I have not been a member of the council and anything I said would be nothing more than hearsay.
So much of what our city officials do is clouded in mystery so residents must ask, pry for information, or just fill in the blanks ourselves. I would like to emphasize constant, honest, open communication with our citizens. Also “ask” our citizens for help and ideas. There is a wealth of knowledge in our community that could be utilized.
· Compiled by Madison Willis, the Staff of the News
Chadrick Heflin
Q: Why do you want this job?
A: Since 2016 when I first was elected I have been working for this community and its future. I am a third-generation business owner in Portales. My wife has been employed with the Portales school system for over 15 years and my daughter currently attends Portales High School and runs on the track team. Like a lot of families that live in Portales, my family is fully invested in our community. I want this job because it will give me a lot of opportunities to help make good changes for my community and keep Portales moving forward. It also gives me the opportunity to talk to citizens, listen to their ideas or concerns, and help find solutions.
Q: If elected, what are your top three priorities?
A: If elected, my three biggest issues are water security, road infrastructure, and communication. Water is a rare commodity in this whole area. I get calls and concerns from citizens all over Portales worried about the water situation. The streets and roads in Portales need constant repair and some need to be replaced. Street infrastructure will always be a priority and will constantly need to be upgraded and maintained. Street and road repairs are costly, but necessary to improve the quality of life in Portales. I will continue to work with local and state officials to help get funding so we can consistently keep maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure.
Communication with the citizens is a concern that needs to be addressed. It’s important to let the citizens know the direction the city is taking and planning on taking before those actions are done. Having more town hall meetings is a great way to have the citizens voice their opinion and discuss big topics that affect the city. Having more public comments before the start of the agenda gives the community a chance to address their concerns to the elected officials and giving the citizens a chance to voice their opinion about the direction they would like to see the city move.
Q: Portales has well documented water problem. What is your plan to address these problems?
A: When it comes to our water security there is not one solution that fixes all. During my first term I helped to hold the Ute Water Authority accountable for the money that Portales was issuing for the yearly dues and the loans that were taken out. Now, with new leadership and federal and state funding that project is projected to be completed in 2031.
I was the first official to meet with EPCOR water and started the process to hopefully one day starting a private/public working relationship. I will continue to work with local leaders and EPCOR to keep that process moving forward and create a regional water supply. Recently, the city of Portales has also applied for three, $20 million grants through the Water Trust Board to help with badly needed upgrades to our water system.
I have also been a part of working with Dairy Farmers of America to use their wastewater to help supply our wastewater plant so we can begin watering our parks and cemetery. Water security will always be top priority in this community, and I will continue to work hard to ensure the future of Portales.
Q: Do you consider today’s Portales business friendly?
A: Portales is always open for business. As a business owner in this community, I am very proud of how this community embraces and supports local businesses. For example, during COVID, the city of Portales, along with Roosevelt County, helped not only business but many other local businesses keep our doors open. To attract new business to our area we must show them why Portales is a great investment opportunity. I believe it is a great investment because of the community support it brings to not only existing businesses but also to businesses that may want to locate here.
Q: The city manager is the City Council’s only employee. What do you think of the job that Sarah Austin is doing? Is she a good leader? Does she follow directives of the council? What if anything would you like to see differently in her job performance?
A: The city manager’s job is a hard position to have. You must find a way to balance the community’s expectations while still maintaining a balanced budget. My focus, however, is to make sure the city manager, as well as all departments, have the tools they need to provide a quality service to our community.
— Compiled by Madison Willis, the Staff of the News
