City commission approves 5-year plan

Clovis officials have more than $63 million on their wish list for capital improvement projects over the next five years, according to a plan approved July 1 by the Clovis city commission.

The city’s Local Infrastructure and Capital Improvements Plan for 2004-2009 isn’t a budget but rather a list of desired projects with estimated costs and potential funding sources, according to Joe Thomas, assistant city manager.

“Obviously we are not going to be able to get funding for every project on here,” Thomas said. “Anytime we apply for grant funding or legislative assistance, we are required to show it is listed in there ... it lists the different agencies we are applying for funding from and how we are planning to use the money.”

The plan includes a wide variety of projects ranging in cost from a few thousand dollars for replacing computers and maintenance equipment like floor scrubbers to millions of dollars for the Ute Lake water pipeline project.

Large items for the 2005 fiscal year include $4.075 million for industrial site development, $2 million for the Ute water pipeline, $1.5 million in drainage improvements, $1.4 million for a Highway 467 overpass, and $1.3 million for a public transportation building.

City Manager Ray Mondragon said there wasn’t a specific reason why Ute Water funding wasn’t included in the planning for 2006 and beyond, but noted the plan can be amended at any time. Mondragon said he expects the plan for future years will include line items for Ute funding once the financial consultant for the project produces funding estimates for each community involved.

Thomas said drainage expenses are expected throughout the next five years of city planning, and reflects a desire by city officials to eliminate or reduce flooding issues in Clovis. If city officials get everything on their “wish list” for drainage, Clovis will spend more than $6.9 million in drainage improvements between 2005 and 2009.

“Drainage appears consistently each year throughout this,” Thomas said. “That has been and will be a continuing issue.”