U.S. 70 finish date November, says contractor

Residents and local business owners were relieved to know that the U.S. 70 reconstruction project is scheduled to be completed by early November, before downtown businesses experience the holiday shopping rush.

"We're trying to have the least amount of impact on businesses," said Constructors Inc., Project Manager John Guldemann to residents Thursday night at a city town hall meeting.

The U.S. 70 project was one of three topics discussed at Thursday's meeting. The Ute Water Pipeline Project and a proposed panhandling ordinance were also discussed.

City officials held the meeting to hear feedback from their constituents on the projects and the ordinance. They also wanted to keep their constituents abreast of the progress of the projects.

Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune

Construction workers with Constructors Inc., the contractor for the U.S. 70 reconstruction project, tear up asphalt in front of the Something Different restaurant. The project was one of the topics discussed at Thursday's town hall meeting.

Guldemann told the audience that his construction crew is still in the first phase of the $8.3 million project, which starts at the edge of town near Eastern New Mexico University's campus and ends on Avenue C.

He predicts they will be complete with the first phase by the end of May.

"We've increased the number of crews so production has gone up," said Guldemann, now that the project is over two months behind its original schedule. "We're looking to catch back up."

Guldemann informed businesses that next week they plan to pour more concrete and they have been conducting larger pours at night because of high winds during the days.

City Councilor Matt Hunton asked Guldemann which lanes will they work on first when construction reaches the downtown area.

Guldemann replied the northern lanes, or the outer lanes, of First and Second streets will be torn up first.

Business owners that have already been affected by the construction told Guldemann that he's been cooperative and communicative with them.

Mayor Sharon King opened the meeting with an overview of the Ute Water Pipeline project, an Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority project that would pump water from the Ute Reservoir in Quay County to the member entities in Curry and Roosevelt counties.

Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune

Portales Mayor Sharon King talks about a proposed panhandling ordinance Thursday at a city town hall meeting at the Memorial Building.

"The Ute Reservoir was built for municipal and industrial supply," King said.

King showed a bar graph from EPCOR, Clovis' private water provider, that showed it takes more wells to produce the same amount of water as it did six years ago in Clovis.

King also shared a separate study done by Cannon Air Force Base personnel that showed by the end of the decade, the base will have major water problems, only strengthening the need for this project.

King added that they are working with the city of Logan and Tucumcari on a drought management plan and pumping schedule of the lake.

David Stone, president of The James Polk Stone Community Bank, asked King what percentage of the project is the city paying.

City Manager Tom Howell said the city will pay about $8 million of the $500 million project. The federal government's portion is 75 percent, the state's is 15 percent and the communities represented in the ENMWUA will split 10 percent of the total cost, according to ENMWUA officials.

Stone was concerned that the city may not have the money to pay their share but Howell and King assured him that the city has been saving money gradually.

"We're actually in better shape than anyone else on this project," King said.

Stone also asked if there was a backup plan if the Ute project fell through.

"If we don't do this, we're in trouble aren't we?," Stone asked.

"Yes," King replied.

Greg Neal, a consultant for the Concerned Citizens of Curry and Roosevelt Counties, asked King if the ENMWUA was open to looking into using private capital to take care of the area's water needs or any other alternatives to the Ute project.

"I just don't know if that's an option," King said, adding that the ENMWUA has not discussed it.