Meetings watch — March 5

Portales

City Council

The following took place at Tuesday’s Portales City Council meeting:

• Major Sharon King recognized Ronald Jackson for his 14 years of serving on the council.

• Approval of the non-exclusive use agreement between the City of Portales and the Portales American Youth Soccer Organization. Jodi Kibbe, recreation director, said the AYSO will practice at the Portales soccer fields and will use the west side.

• Councilors approved a ratification of first amendment to memorandum of agreement with New Mexico Department of Transportation for increase funding for Portales Area Transportation program. Dawn Kryder, director of PAT, asked for an increase of funding of $292,325 comprised of federal funds in the amount of $183,392 and local funds $108,932. The local funding is in within budgeted funds.

Kryder said before she became director in 2009, the previous director lowered the funds so much that it did not cover the cost to run the program, so every year they have to make amendments to increase the funds.

Kryder said by Fiscal Year 2016 the funding will be at a more realistic number and there will be no need for amendments.

• Approval of the resolution to submit an application to the NMDOT for funding for the DWI program in Portales.

Riki Seat, DWI coordinator, said the city had to make a resolution before she submitted the application.

Seat asked for approval to submit an application for the $36,000 grant at the Feb. 18 meeting.

— Compiled by PNT staff writer Lillian Bowe

Local Growth Management Committee

The Local Growth Management Committee met Tuesday in the Ingram Room at the Clovis-Carver Library

Members Juan Garza, Scott Burton and Wendell Bostwick were not present. The committee took the following actions.

• Heard an update on construction at Cannon Air Force Base from Lt. Col. Anthony Figiera, commander of the 27 Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron.

Figiera said there are 21 active military construction projects occurring at the base, including two new hangars, a new Airman Family Readiness Center and a new youth center.

• Figiera also gave an update on the P4 community partnership program, which will allow Air Force members to work with local government on mutually beneficial projects.

The program currently has five initiatives, including joint training among base and local police, fire departments and emergency medical services; combining efforts for job opportunities for military spouses; street maintenance and linen cleaning contracts.

• Tabled a request to add a calendar of events to the front page of the regional growth management website and appoint a representative from local entities.

Portales Mayor Sharon King requested more information regarding potential cost of updating the website.

The next meeting of the LGMC will be 2 p.m. April 14 at the Memorial Building in Portales.

— Compiled by CMI staff writer Emily Crowe

Roosevelt County Commission

The Roosevelt County Commission said it wants to change the county’s burn ban ordinance to clarify language at its regular meeting Tuesday.

Roosevelt County Manager Charlene Webb said rather than the commissioners basing a burn ban decision on their opinions, it would be best if the decision to be tied to severe or extreme drought conditions as determined by the National Weather Service.

The commission plans to issue a notice of intent to amend the ordinance in the next few days.

Portales Fire Chief Gary Nuckols said Roosevelt County is mostly under moderate drought conditions but conditions are expected to worsen between now and May 31.

The commissioners plan to change the ordinance as quickly as possible to enact a burn ban given the dry and windy weather conditions.

Here are other highlights from Tuesday’s meeting:

• The commission approved a marketing agreement with Coast 2 Coast, a company providing discount prescription cards to county residents. The county will be tasked with the distribution of the cards and will receive a royalty of $1.25 per use.

• The county approved the submission of several application for government road funds for the 2015 fiscal year.

• Roosevelt County Detention Center Administrator David Casanova reported there were 124 inmates at the detention center. Fifteen of those inmates are from Chaves County, 34 are from Eddy County and one is from Curry County.

• During department head reports, Mandi Park with the county’s indigent program told commissioners it’s too early to tell if the county will see more or less indigent claims due to the state’s health insurance exchange and the expansion of Medicaid.

— Compiled by CMI staff writer Christina Calloway