Water authority to talk terms with potential executive director

The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority board announced Thursday it is entering negotiations with James Blasing of Pueblo, Colorado, for the authority’s executive director position.

“We’re excited to bring him onboard if everything checks out. We believe it’s definitely time to bring our own employee on .... He will coordinate with our engineering firm and with others to move this project forward,” said Gayla Brumfield, the ENMWUA chairwoman.

The board voted 6-1 to enter into contract negotiations with Blasing. Juan Garza opposed the motion.

Blasing is public works director for the city of Cripple Creek, Colorado. Brumfield said the board hopes to hire Blasing as the authority’s first executive director within the next 30 days.

“We have a busy, busy schedule coming up the next 90 days. We’re going to be going to (Washington) D.C. in December, and then we have a very busy legislative session in January and February working with the New Mexico Water Trust board and things like that. We’re excited to get him on board and he can come in and help us move this project along,” Brumfield said.

Brumfield has said the executive director will manage contractors and engineers and “be the face” of the authority, and the position will pay between $85,000 and $110,000 depending on experience. Clovis Mayor David Lansford has said he’s not convinced there is a need for an executive director or that the candidate could possess all of the skills sought.

The authority is responsible for the design, planning, construction, operation and maintaining of the Ute Water Project. The project will pipe water from Ute Lake to Curry and Roosevelt counties. Paul Van Gulick, the program manager, said the project is one of the two largest regional water projects in the state.

“This is where New Mexico is going,” Van Gulick said. “Sharing resources between communities.”

In addition to the announcement of the new hire, members discussed several business items.

Jim Honey, the CH2M Hill assistant project manager, presented the details of an upcoming water conservation report, which includes a leak detection and prevention plan and a community grant program for conservation.

Wendy Christofferson, the CH2M Hill project manager, presented the progress of the construction of the intake and discussed optimization efforts to reduce costs.

Christofferson said they are in the “last final push” for the construction of the intake, and expects substantial completion of the intake by Dec.15.

“We have received more (federal funds) than we have ever received before and we hope to visit our delegation in December and even get more funding,” Brumfield said. “We want to be shovel ready with our next interim pipeline, which is out by the (Cannon Air Force) base … within 18 months or so. We are definitely moving forward, and we are happy to see the progress and bring much needed water to the eastern side of the state.”

The next meeting for the ENMWUA is in Portales on Dec.18. Public outreach and education meeting dates for Clovis, Portales, Roosevelt County and Tucumcari are not yet determined.