Planning committee official says work will take time

During Tuesday's Water Policy Advisory Board meeting, the body received an update with regard to the recent activities of a strategic planning committee spearheaded by City Commissioner Ladona Clayton.

"We have research to do," said Clayton.

The board, headed by Clovis City Commissioner Chris Bryant, is charged with developing water sources in the interim period before the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System starts delivering water.

"It's going to take us a while to do it and do it right," Clayton said. "We think the initial work will take at a minimum three more months and possibly longer. After that, we'll bring all of our recommendations back to this advisory board."

Officials said the planning committee, which is slated to meet twice per month, is comprised of Clayton, Curry County Commissioner Robert Thornton, City Manager Larry Fry, as well as one representative each from EPCOR Water, the Clovis Industrial Development Corporation, the Eastern Plains Council of Governments and an at-large community member.

"Once you have a membership established, there is no substitution for that membership," Clayton said.

"If you can't make it (to meetings), there are no substitute reps or if you have to withdraw, there would be no replacement. It's all part of building those relationships and trust with regard to the work of the task force."

Bryant said the task force would make recommendations to the water policy board, which would in turn make recommendations to the city commission.

Other agenda items addressed include:

• Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority Executive Director Justin Howalt provided advisory board members with activity updates.

"The (legislative) session is ongoing, so we're keeping an eye on bills that may impact the authority," he said. "House Bill 5, which is also Senate Bill 112, is of concern because it essentially eliminated water trust board funding for fiscal year '17, which is the application cycle we are in now.

"The House originally stripped that language out, passed it and sent it over to the Senate. The Senate put the language back in, passed it and now it's sitting back in committee on the House side. If they (House) do concur with the Senate, obviously the water trust board funding for FY17 would be stripped out and no entity would be receiving that funding."

• Board members discussed efforts to engage the public in the water conservation process.

"We have worked with EPCOR and the schools in the past, doing public service announcements," Bryant said. "It's just a matter of reminding people about the importance of conserving water, even though the majority of the water use within our area is agriculture. We still feel there is a need to let people know how important it is to conserve water."