Q&A: Clovis city manager talks capital outlay, pipeline progress

Editor's note: Clovis City Manager Larry Fry discussed several topics as part of a periodic series checking up on issues related to the city.

How is the reuse pipeline project progressing, and when does the city expect it to be finished?

It depends upon the funding, in actuality. We are just now completing phase 1B, which is taking the water all the way to the corner of 14th and Sycamore, there on the edge of Hillcrest Park. Funding for 1C, which is the major distribution phase, depends on when the funding can be received. We have made an application to the water trust board. Their next meeting is in April. We've received preliminary approval for that, but with the uncertainty of funding at the state level, we're not sure that that's going to be able to be obtained - or not in this kind of timeframe.

Phase 1C would actually take it from that 14th and Sycamore area all the way up to near the high school, and has about 10 to 12 parks, schools, other things in between that would be provided the reuse water for irrigation purposes, as part of that phase 1C.

Has there been any further discussion of installing a fiber connection in remote areas of the city?

There is some private work being done in that area as I understand it, but the city itself is not looking at installing anything.

Of the items on the city's capital outlay request list, which do you think would most likely receive funding?

It's hard to say if anything will. The two projects that we specifically requested for is a brush truck for the fire department that would be used, particularly outside the city limits, for firefighting purposes. The second one is a road project around Sugar Beet Road and the (Highway) 60 84 on the east side of town, there by the Love's truck stop. Each of those projects is about a quarter million dollars each, and those are the two that we've identified to our legislators that we're trying to get funded there during this session.

What would you say are the most important issues at hand for the city in 2017?

There's a number of them. You've already mentioned part of it, which is the reuse project and the continuing emphasis on water and the water authority's effort toward the Ute pipeline project.

We are continuing to work on the Wilhite Street project up on the north end of town. That's about a $5.5 million project that's about 80 percent complete now. The Department of Transportation will be taking a road project from Llano Estacado about five miles north toward Ned Houk Park that will kind of dovetail into that project on Wilhite.

We're continuing to work on a lot of street projects and infrastructure. For example, we received funding last year and are about to do the roundabout in front of our airport that will replace that whole roundabout area out in front of the terminal building.

We're looking at doing Humphrey Road and 21st (Street) on the way out there to the airport. We're working with the state on the possibility of a roundabout or some way of dealing with that intersection there. Road projects continue to be a significant emphasis for us, as well as water issues.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Eamon Scarbrough