Meetings watch: Portales City Council

The following were actions taken at the Portales City Council meeting Tuesday in the Memorial Building:

• Councilors approved a resolution removing unpaid ambulance billing accounts from 2003-2013.

The removal of uncollectable accounts has not been done in over 10 years, according to Portales Fire Chief Gary Nuckols, who added that unpaid balances total $887,444.

Uncollectable accounts have averaged $84,518 a year in that period, or about 10 percent of what is billed on a yearly basis, Nuckols said.

“Our collection rates remain between 80 and 85 percent a year,” he said.

He added that over 75 percent of the uncollectable accounts belonged to deceased persons.

“The other 25 percent are those that just elect not to pay their bills, or have lived here as a college student or a citizen and moved out of Portales,” Nuckols said.

• Councilors approved submission of an application for the annual New Mexico Fire Protection Fund distribution for the 2018 fiscal year.

The minimum amount expected this year is $154,169, according to Nuckols.

“That’s typically the minimum each year,” he said.

In the 2017 fiscal year, the Portales Fire Department received $199,126, said Nuckols.

• Councilors approved the subdivision of two lots into four at a subdivision in Roosevelt County.

Owner Norbert Garcia submitted an application for the proposed subdivision at his property a mile east of the city, according to Planning Director Donna Rutherford.

• Councilors approved an agreement allowing Roosevelt County Little League to use three parks for baseball and softball.

The agreement gives the league the use of Rotary Park, Lindsey Park and Morrison Park, according to Recreation Director Jodi Diaz.

A new addition this year is a separate agreement allowing the league to use some of the recreation center’s equipment for softball, Diaz said.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Eamon Scarbrough