Clovis commission approves pay bump

CLOVIS — Starting today, many of Clovis’ 350-plus employees wlll earn a little more money for the jobs they do, as the city commission approved a 2.5% pay increase during its meeting Thursday night.

The move will cost the city $502,802 over the year, with the salary increases not affecting City Manager Justin Howalt or Clovis Police Department officers. Howalt negotiates his contract with the commission, while the CPD collectively bargains and had its own 2.5% increase approved Aug. 8.

Howalt said some library clerks and seasonal employees would receive a higher-percentage increase because their salaries need to be brought in line with state-mandated minimum-wage increases.

The city is looking at potential increases for first responders, and Howalt said he plans to look at wages from similar-sized communities and see what can be done to make the city competitive on those wages.

Commissioner Gary Elliott asked if doing that would help stem losses of manpower in various first-responder positions.

“That’s what we’re trying to accomplish,” Howalt said.

The money for the raises largely comes from the city’s general fund — $392,397 — with the remainder coming from city sanitation, wastewater, airport, workers compensation and special streets funds.

In other business at the Thursday meeting:

• The city approved its annual Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan, removing the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System from the list and adding Wellness Center upgrades to the top five projects for state capital outlay consideration.

The water system was removed from the list because the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority is submitting its own ICIP and the city wanted to avoid redundancy.

“I’m OK with doing that,” said Mayor David Lansford, who also chairs the authority. “We’re 75 percent of the water authority anyway, so when the authority puts together an ICIP that includes that city of Clovis.”

Commissioner Sandra Taylor-Sawyer said it’s always tough to pick the top five projects with so many deserving suggestions.

“We have to do a ranking, but all of these projects are very important,” Taylor-Sawyer said. “If I had a magic wand I could wave and fund everything, I would do it.”

• The commission approved a $46,594 budget change to pay Griego and Sons for cleanup of the Old Flour Mill property following the July 27 fire.

City Purchasing Agent Bryan Jones said he initially received three bids, the others being for about $49,000 and $26,000, and was skeptical about the low bid. He said if the bidder could do the job at that price he’d recommend the bid, but didn’t want a scenario where a local company bit off more than it could chew because, “It’s not going to work out for either one of us.”

Jones contacted the lowest bidder and asked if it would double-check the job specifications. The bidder had not anticipated all of the costs, including landfill tipping fees for the debris, and withdrew its bid.

The city has attempted to contact the owners of the property, but one is incarcerated and the other couldn’t be tracked down at the last known address. Howalt said a lien would be likely for the property.

• Clovis MainStreet Director Lisa Pellegrino-Spear gave a quarterly report on the organization, and told commissioners the upcoming Christmas Lights Parade theme would be “A Clovis Christmas Story.” It’s based on the holiday movie of a young boy named Ralph desiring a BB gun for Christmas.

Pellegrino-Spear also shared a rendering for a Main Street parking lot and green space area just north of the Clovis-Carver Public Library. The organization is working with the county on the 800 block of Main Street to create an area with 90-100 parking spots, trees and picnic areas.

• A one-year agreement was struck with Boutique Airlines to establish car rental services at Clovis Municipal Airport.

The airline plans to start with a field of three vehicles available to anybody for $49-$69 daily, and would expand the fleet if the service proves popular.

Commissioner Chris Bryant said he was uneasy about giving Boutique a one-year deal when its contract status as an Essential Air Service carrier is up for renewal. City Attorney Jared Morris noted the contract contains a clause allowing the city to terminate the agreement with 30 days notice.

The city will receive the higher of $35 per month or 4% of gross receipts.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Sept. 5 at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.