Tax hike, air service on city agenda

CLOVIS — The Clovis city commission has a busy Tuesday ahead of it, with a meeting that includes a recommendation for local air service and a potential property tax increase to pay for part of a long-term water project.

It was the belief of Clovis Mayor David Lansford, who chairs the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority, that the city of Clovis needed to show state and federal partners it was willing to put “skin in the game” to secure $90 million needed to fund the interim groundwater project portion of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System.

The split would be $40 million federal, $30 million state and $20 million from authority members. Clovis’ share of the $20 million would be $15 million.

If a debt service of $15 million were approved, the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay $51.80 more per year in property tax.

If the debt service were approved for $20 million, that tax hike would be $69.07 annually; $86.33 annually for $25 million and $120.87 annually for $35 million.

Any additional money would be set aside for the likely purchase of water from local ag producers.

The increases could not go into effect until after tax rates are set by the state next September, but approval of a resolution calling for the increases would serve as a message to the state Legislature about the local commitment to the project.

The commission will also consider a recommendation for an air carrier to take over Essential Air Service (or Alternate Essential Air Service) at the beginning of 2020.

Submissions are from Advanced Air, Boutique Airlines, Contour Airlines, Key Lime Air Corp. (operating as Denver Air Connection) and Sky West Airlines.

Boutique is serving the current EAS contract, which expires in January.

The final decision lies with the Federal Aviation Administration, but local input is normally a heavy factor in the decision process.

In other business on the Tuesday agenda:

• The meeting will be preceded by a 3:30 p.m. executive session to discuss property acquisition or disposal.

• Consideration of rules at Colonial Park Golf Course. Touchstone Golf plans to place all 16 rules on its scorecards for golfers, and place signs around the course with the rules that apply to non-golfers.

• The commission will consider a beer and wine license for the Rib Crib restaurant on North Prince.