Public works director reports utility changes

PORTALES — Public Works Director John DeSha reported city utility changes to city councilors Tuesday night at the Portales City Council meeting at the Memorial Building.

DeSha told councilors that many people outside city limits use city sewage without having an active utility account with the city, so city officials will be performing a smoke test to clean out sewage pipes and to show city officials who has sewage service with the city line without having an account.

“We will give them 30 days to come open an account, and if they do not comply in that time, we will physically go out there and shut off their service,” DeSha said.

He said it was discovered there were multiple users outside city limits using city sewage, because people would call the city wanting to have sewage problems fixed, and city officials would discover the resident had no utility account with the city.

DeSha said there would be $250 in application and processing fees, and the city has put together an application packet for outside residents with full instructions and all the paperwork they will need. He said residents wanting to install lines to city utilities will have to obtain a right-of-way/easement permit from the county, and if they are not the landowner of the property they live on, they have to provide a signed document with the landowner’s approval for them to have service.

Changes to utility users within city limits included the addition of a one-time sewer tap fee and wastewater plant impact fee for new accounts, and right-of-way excavation permits for sewer tap replacements were lowered to $100.

Councilors approved the resolution to adopt the changes to utility user agreements.

Other actions taken at the meeting:

• Kevin Seales, an equipment operator with the Solid Waste Department, was recognized for 20 years of service, and Ben Rodriquez, the Solid Waste Department superintendent, was recognized for 25 years of service.

“It’s been long and fun, and I enjoy working with the people I work with. You couldn’t find a better group of guys,” Seales told councilors and officials.

“The city is what got me here; my coworkers, the city leaders are what got me here, and I appreciate it,” Rodriquez said.

• Councilors made a proclamation declaring March 17 as National SBDC Day, recognizing the Small Business Development Center and its director, Sandra Taylor-Sawyer, for all of the help it has provided to small businesses.

“I just really thank the city of Portales for all of your support,” Taylor-Sawyer told councilors. “We work hand-in-hand with the chamber and the community development corporation. This is really a great day to celebrate our small businesses. They are the backbone of our community.”

• Councilors approved an alteration to the city’s bills by the Finance Department.

Finance Director Marilyn Rapp said the city spent less than usual in February, likely due to it being a 28-day month, so that was why the alteration was needed.

• Councilors heard an audit report from Dahlia Garcia of Beasley, Mitchell & Company in which she told councilors that there were very few issues found in regard to auditing the city.

She said there were no internal control issues found, and only one non-compliance issue, but that pertained to the city’s Finance Department being unable to have a document certified on time due to the COVID-19 shutdown. She said that issue was void by the time their audit report was released to the state.

• Councilors tabled a request to authorize a release for a 555 Fitness “Strength is our Foundation” Grant application.

Mayor Ron Jackson said it was discovered that there was some language that needed to be changed in the application.

• Counselors approved a notice of intent for an ordinance approving an economic development project.

City Manager Sammy Standefer said there was an agreement the city made several years ago with Ready Roast in which the city provided funds for the company through economic development grant funds, but Ready Roast did not live up to its part of the agreement and re-paid the money it had been given.

Standefer said the money is still available in a city account, and Hampton Farms has agreed to fulfill some of the agreement the city previously had with Ready Roast.

• Councilors approved a memorandum of agreement with the cities of Portales, Clovis, and Tucumcari and the counties of Roosevelt, Curry, Quay, and De Baca to commission a feasibility study for a psychiatric hospital in Clovis.

“We feel it’s much needed on this side of the state,” Standefer said. “When we have this type of patient, we are currently hauling them all across the state. We’re having to go to Colorado, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, and sometimes even Arizona.”

He said the city’s portion of the feasibility study would be 15%, which is about $9,000.