Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
CLOVIS — The Clovis city commission approved the final adoption of its cannabis ordinance at its meeting Thursday.
The ordinance approved by the city commission, among other things, creates a new section that states cannabis retail businesses are only allowed in Commercial General and Industrial zones and that cannabis manufacturing businesses and cannabis production businesses are only allowed in Industrial zones, said city attorney Jared Morris. The ordinance will go into effect on Sept. 1, at which time the city can start accepting licensing applications.
Also in the meeting, Mayor Mike Morris said he has been asked “where he stands” on the reimplementation of face masks in public indoor spaces regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. Morris said he had been asked to sign an open letter related to a requirement for private businesses to show proof of the vaccination status of their employees.
Morris said he would not sign the letter because it went too far. He said he has taken the vaccine but that was his personal choice.
“I took the vaccine but I wanted people to have the freedom to do that,” he said.
During the comments period, some speakers asked the city to make a stand and support them in opposition to state face mask mandates.
Commissioner Leo Lovett said the commission has no jurisdiction on state public health orders or the Public Education Department’s governance of schools. He added the commission supports all citizens in Clovis regardless of their viewpoints on face masks and vaccinations.
In other business at the meeting, which The News covered virtually:
• Lovett announced the Thursday meeting would be his final meeting as a District 1 commissioner. Lovett, who is moving to Las Cruces for a job promotion, told The News in May he planned to resign from the commission in the upcoming months. The commission will have 30 days from the date of vacancy to name a District 1 citizen to the seat, and that person will serve through March. The final two years of Lovett’s term will be on the March municipal ballot. Seven candidates ran for the position in 2020, which was open after Ladona Clayton took a job in Dallas and David Robinson served the remaining eight months with no desire to run for the office.
• The commission approved partnering with the county to pay for shade structures in the parking lot where Food Truck Fridays is held, provided the grant is approved. The $50,000 grant would require a 50% match. The city and Curry County, which owns the lot, would each cover $12,500.
• The commission approved an interest-free loan to the Clovis Regional Airport for $358,450.00 from Fund 48, Worker’s Compensation P&L, to purchase a 1,000 Gallon AvGas Refueler Truck and a 5,000 Gallon Jet-A Refueler Truck to assist with aircraft fueling operations. Airport Director James Harris said the existing trucks had “exceeded their life spans.”
• Harris said the 2021 Clovis Wings -n-Wheels Fly-In will take place at the regional airport from 11 am to 3 pm on Sept. 18. The free event will exhibit airplanes and “some cool cars.”
• The next meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Sept. 2 at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.
