Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Clovis voters allowed a change to incentivize retail businesses with economic development dollars, and welcomed a new school board member to the fold in Tuesday’s general election.
Results, available at the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office website, are considered unofficial until they are canvassed by their respective county commissions. Most of the Tuesday night races were uncontested, covering school boards, soil and water conservation districts and hospital districts. Results reported by The News are as of 10:30 p.m.
By a 954-349 count, Clovis citizens allowed a change to its Local Economic Development Act, allowing taxpayer dollars that are currently used to incentivize industry to incentivize retail in the same way. Mayor Mike Morris, who helped push passage of state legislation allowing the change for municipalities of 35,000 or more, has said the city will not raise taxes as a result of the measure and will not recruit businesses that provide services already well-established in the city.
In the Clovis Municipal School district, former teacher Sharon Epps was the clear winner in a three-way race, taking 488 votes versus 216 for incumbent Kyle Snider and 49 for former teacher Rosa Sanchez.
In Roosevelt County, Braden Fraze claimed a tight four-way race for Position 4 of the Portales school board. In a four-person race, Fraze took 68 votes, compared to 56 for Meredith Seifert, 52 for incumbent Antonio SAnchez and 10 for William Hillard. The position 3 race was won by Jimmie Standifer, who took 92 votes against Angela Smith’s 69.
Mark Peabody easily won a three-way race for the Texico school board’s Position 4 seat. Peabody took 91 votes, versus 30 for Troy Teague and eight for Dustin Ptolemy.
In Floyd, Kenny Reed toppled Jeffrey Essary for Position 2 on the school board, taking 85 votes to Essary’s 29. Charlsea Lee retained her Position 5 seat, beating Adam Burns 71-59. Vicki Banister ran unopposed for her Position 1 spot. The board is currently suspended by the Public Education Department for July and August votes to make COVID-19 mitigation practices optional at Floyd Schools. A hearing for the board members is scheduled for January, and attorneys for both parties have declined to comment on the ramifications of the election on the board and the hearing.
Dora retained Jana Roberts for Position 4, with 61 votes versus Shawna Wade’s 52.
Voters in both counties overwhelmingly approved capital improvement taxes and mill levy questions in Portales, Texico, Melrose, Elida, Grady and Dora.
