Portales city manager's status undecided

PORTALES — After a nearly two-hour executive session Wednesday, the Portales City Council left hanging the status of City Manager Sarah Austin.

During the executive session, Austin was called into the council's meeting room several times as discussion continued.

Following Wednesday's council meeting, Mayor Ron Jackson would not to commit to whether more discussion would be needed before the council votes on Austin's contract.

Austin's three-year contract, approved on June 8, includes a six-month probation period. Austin's salary was set at $89,000 a year.

Austin replaced Sammy Standefer, who retired May 28 after 29 years with the city and six years as city manager. Prior to joining Portales, Austin served as the village manager for Milan, near Grants.

In other business on Wednesday, the council:

• Approved unanimously the purchase of a trash-collection truck for $279,000, even though documents for the purchase arrived only that afternoon and the price exceeded the $200,000 budgeted for the purchase. Public Works Director John DeSha told the council the offer came from a contractor vetted through state authorities and presented an opportunity that may not be repeated.

“These vehicles are hard to come by,” he said, adding, “We won't see it until the second quarter of 2023.”

Otherwise, he said the city would not have the new truck until 2025. The purchase, he acknowledged, is unusual, but he noted the city will not pay for the vehicle until 2023. The vehicle will be purchased from the Lonestar Truck Group of Albuquerque.

• Voted unanimously to purchase a hydro excavator, a device that uses water pressure to expose underground pipes and eliminates the need for digging, DeSha said. The hydro excavator's price is $97,200 and it will be purchased through HGACBuy, a purchasing cooperative, Austin said. It will be used by the city's Water and Wastewater Department.

• Authorized the city Fire Department to apply for a $15,000 grant for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from the New Mexico Emergency Medical Services Bureau of the Department of Health. Fire Chief T.J. Cathey said the grant is applied for annually and proceeds assist with EMS operations.