Portales water meeting canceled

A meeting planned for Friday about raising water rates in Portales has been canceled.

Portales city clerk Joan Martinez-Terry put out the cancellation notice Tuesday about the session to discuss water rates.

There is no word if the issue will be on next Wednesday’s Portales City Council agenda.

Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce executive director Karl Terry expressed concern in the rate hike, writing to chamber members, “As proposed by the city finance committee and presented by staff the rates could increase 30 percent in the first year and continue to rise each year, topping at a 200 percent increase for commercial users. Industrial users would face a 200 percent increase the first year.

Terry told members at last week’s meeting councilors directed staff to work on the rates and bring back another proposal.