Officials weigh in on city safety

Tuesday's first "Neighborhood Meeting" hosted by the Clovis city administration answered a few questions and served as an introduction to city services.

Approximately 70 people attended the session held at St. John the Baptist Church off Cesar Chavez Drive on the city's west side.

Mayor Mike Morris emceed the meeting.

Morris outlined some points of progress for the city's west side including the future Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard project from Seventh Street on to 21st Street, which will feature road improvements and sidewalks. He also noted Potter Park improvements.

Most if not all of Clovis' city commissioners were present for the session along with Clovis schools Superintendent Renee Russ, acting Clovis Community College President Robin Jones and Clovis-Curry County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ernie Kos.

Russ spoke about the school system still recovering from the pandemic, and while the school system lost some students to Texas schools the school population is up by 200 students this year.

"Get the kids to go to school," Russ emphasized.

She said most crimes are committed by high school dropouts.

Deputy Superintendent of Operations Jay Brady spoke of school system security and how artificial intelligence is helping protect kids.

Warren Hill, the school system's senior director of operations, talked about the system's new weapons detection system.

"This year we implemented closed and locked doors for classrooms," Hill said in talking about school security.

Hill went on to say that the school system is working on getting perimeter fencing for all campuses.

Cherry Gooch spoke to the gathering, introducing "For All of Us Transitions," a service on Rencher Street for the homeless and people who are going through "transitions."

Gerri Dawson addressed the meeting, pointing out the purpose of the session: "To let you know what resources are available," Dawson said.

"We want to do better," Dawson said. "We want to be better."

About an hour into the meeting Morris started fielding questions from the audience.

Ben Salazar, congressional aid to Teresa Leger-Fernandez, asked Morris about fixed route bus scheduling versus calling for a bus to come and pick a person up, much like a taxi, as is done in Clovis with Clovis Area Transit System (CATS).

Morris said he would look into that.

CATS Operations Manager Mary Collins said fixed route busing had been proposed twice before and voted down twice before.

One person brought up the traffic situation on Cesar Chavez Drive in the vicinity of Bella Vista school, that weekday afternoons the situation was very congested. Assistant City Manager Claire Burroughes spoke with the concerned woman and took notes.

Morris was asked about recreational activities for the city's youth to which he spoke highly of the school system's "Camp Wildcat."

The Roy Walker facility and its condition was addressed, Morris noting it would take about $600,000 to repair that building's air conditioning and heating system, money that would have to come from somewhere outside the city such as the state Legislature, which is where any new youth buildings would have to come from.