Meeting floats community gatherings

Having more neighborhood cookouts and ball games might bring about more feelings of community.

That is an idea that came out of the second neighborhood meeting hosted by the city of Clovis Tuesday at Kingswood United Methodist Church on North Main Street.

Mayor Mike Morris hosted the session held in the city's commission district 4.

That district's commissioners were there: Megan Palla and Chris Bryant.

Other commissioners in attendance were District 3 commissioner Helen Casaus, District 1 commissioner George Jones and District 2 commissioners Lauren Rowley and Gene Porter.

Also in attendance were Curry county commissioner Tom Martin and Ninth Judicial District Judge Ben Cross.

It was Cross who brought up the outdoor get-togethers when he asked Morris to talk about the cookout he hosted a couple of months ago at Clovis Apartments.

Area resident Shirley Erickson asked Morris if he would consider doing more "get togethers" in other neighborhoods.

Morris said he believed Erickson was describing a block party. Morris said he would be interested in doing such events.

After the meeting Erickson, area activist Josefita Griego and commissioner Gene Porter talked about the mechanics of putting a block party together, getting donations and volunteers.

The meeting was not as highly attended as the first neighborhood session Sept. 20 on the city's west side which had about 75 people in the audience.

Tuesday's meeting had an audience of about 20 people including commissioners and other city personnel.

Other things discussed at the meeting included Morris giving an update on the Ute Water Project, that its targeted completion year is 2029.

Morris noted the improvements to Norris Street, the work underway on the $8 million Hillcrest Senior Life Center and the progress on getting a behavioral health facility for the region.

Morris invited Cross to speak.

Cross spoke of a state mental health conference held in Santa Fe last weekend.

Cross said every county in the state had representatives there.

"How can we help those in our community with mental crises," Cross said. "Often they end up in jail. So often I see people in my court whose issue is wrapped around mental health."

Cross pointed out the need for a behavioral health facility in the area.

Area businessman Jan Ward said he thought citizens should be briefed on what to do in encounters with the mentally ill "especially those on fentanyl."

"People on fentanyl are 10 times worse than those on methamphetamine," Ward said. "How does the public deal with this?"

"That's a good question," Morris said. "We haven't really dealt with that."

As the meeting was wrapping up talk turned to helping the new local homeless shelter, 4 All of Us Transitional Improvements, raise funds.