City to support Highland Dairy water cleanup

The city of Clovis will support efforts of the Highland Dairy southwest of the city, and EPCOR, the city's water provider, to obtain funding from the 2023 New Mexico Legislature to help find solutions to problems created by PFAS chemical pollution for the dairy's water supply, the Clovis city commission decided unanimously on Thursday.

Since Nov. 18, 2018, the dairy has halted dairy production due to the presence of PFAS chemicals in the water that was used for feed crops and consumed by dairy cattle, according to the text of the resolution.

PFAS chemicals are long-lasting pollutants that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers potentially harmful to the health of humans and animals, according to an EPA website.

The resolution notes that the dairy has experienced financial hardship and that EPCOR is working with Highland Dairy to find a way to restore the water to drinkable standards.

Art Schaap, owner of Highland Dairy, expressed gratitude to the city for its assistance.

"This will really help. We don't want to become a Superfund site," Schaap said.

A Superfund site is one that has been designated by the U.S. EPA as contaminated by hazardous waste or other toxins that pose a threat to the environment and human health.

Mayor Pro Tem Chris Bryant said, 'the county is supporting us, our state senators and representatives are behind us, and the (state) Environment Department says we're on the right path.

EPCOR, he said, has been authorized to conduct due diligence for work on correcting the problem.

District 4 Commissioner Megan Palla said, "This is wonderful news. The problem is not just for the Highland Dairy but the entire community."

The commission on Thursday also approved an additional $875,344 to be added to $2.1 million already reserved to relocate city sewer lines along U.S. 60-84 to make way for a storm drain along the highway in an agreement with the New Mexico Department of Transportation.

City Manager Justin Howalt explained that the additional funds were needed to accommodate a low bid of more than $2.9 million that NMDOT had received for the relocation project.

The additional $875,344 will come from city wastewater fund cash reserves, Howalt said.

In other action Thursday, the commission:

• Approved a small brewery and wine grower's license for the Red Door Brewery, for a its Levine's Gardens operations at 414 Main St., Clovis. The commission's approval followed a public hearing at which no one spoke either for or against the proposal.

• Approved allocations of $19,225 for LED parking lot lighting outside of the Roy Walker Recreation Center, and $19,950 for new LED lighting inside the Roy Walker center's gymnasium. Russell Hooper, the city's parks and recreation director said lighting in the parking lot was inadequate and that several fixtures in the gym had been broken. The LED fixtures, he noted would be far more energy efficient than the halogen lights they would replace.

• Heard that Police Chief Roy Rice has promoted Lt. Trevor Thron to deputy chief. Rice noted Thron's experience in crime scene investigation and participation on inter-agency task forces, including the Ninth Judicial District Attorney's Major Crimes Unit as qualifications for his promotion.

• Approved an allocation of $5,000 for marketing and promotion of Clovis Hires, a job and career fair for young adults scheduled for Feb. 28 at Clovis Community College. Mayor Mike Morris said he is spearheading this event, which also involves the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, Clovis Municipal Schools, Clovis Economic Development and the Clovis-Curry County Chamber of Commerce. Morris said the event will feature sessions in which participants age 16 to 24 will be introduced to careers and the steps needed to enter those career paths.