About $24 million in capital outlay projects lined up for area

With the end of the 2024 Legislative Session Thursday, area legislators lined up $24 million in capital outlay projects for Curry and Roosevelt counties in hopes of approval from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

As to when Lujan Grisham will sign the capital outlay bill known as Senate Bill 275, possibly vetoing projects, Senator Pat Woods (R-Broadview) didn’t have an exact date.

“She has 30 days to do it,” Woods said Thursday.

Clovis City Manager Justin Howalt reported of a list of seven capital outlay projects city officials were hoping to be funded only one was.

The city had asked for $2 million to fund improvements to the drainage of a section of Purdue St. but got funding for $1.4 million.

Howalt noted MainStreet Clovis received $930,000 in funding for downtown lighting, pending approval.

“The City of Clovis would like to thank all of our legislators for their hard work during this legislative session. We appreciate the awarded funding and look forward to getting started on the Cameo-Purdue drainage project,” Howalt said.

Curry County Manager Lance Pyle provided a list of other capital outlay projects awaiting the governor’s signature:

• $3 million toward a Curry County Magistrate building.

• $250,000 for vehicle replacement at Clovis Community College.

• $300,000 for the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico in Clovis.

• $1.35 million for Curry County roads.

• $1 million toward the Curry County recreational complex

• $200,000 for the EPCOG homeless shelter.

• $50,000 for roof replacement for a community building in Grady.

• $110,000 for Melrose park splash pad improvements.

• $400,000 for a Melrose bulk water station.

Total capital outlay funds for Curry County and Clovis totals $8.99 million pending approval by the governor.

Roosevelt County Manager Amber Hamilton provided a copy of SB275 listing the Portales and Roosevelt County capital outlay projects totaling $2.055 million proposed for approval:

• $500,000 for a chip spreader for the county road department.

• $350,000 for a county road department truck.

• $500,000 for water storage improvements in Portales

• $200,000 for an ambulance for Portales.

• $400,000 for Portales road improvements.

• $105,000 to build a storage building for the Soil and Water Conservation District.

Eastern New Mexico University is also destined for $13 million:

• $400,000 for Audiology/Brain-Computer interface equipment for ENMU.

• $300,000 for biology/chemistry training at ENMU.

• $300,000 for television equipment for KENW-TV at ENMU.

• $12 million for a new student academic services building at ENMU.