Held at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Notes created on July 7, 2025, at 1:29 PM by Minutes AI. Corrections/Changes were made as requested by council members.
Call to Order
• Mayor Pro Tem Cordova called the council meeting to order at 5:30 pm.
Roll Call
• City Clerk, Danielle Swopes called roll. Attendance as follows:
Ms. Cordova, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Rackler, Mr. Self, Mr. Merrick, Ms. Parker and Mr. Lopez-present.
• Mayor Miller-absent. Ward C, Position 2 remains vacant.
• Quorum was established.
Invocation and Pledges
• Invocation led by Mr. Robinson followed by Mr. Merrick leading pledges.
Public Comment:
Mike Davidson – Budget Flexibility
• Mr. Davidson advocated for the creation of an assistant city manager position for Mr. Gallegos.
• He argued that Mr. Gallegos has demonstrated competence and leadership during the interim period.
• Mr. Davidson suggested reallocating funds from the vacant public works director position to fund the assistant city manager role.
• He believes this would be a smart investment in leadership continuity.
Dwight Bell – Roosevelt County Water Conference
• Dwight Bell announced the Roosevelt County Water Conference to address local water issues and find solutions.
• The conference will be held on July 28th at 6:30 PM at “Something Old, Something
New” on Highway 70.
• Presenters will include Aquaterics, RCEC, Roosevelt County Rural Water Co-op, and the
Soil and Water Conservation.
• The council requested a flyer to post on social media.
Minutes of the Previous Meeting-Motion and Voting
• The minutes from June 17, 2025, were reviewed.
• A motion to approve the minutes was made by Mr. Merrick and seconded by Ms. Parker.
• No roll call vote was made. Council verbally affirmed their approval The motion carried, with abstentions from two members who were not present at the previous meeting, Ms. Cordova and Mr. Lopez.
Presentation Item:
Xcel Energy presented by Patrick Lucero
• Patrick Lucero from Xcel Energy provided an update on projects in Portales.
• Conversions are in progress to move away from 4KV to 1247KV lines, (yellow lines on the aerial street image, indicating conversions in the past 18 months).
• Green lines (aerial image) indicate the long range scope plans of work by Xcel Energy .
• A new transformer will be added to the Kilgore substation by the end of 2026.
• This will transition everything on Portales City (by JD Haskell) to that substation.
• Conversions will involve inspecting the poles.
Power Outage Update
• Replacing bad poles and wooden crossarms.
• Wildfire protection in areas with long spans and brush:
• Changing insulators and lightning arresters.
• Using fuses that contain arcs to prevent sparks.
• Most work will be done at the end of 2026, with more in 2027.
• Higher KV rating (higher voltage) reduces amp draw, stabilizing the system. 4K has lower voltage but higher amperage. Replacement parts are harder to obtain.
Action Items:
Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce
Item 1. Chamber’s Special Use Permission Farmer’s Market Lot
Presented by Quaylene Parkey, Executive Director.
• Requesting permission to expand use of the open lot on the corner of South Avenue B between 1st and 2nd Streets.
• Currently used seasonally for the Farmer’s Market.
• Requesting permission to use the lot for Flea Market Fridays during the summer.
Motion and Voting
• Mr. Robinson motioned to approve her request. Seconded by Mr. Rackler. No roll call vote was made. Council members verbally affirmed their unanimous approval.
• Motion carried. Permission granted to Ms. Parkey and the Chamber of Commerce.
Item 2. Permission to Pursue Grants-Electrical Lights, Outlets for Same Lot
• Quaylene Parkey, executive director of the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, wants to add lights to the trees.
• Seeking permission to seek electric. Wants to pursue grant(s) to pay for the installation of electrical work.
• Wants to install electric outlets for at least two food trucks/vendors and for Christmas lights.
• The city owns the lot. That’s why permission is being requested by the Chamber.
Lot Maintenance and Improvements
• The city maintains the lot. Mr. Merrick later volunteered to trim the base of the trees.
• Flea Market Fridays will not interfere with the Farmers Market.
• Electricity may benefit the Farmer’s Market (e.g., for corn roasters).
• Goal: Make the corner more appealing, like the RCEC’s corner (1st and Main).
Motions and Voting
• Motion to allow permission to seek funding for grants to get the electric put in:
• Motion by Mr. Rackler, second by Mr. Self.
• No roll call vote was made. Council unanimously affirmed their approval. Motion carries.
• It is Ms. Parkey’s intention to search for grants but is open to receiving any help or suggestions that is available.
• The chamber has adopted the lot and has been keeping it clean.
Mayor/Council Item
City Manager’s Employment Agreement
• Approval of the mayor’s (or Mayor Pro Tem’s) signature on the city manager’s employment agreement with Scott Mitten.
• The contract is in the packet.
• Ms. Rudd spent time on the contract and feels confident in its terms.
• The contract covers everything the city wants to offer Mr. Mitten and his requests.
Employment Agreement Discussion
• The employment agreement is binding like a contract.
• A meeting was held to clarify the language, addressing questions from Mr. Merrick, including the start date.
Mr. Merrick’s Concerns
• Mr. Merrick still objects to some wording in the contract, specifically regarding the supervision of the Chief Administrative Officer.
• He believes the city council, not the mayor, should be designated as the supervisor, as the council handles hiring and job descriptions.
• He notes that the reasoning for including the mayor was that the mayor would be the point of contact.
• Mr. Merrick mentions state legislation that was supposed to clarify the issue but instead “clouded it” because it doesn’t address their specific form of government (mayor, council, manager).
• He acknowledges that he will vote in support of signing the contract.
Legal Counsel’s Explanation
• The city attorney explains that recent legislative changes (House Bill 298, signed April
7th, effective June 20th) delegate authority to the mayor to supervise employees.
• Removing the mayor’s supervisory role would make the contract invalid according to state statute.
• The city attorney clarifies that while city ordinances may seem contradictory, the relevant section has been amended to give supervisory powers to the mayor.
• To change this, the city would need to amend its ordinance.
• The city attorney states that Portales has a mayor-council form of government, and state law dictates that supervision of employees falls to the mayor.
Further Discussion
• Mr. Rackler suggests resolving the confusion by creating an ordinance that clearly defines the duties of the mayor, council, and city manager.
• They express concern that the current arrangement, with both the mayor and council supervising the city manager, is confusing.
• Mr. Self questions the mayor’s supervisory role, stating that the council ultimately votes on matters.
• The city attorney confirms that state law supersedes any conflicting city ordinances.
• Modifying ordinances to clarify duties is possible, but the current contract must comply with state law.
• The city of Portales is a council, not a commission, which is clearly distinguished in the law.
• The speaker believes the contract is a focal point for dealing, and they need to stay focused on that to avoid getting into a personnel issue.
• A committee should be put together to look into the changes in the ordinance.
• State law says the mayor has authority, and the speaker is more worried about state law than the contract.
Motion and Voting
• A motion was made by Mr. Robinson and seconded by Mr. Rackler to vote on the contract.
• Roll call vote: Ms. Cordova, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Rackler, Mr. Self, Mr. Merrick, Ms. Parker, Mr. Lopez-yes.
• The motion carries with a unanimous vote to approve the signature to the Employee Agreement with Mr. Scott Mitten as City Manager.
Public Infrastructure Item
Eastern Plains Council of Government (EPCOG)
Presented by Jo McVey
• A request for approval of Resolution 2025-20, an agreement for the city of Portales to participate in the Eastern Plains Council of Government for fiscal year 2025-2026.
• Council member Oscar Robinson will return as the board member, and Jo McVey will be the alternate.
• Eastern Plains Council of Government sends an agreement every year, and the city usually approves a resolution to commit to join.
• The EPCOG representatives from Clovis, NM: Mr. Raymond Mondragon and Ms. Sandy Chancy were in attendance.
Sandy Chancy, EPCOG, Annual Report
• Sandy Chancy, the executive director of EPCOG, states that they are the regional planning and development organization for district 4 of New Mexico.
• EPCOG provides technical assistance in funding, helps put together funding packages, and answers questions about governance.
• EPCOG collected $40,103.00 in dues for fiscal year 25, and investments into the region for fiscal year 25 was $10,607,741.57, a return on investment of 26,351.24%.
• EPCOG does a lot of work with infrastructure and capital improvement plans and community development block grants.
• EPCOG has a mental health program that provides counselors in schools and jails in
Curry, Roosevelt, and DeBaca counties.
• Over 200 rural students have received counseling through this program.
• They are looking for funding to expand the program to other counties.
Services and Programs
• 2,000 touch points with parents at open house meetings.
• 250 patients with substance abuse or mental health disorders received follow-up from
Roosevelt General Hospital.
• A career day was held for students interested in social work/mental health.
• Over 1,000 students enrolled in the School Pulse program, a positive messaging platform that has prevented three suicides.
Economic Development and Planning
• The organization is an economic development district under EDA and has received the grant agreement.
• Raymond Mondragon is on the New Mexico Military Based Planning Commission and the planning committee for the Route 66 Centennial.
• Awarded $2,920,000.00 in capital outlay and assisted with requests worth $49,110,964.00 (sic) [based on read notes from Mr. Mondragon].
• Co-manages two regional transportation planning organizations.
Grants and Funding
• Submitted grant applications for Route 66 beautification and planning activities.
• Contracted with Emerald Health Partners for grant research and writing assistance.
• Anticipates receiving more capacity building money this fiscal year, with a placeholder of
$400,000.00 in the budget.
• Stipends can be provided for staff training and travel expenses.
Training and Workshops
• Grant writing and management workshops will be conducted.
• Training for municipal clerks and accounting training for finance staff will be provided.
• Three employees have utilized their assistance free training. Will be offering stipends for more staff members to attend training opportunities.
Board Elections
• Mayor Meadow Forget of the village of Melrose is the current chair.
• Cynthia Lee, the clerk in San Jon, is the vice chair.
• Clayton Kiesling, county commissioner from Union County, is the treasurer.
Invitation
• An invitation was extended to the mayor and council to attend a New Mexico military base planning commissioners meeting at Cannon Air Force Base on July 8th at 10:30 AM.
Route 66 Centennial Events
• Working with Route 66 to celebrate the old and the new.
• Received $2.5 million in grants last session and an additional $2.5 million this session.
• Granting funds to communities along the route for improvements to their signs.
• Route 66 is celebrating its centennial with a banner of 100 years.
• The US Centennial Commission, appointed by President Biden, includes eight states.
• Each state was designated to appoint a centennial working commission.
• Each community is putting together celebrations.
Motion and Voting
• Motion by Mr. Merrick, second by Ms. Parker, to participate in Eastern Plains Council of Government (EPCOG) by approving Resolution 2025-20.
• Roll call vote: Ms. Cordova, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Rackler, Mr. Self, Mr. Merrick, Ms. Parker, Mr. Lopez – yes.
• Motion carries with a unanimous vote. Resolution 2025-20 is approved.
Airport Item
Ratification of Grant PRZ-25-03
Presented by Laura Lovelady, P&Z Administrator
• Ratification of grant PRZ-25-03 for relocation design and construction design of automated weather observing system (AWOS).
• State commitment is $66,100 with a city match of $3,479.
• The grant from New Mexico DOT is for relocating the AWOS, which is within the safety zone according to the updated airport layout plan.
• The current AWOS system is old, leading to costly and frequent repairs.
Questions Regarding AWOS
• Question about the total cost of the system.
• The current grant is for planning and design.
• Actual construction is in the continuous improvement plan dated for 2027, with grants expected that year.
Motion and Voting
• Motion by Mr. Robinson, second by Mr. Lopez, to approve the grant.
• Roll call vote: Ms. Cordova, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Rackler, Mr. Self, Mr. Merrick, Ms. Parker, Mr. Lopez – yes.
• Motion carries. The grant PRZ-25-03 is approved.
City Council and Staff Comments:
• Tax rate in the city went from 7.9375% to 8.55% effective July 1.
• Street pavement work is ongoing; residents should report any issues.
• Plans to fill in holes from water pipe repairs are delayed due to rain.
• Looking for a new member for the planning and zoning commission. Send letters of interest to Danielle Swopes, City Clerk.
• Still actively looking for a part-time code enforcement officer.
Street Sweeper Update
• The street sweeper is partially functioning. The water system needs to be repaired.
Reuse Water Update
• Still at a standstill with the state regarding reuse water for the cemetery.
• Meeting with Mendoza this week for an update.
Street Work
• Residents are asking when they will get their street paved.
• The schedule keeps getting disrupted due to rain.
• Priority is being given to streets around schools.
Claw Truck
• Question about when the claw truck will be used to clean alleys.
• It will be used once the rolloff truck is back in service (reference: recent wreck involving rolloff truck, which was totaled).
Alleys and Trash
• Alleys in Portales are a mess.
• The city is relying on another company to get stuff out of the convenience center.
• A rolloff truck is on order and should be here in a couple of months.
Code Enforcement
• The city is short-staffed.
• They are looking for a part-time code enforcement officer.
• Citizens can email specific properties that need attention.
Trash Trucks and Street Repairs
• Trash trucks are back up and running.
• A citizen on Kilgore reported that the paver is chipping up the curb (street work is being done).
Water Meeting
• The city is invited to the water meeting (mentioned earlier in Public Comments).
• The intention is to have state, city, and county representatives there.
Meter Contract
• Meeting with Mendoza on Thursday to come up with a game plan.
• The city attorney has been looking over the contracts.
Municipal Conference
• The New Mexico Municipal League’s Annual Conference is in September, from the 16th through the 19th.
• MOLI I & II training sessions are August 5th through the 8th.
• Information can be found on the New Mexico Municipal League website.
Other Reminders
• Send three to five questions to Ms. Rudd for a directive for the new city manager.
• Email Cambry Townsend to set up a meeting for WWTP solutions.
Adjournment
• Having no further business or questions, Mayor Pro Tem Cordova adjourned the meeting at 6:36 pm.
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This is to certify that these meeting minutes were “approved as changed” by council at their last regular meeting Tuesday, July 15, 2025, and made available to the public within the OMA required post-meeting time allowance. It is a summary of the above meeting. A full transcription of the meeting can be obtained from the city’s YouTube channel.
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Danielle Swopes, City Clerk, or Melissa Carrillo, Deputy City Clerk
