Portales City Council Minutes from Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Approved Meeting Minutes

City of Portales Council Meeting

Held at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Notes created on April 16, 2025 at 8:26 AM by Minutes AI

Call to Order and Attendance

Mayor Miller called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm.
The City Clerk called roll as follows: Mayor Miller, Mr. Elkins, Mr. Self, Mr. Lopez, Mr. Rackler, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Merrick, and Ms. Cordova were present.
Ms. Parker was absent. Quorum was met.

Invocation and Pledges

Mr. Robinson led the invocation.
Mayor Miller led the pledges.

Public Comment

Alan Carter spoke about water issues.
Believes all options should be on the table.
Thinks it would be a very substantial room for the community of Portales to to get something going on.
Wants transparency regarding the presence of PFAS in water projects like the Northwater project and Ute Lake.

Suggests using technology to find water and address trash issues, potentially generating revenue for the city or Roosevelt County.

Minutes Approval

Minutes from the previous meeting held April 1, 2025, were approved.
Motion by Mr. Rackler, second by Mr. Robinson.
No roll call vote was made. Council verbally confirmed approval. No opposition. No abstentions.

Action Items:

Mayor’s Appointment

Reappointment of Mr. Jim Lucero to the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority is recommended.
Mr. Lucero is willing to serve out the remainder of the year.
He is also willing to step aside in January if the in-coming mayor wants to appoint someone else.
Motion to accept Mr. Lucero’s appointment to be filled until the end of the year. At which time, the newly elected mayor will appoint Mr. Lucero’s replacement, made by Mr. Rackler, second by Mr. Elkins.

No roll call vote was made. Council verbally confirmed approval. No opposition. No abstentions. Mayor’s appointment was accepted.

Fire Department

Item 1. Resolution 2025-07

Resolution 2025-07 concerns removing time-barred accounts from ambulance accounts.
Chief Cathey explained this is an annual process to improve the fiscal impact of non- collectible amounts.
The amount is $177,836.61 over eight years, representing 2.4% of the accounts and billable amount.
The amount includes unpaid amounts by insurance and accounts that were not paid.
Motion by Mr. Elkins, second by Mr. Self to approve resolution 2025-07.
Roll call vote was made with a unanimous approval made by present council members. No opposition. No abstentions. Motion carried.

Item 2. Fire Marshal Municipal Fund Application

Annual application for fiscal year 2026.
Based on the number of main stations/substations and ISO score.
Projected amount of a little over $218,000. 00
Does not reflect additional amounts based on fund growth.

Questions for the Chief

New law passed: are there plans to bond any of this?
Fire fund has bonds.
EMS is the other one.
Animal control office listing as a substation at the airport:
In progress, should be done within the next fiscal year.
Motion by Ms. Cordova, second by Mr. Merrick to approve submission of NMSFMMF.
No roll call vote was made. Council verbally confirmed approval. No opposition. No abstentions. Motion passed to approve application.

Community Services

Special Use Permit – 2013 West 18th Street

Resolution PC 2024-2025-40: Special use permit for seven independent senior living homes with attached single garage.
Submitted by Mariposa Builder Construction Company.
Unanimously recommended for approval by the planning commission.
Property is next to RGH/Good Life Center.
Seven individual single-family units for independent elderly living.
Associated with the Good Life Care facility.
Special use permit needed due to the new independent living add-on.
RGH representative spoke in favor of the proposal.
Positive feedback received, including support from public utilities and P & Z.

Questions for Kelly

Impact on sewer with seven houses?
Public utilities had no protest.
Water and sewer were sent letters.
Drawing shows another building to the right of the homes.
This request is only is for the seven individual units.
Additional building may be a planned addition, but not currently there.
Initial special use included both, but the center hasn’t been built.
If the additional building falls under the same variance and meets setbacks, they wouldn’t have to come back before planning and zoning or city council.
Motion by Mr. Robinson, second by Mr. Rackler to approve PC Resolution.
No roll call vote was made. Council verbally confirmed approval. No opposition. No abstentions. Motion passed.

City Manager

Item 1. Temporary City Attorney Contract

Using league resources while searching for an attorney.
Agreement for legal services with a temporary attorney.
Overlap with new city attorney when hired.
Agreement between the city and the Queener Law Firm.
Under professional services contract under $60,000. 00
Mr. Queener has experience as attorney for Roosevelt County, the Co-Op, and City of Texico.
Motion by Mr. Elkins, second by Mr. Lopez to approve the Agreement.
No roll call vote was made. Council verbally confirmed approval. No opposition. No abstentions. Motion passed.

Item 2. Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan

Resolution 2025-08: Adopting a water conservation and drought contingency plan.
Mr. Mendoza provided the current update for the Water Dept. with Mr. Moyer taking over mid-way through the discussion.
Current water update:
Six wells resting out in Blackwater well field.
Lime Street tank is full and ready to go.
Currently at 2100 gallons per minute coming in.

Blackwater Wellfield Capacity

Blackwater wellfield is at 87% capacity.
Tank levels are typically kept between 25-29 ft to determine well production needs.

Sand Hill Well

Sand Hill is used only for filling Lime Street tank.
It’s utilized when Blackwater is at 100% capacity or to help fill Johnson Hill tanks, or during structure fires.
Sand Hill has a total of 14 wells, amounting to 469,000 gallons per day.

Lime Street Tank

Lime Street tank is on a cycle to prevent stagnation, typically drained every 1-3 months.
Stantec is working on a plan and design for refurbishing Lime Street tank.
They are currently on task order number four.
Smithco with Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority is also working on the tank.
They’ve installed a control valve and are about 70% done.
They’ve disinfected the inside of the tank.
Refurbishing will occur after the summer, based on Stantec’s preliminary report.

Wells Operation

Five wells are on variable frequency drives (VFDs).
Wells run at approximately 90% speed, adjusting based on water levels.
They slow down as water drains in the well to avoid burnout.
There’s a plan to install VFDs on all 37 Blackwater wells in the next budget.

Drought Contingency Plan

The drought contingency plan has been reviewed multiple times by the water advisory committee.
Concerns were raised about limiting watering to 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Suggestion to extend it to 5:00 a.m. or 6:00 a.m. to allow for staggered watering.
The language was cleaned up to specify watering on one day instead of two.
There are concerns about having two options for watering days, as people may water on both days.
It was suggested to assign specific days to even/odd addresses.
Enforcement of the plan relies on resident control and self-restraint and will not be “policed”.

Water Rates and Usage

Implementing new water rates with stiffer penalties for heavy users is being considered.
A meeting with Waterworth is scheduled to review findings and potentially implement new water rates.
Current well field usage is at 87%, which is considered “extreme” even before summer.
There’s a perception that the water crisis is over, leading to increased watering.
The city doesn’t have the well capacity to handle a severe water crisis.
The city needs to conserve water and explore alternative landscaping options that don’t require water.

Drought Contingency Plan (DCP)

The DCP aims to provide a framework for coordinating responses to water supply emergencies caused by various factors.
Residential water usage is below the national average.
The average US household uses 9,600 gallons/month, with 2,800 gallons/month for outdoor use.
The DCP is a starting point, not a complete solution.
The plan aims to start a conversation about what else can be done.
The plan needs additions, and multiple projects are needed to manage the water situation.
The speaker suggests adding a “normal operations stage” to the plan.
The current percentage-based stages are considered arbitrary.
Adding a stage like “up to 60%, water two days a week in June and July” might be beneficial.

Clarification on Stage Levels

The chart includes tank levels (moderate, severe, extreme, emergency) and well field usage percentages.
The tank levels may not accurately reflect the stress on the well field.
The decision was made to use a percentage based on well readings for a more accurate assessment.
The tank level is a backup indicator.
There is confusion about whether to include tank levels in the chart, as they may not align with well field usage percentages.

Wellfield Production Capacity

The city is currently pumping 87% of its wells.
The ban on plant activation is based on wellfield production capacity, with tank levels as a backup visual indicator.

Water Conservation Ideas

Some people have suggested paying farmers to not use irrigation circles, which could save more water than residential conservation efforts.
Clovis has a Sentinel program in Curry County where wells were voluntarily shut down.
The Water Co-op has done an excellent job of reducing water usage, aided by water meters.
Real-time data from the well field and usage meters, along with a rate schedule, could incentivize water conservation.

Irrigation Pivots

National statistics say that it’s about 6 to 800 gallons per minute for one irrigation pivot.
In the area, it’s about 400 gallons per minute for a 125-acre circle.
There are hundreds of irrigation pivots in the region, using about 80,000 gallons per minute.
The city’s water usage is small in comparison to the water used by irrigation pivots.

Leak Detection and Repair

The water department is advising residents to fix leaks.
New water meters will provide real-time data to detect leaks sooner.
Water Co-op’s leak program with their water meters has saved a lot of water.
The city plans to start a leak program soon, with contracts to be compared next month.

DFA Water Usage

DFA is one of the biggest water users in the area.
DFA is continually reviewing their processes to be as efficient as they can about reusing that water.
DFA employs hundreds of people in the community.
It’s a tough discussion to have with DFA because reducing their capacity could harm the community.

Reuse Water

Potable water is currently being used for street projects instead of reuse water.
The city cannot utilize the reuse system until they are in compliance.

The city is working on a corrective actions plan with Wilson and Company and NMED to achieve compliance.

Motion on Resolution 2025-08 and DCP

Motion by Mr. Elkins, second by Mr. Lopez to approve resolution 2025-08 and Drought Contingency Plan.
Roll call vote was made with a unanimous approval made by present council members. No opposition. No abstentions.
Resolution 2025-08 was approved, adopting the water conservation and drought contingency plan.
Mr. Elkins, Mr. Lopez, Mr. Rackler, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Merrick, and Ms. Cordova voted yes.
Mr. Self initially passed but later voted yes.
Ms. Parker was absent.

Council and Staff Comments

Second ambulance received from ARPA funding.
Island control foundation finished, new buildings to be delivered around May 14th.
Street light ballast replacement almost complete, 5 left.
25 more dumpsters done in the past two weeks.
Pothole filling to resume with new rock asphalt material.
The new material does not get tamped down, but settles with traffic and sets like concrete.
Sign machine is in, but there’s a software issue.
Convenience center awaiting final inspection and electrical work.
Alley behind McCarty’s to be worked on next week.
Substation repairs on track for the end of the month.
Lights on Chicago to be worked on tomorrow after traffic plan delay.
Budget meetings scheduled for the 28th and 29th of this month at 4 pm in the memorial building.
Preliminary budget deadline is May 31st.
Final approval deadline is July 31st.
Clerks attended a clerk’s spring session and conference.

Other Business

Mr. Rackler mentioned two issues from the chamber:
Questioned the deadline for the lodgers tax application and its notice of deadline being adequately sent out.
It was put in the paper and posted as required.
Email reminders are sent out.
Schools may cut funding for city sports due to COVID funding ending.
The city will take it back over if necessary, potentially adding a position to coordinate the efforts.

Updates on City Matters

All equipment has been replaced.
Locks are being fixed.
The city is trying to get back to a state where everything can be used for another purpose.

Street Sweeper

The water pump on the street sweeper is malfunctioning.
The speaker volunteered to look at it.

Parking Lot and Little League Field Conditions

An elderly patron fell and got hurt at the softball field.
The earliest anyone can repair the parking lot is early to mid-August.

Water Tank Usage

The water in the pond can be used, but once it’s done, the reuse system can’t be turned back on until the city is in compliance.
Someone has to stay out there with the pump the entire time.

Country Club Partnership

The country club wants to partner with the city to help with the discharge permit.
They want to propose a plan to keep the water moving.

Railroad Project Funding

The city needs to have the money to start and complete the project before starting.
Mr. Lopez said that once the railroad approves it, they’re going to pay for it.

Potholes

Potholes have been fixed in one area, but they’re all over town now.

Community Investments

Mariposa Builders Construction and Good Life were thanked for their investment in the community.

Sprinkler Automation

There was a suggestion to automate the sprinklers.

New Water Meters

Pursuing new water meters is critically important.
The city is waiting on quotes and a contract.

State Highway Department

The city should send a letter of thanks to the state highway department for their work on

B and Floyd Highway.

New Lawn Mowers

The park department got three new lawnmowers.
They have the capacity to take care of the softball field.
The city is trying to improve the equipment that they have.
Equipment replacement plans and vehicle replacement plans will be in the next budget.

Road Sweepers

The road sweepers can be fixed and made operable.
Contact information will be provided for repair of the sweepers.

Public Safety Presentation

Emergency management is preparing for the high wind season, hail, and thunderstorms.
Fire Chief Cathey showcased the new ambulance.
The Sheriff’s office will have a DWI saturation patrol in May.
The Chamber Ambassadors will host a free movie night for kids on the 24th.

Capital Outlay

The governor signed the capital outlay bill.
The council needs to be more involved in the capital outlay request process.
The city received about half a million for streets, money for a fire truck, an evidence room, and some street equipment.

Mr. Moyer’s Replacement

Rustin and Veronica will receive a packet for screening the first round of applicants for

Mr. Moyer’s replacement.

There is a good group of applicants.

Adjournment

Having no further business or questions, Mayor Miller adjourned the meeting at 6:44 pm.

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This is to certify that these Meeting Minutes were approved by City Council at their most recent, regular council meeting held on Tuesday, May 6, 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

If you are an individual with a disability who needs a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in a hearing or meeting, please contact the Portales City Manager or City Clerk at 575-356-6662, Option #0 at least one (1) week prior to the meeting or as soon as practical. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact the Portales City Manager or City Clerk at 575-356-6662 if a summary or other type of accessible format is needed. Questions, requests, or comments from citizens should be submitted in writing to the City Clerk or City Manager