Clovis City Commission Meeting – August 21, 2025: Proclamations, GRT Ballot Resolution, Park Projects, and Mobile Stage Approval
Clovis City Commission Regular Meeting – August 21, 2025
The Clovis City Commission met on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at 5:15 PM in the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Library. The meeting featured three proclamations, one public comment regarding a police interaction, approval of nine consent agenda items, adoption of two resolutions including the call for a November 4, 2025, election on a 0.1225% gross receipts tax for a proposed indoor sports complex, and new business items including park restroom repairs, a compensation study, a mobile stage purchase, and an animal shelter grant application.
Proclamations, Awards, and Presentations
- National Preparedness Month: Ruthann Kelly, Emergency Management Director, presented a proclamation declaring September 2025 as National Preparedness Month. She encouraged residents to prepare for disasters, sign up for Hyper Reach Alerts (text "alerts" to 575-218-7100), and visit Ready.gov.
- National Recovery Month: Lacy Keith from Mental Health Resources presented a proclamation declaring September 2025 as National Recovery Month. She brought peer support specialists Lisa Agin and Kathleen Daniel. The proclamation noted an estimated 80,391 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2024, a 26.9% decrease from 2023.
- 2025 Yard of the Summer Awards: Commissioner Megan Palla and Marketing Coordinator Nicolle Holcomb presented awards to winners from each district: Eddie Atkins (District 1), Asalin Hughes (District 1), Lissandro Sanchez (District 2), Fidel and Teresa Perez (District 2), Floyd Bynum (District 3), Keith and Susan Bassett (District 4), and Sean and Barbara St. John (District 4). Winners received shovels or rakes donated by Lowe's and will have yard signs delivered the next morning.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Allahehova Jones (2605 Getting Street) addressed the Commission regarding a negative encounter with Clovis police. He reported a threat online, filed a complaint about an officer loading a shotgun in his presence, and expressed concerns about intimidation and the length of the complaint process. The Mayor acknowledged his complaint and assured follow-up.
Consent Calendar
The Commission approved the following nine items by unanimous consent:
- Budget transfer of up to $120,000 from Fund 63 (Recreation) for improvement projects at Roy Walker, Youth Recreation Building, Potter Pool, and Hillcrest Sand Volleyball Court.
- Agreement with Consensus Planning for GIS services not to exceed $46,451.
- Approval of 2025-2026 air quality reporting for the Clovis Regional Solid Waste Facility.
- Scope and fee with HDR for engineering services for Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Norris Street railroad crossing improvements.
- Replat of Norris Street Business Park Unit #2, Lots 9 & 10.
- Conditional use at 921 Willow Street for a group child care home.
- Funding agreement with BNSF for the Norris Street & MLK Jr. Boulevard railroad crossing project.
- Scope and fee with Bohannan Huston for ponds & wastewater improvements at Hillcrest and Colonial Park Golf Course.
- Budget transfer of up to $200,000 from Fund 61 (Special Parks Cash Reserve) for a project at Hillcrest Park Zoo.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 3334-2025 – CDBG Sewer Line Replacement: Logan O'Brien, Grants Coordinator, presented a resolution authorizing submission of a Community Development Block Grant application for sewer line replacement on 2nd Street between Delta and Hull Streets. The project total is $646,000 with a city match of $64,600 from Fund 10 Wastewater. Approved unanimously.
- Resolution 3335-2025 – Gross Receipts Tax Ballot Question: City Manager Justin Howalt presented a resolution calling for a November 4, 2025, election on a 0.1225% municipal gross receipts tax increase to fund capital improvements, maintenance, operations, and debt service for parks and recreation facilities, inclusive of an aquatic center. The city and Curry County are jointly pursuing an indoor sports complex; the county previously approved a 0.13% GRT question. The city's tax would generate revenue for operational expenses. If approved by voters, the tax would take effect July 1, 2026. The fiscal impact is less than $0.01 on a $5 purchase and $1.22–$1.23 on a $1,000 purchase. Approved unanimously (8-0).
- Budget Transfer for Restroom Repairs at Hillcrest Park: Parks Director Russell Hooper requested $70,000 from Fund 61 (Special Parks Cash Reserve) to replace vandalized porcelain fixtures with stainless steel fixtures at the restroom near the splash pad. Commissioner Paula pulled this from consent to highlight the cost of vandalism. Discussion included exploring automatic locks and security cameras. Commissioner Porter suggested cameras. The motion approved unanimously.
- Compensation Study Proposal: City Manager Howalt proposed a position classification review, health insurance premium, and compensation plan study by S Resource, Inc. for $19,237 (including GRT) from cash reserves. The study will take 18 weeks and help the city remain competitive. Howalt noted he plans to propose salary adjustments before the study is complete. Approved unanimously.
- Mobile Stage Purchase: Russell Hooper presented a request for $207,274 from Fund 77 (Cash Reserves) to purchase a 14'x36' mobile stage with hydraulic lifts, an ADA lift, lighting, and electrical upgrades. The stage is intended for city events and rental to community groups. Funding would come from the non-promotional side of lodger's tax reserves. The Commission debated rental rates; a motion to amend was approved to remove the proposed $1,000/day rental rate from the approval. The amended motion (purchase without setting rates) was approved unanimously.
- Animal Shelter Grant Application: Logan O'Brien requested approval to apply for up to $1 million from the DFA FY25 Capital Development Program for the Clovis Animal Shelter. The shelter project costs over $6 million; $3.5 million is already secured. This grant would cover the last 20% of the project, requiring the existing 80% as match. The city is seeking additional funds or considering phasing to maximize the grant. Approved unanimously.
Reports
- Planning & Zoning Commission: Brief report on continued development of Norris Street property.
- Parks, Recreation & Beautification Committee: Commissioner Paula reported on multiple initiatives: improvements at YRB and Potter Pool, padding around concrete barriers at sand volleyball courts, restroom repairs, tree removal at the zoo, mobile stage purchase, annual report on wing shooting complex, mosquito spraying, receipt of a $60,000 forestry grant, a $500,000 grant for a parking lot at Ned Houk Park, a $20,000 grant for trails at Ned Houk Park, and grant applications for master planning. She noted aquatic center water aerobics (Tues/Thurs 10 AM), need for lifeguards, new doors at Roy Walker, coed volleyball league in September, free Zumba on Tuesdays, summer youth program average 20-25 kids/week, zoo's Christmas in July with 950 attendees, and Zoo Beautification event on September 13 at 10 AM.
- Monthly Investment Report: Leighann Melancon reported starting the month with $85.3 million, ending with $84.2 million. Key fund balances: General $19.2M, Solid Waste $2.7M, Wastewater $3.5M, Economic Development $8M, Capital Outlay $5.7M, Water Quarter Percent $8.6M, Special Streets $1.9M, ARPA $2.1M. $21.8M in local banks, $10M CD, $52.3M in state pool. CD renewed for 6 months at 4.36%. Interest earned $256,000 (down from $309,000 last year). Gross receipts tax revenue is 4.41% above last year and 24% above budget, with 6,299 active reporters (217 more than last year).
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous approval of all consent agenda items (9 items).
- Unanimous adoption of Resolution 3334-2025 (CDBG sewer line grant application).
- Unanimous adoption of Resolution 3335-2025, placing the 0.1225% gross receipts tax question on the November 4, 2025, ballot.
- Unanimous approval of $70,000 for stainless steel restroom fixtures at Hillcrest Park.
- Unanimous approval of $19,237 compensation study by S Resource, Inc.
- Unanimous approval of $207,274 mobile stage purchase (without establishing rental rates at this time).
- Unanimous approval to apply for up to $1 million grant for the animal shelter.
- Future agenda items include: September lodger tax disbursements, parks/planning & zoning/library board vacancies, and a quarterly report from the Civic Center.
- Upcoming meetings: Public Works Committee (canceled), Lodger's Tax Advisory Board (Sept 9), Economic Incentive Board (Sept 10), next City Commission meeting (Sept 11, the only one in September due to the Municipal League conference). City Hall closed for Labor Day on September 1.
Meeting Transcript
We'll begin the meeting in just a moment. Um, but we'll begin with a prayer and the uh pledge to the United States flag and the salute to the New Mexico flag. So if you are able and would like to, please stand and we'll have a prayer. Our Father in Heaven, thank you for the blessings that you give us freely each day. God thank you for the Clovis and Canada Air Force Base community and the privilege that it is to live and work and serve here. We thank you for those that you call into service uh and and to defend our our great nation. We pray your watch care and protection over them. Uh Lord, we pray for your continued blessing and favor as we um seek to uh reach our potential as a community and invest in our future. And we we just pray that you'd give us wisdom to do that wisdom tonight as we take up the business in front of us. Uh thank you for the things that we get to celebrate, the people uh that we get to celebrate uh this evening during uh presentations. I give you the praise and glory, and I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. Join me in the pledge to our country's flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, individual with liberty and justice for all. I salute the flag of the state of New Mexico of perfect tradition among the United Cultures. We are called to order. Would the clerk please call rule? Commissioner Jones? Here. Commissioner Cassaus here. Commissioner Porter? Here. Mayor Pro Tem Bryant. Commissioner Garza. Here. Commissioner Tarsen? Here. Commissioner Paula here. Commissioner Zamora. Mayor Morris. Present. Thank you, Miss Reyes. Um next we would consider approval of the agenda. Are there any recommendations for rearranging or removing items? Mayor, if I may, I'd like to remove number two from the consent agenda and put it on the regular. All right. Uh let's see. That item will take to uh we'll make it number one under new business and shuffle everything else down. Any other recommendations? Umjections to the agenda with the one change. Hearing and seeing none, the agenda is adopted, and yes, votes are recorded for each member. Next, we have approval of the minutes from the August 7th City Commission meeting. Any objections to how those minutes have been prepared? Hearing and seeing no objections, the minutes from August 7th are adopted. Next, we reserve space on the agenda to recognize visitors. We'll do that briefly. Thank you for those of you that have joined us in the meeting chamber this evening. Uh I have a feeling that many of you are here for uh the presentations coming up next. So we'll we'll keep moving, but thank you for being here and and for your interest in uh tonight's meeting.
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