Economic Development Board Meeting Summary - Dec 10, 2025

You wouldn't be emailed at home treatment.

We asked five years in November.

Good morning, everybody.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I want to call the meeting of the Economic Cassini Board to order.

Vicky, will you call the roll?

Leo Lovett has sent his regards to me earlier this morning, so he won't be here.

Brett Johnson.

Present.

Raymond Mondragon.

Present.

Debbie Spriggs.

Here.

Leo Lovett.

Bryce Jimenez.

Here.

Alan Kinlan.

Here.

Jason Gonzalez.

Here.

Tyler Lucas.

Present.

Paul Cordova.

Here.

We have a quorum, it sounds like.

Motion to approve the minutes is read.

Second.

Aye.

Aye.

Okay.

Passes.

Justin, you want to give us a financial report?

Certainly.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, members of the committee.

For the period ending uh November, we have total ending cash and investments of eight point almost eight point five million dollars.

Of that we have $7.5 million in investments and $910,000 cash and bank.

For the total year-to-date revenues, uh it's $730,000 as compared to last year, around $821,000.

Our gross receipts taxes is still above last year.

However, uh our investments uh in the percent that we're receiving on those has declined, and so that makes that that's the reason for the difference between last year's year to date and this year's uh year to date.

Uh for the month of November, uh we received $147,000 uh in revenue as compared to last year for the same time period about $142,000.

Our expenditures uh year to date are $165,000.

Uh for the num month of November, uh our expenditures were uh $4100.

Uh $3,600 of that was to our admin fee uh to the tax and rev department for collecting gross receipts tax.

Uh and then we had $500, which was to uh BNSF for our track agreements out at the industrial park.

Uh that compared to last year's um expenditures for the month ending November, uh, we had about 4,000 as well in that.

So uh with that I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Any questions from the board.

Oh, thank you for the report.

Update on CED projects.

Brother Lee.

Good morning, Mr.

Chair.

Members.

I'm not Tina.

You are not Tina.

For industrial projects updates, we still got uh uh two projects that uh are in the wings.

One is this uh Project Green Energy.

Uh it's still moving forward, no construction timeline yet.

They are working on a project in Victoria.

That's project one.

We're project two behind them.

So uh they continue to tell me as soon as they've completed uh Victoria, we're next.

So we will keep our fingers crossed.

They continue to keep the um uh parcel that uh that they've selected in the uh industrial park optioned and uh paid for, I assume.

So uh as long as they're continuing to show uh significant interest with their checkbook, I'm gonna I'm I'm gonna count it as uh very valuable.

Uh Project Bite uh is still in the Prypine.

Um no timeline yet on that.

Our translator project for the industrial park is finally gonna get going.

Uh thanks to Mr.

Holwalt's uh diligence uh in working with BNSF through uh what seemed to be an overly complicated process.

We have our track agreement in place uh between the city and um BNSF.

So uh investing with him last night.

Um he believes he can start bringing cars in uh very shortly.

So that'll be good for the area.

Uh retail update received a uh retail leader application uh from the mall for a retailer who's expanding and we'll be presenting that to you uh next month.

Uh business incubator update.

There's an advisory board meeting scheduled for December 16th to uh start working on um our our programming for that uh uh for that program.

Uh we've been awarded another hundred thousand dollars from state economic development to fund the business incubator.

Uh so we're excited about uh the opportunities um that could uh provide for us.

One of our current projects, a switch art accelerator that we're running with Clobus.

Main Street uh in Sutton's bakery building.

So two businesses have uh teamed up to help uh with pop-up food businesses.

Uh they're uh they're cooking in there through December, they're selling uh sourdough bread and healthy breakfast lunches.

Uh the month of January will be German food, and then February will be Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.

Uh the goal is to help jumpstart local food entrepreneurs and fill vacancies downtown.

Uh CED will be funding uh scholarships for the Clovis High School pitch competition, which begins in January for um young entrepreneurs.

So we're excited about um the help that we might provide there.

Clovis Sound Studio.

Uh this week construction continues with HVAC system being installed.

Uh the rock and roll museum is being uh formatted to include a radio museum, which is going to be the only one in New Mexico, and our current uh projected grand opening is in April.

So it's getting close after a long road.

Um events uh include the uh governor's conference on uh economic development, the Apex Accelerator doing business with Canon class, business entrepreneur center hosted the uh New Mexico Tourism Commission and the New Mexico Chamber Executives in the same week.

Uh we have the Southwest Cheese 20th um anniversary, and that was a great event, and and they couldn't be more appreciative for what the community's done and how well the event turned out, and uh it really was a nice event.

Um boots to business at Canon Air Force Space and Military Spouse Pathway to Business.

Uh it was a two-day uh event held in the BEC boardroom.

Um there were seven PROs that came out for the month, and unfortunately, most of the time we don't qualify for anything that uh that's put forth in the PROs.

Um the projects included a data center, a research facility, robotic manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, mineral processing, aerial vehicle assembly, and compost equipment manufacturing.

But they usually have um requirements.

You've got to buy in on an interstate, you've got to be in um close proximity to an airport of a certain size or any number of requirements that uh that we can't uh we can't meet at this time.

For meetings, we've got regular meetings continue with Visios for our Salesforce Customization and San Juan Community College for the uh business incubator.

San Juan is the one that um that we partnered with to uh uh to help us along so that we get our incubator program uh off on the right foot.

Uh Tina met with uh Epcor Human Uh Resources to uh discuss rope uh remote work in New Mexico.

She tells me that the remote work um positions in New Mexico are being filled from people outside of New Mexico because our folks don't interview uh well enough.

So um we find that as an opportunity um with within um our purview to to help people and we've already got some volunteers to help coach people on how to um uh interview better.

So uh it would be nice to see some folks um be able to get some of those jobs.

Uh let's see.

She met with Adene Licero, the CET advisor at uh Close High School discuss uh student apprenticeships, met with Ford Next Generation Learning.

They are currently contracting with APS to build career academics and attended all regular chamber committees, safe and affordable housing, retail medical availability, Clobus Music Festival, Committee of 50, and CAT.

Uh tip strategies.

Um we met with uh the mayor, Justin and Claire to discuss the highest priorities for tip strategies.

Uh all five of us agreed that the effort should be focused on two major goals, uh recruiting um high-paying manufacturing jobs and uh workforce development.

Uh CED is using uh grant money to fund a contract with f site location partners at the highest investment level.

So we thought we would go all in for the first year and see um what they could do for us.

So um they tell us that they're gonna reach 2100 companies in seven different industries and schedule 12 meetings um for us with companies and represent Clovis at uh five trade shows, including uh us in their marketing.

So we'll see what our money gets us for the first year.

Um we've hired Jennifer uh Chavis as our entrepreneurship coordinator and we're preparing to start our in-depth business survey that we received uh for the Leeds grant.

And on December 17th, uh CED, the Chamber, Epcog, CCC have all partnered to host uh the legislative breakfast at CCC at 7 a.m.

So if you're so inclined, join us then and I will stand for questions.

7 a.m.

on what day?

The 17th.

Any questions?

Mr.

Lee.

Uh just a comment uh and you're absolutely right in regards to the PROs uh coming out of the New Mexico uh partnership.

Uh those are really tough uh because of the requirements of the infrastructure, uh highways, airports, international airports, yeah, lots of land and lots of water on some of them.

So huge water, huge uh employment uh opportunity.

Yeah.

I used to be the chairman of the New Mexico Partnership uh when uh Richardson was governor, and that was always tough for the small rural communities.

Yeah.

Thanks, Ray.

Yep.

Yep.

Thank you.

Thank you, Lee.

For the good of the order.

Yes, Mr.

Chairman, I do, and thank you for mentioning that uh Lee, I was going to mention the December 17th.

Uh we also have uh we'll be serving burritos uh in uh uh coffee that morning.

We also have a December 16th at Mesa Lance Community College uh uh legislative forum.

Uh we did have uh Senator Compost, Senator Woods, and Senator Jack Chatfield attending uh Senator Compost canceled yesterday, but we have those two attending.

As of yesterday, we had 65 RSVPs for that event at Mesa Lands Community College.

Um for the Clovis one, we have uh commitments from um uh Senator Woods, Senator uh uh Representative Um Martin Zamora, and uh yesterday received a text from Andy.

It looks like her case is gonna be uh resolved in Farmington, so it looks like she's gonna be a yes as well.

Uh maybe from Senator Pat Boone on that one.

And yes on Jackfield, uh Representative Jack Chatfield.

Also attended the Governor's Economic Development Conference as well, Mr.

Chairman and uh Jason and I attended the uh New Mexico Infrastructure Finance Conference and I was honored to uh moderate an event there uh for plateau uh uh that was a presentation by the CEO Lana Waller on the mile middle mile transport.

Yeah, can you mention what that is a little bit?

Because I thought found it very interesting.

Yeah, so so a lot of people don't realize that that plateau, in addition to what we do for local services within the communities that we serve, we do middle mile transports and middle mile connects communities together.

So connecting, say El Paso to Albuquerque, Albuquerque to Lubbock, Lubbock to Amarillo, uh that would be a middle mile network.

Uh and we operate about a 3,500 mile network uh with over 400 cell sites throughout New Mexico and West Texas carried over plateaus network, transported into uh uh into those major uh metropolitan cities.

So chances are if you're on a cell phone with any of the big Tier 1 carriers, pretty much anywhere in New Mexico or West Texas, you're actually riding plateau's network.

Uh and middle mile is what enables that.

Yeah.

And that was really interesting.

Uh uh they had quite a bit of folks attend that and quite a bit of uh David Jimenez from LEACO uh was one of the presenters as well.

And so I just found it to be very interesting and just wanted Jason to share that a little bit.

Interesting.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um Justin, you got any updates on the psychiatric center?

Uh certainly.

And so uh obviously we're under construction now with uh Jane's, and so uh they've actually started turning dirt, they're uh plumbing in uh the rough ends for all of the utilities right now.

Um they are getting close to start uh pouring slab.

Uh it since it is a design build, we're actually having a page turn today on the 90 percent design drawings, even though we're under construction.

Um the schedule is still to have that uh open by August of 2026 as is the schedule right now.

And we call it Behavior Health Center, uh, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

Okay.

Because I have Timmy, what do you call it?

Behavioral health.

I've seen some people in need of behavioral help.

Uh-huh, for sure.

Mr.

Chairman, we'll book your room.

Okay.

Tired of that joke.

Uh okay.

Uh so I just I got a little bit of an update on the Racino that I'll share with you guys.

I talked to Paul Blanchard yesterday.

And he said that the uh uh Penn National is making a little bit of a fuss.

They're the owners of the Hobbs.

Uh Laguna is wanting to sue because they want the sixth license release.

Of course, Farmington doesn't want us to come here.

Uh and Redosa's making a little bit of a stink or that that area up there.

Um He said the reason they postponed it, he said it will be on the agenda in February.

He said that the attorney for the racing commission had some wording that caused uh one of the Pueblos and I can't remember which one he said to file a complaint the very last day because of the wording of it.

And so instead of fight it, they just pulled it off and are going to restart the process.

So we ought to be on the agenda in February.

Which, if you're interested, uh letters are he needs letters, is what he's asking for from the community.

Letters of support.

Um if you guys can do that, we would much appreciate it.

And if anybody needs the email to send it to, I'll have that.

Okay.

Why don't you send that to send that out to everybody?

Okay.

We'll send it to you, Vicky, and you'll send it out to everybody.

Okay.

All right.

Anything else for the good of the order?

Um, Mr.

Chairman, you have somebody here.

Oh, yes.

Did you want to speak or are you just listening?

Yeah.

If you let's see, would you like to see?

Who me?

Well, never mind.

If you don't want to talk to us, it's fine.

Can you you can do a little dance or something?

You're here.

I mean, this is I don't know that this is this wasn't the meeting he was thinking it was gonna be.

Oh, it's a different meeting.

That's okay.

All right.

Well, if that's all we got, I'll take a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Second.

Motion second to adjourn.

All in favor, stand up.

Awesome.

All right.

Quick and easy.