Economic Incentive Board Meeting - June 10, 2026

The Economic Incentive Board convened on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 8:30 AM with all members present. The meeting included approval of minutes, a financial report, an update on economic development projects, election of officers, and other business.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from March 11, 2026 were approved unanimously on a motion by Paul Cordova and second by Debbie Spriggs.

Discussion Items

• Economic Development Fund Financial Report (Justin Howalt): For the month ending May 2026, revenues were $151,000 compared to $148,000 in May 2025. Year-to-date revenues for FY2026 were $1,761,563.75, approximately $200,000 above budget but $50,000 less than the prior year's $1.8 million. Expenditures for May 2026 were $30,000 (mainly administrative fees and CED contracts), down from $90,000 in May 2025. Total FY2026 expenditures were $496,755.03. Board member Kathy Elliott requested copies of future financial reports for better understanding.
• Economic Development Projects Update (Tina):
  • Industrial Park: The green energy project continues with no construction timeline update. Project Byte (conduit manufacturer) delayed due to a 100% increase in plastic prices and transportation costs.
  • PROs (Potential Recruitment Opportunities): Received 13 PROs in the last quarter, significantly higher than the usual 1-2 per month, including hyperscale data centers, battery manufacturers, semiconductor fabrication, and aviation-related industries.
  • Site Location Partnership: Attended the Modex trade show (1,057 exhibitors, 50,400 attendees), generating new leads. Held 8 broker meetings with firms such as JLL, CBRE, and Colliers.
  • Business Incubator: Partnering with West on a child care accelerator offering a $6,000 training stipend. Sweetwater installing panels; expected opening in August 2026.
  • Events: Participated in Boots to Business (veterans entrepreneurship), CTE Advisory Board meetings, Starbase ribbon cutting (June 11), and other community events.
  • Grants: Awarded five grants totaling $1,900,000 over the past year, with $115,000 allocated for business incubation.
• Discussion on PROs and Data Centers: Chairman suggested inviting a New Mexico Partnership staffer to present on PRO operations. Board members inquired about data center activity in the state; Tina noted growing interest and some local pushback.

New Business

• Election of Chairperson: Raymond Mondragon was nominated by Kathy Elliott and seconded by Paul Cordova. The vote was unanimous with Mondragon abstaining. Mondragon assumed the chair.
• Election of Vice Chairperson: Alan Kinlan expressed interest and was nominated and seconded. The vote was unanimous with Kinlan abstaining. Kinlan became vice chair.

Other Items (Good of the Order)

• Chairman Mondragon urged members to review the city's economic incentive ordinance (Chapter 2.50) and the TIP Strategies economic development plan.
• Justin Howalt provided an update on the airport site readiness plan conducted by Global Location Strategies: The report recommends marketing 283 contiguous acres at the Clovis Regional Airport for aviation-related industries, with due diligence needed on environmental and utility studies.
• Noted upcoming meetings: Military Base Planning Commission work session (July 13-14), Military and Veterans Legislative Interim Committee at Clovis Community College (June 26), and an Armed Forces Support Committee luncheon (June 24).
• Paul Cordova mentioned a large solar farm breaking ground in Floyd, providing employment opportunities.

Key Outcomes

• The minutes of March 11, 2026 were approved.
• Raymond Mondragon was elected Chairperson and Alan Kinlan as Vice Chairperson, both by unanimous vote.
• No other formal votes were taken.