Clovis mayor weighs in on state of city

Clovis Mayor Mike Morris believes the town has a lot to be optimistic about, regardless of some lingering points.

In his State of the Metropolis handle Thursday, Morris credited Clovis MainStreet with including new enterprise and occupation of previously vacant buildings downtown.

The town can be on its technique to rising constructing permits from 126 in 2021. With the 12 months lower than half over, he mentioned, the town already has recorded 90 constructing permits.

He additionally mentioned new eating places have come to city and new leads and contacts in financial base industries are growing by way of the Clovis Curry County Financial Improvement Company.

Morris, who chairs the Japanese New Mexico Water Utility Authority, additionally expressed optimism about future water provides as funding for the Ute Lake Venture has grown in current months, together with $177 million from a Congressional infrastructure invoice, $30 million from state legislature sources, and extra from different state sources.

As well as, he mentioned, reclaimed water is getting used to water parks and the town’s golf course, conserving fesh water provides.

Because the Ogallala Aquifer, the area’s present supply for ingesting water, turns into depleted, he mentioned, Ute Lake ought to show to be a “renewable useful resource.”

With legalized leisure hashish, he mentioned, “I’ll be very cautious in predicting that.” He famous, nevertheless that a couple of third of the taxes from hashish trade will go to native governments.

“Regardless of lower than ultimate circumstances,” largely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he mentioned, “We’ve completed exceptional issues.”

The town is in a “stronger place than we had been two years in the past.”

Whereas he was optimistic concerning the metropolis’s future, he mentioned he acknowledges issues within the metropolis.

“I hit the potholes, too,” Morris mentioned of metropolis streets.

He additionally mentioned he sees budgetary issues and rising crime within the metropolis.

He famous progress in coping with the problems, nevertheless.

Seventh Road will quickly be resurfaced from Maple Road to Primary Road, he mentioned. With New Mexico Division of Transportation funding, and capital outlay funding resurfacing will probably be coming to Norris Road from Putnam Drive to Llano Estacado Boulevard.

The town is looking for funds tor initiatives on Llano Estacado from Norris to Humphrey Highway, twenty first Road from Norris to Prince Road, and on Marvin Haas Boulevard., Morris mentioned.

At the moment, he mentioned, gross receipts taxes cowl lower than half of the town’s revenues, with the rest coming from capital outlay funds, grants and different state sources.

Metropolis employees members actively pursue grants and different state and federal income, he mentioned.

The town’s tax base has just lately been enhanced by alternatives to assert gross receipts taxes from on-line purchases.

New sources of tax income from financial improvement would improve public security, which Morris mentioned is “closely dependent” on gross receipts taxes. Financial improvement would additionally improve jobs and high quality of life within the metropolis, he mentioned.

The Clovis Police Division is making progress on correcting a manpower scarcity. The division must fill 13 positions, Morris mentioned, which is lower than the personnel deficit left on the finish of 2021.

The Clovis Fireplace Division, he mentioned, is brief just one place.

Morris additionally famous progress on coverage issues.

The town is engaged on a brand new signal ordinance with public and enterprise enter, he mentioned.

A current ordinance, he mentioned, makes it simpler for the town to declare dilapidated buildings unsafe and order demolition.

“It is a security and beautification situation,” he mentioned.

The town can be engaged on permitting outside eating on sidewalks, which he hopes will probably be finalized earlier than summer season.

Morris took a number of alternatives to reward the work of metropolis employees and famous the town fee could be discussing a pay and profit examine on Thursday.

He credited the “folks of Clovis, Cannon Air Drive Base and the Excessive Plains” for contributing to success I the town.

They “have a report for rising beneath strain,” he mentioned.