Dairy farmers express water concerns

Concerned their water rights would be bled dry, dairy farmers requested the Clovis City Commission protest water rights consolidation efforts by New Mexico American Water Co.

The commission voted unanimously for a conditional protest to the utility’s request to the Office of the State Engineer. The company wants to be allowed to exceed water rights on individual wells, under the condition it doesn’t exceed the combined amounts of all the water rights it owns.

New Mexico American Vice President and Manager Kathy Wright said the company wants to be allowed to be more efficient in obtaining water for its customers.

“Our intent is not to impair anyone’s wells,” Wright said. “We have wells we could pump all day long (and not exceed water rights). We have other wells that could produce more, but they’re restricted in the water rights.”

A group of dairy owners, led by Walter Bradley of Dairy Farmers of America and Portales dairy owner Alva Carter, said the permit process in place protects the water rights of neighbors.

“If you stick a well in the artery,” Carter said, showing his outstretched arm, “there would be no blood from the veins.”

Carter added the city wouldn’t serve its citizens if it allowed a for-profit company to change the rules to the detriment of out-of-city residents whose water is solely provided by a well.

Commissioner Fred Van Soelen concurred.

“The more you take,,” Van Soelen said, “the more cost you’ll incur on a smaller well.”

Wright said the company has no interest in bleeding a well dry because that would become a wasted investment.

The protest was approved with the condition it could be pulled if the company could give hydrological reports that consolidation wouldn’t hurt neighboring wells.

Thursday’s 3 1/2-hour commission meeting also included a study session on priorities for the 2009 state Legislature, giving commissioners an opportunity to talk about their top five priorities for capital outlay.

Commissioner Robert Sandoval asked if putting five items on the list, just to put five items on the list, was detrimental to the most important projects — notably the Hull Street overpass, closed since the end of July with a possible price tag from $4 million (repair) to $10 million (replacement).

“I think we all agree Hull Street and wastewater should be our top two,” Sandoval said, with wellness center improvements as a debatable No. 3.

Van Soelen said commissioners also needed a change in approach. In the past, he said he’s seen road projects go largely ignored because a legislator message of “I helped build this” resonates with constituents more than, “I helped repave this.”

Robyne Baubien, director of Clovis MainStreet, said that in the past, being on the city’s top priorities helped in later grant applications.

Meetings watch:

This is a supplemental report to Thursday’s Clovis City Commission meeting:

• Commissioners approved the creation of a CATS fixed route task force.

Mary Lou Kemp, CATS program director, said the public transportation system would better serve the community by having buses travel three fixed, 50-minute routes — two of nine miles and one of 11 miles — beginning and ending at the CATS building on Seventh Street.

The change would require hiring an additional full-time driver and three part-time drivers, as a backup for drivers who call in sick or have other conflicts.

“We have got to have a driver in those buses running those routes, or the public loses confidence,” Kemp said.

Issues commissioners wanted discussed in the task force included finding cost-cutting practices and a discussion of how or if CATS could continue to transport school-aged children to city locations school buses couldn’t.

• Many residents came in favor of a drag racing strip in Clovis.

Nick Baglien felt the strip could be an attraction for the city for minimal cost.

“My nephew and I went to Roswell and had the time of our lives,” Baglien said. “The five hours I was there made me think, ‘Why can’t we have that in Clovis?’”

Baglien said the drag strip at Ned Houk Park could be used also be used for driver training as requested by the Clovis Police Department in the city’s Infrastructure Capital Improvements Plan.

The development, with a $1.7 million capital outlay request from 2010-14, would create a driving area for police training purposes. Baglien said drag races could take place during weekends.

“Car guys talk to each other,” Baglien said. “Word will get out and people will come to race here regularly.”

Commissioners approved the ICIP additions, with the driving track/drag strip included.

• Commissioners approved the transfer of a beer and wine license despite the objections of a Christian education group.

The Jalisco Taqueria on Seventh Street is undergoing a business restructuring, though ownership basically remained the same. Details of the restructuring, however, require the license to be transferred.

The Christian Believers Education office, located next to the restaurant, opposed the license because a restaurant serving beer and wine makes it harder to combat substance abuse.

Sistar Yancy, the founder and president, said Christian Believers moved in before the restaurant, but she wasn’t aware of their original application for a beer and wine license.

The restaurant is within 300 feet of Legacy Life Family Church, which requires a waiver from the city. City Attorney David Richards said the church took a neutral position on the matter.

Commissioners said they could find no compelling reason to deny the license transfer, because there was no evidence the restaurant in question was the cause of drunken driving accidents or arrests.

— Compiled by Kevin Wilson