Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
LOGAN — San Jon’s village clerk was elected vice-chair of the Eastern Plains Council of Governments board during its annual meeting Wednesday at Logan’s village hall.
Cynthia Lee, who was treasurer of the EPCOG board, was nominated to the No. 2 position for the 2022-2023 fiscal year during the meeting, then confirmed by its voting members.
The current chairman, Roman Garcia of Vaughn, was re-elected by acclimation after he said he was willing to serve again.
Leona Powell of the Village of Grady was nominated and affirmed as the organization’s treasurer, succeeding Lee.
About 40 people attended the annual meeting. Among them were Quay County manager Daniel Zamora, Tucumcari mayor Ruth Ann Litchfield, Logan mayor David Babb, San Jon mayor Billie Jo Barnes and Logan village administrator Scott Parnell.
EPCOG is a voluntary association of local governments in eastern New Mexico to establish a federally recognized economic development and planning district. It includes seven counties, 21municipalities and two special districts.
In other business:
• The board heard remarks by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-Las Vegas) by videoconference and Dr. Shanna Sasser, the state’s Rural and Frontier Equity ombudsman.
Fernandez talked about “finding common ground” in solving the region’s problems and the federal infrastructure bill.
Sasser spoke on the ways municipalities can improve their chances of earning infrastructure grants. She said local governments must ensure their budgets are in compliance and have updated their comprehensive plans. Sasser said municipalities might investigate using automation to lessen workloads, using grant-writing resources and educating themselves on money that is available.
Sandy Chancey of EPCOG reiterated the importance of updating comprehensive plans, noting some municipalities hadn’t touched theirs since 2002.
• The board approved a capital improvement plan through fiscal year 2028 that contained one request: $150,000 to update EPCOG’s aging building in Clovis for energy efficiency and cosmetic improvements.
• The board gave Kim Summers, clerk for the Village of Elida, the Cry from the Wilderness Award for “going above and beyond” on her duties, including shepherding a new water system and senior citizens center for the village and its forthcoming wastewater treatment system.
• The board approved a budget, annual work plan and cost allocation plan for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
• The board approved an annual open-meetings resolution.