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Portales public works reports fuller fleet, new mechanic and finished amphitheater
Summary
Public works director Pat Agnew told the committee staffing is nearly full, a new mechanic has cut repair turnaround times dramatically, three trash trucks are running with plans to rehabilitate older units, and the amphitheater and related park improvements are complete.
Public works director Pat Agnew reported to the Portales Public Works Committee that staffing stands at 37 positions with four current vacancies and two hires in process that will reduce vacancies to three by month’s end. Pat Agnew said the department recently hired Don Lopez as the mechanic in charge of the fleet and that vehicles now return from repairs in “30, 40 minutes” instead of days.
Agnew also told the committee that all three trash trucks are currently running and that the city owns six trucks in all; the department plans to overhaul one older unit and rotate equipment so the city can buy one replacement truck every few years instead of replacing multiple vehicles at once. Agnew said there may be an opportunity to lease trucks to nearby municipalities in need, generating revenue when other cities lack service.
On parks and facilities, Agnew said crews completed a 37-by-20-foot concrete pad in front of the new amphitheater and replaced damaged sections of the roadbed near the bus barn. "So that's completed right there," Agnew said of the amphitheater pad. He also described a recent road-assessment survey and said staff are evaluating two software products (iWorks and OpenGov) that would integrate the assessment into a geospatial map to help plan budgets and multi-year capital needs.
Committee members praised the amphitheater work and asked staff to keep the group informed of contractor quotes and grant opportunities tied to future park and street improvements. Miss McVay reported the amphitheater is now wired for power, lit, and ready for events, and that staff are pursuing two grants for drainage and construction work along the river.
The committee approved the previous meeting’s minutes by voice vote earlier in the session; Mike Woolly moved to approve and Steve Davis seconded.
The committee discussed scheduling and next steps on a number of maintenance projects, with staff directed to provide prioritized street and park lists and to return with cost estimates at the next meeting.
