Pubdate: Wed, 03 Aug 2005
Source: Portales News-Tribune (NM)
Copyright: 2005 Portales News-Tribune
Contact:  http://www.pntonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3452
Author: Tony Parra

CITY COUNCIL MOVING CLOSER TO ORDINANCE

The Portales City Council inched closer Tuesday to passing an ordinance that
would place restrictions on the sale of over-the-counter cold and sinus
medicines believed to be used in methamphetamine production.

The council unanimously approved a motion to put the ordinance to vote.
First the council must conduct a public hearing for the ordinance, which is
being pushed by the Ninth Judicial District Attorney's Office. The hearing
is scheduled for the council's Aug. 16 meeting.

The Roosevelt County Commission already passed an intent for a meth
ordinance in July.

City representatives and commissioners have said they would like to have the
ordinance adopted by September.

The primary objective of the ordinance would be to restrict the sale of
drugs containing pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient for making meth.

"I definitely support this ordinance cracking down on this terrible poison
in our community," Portales Mayor Orlando Ortega said.

The main provisions of the ordinance:

Only applies to hard-pill and powder-form of the pseudoephedrine-based drugs

Buyers will have to provide name, address and driver's license number

Affected forms of medicine will be placed behind the counter

Maximum of three boxes per transaction

"I thank you for your support of the ordinance," Ninth Judicial District
Attorney Matt Chandler told Ortega and city councilors on Tuesday.
"Hopefully if the ordinance is passed, it will give our community a chance
for a meth-free future."

Other items discussed during the city meeting:

Ortega requested Portales City Manager Debi Lee set up a meeting for the
finance committee to discuss the city's obligation for the Ute Water
Project. The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority originally had 12
members, but since the start San Jon, Logan, Tucumcari and Quay County have
dropped out.

ENMRWA officials are trying to get the federal government to pay for 80
percent of the project, leaving the state to pay 10 percent and the entities
the other 10 percent. ENMRWA would have to come up with approximately $30
million of the $300 million-dollar project.

With 12 members, the financial responsibility for the city of Portales was
$4.6 million and for Clovis was $11.6 million.

Councilors approved to have Portales City Clerk Joann Martinez-Terry go into
negotiations with the Safety Institute Inc. of Alamogordo for drug testing
for its employees. The Safety Institute Inc. officials were the only ones
which submitted a proposal to provide the services.

Martinez-Terry said the Safety Institute Inc. provided the service the last
four years, but state regulations require the city go out for proposals
after four years.

She said on an average the city has paid $3,000 for the services each year. 
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