Portales, New Mexico

8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 create more, and updated, infrastructure, which was a benefit to the city because they were able to put a main waterline in to service the hospital and residents in the area. There is also a healthcare clinic, and the university offers medical services to students and the community, as well. Another industry poised to take off in the city is the cannabis sector. With cannabis set to get federal legalization, the city has seven applications for retail outlets, growers, and other related businesses. Austin says being only one mile from the Texas state line is helping to bring in potential customers from Texas to come and stay and enjoy the amenities Portales has to offer. The city is supported by fully upgraded fiber and broadband internet access throughout its business and residential areas. Downtown Portales is in the midst of a redevelopment of its historic buildings to refresh and revitalize the city core. They are adding more lighting and are hoping to have artists paint murals on the buildings the buildings to attract more people. The city is walkable and bikeable and there is also reliable public transit, so getting around is a breeze. This summer, the city will work to repair their arterial roads around the university, including the expanse of Kilgore Road and they recently created a pot hole plan to help speed up the process. There are also plans to repave the Portales Municipal Airport’s taxiways, upgrade the hangars for larger planes and helicopters, and purchase a new fuel truck with mixed fuel- hauling capacity. The city is also looking to bring in electric vehicle charging stations in the near future. One of the biggest challenges Portales is facing is finding qualified staff because many long-term employees are on the verge of retiring. Austin admits, “I have to take those jobs and replace them with new people and it means that so PORTALES , NEW MEX I CO