Business View Civil and Municipal | May/June 2022

46 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 I n a time when people seem so divided in their ideologies, and often angry with the world, Portales, New Mexico offers an place for the weary to rest and enjoy a friendly and peaceful atmosphere. A haven of family-friendly parks, growing businesses, diverse housing stock and, above all, a community full of people that care about each other. It truly is the gateway to a good life. City Manager Sarah Austin moved to Portales less than a year ago, but when she and her children arrived, they felt like they had come home. She couldn’t believe how many amenities and benefits the smaller city had, but says, “One of the biggest things for me, was the kindness from strangers. It’s a very kind place to be. We don’t have fancy mountains, lakes, or bodies of water, but we have a wonderful community of very friendly people. Business owners support business owners. They support new growth and it’s just a really nice place to be.” The city of just over 12,000 residents is located on the Eastern Plains of New Mexico, about 19 miles from Clovis, which