Volume 2,
Issue 4
September
2016
The City Voice
September 2016 Edition
Special points of interest::
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A Change of Not Only the Season from
JJ Murphy
Upcoming Events
The CORE
Rockwind Community Links Update
In-Trinity Fitness Classes
City of Hobbs Stands with Dallas, TX
New Hours at Municipal Court
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HFD Receives SAFER Grant
Mosquito Spraying
Completion of Phase 1 of ERP
Art Dedication Ceremony at Hobbs
Animal Adoption Center
NMML Recap
2nd Annual City Sock Drive
Hobbs Public Library Programs
Warrior Award
JJ’s Final Message
A Change of Not Only the Season by J.J. Murphy, City Manager
Autumn is now upon us. The new
school year quickly approached,
and we all hurried across town
making sure we were ready for it.
New roads will make the
commute to school and work
easier and smoother and we at
the City of Hobbs are continuing
to make improvements city-wide.
Keep an eye out on Lovington
Highway as you see construction
beginning near the intersection
of Lovington Highway and Millen
Drive. That is the site of the
future indoor aquatic and
recreation center that has been
in the works for about 4 years
now. City Park will look very
different this time next year after
the $4 million makeover it is
soon to receive as well.
During last month for one event,
over 600 visitors were in Hobbs
for the New Mexico Municipal
League Conference, a chance for
our city to showcase how great
we are to the rest of the state.
These visitors stayed in our
hotels, ate at our restaurants,
and shopped in our stores.
Although the summer is ending,
you can see that we are not
slowing down. Thank you for
making the effort to stay involved
and take a look at the
September 2016 Newsletter.
Upcoming Events
September 13—October 13 - In-Trinity
October 21, 22, 28, and 29 - Parks and
Fitness Boards Class (see page 3 for more
Rec’s Haunted House
details)
October 29 - City Halloween Carnival from
September 17 - Community Clean-Up
12—5 pm at Lea County Event Center
(more info inside)
October 31 - Safe Stops—Visit us at City Hall
September 19 - City Commission Meeting
during Safe Stops for some treats and
at 6 p.m.
ooley- gooley fun!
September 25 - last day that splash pads
are open
Page 2
The Center Of Recreational Excellence
(The CORE)
Keep an eye on the activity occurring at the corner of Millen Drive and Lovington Highway! That, folks, is your
Center of Recreational Excellence!
This is the $63.5 million indoor aquatic and recreational facility that the whole town is buzzing about. After
thousands of hours of dedicated work and evaluation, construction is finally upon us. If you missed out on this
event, then you should definitely visit our website in order to get updated: At the top of the Latest News on the
homepage of www.hobbsnm.org, there is an introduction video. This video presents not only the story of the
public-private partnership of six separate institutions that came together to create this facility, but also a 3D flythrough of what this facility is really going to be like.
City of Hobbs Mayor, Sam Cobb, stated, “The recent downturn in the oil patch has reminded us all of the need to
diversify our local economy. We are well on our way to creating a destination for Hobbs and Lea County that will
be the envy of not only small towns in our country but many of the metropolitan areas as well. The proposed
facility will provide recreational opportunities for all ages both for visitors and residents and will be a powerful
recruiting tool for our economic development efforts. It will truly put Lea County on the map for a special place to
‘Live Work and Play.’”
Hobbs City Manager, J.J. Murphy, stated, “This facility is a game changer in our community. This public-private
partnership embraced the vision of making this the community’s multi-generational recreation facility in every
step of the way. After all the success of Rockwind Community Links, I am humbled to be a part of another
impactful project which will be a model for other communities to follow. We stand together and redefine the term
‘public-private partnership’ where six public and private institutions came together to collaborate on a true center
of recreational excellence.”
Construction for the CORE will last until approximately the Spring of 2018 . However, the new classes and
activities that will be offered at the CORE are opening now! The CORE will be able to house all of this action, but
for now they will be offered at different location throughout town. One of them is the In-Trinity Fitness Boards
class, see page 3 for more details on this class.
Page 3
Rockwind Update
Ladies Night—Every Monday at 5:30 pm
Ladies play for free and/or may participate in an optional clinic from
5:30 PM—6:15PM. Plus food and drink specials!
United Way Chile Fest– September 16 & 17
Friday night 9-hole glow golf on the Championship course and Saturday
morning 18-hole scramble. Cost: $500 per team.
Greens Aeration– September 12-14
Greens will be bumpy and sandy for the following 7-10 days. Automatic
2 putt rule in effect.
Rockwind Adult/Junior Tournament—September 25
Open to all juniors under 18 and paired with any adult. Combination
scramble, best ball and alternate shot.
Karaoke and Game Night—first Saturday of every month, starting in October
The October 1st event will provide a complimentary taco bar for all EMS personnel.
Rockwind Club Championship—October 1 & 2
Open to all RWGA members.
To sign up for a tournament or for more information, visit rockwindgolfcourse.com
In-Trinity Fitness Classes
Are you looking for a new workout or fitness regimen? If so, the City of Hobbs Parks & Recreation Department has
In-Trinity Fitness Classes that are perfect for you! The five-week class currently in session began on Tuesday,
September 13th and concludes on Thursday, October 13th. The In-Trinity workout regimen is a combination of
yoga, tai chi, pilates, strength, flexibility, and balance.
Class size is limited to 9 students due to the
limited number of boards available, so sign
up and reserve your spot soon! You can
register online on the Parks & Rec page of
the City’s website www.hobbsnm.org, inperson in the Parks & Rec Office inside City
Hall, or over the phone now.
In-Trinity Fitness Classes are one of the new
classes and activities that will be offered at
the Center Of Recreational Excellence upon
its completion in Spring 2018. Join now and
be one of the first to experience this class!
*Certified In-Trinity Instructor
All classes will be held in the City Hall Annex.
Additional classes will be added, so continue checking our website and social media accounts.
If you have any questions about the classes, please contact the City of Hobbs Parks & Recreation Department at
(575) 397-9291.
Page 4
Hobbs Stands with Dallas
It was just before 9 p.m. on July 7,
2016 and only a few blocks from
Dealy Plaza, where President John
F. Kennedy was assassinated in
1963, when an armed sniper
began firing at Dallas police
officers. Five officers were left dead
and nine others wounded at the
hands of this military veteran who
served in Afghanistan and used his
experience to keep an inventory of
arsenal and bomb-making materials
in his home. The gunman was
eventually killed by a device that
the “bomb robot” of the Dallas PD
used to place.
The next morning, July 8, 2016,
Dallas Police Chief David Brown
expressed his city’s grief and
requested the nation to join Dallas in prayer at noon. He stated, “There are no words to describe the atrocity that
occurred to our city. All I know is that this must stop, this divisiveness between our police and our citizens.”
Hobbs wants Dallas to know that we stand with them. We stand with our first responders, the ones who run in
when everyone else is running out—a statement that does not lose its meaning no matter how many times it is
said. Dallas police officers were pulling citizens away from the scene and covering them with their own body in
order to protect them from gunfire. So upon Chief Brown’s request, the City of Hobbs immediately began
planning to join Dallas PD in prayer, and within three hours had announced to the city through social media, the
website, news media, and phone calls, scheduled Turner Street to be temporarily shut down, and all the
necessary personnel were notified in order to make this gathering safe and successful. A few citizens brought a
blue ribbon to represent the badge of our “boys in blue,” and a little girl, and the youngest citizen present, joined
them in holding the ribbon in front of the crowd. At 11 a.m. (noon Dallas time), Hobbs was standing with Dallas.
There was no divisiveness. Citizens, firefighters, and police officers joined together to remember Dallas’s fallen
and support all police officers.
New Hours at Municipal Court
The Municipal Courts have recently changed their hours, effective as of
September 5th, 2016. The new schedule will be Monday through Thursday
7:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. and will be open through lunch. On Fridays, the hours
are 8:00 A.M. through 12:00 P.M. (noon). Those that will be attending traffic
court can only do so Monday through Wednesday at 1:00 P.M. You must
check in at Municipal Court by 12:30 P.M. The new hours and contact
information for Municipal Courts can be found at
www.hobbsnm.org/court.html.
Page 5
HFD Receives SAFER Grant
The City of Hobbs and Hobbs Fire Department (HFD) are proud to be
recognized as a recipient of the SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and
Emergency Response) Grant in the amount of $824,544 for its recruiting and
hiring program. With this funding, the HFD will hire 7 firefighters within 6
months. At the time of the award (August 26th, 2016), HFD had 57 firefighters;
hiring 7 new firefighters will place the HFD at 64 firefighters.
The SAFER Grant was created to provide funding assistance directly to
fire departments and organizations that represent the interests of volunteer
firefighters. The SAFER Grant program assists fire departments nationwide to
increase their number of trained firefighters, attain 24-hour staffing, and provide adequate protection of
their communities. The goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments’ abilities to comply with
staffing, response, and operational standards established by the NFPA and OSHA. For more details on
the SAFER Grant and other similar grants, visit fema.gov.
Mayor Sam D. Cobb of Hobbs stated, “The Fire and EMS Service is a vital asset of our
community that is critical to maintain. We look forward to the growth that this grant will offer our
department and community.”
Hobbs Fire Chief Manny Gomez stated, “There are many vital components to delivering a quality
fire service, including a well-trained and well-staffed department. Approval of the awards will provide a
resource to us that will deliver a quality level of service to citizens of Hobbs.”
City Manager, J.J. Murphy, stated, “Since my arrival, I have been steadfast in supporting our
dedicated public safety professionals. This award allows us to better serve the public while at the same
time providing additional protection to the men and women of HFD. With this funding from the SAFER
grant, our Hobbs Fire Department will be able to increase its operational capabilities, which in turn will
improve the quality of life of our citizens.”
Mosquito Spraying
Due to the high temperatures and amount of rainfall recently, the City of
Hobbs will continue spraying for mosquitoes throughout the city. Weather
permitting, the City of Hobbs has several areas scheduled to be sprayed in the
coming weeks.
The spraying will take place on property fronts. We ask that citizens
remove any standing water on their property in order to reduce the mosquito
population.
Report high populations of mosquitoes to the Parks and Recreation office
at 575-397-9291.
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Completion of Effluent Reuse Project Phase 1
The first phase of the City of Hobbs Effluent Reuse Project has been substantially completed as of August 29th,
2016. The City of Hobbs Effluent Reuse Project (Project) is a proactive and proven approach in water
conservation that will effectively extend the life and conserve the Ogallala Aquifer. Completion of this phase of
the Project results in the installation of 7 miles of 20” purple pipe and 15 total miles of pipe have been installed
in total for the Project. Approximately $9.5 million ($4,560,000 comes from a Water Trust Fund Grant,
$3,040,000 comes from a Water Trust Fund Loan, and $1,900,000 in capital from the City of Hobbs) have
been spent on the Project at this point. Principally, the Project replaces irrigation water being pumped from the
Ogallala Aquifer with treated effluent water discharged from the wastewater reclamation facility. The Project will
ultimately result in an annual potable water savings in excess of 2,700 acre feet/year, or approximately 1 billion
gallons annually. This represents over 30% of the City’s current annual water pumping volume.
The City of Hobbs relies on the Ogallala Aquifer (Ogallala) for its municipal water supply. The City’s continued
growth, declining water levels, and lack of recharge to the Ogallala have prompted concerns about the limited
nature of this critical resource. In response, the City has implemented several conservation practices to reduce
water consumption from the Ogallala Aquifer and extend the life of this essential natural resource. The City of
Hobbs completed a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) that developed a comprehensive plan to significantly
increase the reuse of treated effluent water to replace water demand currently being met by pumping
groundwater from the Ogallala.
The completion of Phase 1 of the Effluent Reuse Project represents a major
milestone for this important project and included the design and construction
of a new 20” effluent pipeline from Mahan Road to Rockwind Community
Links and Harry McAdams Park. The design and construction of the Rockwind
Golf Course effluent pipeline was accomplished through the use of local
capital infrastructure funds and funding from multiple state grant awards
approved by the New Mexico State Legislation, the Water Trust Fund and the
Water Trust Board.
From 2010-2015, the City has experienced a 37.5% decrease in potable
water usage (May - September) while the community has experienced an
11.5% increase in population. These numbers are evidence that the City’s
proactive and innovative approach to water conservation is having a positive
impact and our water usage. The City’s emphasis on major projects such as
the Effluent Reuse Project and the implementation by the City Commission of the annual Water Conservation
Period that regulates irrigation usage, coupled with Public Education and heightened public awareness have
been successful in reducing the City’s extraction of potable water from the Ogallala Aquifer.
City of Hobbs Mayor, Sam D. Cobb, stated, “Completion of Phase 1 of the Effluent Reuse Project has been
greatly anticipated as it is a substantial resource to the water conservation efforts already in place. This project
highlights a significant commitment for our community to be incredible stewards of our natural resources.
Whether it is providing additional fire protection in remote areas or watering our award-winning golf
development, Rockwind Community Links, this project is truly a win-win for our community.”
City of Hobbs City Manager, J.J. Murphy, stated, “I am thankful for the City of Hobbs Commission’s constant
support of this project and to the City of Hobbs Staff for making our vision a reality.”
Page 7
Art Dedication Ceremony at Hobbs Animal Adoption Center
At 9 a.m., on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016, an art dedication ceremony of the sculpture “Who Rescued Who?” was
held in front of the Hobbs Animal Adoption Center (HAAC). The sculpture
depicts an intimate moment between a long-legged dog with its longlegged master, sculpted by Lorri Acott, who will be in attendance at the
ceremony.
The Hobbs City Commission approved the purchase of the artwork during
the City Commission meeting on November 2nd, 2015. The artwork was
found and chosen by the Public Art Committee, of which members,
Daniel Russell and Mary Lyle, presented the piece to the Commission
and described the impact it could have on the HAAC and community. The
City of Hobbs is happy to continue contributing to the possession and
nourishment of art in the community, believing that it is another
progression of quality of life.
City Manager, J.J. Murphy, stated, “We appreciate the research and effort
spent in locating and obtaining this fine monumental piece of art. It will
welcome future pet owners as they arrive at Hobbs Animal Adoption
Center to take their new pet to their forever homes. We are grateful to
Lorri Acott and the Hobbs Public Art Committee for their dedication to
improving culture in this community.”
Page 8
Recap of the New Mexico Municipal League
Conference in Hobbs
The City of Hobbs is proud to have been the host of the 59th Annual New Mexico
Municipal League (NMML) Conference last month. The NMML is comprised of 106
member cities, which represents the State’s entire municipal population. From August
30—September 2, over 600 visitors came to Hobbs to discuss matters relevant to
municipalities across the state. This means that hundreds of visitors were in Hobbs,
New Mexico for 4 days and 3 nights, shopping in our stores, eating at our restaurants,
and staying in our hotels.
This positively stimulated our economy during this time and showed how well our town can accommodate
visitors. Around 150 City of Hobbs employees served as very
visible and very helpful ambassadors of Hobbs to the
attendees during the NMML Conference. These employees
received countless compliments from these visitors of how
polite and well-managed not only the Conference was but also
the stores, hotels, and other facilities in Hobbs are. These
compliments were across the board no matter if it was the
Wester Heritage Museum opening their doors with the Titanic
Exhibit or a Wal-Mart employee checking out an attendee who
forgot their toothbrush at home.
On Tuesday of that week, NMML attendees assisted the
Animal Adoption Clinic in hosting a bath and shot clinic at the
Hobbs Animal Adoption Center. This event served as the
annual service project held at each NMML Conference. During this clinic, 625 pets were vaccinated, 11 dogs
and 2 cat were adopted, and we lost track of how many animals were bathed!
On Wednesday, Commander Rorke Denver was the guest speaker
for the Opening General Session. He presented a great teambuilding leadership training based on his experience with the Navy
Seals and experiences from traveling the world. All City of Hobbs
employees and Hobbs Municipal Schools teachers were invited,
each leaving with a new perspective of not only the impact the U.S.
Navy Seals make but on the impact each person is capable of
making.
The City of Hobbs is proud of each of the employees of this organization as well as the citizens of this town.
Despite the several training storms that hovered over Hobbs through that week, we all came together to host a
successful conference. Many citizens did not even know they were providing exceptional hospitality to a visitor
when NMML attendees stepped into their stores and restaurants. Yet, each attendee provided us with various
compliments of our town and residents. The hospitality show here in Hobbs is definitely a topic they took home
with them. Thank you for helping to exhibit what Hobbs has to offer!
Page 9
2nd Annual City Sock Drive
The Second Annual Sock Drive will be underway September 22nd through October 5th.
This year, the City of Hobbs has challenged Nor-Lea Regional Hospital to join in our efforts
to help support the Junior Service League’s annual shoe project. The Sock Drive will serve
as the City of Hobbs Fall Employee Service Project this year. Those socks
that are gathered will be geared towards children in elementary school.
Any brand, style, or color will be accepted. It is good rule of thumb though to keep in mind that those
children that are older will have adult sized feet. If you wish to donate any socks, you can do so by turning
them in at the mailroom baskets or in your department’s box. Our goal this year is to reach 2,575 pairs of
socks for our communities children, help us reach our goal this year!
Hobbs Public Library Summer Programs Fun and Success
As expected, the Hobbs Public Library has supplied our youth and community with a Summer full of activities
and programs to keep their skills sharp and their minds active! There were competitions and presentations
inspired by what intrigues children’s minds the most and catches their interests, such as Olympics 2016, sports
and fitness, Chinese zodiac (Year of the Monkey), games around the world, healthy foods to eat, and a magic
show. Also, the fun has not stopped! See below for a list of upcoming activities available at the Hobbs Public
Library.
HPL Children Activities:
Tuesday Twos - Every Tuesday 10:00 - 10:30 AM
3/4/5 Year Olds - Every Thursday 10:00 - 11:00 AM and 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Week of September 18-24: Library Theme
Week of September 25 - October 1: Fall Theme
Week of October 2-8: Dinosaur Theme
Week of October 9-15: Bat Theme
Week of October 16-22: Scarecrow Theme
Week of October 23-29: Halloween Theme
Week of October 30- November 5: Bird Theme
HPL Adult Activities:
October 10 at 6 p.m.—Celebrating TEEN READ WEEK
October 17 at 6 p.m.—Adult Origami
Call the Library at 575-397-9328 or visit www.hobbspubliclibrary.org for
more information. There are Young Adult and Adult programs and
activities every single month!!
Page 10
Warrior Awards
August
Captain Thompson and Paramedic Able were the 2 HFD
members who volunteered to fight the Dog Heard Wildfire for
up to 14 days. This meant they were going to be away from the
comfort of their home, pets, family, friends, and all of Hobbs.
These two gentlemen went right into a 4p.m. – 4 a.m. shift for
days, after which they switched with the day shift crew. These
men were not required nor expected by our community to
commit to such a strenuous assignment, yet they chose to
expose themselves to all the elements involved in fighting a
wildfire. They are already firefighters, but chose to give even
more to people they’ve never met.
While fighting this wildfire with all the other volunteer
firefighters they learned skills to bring back with them to HFD
and experienced circumstances they will never forget. Few
individuals will ever see what they now have.
- City of Hobbs Communications Director, Meghan
Mooney
September
On Tuesday, August 2, 2016, the City of Hobbs and
the Hobbs Fire Department experienced a unique
situation with a house exploding with no fire. A
family’s home and all their belongings were lost and
destroyed. I have seen the struggle of families trying
to put their life together after a fire, or in this case,
their home exploding to the ground. My role as Fire
Marshall is to investigate for the origin and cause of
this situation and sometimes dig through the
destroyed home. This team of Street Department
personnel helped me dig through the leveled home.
And while they helped me dig the scene, we located
some of the personal property of the family living in
the home. I nominate the Street Department for the
Warrior Award for their help to a family in their time of
need.
- City of Hobbs Fire Marshall, Shawn Williams
J.J.’s Final Thought:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer
of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose
face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes
short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who
does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high
achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his
place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
- Theodore Roosevelt