Golden Spread Rural/Frontier Coalition Champion Community

Lead Entity: Golden Spread Rural/Frontier Coalition Champion Community

Demographics

State:  New Mexico

Counties:  Union

Community Population:  2,524

Poverty Rate:  14.2

Background: 

• Unemployment rate:  2.5%

• Median Household Income:  28,080

• Per Capita Income:  14,700

Community Overview:

Clayton, New Mexico was founded in 1888 with the coming of the railroad and was established as the county seat.  Clayton is an attractive town with an obvious emphasis on the relaxed, western way of life, yet also one with progress and advancement in many area, playing a large part in it’s strategic planning.

Clayton is the hub of a large trade area, which includes adjac4ent areas of Texas and Oklahoma.  It is the crossroads of two major highways, the coast-to-coast Highway 64 and the Canada to New Mexico Highway 87.  The community provides a vital business sector, which provides most of the goods and services required in the area.  The town is noted for its wide, tree-lined streets, and is the focal point for ultra-modern health care facilities and the center of excellent public schools.

The Golden Spread Rural/Frontier Coalition was established in 1997 and has grown into a multi-faceted community improvement oriented organization.  The Coalition addresses everything from housing to mental health for the communities in and around Clayton, in Union County, New Mexico.

Strategic Plan Highlights:  

With the implementation of its strategic plan, the Golden Spread Rural/Frontier Coalition Champion Community seeks to achieve a balance in economic and community development.

• The goals, objectives, and strategies outlined in this plan document will be completed.

• Resource Strategies

• Utilize all existing resources and create new revenue sources to implement this plan.

• The State of New Mexico will pass legislation that will increase tools for capturing economic development opportunities.

• Insure that Clayton obtains adequate state and federal appropriations to fund strategies identified in this plan.

• Housing

• Strive to provide a high quality of life and protect the well-being of all residents who live in Clayton.

• Strive toward keeping Clayton a safe, attractive, and desirable place in which to live.

• Expand housing development opportunities.

• Rental Housing

  • Support development of affordable rental housing projects.

• Home Ownership

• Provide affordable home ownership opportunities to families wishing to own their own homes.

• Elderly/Special Needs Housing

• Offer a housing choice to the elderly residents and their families in Clayton when the elderly need assistance with their activities of daily living.

• Insure that Clayton can provide immediate housing to the homeless and victims of domestic violence.

• Housing Preservation

• Preserve existing housing stock by providing education and an affordable means for all families to get their homes repaired and make them more energy efficient, which will reduce further deterioration and reduce monthly housing costs.

• Economic Development

• Investment and Development Strategy

• Identify existing resources and create new resources for economic development purposes.

• Follow the progress of all projects and regularly inform the public on their status.

• Business Retention and Expansion

• Retain and create additional jobs by strengthening and expanding existing business.

• Business Attraction and Economic Development Marketing

• Diversify the local economy by attracting businesses to locate in and create new jobs in Union County.  The jobs should provide living wages, job security and benefits including health and retirement.

• Workforce Development and Education

• Prepare the local populace to enter the work force and obtain high-quality jobs by developing the best possible education and vocational and other skill training targeted to employers’ needs.

• Community Development

• To support economic growth, broaden its cultural and recreational opportunities, and enhance its appearance.

• All residents that desire to work have the needed support services available and affordable to them.

• Downtown Revitalization

• Capitalize on the downtown as a strategic economic and cultural asset by enhancing its vitality.

• Tourism

• Build upon the community’s visitor industry potential.

• Infrastructure

• The city will comply with the new GASB accounting requirements that will be imposed in 2003.

• Facilities

• City Hall will comply with ADA and be maintained adequately to preserve it for future generations.

• The Civic Center will be maintained and improved adequately to preserve it for future generations

• The Old National Guard Armory will be utilized.

• Continue to improve and maintain the Senior Citizens Center, Chamber of Commerce Building, radio station building, Worley Mills Buildings as per Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan.

• Law Enforcement and Detention

• To have an adequate and affordable facility in which to house offenders that serves both in Clayton and Union County.

• To have a cost effective system and facility to house youth offenders.

• Provide law enforcement with adequate equipment.

• Keep law enforcement personnel employed long term.

• Safety and Emergency Services

• Strive to maintain a high quality water system that provides an adequate water supply during emergencies.

• The residents of Clayton will have an excellent emergency preparedness and response system in place for catastrophic incidents.

• Water

• Insure the residents of Clayton have an adequate and affordable supply of water for future generations.

• Sewer

• Clayton’s sewer system is a well-maintained and cost effective system.

• Streets and Sidewalks

• Insure streets are clean, safe and in good repair.

• Parks and Recreation

• Provide an adequate number of quality parks for the residents of Clayton.

• Improve existing recreational opportunities.

• Provide a quality County Fair and Fair Facility.

• Solid Waste

• Continue closure procedures of existing landfill.

• Open new landfill.

• Clayton is a clean and attractive city in which to live and/or visit.

• Promote quality gas and electric service at an affordable price.

• Land Use

• Zoning and Ordinances

• Clayton offers appropriate guidance for the well-being of its citizens and facilitates growth in the best interest of its citizens and community.

• Other Vacant Municipal Properties.

• Insure that the available vacant properties and buildings within the city limits are utilized to their highest and best use.

• Transportation

• Ports-to-Plains

• Insure that the Ports-to-Plains highway is developed appropriately.

• Insure that the airport provides the highest level of service possible.

• Public Transportation

• Study the possibility of developing an affordable city-wide transportation system.

Partnerships

• Partner with city and county governments.

• Partner with other non-profit organizations.

• Partner with other service providers.

Leveraging

• Applying for grants relative to plan.

• Working with local financial institutions.

• Using set aside funds from Coalition.

Community Involvement:

• Keeping city government well informed of progress.

• Holding public meetings periodically to get public input.

• Attending city and county government meetings.

• Involving members of public by inviting them to sit on committees.

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