By Kevin Wilson
Clovis News Journal, N.M.
CLOVIS, N.M. — It’s a common occurrence in many eastern New Mexico families for one sibling to hand a car down to another.
For sister cities, it’s a little more unusual.
In a first for the city, an ambulance owned by the city of Clovis is being retired with a long service call to its sister city of Kasama, Zambia. The ambulance will be presented to a Kasama delegation 10 a.m. Monday following a tour of the Clovis-Curry County Chamber of Commerce and the Clovis Fire Department.
The cities became sister cities under a twinning agreement adopted by the Clovis City Commission in 2012. Members of Kasama also paid a visit during the city’s ethnic fair in 2012.
“The City of Clovis is pleased to be able to support its sister city in Kasama, Zambia, with this ambulance,” said Clovis Mayor David Lansford said in a release. “Nurturing partnerships and friendships and assisting when possible are important in an ever-changing world.”
During the Sept. 4 Clovis City Commission meeting, the item was approved on a unanimous vote following a brief explanation by Lansford.
Lansford said while speaking with officials at Central Baptist Church, the subject of mission trips and Kasama came up. The city, Lansford was told, had many infrastructural issues and an ambulance was one of its needs. Lansford said the next time the city planned to dispose of an ambulance, it would make it available to Kasama provided no local entity wanted it.
That opportunity came up when the city had an 2006 ambulance that was no longer serviceable for the Clovis Fire Department due to excessive mileage. The ambulance was offered to neighboring governments and volunteer fire departments, and was not accepted.
An inquiry was made by the city to make sure that the offer did not violate the state’s antidonation clause. City Attorney David Richards said that due to the ambulance’s mileage and condition, it was unlikely to generate revenue at an auction and had no significant financial value to the city. As further assurance to adhere to the clause, the city offered the van on an “as is” basis and required Kasama to cover transportation costs.
No commissioner voiced objections to the transfer, but had questions about the process itself and concerns that Kasama’s financial obligation of transporting the vehicle might outweigh the benefit of having it.
In order to make the trip more worthwhile, the church and other organizations are donating supplies to go with the shipment. Anybody who wishes to contribute may contact Claire Burroughes at 769-7828.
An attempt to contact church representatives Thursday for comment was unsuccessful.
Additionally, members of the Kasama delegation will meet with officials at Eastern New Mexico University to discuss educational exchange programs.
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©2014 the Clovis News Journal (Clovis, N.M.)