Clovis · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Clovis public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Proposed 'Shield Act' on sex offender housing
Mayor Pro Tem Pearce wants the city to explore new rules for for-profit homes housing paroled sex offenders — Clovis has 174 registered offenders. Other members want a legal primer first, warning the county's similar ordinance has drawn lawsuit threats.
City of Clovis Alternate Dispatch Center
The city is building a new 4,000-square-foot alternate police dispatch center at Fire Station 6 on Encino Avenue. The facility will house up to 15 employees and improve emergency dispatch resilience.
Infectious Materials and Non-CLIA Laboratory Oversight
The city is partnering with Fresno County to inspect and regulate privately funded research labs that fall outside federal oversight, learning lessons from the Reedley lab incident.
Remote Public Participation Policy (SB 707)
Clovis is setting up a new remote participation system using Webex so residents can watch and speak at council meetings from home starting July 1. The policy also outlines strict rules for what happens if the internet or phone lines go down during a meeting.
Nuisance Abatement at 2075 Swift Avenue
The council intervened on a severely blighted, vacant residential property that had accumulated nearly $16,000 in fines and overgrown weeds, authorizing lien assessments and court-ordered cleanup.
Enforcement Against Synthetic Kratom Sales
Police briefed the council on unregulated Kratom and 7-OH products sold in local smoke shops, noting that state health officials have declared them illegal.
Police Department Drone and Safety Programs
Chief Fleming reported major successes with the new drone first responder program and noted that sworn staffing levels have crossed one officer per thousand residents for the first time in years.
Fire Department Staffing and Response Times
The city is using a federal grant and Measure Y funds to hire six new firefighters and deploy a rapid-response squad, tackling response times that have lagged behind standards due to rapid population growth.
police DUI checkpoint
Keep your eyes on the road and stay sober if you're driving around Clovis on the night of August 14, because local police are running a DUI checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. It's a heads-up to avoid any surprise delays or worse, a costly ticket.