2020 Meet the Candidates Forum
CLOVIS (KSMX)- In March the City of Clovis will hold a municipal election with six contested races. The races include four city commission seats, one magistrate judge position, and the election of a new Mayor. Last night 16 candidates filed into the Clovis Carver Library to share why they would be the best fit for each position.
Rooney Moon Broadcasting hosted a political forum that lasted approximately 2 and a half hours including breaks and equal air time to each candidate. The forum was broken down into three blocks starting with the five Mayoral candidates.
Questions were submitted anonymously online and each candidate was given 1 minute to answer 5 questions to the best of their abilities. You can bet that the very first issue addressed by every candidate was the water situation as well as economic growth in Clovis. Other questions addressed Public Safety, infrastructure and sustaining relationships among Canyon Airforce Base and the Community.
The at present city commission passed an ordinance rededicating a .25% property tax increase to potentially pay for $15 million in construction for the interim groundwater project of the Eastern New Mexico Rural water system. However, it will not go into effect until and unless both the $30 million state share and the $40 million federal shares are provided on or before March 2022.
Each mayoral candidate felt that the water issue was something not to be taken lightly and all agreed that without water the economic growth in Clovis would falter. Each understood that in recent years the economic growth in Clovis had a huge effect on gross reciept revenue and keeping money local.
Other main topics of interest were candidates’ views on the possibility of a Racino coming to Clovis and public safety. Because each candidate had preached the importance of economic growth, the Racino issue was a “no brainer”. All agreed that the possibility of a Racino would be positive for the City of Clovis.
The very last question asked to the mayoral Candidates addressed relationships among state legislature:
“In a majority conservative area, how import is the relationships between a democratic-led legislature, as well as house representatives and senators.”
All agreed that as a mayor, the interest of the people comes first and to maintain a relationship with the area’s representatives and the legislature would be the best for their constituents putting aside all political party preferences.
All seven candidates for the position of commissioner for District 1 were present and addressed many of the same issues that mayoral candidates did. Each candidate came from different backgrounds and experiences but seemed to all preach the importance of listening to the needs of the people. All candidates seemed to be in high spirits and enjoying the experience together. They applauded each other for the hard campaign work each had put it.
Candidates for the position of commissioner for District 2 both touched on the importance of their area’s specific needs. Street maintenance and infrastructure were among the top issues for District 2.
Both candidates for Municipal Judge were present and kept out of politics stating that it was their duty to make sure that anyone that came before them had the right to an unbiased and fair trial.
The people of Clovis have their work cut out for them on election day, March 3.
For those who missed out on this opportunity to “Meet their Candidate”, a Live video stream has been posted to Big 1015’s Facebook page.
Candidates, in order of registration,
Mayoral Candidates:
- R.L. “Rube” Render
- Raymond Mondragon
- Stephen B. North
- Michael A. Morris
- Sandra Taylor-Sawyer
District 1 Candidates
- James Matthew Whittington
- Eric A. Collings
- Kenneth R. Lindsey
- Marcus Alan Smith
- Rhonda Payne Bargman,
- Leo Lovett
- George Talmadge Jones.
District 2 Candidates:
- Lauren Denise Rowley
- Jamaal Rashad Williams.
Districts 3 Candidates:
- Helen Casaus
- David W. Bryant
District 4 Candidate:
- Chris Bryant
- Rodney Mike Lusk
Municipal Judge Candidates:
- Vicki D. Kelley
- Paul Nelson
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