Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Q&A: New District 3 commissioner talks about goals

Helen Casaus

Helen Casaus is the new District 3 Clovis City Commissioner.

She was appointed last week to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Robert Sandoval. She will fulfill the duties until March 2018, and must run for election then to fill the remaining two years of the four-year term.

Casaus, a retired nurse of 40 years, is office manager for the Clovis / Curry County Chamber of Commerce. Her last day will be Thursday.

The chamber is using its Chamber After Hours — a Brats and Root Beer event 4:30 p.m. today at the Norman and Vi Petty Rock and Roll Museum — as an opportunity to congratulate her on the appointment.

You were sworn in early during the Oct. 20 meeting, then took part in your first session as a commissioner. Was the experience like you expected? If not, how was it different?

First, I was honored to be appointed. I have always been intrigued with watching the commission meetings — decisions that are made for the good of the city. I was not prepared to sit and participate in the meeting but did feel comfortable.

Every commissioner has a different experience coming in. You spent 40 years as a nurse and have recently worked with the chamber of commerce. How do you think those experiences have prepared you?

For the past few decades, I have worked in a leadership and supervisory role both as a nurse and as the office manager for the chamber. The last few years working at the chamber has taught me how closely the city and chamber work together.

What goals do you have specific to District 3 in your term?

I would like to see new businesses come to District 3. I would also like to see residents take pride in their homes and yards in an effort to bring this part of town back to life. We also need to see road improvements, a better drainage system and clean up the district and rest of the city.

What do you think are the most important city-wide goals for the remainder of your term?

Water issues are most certainly a priority, as well as road improvements throughout the city. (We need to) beautify the entrances to Clovis, stimulate economic growth and improve our infrastructure.

Commissioners are tasked to serve on approximately three dozen lower boards, ranging from public works to lodger’s tax to ethnic affairs. They act as voting members and sometimes liaisons, both to inform the lower boards of the commission’s powers and responsibilities and to inform other city commissioners how a recommendation was formulated. What lower boards are you interested in serving?

I would like to serve on the boards that Commissioner Sandoval served on and get a knowledge of all the boards to see how things run for the good of the community. I look forward to serving the City of Clovis as City Commissioner for District 3.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Douglas Clark