Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Fred Van Soelen
Age: 33
Employment: Assistant District Attorney
Contact: 762-7611
Political experience: None.
Len Vohs
Age: 50
Employment: Senior sales executive, KICA-KKYC radio
Contact: 762-0550
Political experience: None.
Gloria Wicker
Age: 73
Employment: Retired, formerly worked for the Santa Fe railroad and Cannon Air Force Base.
Contact: 762-0029
Political experience: City commissioner for four years.
How do you feel about the proposed quarter-percent gross receipts tax increase?
Van Soelen: I’m for it. I think it will be good for the city. It’s something the city needs to help with its infrastructure. I’m keen on the idea that it will free up some funds that can be used to help get pay raises for the police and fire departments.
Vohs: I think we need it. With Clovis growing the way it is, we need to really start working on our infrastructure. Plus, it takes some of the burden off of the homeowners, to where people in our outlying communities come in and spend their money here and we get to use that money for our infrastructure.
Wicker: I’m very much for the quarter percent. We definitely need it, because we’re so behind on our street repairs that it’s estimated that it would take 20 years for us to get all our streets repaired to the state they should be — and then we’d have to start over again. I’d like to see a 1-cent tax on gasoline that we could put into a fund as a regular source of money for streets. We definitely need to have our (police and fire) equipment in shape.
Which is more important, infrastructure improvements or raises for city workers, including police officers?
Van Soelen: I wouldn’t pick one over the other. I think they’re both very important. My emphasis will be, initially, getting pay raises for the police and fire departments. A top reason I decided to run was the pay issue for the police and fire department. I think we really need to do what we can to raise the pay, so we can pay them a decent wage. But, again, I think we need both (infrastructure improvements and raises).
Vohs: I’m not so certain that those two are separate. Infrastructure is paying all of our employees fair competitive wages compared to other cities. Our biggest asset is our employees.
Wicker: If there’s not enough money to do both, then I guess the sensible way to do that is that you divide the money up and put what you can in both places. That’s the way you’d do a household budget. I think they’re equally important. The quarter percent, when we get it, has to be used entirely for infrastructure. So the money we’re using for infrastructure, we will have that money to use for salaries.
How do you feel about the city’s participation in the Ute water pipeline project?
Van Soelen: I think it’s important. This is an issue that’s been studied and looked at for quite a while. I think it’s the road we need to be looking at. I don’t think it’s the only solution. We need to look at conservation, both on a personal scale and a governmental scale. From everything I know about the Ute Water Project, it’s going to help, but 25, 30 years down the road even that might not be enough. With the increased, continuing growth in this area, water issues are going to be with us a long time.
Vohs: I believe, with the sharing of that project with 13 other communities and entities and things, that it’s a bargain.
Wicker: I think we have no choice. We need to be sure that water’s allocated to us. I don’t agree that only the citizens of Clovis should pay for it. I think everybody in the county should pay their share. I’m all for the farmers, but let’s face it, Clovis has used 5 percent of the water, the farmers (90) percent. The water we can get from Ute frees more water for them, and we all need to pay our fair share. I think the cost of (the project) should be checked into and, perhaps, we should seek advice from other firms. If you were going to remodel your house, would you only get one guy to come give you a bid?
How do you feel about the water conservation measures adopted by the city commission? Should some be mandatory?
Van Soelen: I’m not sure I could speak intelligently enough about the specific measures. But, I do support steps toward conserving water. I wouldn’t support any and all measures, but I do support any reasonable steps. I would not support making any measures mandatory at this time. I don’t think we’ve reached that stage yet. I lived in San Antonio while I was in law school and they had mandatory measures. You had neighbors reporting on neighbors when they saw someone watering when they shouldn’t be. I don’t want to see that yet. I hope everyone will be responsible enough that we will be able to take measures voluntarily.
Vohs: I don’t know enough about it to comment. We need to do everything we can right now to protect our future and I think one of the things we could do is buy up some water rights, like Amarillo is doing. One, we would have an asset we could sell. Two, we would have water rights, which in the future we would very much need. … I do believe that at some point in time we will have to have mandatory metering.
Wicker: I definitely think that that’s an excellent idea. I’ve thought it for many a year. Absolutely, I think all of the measures should be used year-round. I don’t think restaurants should be putting water on the table unless people request it. (The measures) should be mandatory. Because that’s the only way you’re going to get everybody to do it. You’ve go to shame them into it, you know it and I know it.
What projects not mentioned would you like to work on as a commissioner?
Van Soelen: I’m for enhancing our parks. I think we can add walking paths on many of them, other beautification projects and adequate parking. And we can do it without spending too much. I’d also work for basic street projects. The quality of our streets, in some cases, is poor. Improving the quality of our streets is good for business and good for everyday living. When it comes to business regulation, my pledge is I’m going to be on the side of business. I don’t think we need to overregulate our businesses, property owners or home owners.
Vohs: What I feel we are lacking in is sometimes our city is arguing with our county and sometimes our county is arguing with our city, and sometimes both of them have different views than our Chamber of Commerce. I believe in a city and a county working together to make Clovis the best place to live, work and play.
Wicker: I’d like to go to North Dakota to look at a water project there that is very similar to the Ute Water Project. I haven’t given up on Hillcrest Pool. I’m also really into the idea of piping Mississippi River water here to replenish the Ogallala Aquifer.
This Q&A was compiled by Jack King of the Clovis News Journal. He can be reached at
