District 2 candidate profile: Daniel Stoddard

Daniel J. Stoddard

Party Affiliation: Republican

Age: 48

Occupation: Owner of Fairhaven Assisted Living Facility

Previous elected offices: None

What is your long-term vision for the county? And how will you plan for that?

My long term vision for the county is to help the county grow in a balanced manner. We have a lot of changes with the new mission at Cannon Air Force Base so we need to be ready ahead of the influx of new personnel.

Safety: We must staff our sheriff’s department so that our county stays a safe place for our residents that are here now and in the future. I will ensure our sheriff’s department has adequate resources.

Economic Development: I will work with our county government to search out new companies that will complement what our county has to offer which is a great place to live and a community that cares. We can do this by cooperating with the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce and the Clovis Industrial Development Corporation as well as economic development agencies at the state and federal level.

Are you in favor of zoning or creating an ordinance to clean up the county?

I feel we have to address the need to clean up our entrances into Curry County. I will support every effort made in this area to get it done. There is a committee working on this right now and we need to listen to what our county residents feel will work for the good of the community. I don’t feel we need to change the zoning but we must look at the ordinances we have on the books and determine how to enforce those before making any new ordinances. Many of these violations are health and safety issues and must be dealt with.

What do you think the county should do to address water conservation?

This very important issue affects everyone that lives in Curry County. I feel we all need to begin by conserving where we can at home and work. Next is to continue working on the Ute Water Pipeline Project. If that is going to stay out of our reach them we must look for other alternatives.

What do you consider the county’s greatest need today? And how should we resolve that issue?

I think that our county’s greatest need at this time is to get the County Special Event Center working in a positive direction. We need to attract events that will support the cost of maintaining this facility. We do not have Lodger’s Tax so we need to sponsor special events that will contribute to the operating costs of the facility. We have spent millions of dollars on this project and this is not the time to burden our county residents with higher property taxes to support the event center.

What is your stance on alcohol sales at the Curry County Special Events Center?

My stance on alcohol sales at the Special Events Center is to find event sponsors for the facility so we don’t have to raise property taxes. Financially, times are hard enough on our families in this community. I am open to looking at all the options that can make the Special Event Center something the residents can enjoy without causing a financial burden on the county.

What can county commissioners do to avoid any more “unaccounted for” funds in light of the money missing from the 2007 county fair?

We have hired an outstanding county manager and county finance director. They have been given the State Auditor’s report on this subject and are instituting new guidelines and procedures for handling this type of funds. I think the county commission’s role in this is not to micromanage the issue but to review the recommendations for change to ensure adequate changes have been made. I think further oversight of such operations by the commissioners is part of their responsibility to the taxpayers. As a businessman I have a good understanding of positive control of funds and an accounting of all moneys spent and received.

— Compiled by CNJ Staff Writer Gabriel Monte