Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Mayor hopefuls make their pitch

CLOVIS - If the state decided to reopen the process to award a sixth racino license, there's a good chance the next mayor of Clovis will be on board with having it around.

Four of the five candidates hoping to succeed David Lansford largely supported such a possibility during a miniature candidate forum held at the Thursday Clovis Rotary Club meeting at the Clovis Civic Center. The fifth candidate, Mike Morris, said he is open-minded on the topic.

Due to the noon-hour timeframe of the meeting, the forum itself was limited to opening and closing statements from each candidate and four questions - three the candidates saw in advance and one delivered when moderator Gail Tarson discovered there was enough time left over.

Candidates made opening statements by ballot order in the March 3 municipal election:

• Raymond Mondragon spoke of his long history with Clovis, which began when he was a teenage dispatcher at the Clovis Police Department. He was a patrol officer at age 18, which the state no longer allows, and joked about the embarrassment of his father having to buy ammunition for his service revolver.

He rose to the rank of police chief, and also served as city manager.

"I've been in the position," Mondragon said. "I'm ready to lead on day 1."

• Mike Morris sees an opportunity for Clovis to grow, and believed he could be the pitchman for city economic development.

"I would encourage the businesses to put down roots like Sara and I did when we started our insurance business."

• Steve North said he came to Clovis through the Air Force, and has developed into a key role as chief financial officer for the Ninth Judicial District. He credited his wife, the former Brandi Lyons, and her family for helping him grow into a productive member of society.

"When I got stationed here at 18, I was not a grown man," North said, "but I grew up with her family and the community."

• Rube Render told the crowd he was a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-business, small-government believer. He felt his experience in the military, in private business and in government and politics gave him the expertise he needed for the job.

• Sandra Taylor-Sawyer said if she got elected, many of the city's problems wouldn't magically be fixed.

"What I can promise as your mayor for the next decade," Taylor-Sawyer said, "is I will work hard to find a solution for the issues we all share."

Candidates each got a few minutes to answer the following questions:

What would you as mayor do about the crime issues in Clovis?

Morris said citizens deserved the right to feel safe, and the best ways to make Clovis safer center around tough penalties for repeat offenders and competitive pay and benefits for law enforcement.

Norris said crime was a complex issue, but affirmed, "we need more officers on the street." He also pointed to youth programs and how they are often effective in crime reduction.

Render said it was important to fund law enforcement, but that citizens can help through neighborhood watch programs. He and fellow District 4 Commissioner Chris Bryant are having a meeting on the topic Feb. 25 at Kingswood United Methodist Church.

"We need more eyes and ears to support the police," Render said. "Everybody used to do that."

Taylor-Sawyer noted crime was down 18% from December 2018 to December 2019, and noted the importance of looking at information before attacking what you believe to be a problem.

Mondragon said although crime was down, homicides were up. The issue with crime, Mondragon said, comes down to investment in a police force.

Should the state reopen the process, what is your stance on a racino in Clovis?

Morris was the only candidate to not explicitly say yes, noting he was open-minded but felt it was inappropriate to take a position without knowing what the process and proposals would be.

Mondragon said a feasibility study done during the 2019 process showed abundant positives for a Clovis racino and that one of his first tasks as mayor would be to call Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham about a racino.

Render stated that if a legal business wanted to come into Clovis, spend millions of dollars and require no taxpayer investment, "I will not stand against that business."

North felt a racino would have been "fantastic" because it would increase the tax and job base and bring in outside money instead of just splitting up the existing local dollars.

Taylor-Sawyer said during the previous racino process, she called the idea a "no-brainer" and nothing that has happened since has convinced her otherwise.

What is the most pressing issue outside of water, and how should it be addressed?

Render said economic development would be next, but stressed you won't be able to attract businesses without good infrastructure and an educated workforce.

Taylor agreed, and pointed to a resume that included years with the Small Business Development Center and her city commission work leading the ad hoc committee that established current economic development parameters.

Mondragon pointed at the issue of the 2020 Census and its ripple effect.

"Everyone needs to be counted," Mondragon said, "because the state of New Mexico stands to gain $8 billion. It's very important."

Morris said after water, economic development was key and that he was ready to be a salesman for Clovis as a place to establish a business.

North said the next important issue is economic development because it determines your success on everything else.

What experience can you point to, personal or professional, that demonstrates you are prepared for the job?

Taylor-Sawyer pointed out her time on the commission and her experience in economic development. "I am the only candidate," she said, "who has brought in millions of dollars in capital formation."

Mondragon noted his 40-plus years of city service, and highlighted a difficult time for the city when Matthew Roberts went missing and was found in the trunk of a station wagon parked outside the family home following a two-week search. He remembered when he and Joe Thomas pulled Matthew out of the trunk, and how difficult that experience was.

Morris went to his business experience, noting that he first came to Clovis in his 20s and will soon turn 43 with years of demonstrated success and leadership.

North said he has 12 years in the DA's office, including eight years working on community programs and his current position where he is in charge of a $4 million budget.

Render said he's learned throughout his life that, "you lead people and you manage programs," and his time in the military, industry and government make him ready for the position.

Tarson thanked the candidates for their participation and noted her optimism for the city future with "five strong candidates."