New commissioner talks role, plans for office

Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Debbie Zamora was recently appointed to the Clovis city commission to fill the vacant District 3 position.

Q: Tell me about yourself, your family, background, etc. 

A: I was born and raised here in Clovis. I'm married to Martin (Zamora) and we've been married for 43 years. We raised two daughters, and they are both registered nurses. We have nine grandkids. I graduated from Clovis High School and directly thereafter got married, so I stayed home with the girls till they went to school. And then I got a job at Lockwood Elementary, so I worked for Clovis Municipal Schools for 14 years.

Q: What made you want to serve on the city commission? 

A: We lived out in the county for most of our married life, and we've just recently moved into city limits. Being with Martin (a state representative), seeing how he was serving, what stuff needed to get done, and just living in the city made a big impact on me, especially with our grandkids. I had my eye on this already, it just came up sooner than later. It was a blessing in disguise. I do want to serve our community.

Q: How do you believe you are prepared for this role? 

A: I'm a wife, a mother, and more so a grandmother. Our youth is very close to my heart because I do have my grandkids and I do see what the city has endured in the past. It has to do with the crime and the quote on quote, nothing to do for these kids. That has really sparked my interest. I'm not saying that I'm going to concentrate just on one area, because all the districts come together. We're a community, and the word unity sticks out to me in the word community. I want to serve, I want to speak my voice, and not be behind a computer.

Q: Your husband, Martin Zamora, is a state representative. Do you see that as a benefit as a city commissioner?  

A: Has he been a role model? Yes. And I've learned from him. Sometimes, he wants to speak his peace, or maybe I want to tell him what to say, and he'll tell me "No, Deborah." To me, this is on different levels.

Q: Are you concerned about any conflicts of interest in being married to a state lawmaker while looking out for the city's best interests? 

A: No, because, for one, I am my own person. A lot of you can laugh at me, but I'm going to say this a lot. A lot of times in our 43 years, our thoughts don't always align. But I know that I have his support. He'll stand by me just like I've stood by him.

Q: As a city commissioner, what would you like to see change? How do you plan to tackle it? 

A: We're going to have to face the issues that present themselves in Clovis and look at them as individuals. As a whole, the conservation of water, our most natural resource, I'm going to support fully. Of course, the kids, the youth, they do need things to do, and we need to keep them out of trouble. I sat in and watched the Parks, Recreation & Beautification Committee meeting this last week, and there's a lot of stuff going on in there that I want to get more knowledge on. I would like to see another recreational center for the kids in a different part of town. Government overreach is another one. We need to work on it without losing focus on what is best for our community. 

Q: Will you plan to seek the District 3 seat in the March election? If so, what do you want the public to know before they vote? 

A: Yes, I do plan to run. Of course, I always say, I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but those are my intentions to run. This is all new to me. I've been on the other side, and now I'm in the hot seat. I just want people to know that I will be available to listen and have an open ear and keep my eyes open to what's going on. I'm approachable and I'm there for them; not just in District 3, because if I'm going to sit on that commission, working together is my main deal.

Compiled by Landry Sena, The Staff of the News