Editors Note: The Clovis News Journal asked the Curry County
Commission candidates to answer the following questions in 200 words.
The answers were edited for spelling and style. The general election is
Nov. 4.
Commissioner District 2
Democrat
Charles Benny Adams
Age: 55
Occupation: Retired human resources, training and manufacturing manager in the computer chip industry
Previous elected offices: None
• What should be done to address staffing, security and administration issues at the county jail?
In addition to our acting warden we now have a number of excellent
candidates from around the USA to fill the permanent warden position.
That should be prioritized. The current commission has also approved
additional staffing for the detention center. At the last commission
meeting we heard there is renewed interest in qualified officers to
fill our open positions. We will have addressed the staffing problem
with these additional officers and more effective interviewing tactics.
If after I join the commission and the turnover/quality problem still
exists I will volunteer to spend time with the staff and help ensure
the retention issues are resolved. I spent most of my career hiring and
retaining outstanding employees and I know I will be able to add value
to the process. Regarding security and administration, progress is
being made. Using our own eyes as well as those of outside
professionals we must identify and scrutinize every potential weakness
in the system and react now. It is unfortunate and unacceptable that we
ever got into this situation. I believe we have learned from this
painful experience, if it happens again our county officials must be
held accountable.
• Should the sheriff’s department operate the jail?
No. The sheriff’s department should be focused on apprehending
people that break the law. That requires very specific skills and
knowledge. The detention department should focus on keeping people
detained until the courts release them. That too requires different,
very specific skills and knowledge. The theories and science behind
these two departments are different and I believe they should be
managed separately.
• What should the county commission do to minimize losses from
operating the special events center during its first years of operation?
Many of the citizens I talk to expect the special events center to
lose money indefinitely. I do not believe we can afford that mindset.
We must, at least, pay the bills of it being there and have a goal of
making it profitable. We need to establish very specific revenue goals
and work with the management firm to meet those goals. One subject that
has been talked about is allowing beer to be served at the events
center. We must get to the bottom of that subject as soon as possible.
I cannot imagine how we can build a realistic vision and plan of how to
manage this facility without knowing who we can count on for
sponsorships. I believe beer sales at the events center should be
decided by the citizens as soon as possible, so solid plans can be
made. We will minimize losses, in the short term, by implementing a
strategic plan and, again, holding ourselves accountable.
• Should the county implement a nuisance ordinance, and if so, what would be the key components?
Yes. Beyond Cannon, growth in our county is dependent on the economy
(good jobs) and the desire of individuals and environmentally sensitive
industry moving here. The value of all our property is impacted by that
growth one way or another. I have served on site selection committees
for large corporations in the past and there is no doubt that first
impressions make a considerable difference. The key component to a
nuisance ordinance I would support would be the entrances to Clovis. So
far we have drafted an ordinance and it has been wordsmithed to death.
We must take on tough issues and get the hard work done.
• What other issues do you think the county commission should address? List your top three priorities.
The youth of Curry County: I believe the highest priority we have in
Curry County is to support in building the mind, spirit and bodies of
our youth. Half our county budget goes toward catching and housing
people who break the law. We must stop feeding that system. Among other
work I will prioritize extracurricular alternatives for our youth in
Curry County.
Leadership and fiscal responsibility: County commissioners should
provide exemplary leadership to our employees, spend money responsibly
and plan for an economic future that may be very different from the
past. We must be worthy of our citizens respect and not be driven by
special interests of our own or those that helped get us elected.
Plan and manage our future: We will achieve what we plan to achieve,
conversely, we will not achieve what we do not plan to achieve. We must
work with the city of Clovis to plan our future. We must have a solid
plan to protect our natural resources while attracting industry.
Starting with the special events center we need to build a vision of
Curry County as a weekend destination for people from eastern New
Mexico, West Texas, and beyond.
Republican
Daniel J. Stoddard
Age: 48
Occupation: Owner of Fairhaven Assisted Living Facility
Previous elected offices: None
Declined to participate.
