I love Clovis. I love the people who live, work, and play here. So, I am especially grateful for the opportunity you have entrusted to me to serve on your City Council. I am also grateful to the Clovis Roundup for this forum to share some of my thoughts with you.
I have had discussions with people on various issues and the question comes up of “what sets Clovis apart from other communities?” No matter the exact topic, the answer is invariably the same, “it is her people.”
Why has Clovis remained the “Safest City in the Valley” when our police staffing is lower than we would like? Why have we been able to hold the line better on crime than other cities?
In addition to the quality of our officers, our citizens are engaged and participate. If a crime is committed elsewhere, there is no guarantee law enforcement will find anyone willing to come forward as a witness.
In Clovis, often the witnesses are the ones who alert law enforcement and are not afraid if they “see something,” to “say something.”
Why has Clovis been able to maintain the small-town feel and charm even with our population growing by roughly 75% in the last 20 years?
Why do community-wide events like Big Hat Days, the Clovis Rodeo, Clovis Fest, and any time spent in Old Town feel like everyone is your neighbor?
It is because we are a community who cares about our heritage and traditions. It is also because we want to welcome everyone to share in those things with us and be part of our special “Clovis Way of Life.”
I have gotten to experience that community “buy-in” in a unique way over the last couple of years.
During my campaign to represent you on the City Council, I knocked on thousands of doors, attended dozens of meetings, and enjoyed many wonderful conversations about what we love about Clovis and how we want to protect and maintain those things into the future.
Now that I have the privilege of bringing your voice into your Council Chambers, I have gained an even deeper respect for our community’s commitment to civic engagement.
I believe you deserve transparency from your local government and the ability to hold those you put in office accountable.
While we are there to represent your interests, it is also important that we hear directly from those we are tasked with representing.
Every Council meeting includes a time for Public Comments which offers our citizens the chance to address their elected representatives on an item that is not on the meeting agenda.
Sometimes there are maybe one or two citizens with specific issues to bring to our attention, and often there are none.
But on the three occasions when a group of citizens have come together – a neighborhood concern over a group home, a request from many residents to consider allowing backyard chickens, and engaged residents asking for our City’s flag policy to receive official Council approval – it has showcased the best of who we are.
We engage in civil discourse and respectfully seek our elected officials’ responsiveness. The first two issues brought to the Council received action. It remains to be seen if the flag policy question will receive the same consideration.
What makes Clovis special is not it’s City Councilmembers, we come and go. What makes Clovis special is you – whether you have been here for generations or have added your thread to our fabric more recently – who are committed to preserving and protecting what has built our success, our “Clovis Way of Life.”