Issues:

What are the issues of Mountainair?  There are many.  I have my own opinion of what they are. But this is not about what I think, this is about what YOU think.  This is YOUR TOWN. My job is to address what you think the issues are.

As I receive insights from you, I will expand this web page.  But right now this is was I've observed in Mountainair.

Crime Reduction and Prevention:  Crime is a problem in our community, as it is everywhere.  Illegal drug use, particularly heroin usage, has risen substantially in the past few years. This obviously leads to increased burglaries and other crimes as these users "work" to support their habit.  But I believe that we must look at the root of the problem. Why do people do drugs?  There are many answers, but one I feel is the most visible locally is a lack of pride or a feeling of hopelessness.  If a person feels they can't get a head in life, or they feel trapped, it's natural that they'll gravitate towards anything that will make them feel better.  Oftentimes, that's alcohol and drug abuse. I don't believe these people need to be persecuted by the very system that is part of the reason why they are in the psychological place they're in.

The Police Force's duty is to enforce the laws, not fix the psychological problems of the criminals. They are not therapists.  They cannot violate any laws themselves, even when acting in accordance to their mission.  I believe they need our help as citizens to effectively do their jobs.  We need to disallow illegal activity in our community by being willing to testify any wrongdoings we personally witness. Not necessarily what we "think" is going on. We have to actually see it for it to hold up in court.

Domestic Violence:  Domestic Violence is a serious problem in New Mexico, and Mountainair is no exception.  We MUST protect our citizens from the dangers that occur in our own home.  I'm still fleshing out the details, but I propose a volunteer group to act as a resource group in which victims can anonymously go to for protection.  We MUST work toward an end to this most lowly of crimes.  If you would like to help me with this goal, please email me and we'll talk.  Dennis@DennisFulfer.com

Public Services:  One complaint I hear in so many conversations is of the town employees.  Even though I've never had an issue with any employee, I won't discount that it occurs.  All town employees are, first, public servants. This means that YOU are the customer and customer service should be top priority.  Secondly, they are agents of the town. This means that whatever they say or do, if not addressed by the town administration, is legally considered the opinion or action of the town.  This can lead to serious liability to the town (and ultimately to all citizens of the town.)

Losing Faith in the Town Administration:   This is a VERY IMPORTANT issue that I've noticed in the people I've talked with.  The citizens of Mountainair has lost their faith in the town government.  There are so many promises that have become unfulfilled.  Why did we buy the MAC?  Why isn't the swimming pool open yet?  What happened to the recycling project?  Why is there a bunch of trash at the corner of the MAC?  What happened to the fully funded skate park that was supposed to be built by December (it's December now!)?  Why don't we have police protection at night?  Where are the paved roads we've been promised at our last election?  I'm sure you have a few questions not mentioned here.  (Please email them to me.  Dennis@DennisFulfer.com)

Talk is cheap, and obviously promises are even cheaper when trying to win an election. Personally, I would be happy if there were some excuses. But I don't hear anything. It's one of those things that they hope we all just forgot about.  Well, we DON'T forget about them.  We remember each one of them and when the next promise is broken, we lose more and more faith in the Administration.

Clean Up The Town:  As a realtor, I once was showing some properties around the County.  We went to Corona and he was impressed. His comment was, "These people take pride in their neighborhood!  Look how clean it is!"  We're all proud of Mountainair.  But it's not that obvious when you drive down Broadway.  I propose a beautification program that will keep our town clean and beautiful.

Doing Something For the Kids: Our kids are the future of Mountainair and the country!  We need to cultivate them and give them every opportunity to succeed in life. They already have the potential to be engineers, scientists, wealthy investors, or even the President of the United States.  But only through inspiration, motivation, and access to the knowledge will they achieve their wildest dreams.  It is VERY important to me that programs be implemented to give our youth the opportunity to achieve their dreams! 

Economic Development:  We need jobs. What good is feeling great, and exercising our minds if we can't afford to live in Mountainair?  There are two ways of encouraging opportunity in Mountainair, we can bring in a business from the outside or we can inspire local folks to start businesses.  I believe in the balanced approach of doing both. 

Partnering with organizations, such as the Mountainair Chamber of Commerce, and the Small Business Development Center at UNM-Valencia, we can teach local citizens how to start and manage a business.

What if you don't want to start a business?  Well, I believe there should be a workforce training program. This program will teach people high quality work ethics. How to get a job and how to keep that job.  With a high quality workforce, we can attract potential businesses to our town.

Bringing the Community Together:   Mountainair is a beautiful place!  I so love the diversity of Mountainair. We have a lot of young people, and a lot of seniors.  We're split almost 50/50 between Anglos and Hispanics (as well as other minorities. I'm Japanese!).  We have our local natives, and we have "newcomers".  We have artists and non-artists.  We exemplify what it means to be an American!

Every one of these folks have a different idea of how things should be.  But one thing is certain, we need to come together and share our ideas.  But equally as important, we need to work at listening to "the other side."  We need cooperation without compromising our own identity.

I believe I can get an understanding of everyone's needs.  I'm an Anglo (English descent) and Japanese (a minority).  I've witnessed and been the subjected to racism.  I was raised in San Diego, CA, but my family has lived here since 1906.  I understand the perspectives of both "newcomers" and "locals".  I'm an artist, but I'm also a business persons. 

Town Infrastructure:  There are a number of issues concerning our infrastructure.  Each month, we're losing money because of problems with our gas service, and our trash service.  We need our roads paved, but we need to fix the "underground" infrastructure first (our gas, water, sewer lines.)  There's grant money out there that we qualify for but aren't getting.  I will seek out these grants as well as gain access into the political networks at the state level essential in getting funding to improve our infrastructure.

Health and Wellness:  I often hear people say, "We have a drug problem."  Other's say, "We have a welfare problem."  Well, I see these as symptoms of a greater problem.  That problem is the health and well being of our mind and body.  If people were happy or content, they would prosper.   We need to take care of our mind and body if we want to beat the surface issues of drug and alcohol abuse or the dependence on government subsistence.