I was transplanted to Tucumcari via Swickly, Penn., Fort Bragg, N.C., Morgantown, La., and Miles, Texas. I was born in 1942 and my dad was in the military until we settled here in 1947. I attended the Tucumcari schools for 12 years. I went to first grade at Central School, which now houses the Tucumcari Historical Museum. I graduated in 1961 from the old high school which was located on Fourth Street. It burned in 1975. Then I went to Eastern New Mexico University and New Mexico State University for business courses. I married a hometown girl, Corinne Meeks. God blessed us with two children – Jimmy Hayes and Tammy Hayes Lopez. Our children and their spouses live in Tucumcari. We have five grandchildren. I have been self-employed most of my life in the fields of construction, livestock hauling, excavation, redi-mix concrete and now long-haul trucking. We employ 18 people and expect our 2006 payroll to be approximately $400,000. We are the owners and operators, along with our children, of a successful business. Not all of my business endeavors have been successful, but that is a skill I bring to the table – the ability to merge and/or change an operation to take advantage of its more profitable or promising areas. The City of Tucumcari is a business and should be operated as such. Since it is a business that is dependent on its residents and other businesses for its survival, it has to be business-friendly. That does necessarily mean bringing in mega corporations. Ten or 12 small operations that could bring in money from outside sources could have a tremendous impact on the economics of Tucumcari. The city needs to be on a paying basis. As a candidate for city commissioner in district four, economic growth would be one of my priorities. Being in my own business for over 30 years has meant wearing many hats. I feel that this experience, knowledge and a conservative, practical approach to operating a business of my own will be an asset in dealing with the economics and future of Tucumcari. ____ Keith Hayes is running for Tucumcari city commissioner in district four. All city candidates are invited to write, in 300 words or less, a brief synopsis of their intentions if elected.