Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Two are running against each other for the open mayor’s position in the Village of House in the Nov. 2 election.
Joe M. “Mike Patton, 72, a retired teacher from House and New Mexico Military Institute schools, and Eva Susan Harding, 82, a “retired mother” and owner of La Villa E’va and Gallery in the former House Methodist Church, are competing for the position that carries a four-year term.
The current mayor, Sherman Martin, declined to run for re-election.
The Quay County Sun gave Patton and Harding a questionnaire to fill out about their candidacies. Answers are verbatim when not edited or paraphrased for space or clarity.
Q: What prompted you to run for office?
Patton: “The need for a change of vision for the Village of House and its relationship with families and communities in the area.”
Harding: She said she was prompted to run because of the mayor’s imminent retirement, and added, “I am a very healthy and energetic lady of 82 years young.”
Q: What do you feel makes you qualified for the position?
Patton: “I have been a resident of House over twenty years and served on the Village Council several years.”
Harding: She cited her background in public relations and was CEO to beauty and barber salons on two military bases. She said she has education in psychology and sociology.
Q: If elected, what are your goals once you take office?
Patton: He provided a list:
• “Village deferred maintenance and beautification”;
• “Improvements to the Village Fire Department and ambulance service”;
• “Street improvements”;
• “A cooperative relationship with neighboring communities to provide better services to all.”
Harding: “My goals are install New Mexico school speed signs. There is none here on Highway 252.”
She wrote she wanted to “clean up our environment, land and abandoned buildings” and remove “wildlife critters who have moved in.” She wrote she wants “to repair our streets and alleys” and “do a study on our Dumpster service.” She stated she also wants to establish a girls home in the village.
Village councilors
The Sun also sent questionnaires to the five candidates at large – Steven Foust, Matthew Cramblet, Anita Allen, Danny Dodd and Destiny Dodd – for House village board, of which two of the top vote-getters will be elected. Two returned their answers.
One was Foust, 59, a retired Air Force veteran, teacher and coach, and Allen, a member of the Clovis Fire Department who declined to reveal her age. Their answers are verbatim and lightly edited for clarity.
Q: What prompted you to run for the office?
Allen: I decided to run for councilor for the Village of House to work with my local government.
Foust: “I have lived in House for 19 years and have come to love the people of House. We have had the same mayor since we moved here, and he is retiring. I believe this is the right time to have a fresh start to continue the good things the past administration has done and continue to move our village forward into the 21st Century.”
Q: What do you feel makes you qualified for the position?
Allen: “I have worked in the Village of House office as the Village clerk for over 5 years.”
Foust: “1. My love for the people and village of House.
“2. My past experiences in working with families as a teacher, coach, and AD.