2024 ELECTION: Questionnaire for County Commissioner District 4 candidates Cases and Monette

Daniel P Monette

Age: 60

Current Occupation: I am Currently the County Manager in Valencia County. I will be retiring on Dec 31, 2024 which will allow me to serve as a full time Commissioner.

Education: I have a B.S. in Agricultural Business Management from New Mexico State.

Previously held Public Office: I have been the Valencia County Manager for over 9 years and have previously served 12 years as a Socorro County Commissioner.

What would your priorities be if you were elected as a County Commissioner?

Socorro County can benefit from the creation of a grants writing department that would identify State and Federal funds to upgrade county roads, fund public safety efforts, and upgrade county infrastructure. This would alleviate the strain on the general fund so we can improve services for county residents.

What kind of services would you support to help senior citizens?

We can enhance services for seniors by expanding transportation options, increasing access to healthcare and wellness programs, offering more social and recreational activities, and improving outreach to ensure awareness of available resources and support systems. This ties into the implementation of a grant writing department.

Do you believe the County should address homelessness and drug use, if so, how?

As vice chair of the opioid remediation collaborative we address homelessness and drug abuse by increasing access to affordable housing, providing comprehensive addiction treatment programs, enhancing mental health services, and fostering community partnerships for supportive resources and outreach initiatives to connect individuals with necessary services. Socorro County is a partner.

What are some of the challenges in law enforcement in Socorro County and what is your ideas on improving safety?

Recruitment and retention is a huge challenge. Increasing funding for training and resources, enhancing community policing efforts, fostering collaboration with local agencies, and prioritizing mental health support for officers to improve overall effectiveness and community relations is essential. We can provide these resources through grants and state appropriations.

The county fire department rely on an all volunteers staff, how could the county ensure the fire departments are fully staffed and have proper training?

Volunteers are the backbone of our fire departments. We can enhance staffing and training by offering incentives/stipend for volunteers, providing regular training programs, and fostering community engagement to attract new recruits. Establishing mentorship opportunities with experienced firefighters will also help retain volunteers and ensure they are well-prepared for emergencies.

Darryl Cases

Age: 61

Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Retired from NM Tech EMRTC, Explosive Testing. Currently ranching in Bingham.

Education: Vocational Degree Electrical Trades, Technical Vocational Institute (Currently known as CNM)

Previously held public office: Socorro Probate Judge, 2 terms

What would your priorities be if you were elected as a county commissioner?

Help educate Socorro County residents about the resources available to them. Through the budget process, balance the needs of the county within the ability to get money and pay for any mandated state or federal programs.

What kind of services would you support to help senior citizens?

I would like to support as many services as possible for the Senior Community, such as Senior Centers and any other related programs within the budget.

Do you believe the county should address homelessness and drug use, if so, how?

Yes, the county should address these two issues as they go hand in hand. The county can search for grants to help bring resources to Socorro County residents and network with the other 32 counties within the state to determine what is working for them.

What are some of the challenges in law enforcement in Socorro County and what are your ideas on improving safety?

Having spoken with the Sheriff, he stated that the influx of drugs in the community is a major challenge. He recommends working to change current laws that currently hinder law enforcement ability to do their job effectively.

The county fire departments rely on an all volunteers staff, how could the county ensure the fire departments are fully staffed and have proper training?

I spoke with a volunteer fire chief who is in need of recruits. Volunteers only receive $4 a call and $8 for training over 2 hours.

The county commission should help support recruitment and training. Possibly working with the public school system to add an elective course in firefighting to pique student interest in this field.