Shannon Reynolds seeking reelection in Doña Ana County Commission District 3
Michael McDevitt
LAS CRUCES - District 3 Commissioner Shannon Reynolds is seeking his second term on the Doña Ana County Commission, emphasizing accountability, critical thinking and informed questioning as the qualities he brings to the board.
Reynolds, 69, was elected to the commission in 2018. He worked a desk job in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and he received a degree in general engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
As a commissioner, Reynolds has chaired the Spaceport America Regional Spaceport Tax District Board and chaired the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority Board. He's served on the New Mexico Association of Counties Board and served as treasurer and secretary of the New Mexico Commissioner Affiliate Board.
Though serving his first term on the county commission, it's not his first brush with public office. Reynolds served as a city councilman in Milford, Ohio for several years. He said he resigned early from his term because increasing travel for work got in the way. He has lived in Las Cruces since 2015, though he spent three years in the area in the late 1980s while working for computer company IBM.
After IBM, Reynolds worked for EMC Corporation, a computer data storage company later acquired by Dell. He retired in 2009 and moved to Las Cruces several years later.
In 2016, Reynolds ran in the Democratic primary for county treasurer but lost to Eric Rodriguez.
"What motivates me to run for office is the fact that I have an opportunity … to positively change the lives of over 200,000 people in the county," Reynolds said. "If the policy I enact is good enough, I can impact them for generations to come."
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Reynolds wants to increase broadband internet access in Doña Ana County, maximize the economic impact of the Santa Teresa borderplex through continued investments in infrastructure — such as a truck bypass road and airport facilities — boost county employee morale and continue to make investments for road and flood control projects.
"I believe that the Border Industrial Alliance area in Santa Teresa can actually be the largest economic engine in North America over the next 20 years if we do it right," Reynolds said.
The incumbent commissioner supports industrial revenue bonds and state Local Economic Development Act grant funds as effective incentives for luring new companies into the county.
Reynolds has sometimes stood alone on the board. He alone opposed the opening of the county crisis triage center, which he said was expedited when the contract was approved.
He believes he's been vindicated, as the center has been underutilized throughout its first year of operation.
He also unsuccessfully tried to revoke the sole source status for a contract awarded to Barkhouse, a company which proposed to help the county relocate stray dogs, after alleging procurement code violations. The contract negotiations later failed, but Reynolds' resolution at the time failed to come up for discussion after no commissioner seconded his motion.
Reynolds expressed that whether constituents agree or disagree with his votes or actions, he has a desire to be as informed as possible on every item before making a decision.
"Our job is to write policy and then ensure that policy is being carried out," Reynolds said. "I think what we're really lacking in the county, and from the county commission as a whole, is accountability for the (county) manager and the operations of the county."
In Reynolds' experience, he said suggestions from county employees or officials can often fall on deaf ears within management. He said county management's approach to issues lacks sufficient compassion.
District 3 encompasses southeastern Doña Ana County, including the Las Alturas, Telshor, Foothills, Talavera, University Hills and Bellamah neighborhoods, New Mexico State University, White Sands Missile Range, Tortugas and Chaparral.
Reynolds emphasizes his certifications in ethics and public service through the EDGE program, a program through New Mexico State University which educates officials on public sector and local government work. He is an NM EDGE Certified Public Official, NM EDGE Certified County Commissioner and NM EDGE Certified Advocate for Public Ethics.
Reynolds will be on the ballot in the Democratic primary election June 7. He is the only Democrat seeking the nomination. Republican Susie Kimble is also running in District 3.
Michael McDevitt is a city and county government reporter for the Sun-News. He can be reached at 575-202-3205, mmcdevitt@lcsun-news.com or @MikeMcDTweets on Twitter.