By James Garrett
Community resident Clifford Lucero today announced his candidacy for Archuleta County Commissioner, running in the election to be held this fall. Lucero, age 56, of the Twin Creeks neighborhood in District 1, will run for Commissioner in November as an Independent.
Lucero has previously served the citizens of Archuleta County in numerous capacities, including six years as a member of Pagosa Springs Town Council, eight years on the Archuleta Joint 50 District School Board, and two previous terms as an Archuleta County Commissioner between 2009-2016.
A member of a local family with roots in Southwest Colorado dating to the 1500’s, Lucero graduated from Pagosa Springs High School with the Class of 1981. As a student, he played football, basketball and baseball for the Pagosa Pirates, and was active in student government. Lucero is also the parent of five children who graduated from the High School.
After graduating, Lucero attended Fort Lewis College in Durango. Following his education he was employed for several years in the waste and recycling industry, including forming and operating local solid waste company, L&M Disposal, in the 1990’s.
After selling L&M to a larger company, Lucero became the founding Director of the Archuleta County Solid Waste Department, with responsibility for initial staffing, training, and equipment procurement.
Lucero’s contributions to the community have not been limited to his public service positions. He has been a youth sports coach for 20 years, and was a leader in the community drive to create South Park in Pagosa Springs. He also helped initiate the Cash for Cans Scholarship program, a locally pioneering recycling plan that generated funds to help local students achieve their dreams of higher education.
In 2006, he was recognized by the Archuleta County Fair Board as Super Volunteer of the Year, for his efforts in organizing the event.
Additionally, Lucero remains active in the community as a business owner, currently operating companies working in both construction and automobile tire service. In 1999, he was honored by the Pagosa Springs Chamber of Commerce with selection as its Citizen of the Year.
During his previous tenure as Archuleta County Commissioner from District 2, which was ended by statutory term limits, Lucero was instrumental in upgrading county roads, and established the practice of forming County Five Year Road Plans.
Additionally, at the outset of his tenure Lucero helped restore Archuleta County to sound fiscal management following its financial crisis cresting in 2008, the year prior to the start of his term. His service as a Commissioner was widely regarded as coinciding with an era of enhanced local government cooperation in the community.
Regarding his service as a Commissioner between 2009 – 2016, Lucero says, “Once fiscal stability was restored, I am proud that my fellow Commissioners and I worked strongly in cooperation with local, state and federal agencies to get Archuleta County back on track, and enhance services to its citizens.”
Over the last few years, Lucero has been very active in the community’s efforts to deal with its inadequate affordable housing supply as a member of the board of the independent Archuleta County Housing Authority. Lucero and his fellow-board members pushed for the Authority to undertake a major housing project on Hot Springs Boulevard, downtown Pagosa Springs.
Last fall the Authority won approval from Colorado Housing and Finance Agency for a substantial Low Income Housing Tax Credit grant, which will result in construction of 34 new affordable housing units. The project is expected to be worth $14 million, without cost to local taxpayers.
Construction on the new project is expected to begin this spring. Regarding the new housing, Lucero says, “Once the community’s need became clear, the Housing Authority accepted the responsibility to address it. The Authority is grateful for the help it has received on the project from the County and the Town of Pagosa Springs. We expect the new project will be a major boost to the community.
“As Commissioner starting next year, I will continue to seek ways for us to deal with our need for housing, and the other matters important for the future of our community.”
Lucero’s campaign Chairperson will be John Egan, former County Commissioner and member of Pagosa Springs Town Council. For more information, call Mr. Egan at 970-946-9461, or contact Mr. Lucero at cliffordlucero@yahoo.com.