Dennis Fulfer – Introduction
Basics
I’m 38 years old and have been married for 7 years to Kristy Fulfer. We have a wonderful 6 year old son, Charles Nath Fulfer, III, who is named after my dad and granddad.
I was born in Yokosuka, Japan, grew up in Imperial Beach, CA, and moved to my ancestral home, Mountainair in 1994. My family has been in this area since 1906.
I hold a Bachelors in Business Administration in Marketing. I’m currently enrolled in a dual degree program, the Masters in Community Regional Planning and the Masters in Public Administration. I’ve completed all the coursework for the MCRP, and have three classes left for the MPA.
I’m self-employed, owner of a real estate brokerage, Discovery Property Company, and a marketing/web design firm, DKF Diversified. I’ve been the vice-chair of the Mountainair Planning and Zoning Commission for 4 years. I’ve been the Treasurer of the Mountainair Chamber of Commerce for 3 years. And I recently resigned as President of iCreate, Inc., a community based non-profit.
Why I’m Running for Mayor
I’ve always been intrigued by the social dynamics of the community development of Mountainair. Subsequently, my academic career was guided by this intrigue, particularly in economic development. The coursework in the MCRP program really broadened my view of the social interactions between all the various constituents of Mountainair. To say the least, the mayor’s office must juggle the needs of the natives, newcomers, Anglos, Hispanics, the Seniors, and the Youth, just to name a few. I positively believe that I am the best candidate to address all the needs of all the various constituents.
In my academic career, as well as my practice as a real estate broker, I’ve been trained as a facilitator. I feel I have what it takes to bring all the constituents to the table, build a trust among them, and assist them in coming to a mutual agreement. Additionally, I’m trained in the various ins and outs of town management. Also, I’m an artists of sorts. I excel at finding “outside the box” solutions to any problems and obstacles that the town faces. Finally, I’m a team player. I believe in finding solutions as a collective, and sharing the credit.
Issues
There are many issues that Mountainair is facing as a community. One issue that will need to be addressed immediately is the level of professionalism in providing our public services. The citizens are in fact customers of these services and it is important that the town understands this key concept and acts accordingly.
Youth Development is an important issue as well. So often the youth is not considered in decision making, which leads them to be discouraged in being a participant in the development of our town. I aim to change this by creating a Youth Advisory Group that is made up of youth, by the youth. This will empower them to be part of the decision making process and hopefully inspire them to be more active in local development as adults.
Infrastructure is a major issue. Because state money is tight and we have such a small tax base, funding these projects will need to be creative. But before we begin to fund these projects, we need to create an Infrastructure Improvement Sector Plan. This plan will identify which areas need to be addressed immediately and what can wait for a later phase. The public will have full participation in creating this sector plan, and if elected, I will begin this process this summer.
I’ve identified many other issues, and my positions on them are available on my website: www.DennisFulfer.com