Raymond Hughes III, 38, is a Stevens High School graduate who returned to Claremont in 2019 after several years in Colorado, where he earned multiple post-secondary degrees, including a bachelor’s of science in international affairs, a master of business administration in corporate finance; and a master’s of science in management and organization. Hughes also served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a Federal Security Contractor.
Hughes has not previously served on Claremont board or commission. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Bluff Elementary Parent Teachers Organization.
The following questions aim to gain a better understanding of why each candidate wishes to be an at-large councilor at this particular time.
Why do you want to be a councilor? What attribute would you bring to city government?
I have a vested interest in our local government operating in an efficient, transparent, and cost-effective manner. From my standpoint, we have identified the concerns but are unable to agree about how to execute solutions. The personal attribute that I offer is my ability to interact with and bring people together to accomplish common goals no matter how diverse or different we may all seem.
What are the top three most pressing concerns you would like to target?
Roads and infrastructure; housing, whether it be an imbalance between fair market housing, subsidized/low-income housing, or just not enough in general; and identifying creative solutions for these problems or any problem requiring additional funding without raising residential property taxes.
How will you involve residents in your decision-making process?
Email me at [email protected] or message me on Facebook. If you recognize me, approach me when you see me in town. Speak up; I talk to anyone and everyone. While I monitor social media and occasionally post, what I will not do is engage in public arguments over social media. I like to meet up with people for more in-depth questions about me and for political discourse or debates.
The following questions aim to gain a better understanding of where each candidate stands on a range of issues that have either been previously discussed by the council or may potentially be discussed in the future.
What are some ways the city can attract visitors and keep young residents here?
We need lower property taxes; higher paying jobs; better run indoor and outdoor recreational programs for youth, teenagers, adults and seniors; and legalized cannabis and hemp. These are four of my ideas. However, as a potential councilor, none of these ideas are an agenda. In my opinion, one of the primary roles of the council is to supervise the city manager and the municipal budget, not to figure out strategies to attract and retain younger residents. That being said, as an elected representative I will always take the time to help any individual or organization that reaches out to me for help or insight.
How do you feel about the ongoing Pleasant Street revitalization project overall, how it is going, and how it plays into your vision for the city?
My current feeling about the project is that I hope Ed Morris can continue to oversee the project to ensure that it stays on schedule and budget. My thoughts on whether or not it was a good idea are irrelevant at this point and not worthy of being shared on a public platform. I think that if the revitalization project vision comes to fruition as it was envisioned to, it will make downtown Claremont a more desirable destination for commerce.
What is your view on censuring an official and, if elected to the council, how would you go about holding a fellow city official accountable?
If, under my tenure, a fellow city official uses their platform as a councilor to spread misinformation or irrelevant information in an official manner or during council meetings, I will initiate the accountability process then and there. However, if this type of issue never leaves one’s personal social media or the internet, I do not see it as the council’s responsibility to intervene. If public pressure causes a resignation, then that is outside of the council’s responsibility, in my opinion. We cannot throw somebody off council just because there is a noticeable opposition; it is up to the residents to contest elections and to the voters to solve it one way or another.
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