Render resigns from city commission

CLOVIS — The Clovis city commission will be down a member in less than two weeks, as District 4’s R.L. “Rube” Render tendered his resignation, effective Jan. 20.

In his resignation letter presented at Thursday’s commission meeting, Render referred to recent events in his personal life that led to “some difficult decisions.” He referred to his time on the commission as a good fortune and a high honor, and thanked the mayor, commissioners and the city administration and employees for all they have done.

The move was not a surprise to commissioners or Mayor Mike Morris, as Render contacted each prior to the meeting. Render’s wife of 52 years, Marjorie Render, passed away in May and his adult children have encouraged a move to Texas.

“I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, I spent 20 years in the private sector, I spent 20 years in politics,” Render told The News. “It’s time I spend 20 years with my family. That’s what I’m going to do.”

Before his arrival in Clovis, Render was a gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and a project manager for Lockheed Martin.

When a vacancy is created in the city commission, the city charter requires, “the remaining members of the Commission ... appoint a registered qualified elector to fill the vacancy within thirty days of the vacancy. Any registered qualified elector appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve until the next regular city election, at which time a registered qualified elector shall be elected to fill the remaining unexpired term, if any.”

The commission will have until Feb. 19 to fill the term with a registered voter who lives in District 4. No unexpired term will remain when the next regular municipal election occurs March 1, 2022, as Render was elected to the seat in 2018.

“You’ve earned a retirement you can spend with your kids and your grandkids,” Morris told Render following the announcement. “I hope the Lord blesses you in your life. I appreciate you for your military service. Your service to the commission has been exemplary.”

This will be the third appointment following a commissioner resignation in the last five years. In 2016, Helen Casaus was appointed to the remainder of Bobby Sandoval’s District 3 term, won election for the remaining term in 2018, and ran unopposed for the seat last year. In 2019, David Robinson was appointed to serve the final eight months of Ladona Clayton’s District 1 term after Clayton accepted a job in Dallas. Robinson had no desire to run for a full term, and Leo Lovett won a seven-way race for the spot last March.

There is no outlined process for how the commission appoints a replacement. Casaus was appointed after the commission sought applicants, while Robinson was suggested by then-Mayor David Lansford as a placeholder so nobody would have incumbency in the upcoming election.

Render ran four times for city offices, finishing second to Gayla Brumfield in the 2008 mayoral race and fifth in the 2020 race to succeed Lansford. He ran for the commission twice, an unsuccessful bid in 2012 to unseat Chris Bryant and his 2018 election to the open seat created when Tom Martin didn’t seek a second term.

The move out of state also means Render will conclude 18 years as Curry County Republican Party chairman. He indicated in 2018 he would not seek the position again due to time constraints with the commission and a desire to bring fresh blood into leadership, but reversed course after a 2018 election that saw heavy Democratic wins at the state level and a party desire to keep experience in chair positions. The Curry party’s biannual convention will be held virtually 9 a.m. Jan. 16.