Campaign Phone
505-453-2958
Occupation
Retired
I've served on Valencia County's Planning and Zoning Commission for three years until 2019. Before that I worked as a Real Estate Agent in Valencia County.
My top priority is to bring a representative to the board that will speak for the average resident of Valencia County. I want to bring balance to the board and serve the community by providing a voice that will bring forward the concerns of those that speak at meetings and address issues about how to balance growth with the well being and future of our community. I'm interested in resolving ongoing issues like progress towards our hospital.
We can start by enforcing the laws that are already in place. The County needs to ask for support from the State to help our law enforcement officers work with our growing population. Reckless driving is hurting people daily and we need law enforcement support to address it, and safer roads for both drivers and pedestrians.
The County should do more. We need to be involved in a discussion about how the aquifer serves the entire county, and how there needs to be a balance between growth, development, and our current community.
Quality of life starts with a focus on individual communities. We have residential areas that need investment beyond just adding housing. Our area was founded on a rural and farming way of life, and we need parks and open spaces if we want to preserve that. Safe places for children to play and access to basic necessities should be expected and not something communities have to struggle for.
We need to take the future of renewable energy in to county plans and buildings. We need to work to improve roads and safety for everyone. We need to improve public transportation to help people from outlying communities get to our community centers.
Our county needs to be more aggressive in asking for funds after disasters like the Big Hole fire. The first responders and volunteers who were on the front line for that fire helped keep this disaster from becoming a tragedy. We need to take advantage of their expertise and develop community plans as to where people, pets, and livestock should go in the event of another disaster.
Campaign Phone
505-573-7372
I have been the County Commissioner for district 2 for the last 3-1/2 years and my background in business has been helpful during contract negotiations like the hospital construction. I am level headed and solutions oriented, which I believe is an asset to local government. I always look to do the right thing for my constituents at large, not just the most vocal ones.
My top priority moving forward is to ensure that the hospital is completed on time. The state appropriation must be spent before the end of 2025 or it reverts back to the State. We will maintain our focus on the project and be proactive in solving any problems that arise during construction.
We can continue to work with the Sheriffs department on creative solutions for recruitment and retention. We seem to be able to recruit new deputies now but as soon as the new deputy gets some experience, larger departments lure them away with high wages that we just can’t compete with. The Sherrif and undersheriff have worked tirelessly over the last few years and have made significant progress with longevity bonuses and other non monetary benefits.
As a farmer and a water well driller, I am very aware of the water related challenges faced not only by Valencia County residents but all New Mexicans. The County government however has no jurisdiction over water resources. Groundwater is administered by The State Engineer and NMED and surface water is the realm of The Interstate Stream Commission and MRGCD.
The county has the Comprehensive Plan that was updated 2 years ago with public input. I think it’s important that we follow the guidelines in that plan to encourage new development in the areas identified in the plan and work to preserve rural communities as identified in the comprehensive plan.
County government should partner with local, state and federal agencies to improve and develop new infrastructure including transportation, healthcare, utilities, flood control etc. County roads, which are the sole responsibility of the county, are all important and should be improved as necessary and as funding allows. As county government, we can also advocate for improvements to other infrastructure outside of the county’s jurisdiction.
Natural disasters such as floods and wildfires are among the top threats to Valencia County. We as the County Commission filed a petition with the district court to place the formation of a flood control district on this November’s ballot in hopes that an agency can be formed to address arroyo flooding county wide. I also would like to expand on the Bosque thinning program that we initiated in 2021 to mitigate fire danger along the river.
