Voting Tuesday in Doña Ana County

There are some local election races many folks don't know much about.

The Doña Ana Soil and Water Conservation District (“DASWCD”) has been a rancher-dominated board, largely out of step with the county's views. When most people favored creating the Monument, DASWCD unanimously wrote President Obama opposing it. Fortunately, DASWCD is changing, and now includes both environmentalists and ranchers. 

Ranchers bring invaluable knowledge of the land, but represent only one interest. A conservative state commission annually appoints two of the seven board-members, most always ranchers. This election, three seats are in play. Everyone in the District can vote in all three races. 

Kurt Anderson challenges Board Chair Jerry Schickedanz. Both are good men. Both are retired NMSU professors. Anderson has become expert on water, and sits on a local water consumer association and the LRG Regional Water Planning Steering Committee. Schickedanz is expert in range management, and brings useful knowledge that somewhat duplicates that of ranchers. 

Anderson appears more wholly aware of the need to fight climate-change, and more fully focused on conservation.

Fernando Clemente challenges incumbent David Martinez. Clemente is a wildlife biologist who works with public and private landowners to foster responsible land stewardship. He's also a sportsman. He's also on the Wildlife Federation board. Martinez is part of the DASWCD old guard. 

 

Chris Cardenas challenges recent appointee Josh Smith are running. This race is a closer call. Both are lawyers. Smith has a ranching background. Cardenas owns a small pecan orchard. Smith seems more in tune with environmental concerns than other board-members. Cardenas is a committed conservationist who supports urban gardens and community projects that both educate and provide land stewardship opportunities. 

 

Anderson, Clemente, and Cardenas are smart and resourceful conservationists who'll focus on helping the DASWCD do more of the environmental protection work it should be doing. 

We'll also elect a new Las Cruces Presiding Municipal Judge. Judge Joy Goldbaum, after two years as the second municipal judge, wants to preside over significant improvements. Muni Court hears minor crimes, violations of city ordinances. With defendants who can't pay their fines, the court hasn't been fully utilizing community service opportunities with local non-profits. When people fail to show up and get socked with additional penalties they can't pay, jailing them wastes our money and screws up lives. Goldbaum has been trying to change that. Her opponent, former Magistrate Judge Richard Jacquez, is also a fine candidate who seems to favor the same improvements. I'd love to see Judge Goldbaum as Presiding Judge and Judge Jacquez appointed as second municipal judge. A good team.

Regarding the LCPS Board, I support Ed Frank and Teresa Tenofrio. I've been particularly impressed by Frank's handling of some recent tough situations, responding to attacks with candor and blunt speaking. 

Kasandra Gandara has been an able and energetic city councilor, who's shown she can fulfill all the duties of a city councilor. Her challenger has rightly advocated better accessibility and strict compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. No one on the council disagrees. The city should fully comply. 

Johana Bencomo has my vote in District 4, with Antoinette Reyes is a close second. I wish we could combine the best of both. 

Tessa Abeyta Stuve (District 2) is another topnotch candidate. Philip Van Veen is a solid businessman. Each does much for our community and would be an able councilor. I'd likely vote for Tessa, but Philip would diversify the council.

Please vote!

                                           -30- 

[The above column appeared this morning, Sunday, 3 November, 2019, in the Las Cruces Sun-News, as well as on the newspaper's website and [presently] on KRWG's website.  A spoken version will air during the week on KRWG  and is also available at the KRWG website.  (I expressed my views on the Las Cruces mayoral election last week]

[I have space here to clarify one point: I'm definitely not against ranchers, or against their participation on the DASWCD.  Stephen Wilmeth and Dudley Williams are men who know and love the land, not merely whatever profits they make from it.  Each has impressed me at times, although certainly I'm appalled by their national political views, as expressed in numerous DASWCD resolutions.  (They're the two recently-reappointed non-elected members of the board.)  Neither fits the stereotype some folks have in mind regarding ranchers.  

I know that they feel their way of life, and their livelihood, are under attack and that they are in an embattled minority.  They know so much about the land, and do so much with it (including some good, I think) that I'd not want to see the soil and water conservation district not have ranchers on it.

Yeah, I understand the counter-arguments: that meat is an unnecessarily destructive food to bring to the table, and that  they get to use public land cheaply; but they're an important segment of our community here, and at least some of them are not as thoughtless about that land as some environmentalists assume.  What I have opposed is three things: focusing too wholly on needs of ranchers and farmers, when their charge under the statute is quite broader than that, and even includes preservation of wildlife; using the publicly-elected board to espouse sometimes far-out political views and saying or suggesting the people of this county share those views; and (formerly) having a voting system that didn't accord with the U.S. Constitution.)  I think the DASWCD is changing for the better, as ranchers and environmentalists work together.]

[Regarding these and other races, it strikes me that (for me, at least), it's harder to write about local races than national ones because you know the people.   You care about them.  Sometimes  you like people you don't agree with about much.]

[I did vote Saturday.  Yesterday.  At Corbett Center, with no line whatsoever.  Early-voting is sure convenient.  After saying last week that I'd vote only for Ken Miyagashima as my first choice plus Greg Smith and Alex Fresquez second and third, I did add a fourth choice.  And had mixed feelings about others, because I do have preferences among them.] 

[I should note that you can hear our radio panels with pretty much all the candidates in all the races (well, mayoral candidate Isabella Solis and David Martinez of the DASWCD said they were coming and then just didn't show, without even calling) by going to www.lccommunityradio.org and clicking on archives.  Speaking of community radio, you can also use that page to donate to KTAL, 101.5 FM, and/or buy a ticket to the Roadrunner Revue.  That's a big benefit for the station, 5-9 on November 17th at the Rio Grande Theater.] 

On November 17th, from 5 to 9 PM, The Roadrunner Revue will showcase the incredible talent connected to our community radio station, KTAL-LP! Enjoy great food during a reception that opens the evening while bidding on a wide variety of valuable goodies in our silent auction. Gracing the stage of our historic Rio Grande Theatre will be KTAL DJs, friends of the station and local luminaries.

Performers include:
CW Ayon
Chris Sanders
Doug Adamz
Gene Keller
Teresa Tudury
The Cosmic Troubadours

I hope you come out to support our volunteer-run public radio station -- and enjoy the event!  Though I know and like the musicians, I hope to spend most of my time out front talking to folks who want to ask questions about KTAL or make suggestions.