Orlando Santillanes
Write-in candidate
Age: 24
Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Assistant general manager at Noblin Funeral Service
Highest level of education: College; New Mexico Military Institute.
Previously held elected office: None
Have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. “No.”
- What in your experience, education, etc., makes you qualified for this position?
“Educational experience is very important but can only get you so far; however, my life experiences are going to play a big role in being part of the school board allowing me to connect with parents and students on a more personal level.”
- How do you plan to involve the community in the decision-making process of the board?
“I hope that being involved in the local community and community events that community members will quickly learn that I am glad to listen and welcome their input.”
- Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in the school district — short term and long term.
“‘It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory,’ said Nelson Mandela. To be receptive and effective. Long term and short term goal, improving the overall quality of education and making the parents, staff and students feel more safe.”
Andrew E. Salas
Write-in candidate
Age: 64
Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Retired, United States Air Force/Air National Guard
Highest level of education: Master’s degree in international studies, naval post-graduate school
Previously held elected office: Elected to serve as president, New Mexico National Guard Association; Area 6 (13 state Region) representative on the National Guard Association of the United States
Have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. “No.”
- What in your experience, education, etc., makes you qualified for this position?
“My career has been to lead people and teams to accomplish the mission — in this case to partner with parents in raising resilient and responsible children. I attended Belen schools as did my wife and five children. I serve as a community volunteer and tutor at La Promesa Elementary.
- How do you plan to involve the community in the decision-making process of the board?
“We will ensure by policy and oversight that parents, staff, community members and students themselves are kept well informed and involved. Everyone involved in the educational process deserves and will have a voice in the no-fail mission of preparing our youth for a future fraught with danger and opportunity.”
- Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in the school district — short term and long term.
“The immediate priority is to ensure successful oversight, implementation and continuous refinement of the existing BCS strategic plan. Longer term, we must build a framework and alliances to help new parents build a foundational love in their child for knowledge, learning, critical thinking and core values before even starting school.”
Amanda A. Silva
Age: 59
Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Home visitation supervisor
Highest level of education: Master’s degree
Previously held elected office: None
Have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. “No.”
- What in your experience, education, etc., makes you qualified for this position?
“I received my BS degree from NMSU in education with minors in bilingual education and language arts. I received my MA degree from the University of Colorado in Denver in administration, curriculum and supervision. I have 34 years of experience in working with children, students I families from birth through college.”
- How do you plan to involve the community in the decision-making process of the board?
It is important to engage all stakeholders in decisions that impact the children, teachers, classified staff, families and our community. We as a district, need to explore other avenues to inform stakeholders of decision, incidents, concerns and any other information that impacts the education of the children, families and staff in our school district. School board members should be visible in the schools that they represent to meet the staff, parents and children.”
- Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in the school district — short term and long term.
In my years as an educator, I have learned that in order to make change happen, we need to listen to our constituents, have a solid idea of what our vision is for our schools is, and provide as much information/education to our community, employees and families in order to make the best decisions and implement plans in a manner that have the most impact in the education of our children and community as a whole.”
Aubrey E. Tucker (I)
Age: 57
Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Retired public school administrator
Highest level of education: Masters of arts education administration. Also notable is that I hold a current Level Three-A Instructional Leader Pre K-12 Teaching License and a current Level Three B Pre K – 12 Administrative license in good standing with the NM PED. Licensure Number 235577
Previously held elected office: Incumbent Belen Board of Education Member District 2
Have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. “No.”
- What in your experience, education, etc., makes you qualified for this position?
“My teaching /administrative practitioner experiences will enable me to engage curricular challenges on a more in-depth comprehensive level. My law enforcement experiences will contribute proper safety protocols to provide the safest learning environment possible. My experiences as a soldier that believes in “God and Country” will model integrity, and honesty.”
- How do you plan to involve the community in the decision-making process of the board?
“Currently the district is broadcasting every school board meeting on the YouTube channel to reach those unable to attend. Every school board meeting has an open forum for the community to contribute thoughts or concerns directly to the entire board. These systems are already in place to engage.”
- Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in the school district – short term and long term.
“Building a new Belen High School is my long-term priority. In the short term, the decision-making process for this board must remain frugal and pragmatic. We will continue to strengthen fiscal integrity for continued fair raises for all employees and enhance our curricular mission for students.”
Michael Byers
Age: 70
Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Presently in my 42nd year as a self-sufficient, God-reliant Christian missionary, preacher/pastor
Highest level of education: Associate of art
Previously held elected office: Community service positions years ago.
Have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain.
“I picked up two false imprisonment and two assault with a deadly weapon convictions upon breaking up an espionage operation against our country during the Falklands War in 1982. In 1990, it was ruled that I had been wrongly and unconstitutionally sentenced for those four felonies.”
- What in your experience, education, etc., makes you qualified for this position?
“I am a lifetime American patriot, the son of a United States Army veteran and educator. I will always love the United States of America. I bring passion and depth of experience, without children’s and nation’s future in clear view. Our children are our nation’s future.”
- How do you plan to involve the community in the decision-making process of the board?
“Our community must become sincerely involved, and truly invested for the sake of our children. If the present apathy and widespread complacency persists, it will be to our shame and out children’s peril. May we all be diligent to ensure that American freedom is lived by our children and theirs.”
- Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in the school district – short term and long term.
“It is imperative that we identify our failures, and the repetitive reasons for these failures. Our children are not the problem. We are. As adults we have not provided right and proper leadership. We must make the necessary and appropriate changes. If not now, when? ‘We The People.’”
Ralph I. Fernandez
Age: 49
Current occupation (If retired, from what field): Bernalillo County administrator; Chief for Metropolitan Detention Center
Highest level of education: High school
Previously held elected office: No
Have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. “No.”
- What in your experience, education, etc., makes you qualified for this position?
“I’m a retired administrator from Bernalillo County. In my tenure I was responsible for more than 500 employees, an average of 1,500 inmates, and oversaw an annual budget of $62 million. In my role, it was in my directive to plan, organize, and implement programs and services for the department …”
- How do you plan to involve the community in the decision-making process of the board?
“As a retired appointed official, experienced administrator, and parents with children who went through Belen schools, I know firsthand the value of community involvement and having an open dialogue between those who have a vested interest in the schools and those who are in a position to make decisions that affect everyone involved.”
- Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in the school district — short term and long term.
“My short-term priority will be to come up with innovative ways to attract qualified teachers and staff to the Belen district to provide a higher quality education for our students in order to achieve the larger long-term priority of providing support and incentives to retain those staff members. When staff feels valued, they will in turn value our students.”
Lawrence Lindberg (I)
Age: 78
Current occupation (If retired, from what field): retired United States marshal
Highest level of education: Master’s degree in education administration
Previously held elected office: Belen Board of Education
Have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony offenses in New Mexico or any other state? If so, explain. “Yes, in Wyoming in 1974, trespassing while hunting.”
- What in your experience, education, etc., makes you qualified for this position?
“I’ve work for the Belen school district in a variety of positions since 2003, and have seen the system work from the inside. I have the education, knowledge and commitment to make our schools a prosperous learning environment for our children.”
- How do you plan to involve the community in the decision-making process of the board?
“Open forums at board meetings, open workshops, Belen Buzz — weekly presentations by our superintendent as to what’s happening in our school district.”
- Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in the school district — short term and long term.
“Short term: Our reading program needs to be followed. All third-graders should read at grade level. The program should be continued through middle school.
“Long term: Students cannot learn if they do not feel safe. I would like a sworn police officer at each of our schools full-time.”
Important dates
Tuesday, Oct. 10
- Voter registration closes for all mail and online registrations.
New Mexico does offer same-day registration, so eligible voter can register to vote or update their voter registration and then vote on the same day at the county clerk’s office, at all early voting locations and any voter convenience center on Election Day. SDR cannot be used for absentee voting; it is only available for voters voting in person, on the same day they register or update their registration.
To use SDR bring one of the three following:
- New Mexico driver’s license or New Mexico identification card issued through the motor vehicle division of the taxation and revenue department
- Any document that contains an address in the county together with a photo ID card
- A current valid student photo ID card from a post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico, accompanied by a current student fee statement that contains the student’s address in the county.
- Absentee by mail/early in-person voting begins.
To request an absentee ballot application, go to portal.sos.state.nm.us, or call the Valencia County Clerk’s Bureau of Elections at 505-866-2080. Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, Oct. 24, either by mail or in person at the clerk’s office, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Absentee ballots must be completed and returned by 7 p.m., Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Ballots can be returned by mail, in person at the clerk’s office, at any of the early voting locations, at one of the Voter Convenience Centers on Election Day or in one of the following three secure ballot dropboxes in the county until 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Ballot dropbox locations
- Belen Community Center
305 Eagle Lane, Belen
- Bosque Farms Public Library
1455 W. Bosque Loop, Bosque Farms
- Valencia County Administration Offices
444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas
Early in-person voting
Early in-person voting will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, from Tuesday, Oct. 10, through Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Valencia County Administration Building, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas.
Saturday, Oct. 21
- Alternate early voting begins
Early voting at alternate voting sites begins on Saturday, Oct. 21, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 4. The three sites are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
- Belen Community Center
305 Eagle Lane, Belen
- Bosque Farms Public Library
1455 W. Bosque Loop, Bosque Farms
- Valencia County Administration Offices
444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas
Voter Convenience Centers
7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7
- Ann Parish Elementary School
112 Meadow Lake Road, Meadow Lake
- Belen Community Center
305 Eagle Lane, Belen
- Belen Public Library
333 Becker Ave., Belen
- Bosque Farms Public Library
1455 W. Bosque Loop, Bosque Farms
- Daniel Fernandez Intermediate School
32 Sun Valley Road, Los Lunas
- Del Rio Senior Center
351 Rio Communities Blvd., Rio Communities
- Don Jose Dolores Cordova Cultural Center
426 Jarales Road, Jarales
- El Cerro Mission Community Center
309 El Cerro Mission Road, El Cerro Mission
- Logsdon Hall
19676 N.M. 314, Los Chavez
- Los Lunas Schools Administration
119 Luna Ave., Los Lunas
- Peralta Town Hall
90A Molina Road, Peralta
- Pueblo of Isleta Veterans Center
4001 N.M. 314, Isleta
- Tomé Dominguez de Mendoza Community Center
2933 N.M. 47, Tomé
- UNM-Valencia Workforce Training Center
1020 Huning Ranch East Loop SW, Los Lunas
The Valencia County News-Bulletin is a locally owned and operated community newspaper, dedicated to serving Valencia County since 1910 through the highest journalistic and professional business standards. The VCNB is published weekly on Thursdays, including holidays both in print and online.
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