Three candidates run for BF Council

BOSQUE FARMS — Three candidates are running for two open council seats for the village of Bosque Farms, and the two who garner the most votes will be sworn in for four-year terms.

The seats currently held by William Kennedy and Rick Goshorn are up for reelection in the Tuesday, March 1, municipal election.

Goshorn, who was appointed to the position in April 2020 to serve the remainder of now Mayor Russell Walkup’s term, did not file to run.

The candidates on the ballot are Tim Baughman, Michael Cheromiah and Kennedy.

Baughman is running for public office for the first time. He retired as a major from the New Mexico State Police in 2008, after 27 years of service.

Baughman is a private contractor, owning and operating his own business as a law enforcement liaison for Safer New Mexico Now, a New Mexico Department of Transportation contractor, which oversees and assists with traffic safety grants for the NMDOT.

Baughman said if elected, he will work to maintain a safe community.

“A well-manned, managed and funded police and fire departments, and positive interaction from them and village staff, are key to a vital, secure community,” Baughman said. “I oppose property tax increases, feeling we are taxed beyond what’s reasonable in many areas. I appreciate forward thinking for improvement and maintaining our rural lifestyle, but don’t believe in change for the sake of change, nor unnecessary taxes that follow.”

Baughman said the most important challenges facing the community are public safety, water rights/availability, and road and infrastructure maintenance.

Growth in the village would be something he would weigh on a case-by-case basis, Baughman said, “depending on the kind of business or situation, weighing both the economic and community impacts of the village yet not detracting from our rural roots.”

Cheromiah is the alternate judge for the village. He ran for the municipal judge position in 2020, but lost to Dolly Wallace.

Cheromiah earned a bachelor of arts in psychology and religious studies from The University of New Mexico in 2018. He is currently studying at Cairn University, pursuing a masters of education.

“I believe that I can help bring in a new perspective to the table. I represent what Bosque Farms will be in the future,” Cheromiah said. “I have been observing council meetings to understand how the municipal council functions. I also served as head of the alumni committee of Phi Delta Theta (NM Alpha) during my university years.”

The most important challenges facing the village currently are business development and community areas, Cheromiah said.

“I want to help make Bosque Farms more competitive and attractive to future businesses,” he said. “I want to promote more development of community areas such as the community center, library and bike path.”

Kennedy was elected to his fourth term on the council in 2018, and served on the village’s planning and zoning commission for three years. He is retired from selling heavy equipment parts and service, and has a BBA in business.

Kennedy said the biggest challenge the village is facing is finances.

“We need to remain fiscally conservative to provide services to your citizens,” Kennedy said.

To balance the village’s rural atmosphere with growth and economic development, Kennedy said it must follow current zoning ordinances on land use to keep large lot sizes.

“Our economic development committee is working to attract new businesses that fit our rural setting,” he said.

Registered voters in the village can vote for two candidates out of the three on the ballot; the two candidates with the most votes will get the open seats.

Election day for the Bosque Farms municipal election is Tuesday, March 1. Voting the day of the election will be at the Bosque Farms Public Library addition.

Early and absentee voting is at the village offices, 1455. W. Bosque Loop, Bosque Farms, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, through Friday, Feb. 25, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26.