Four seek Democrat nod to District 5 county commission

Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of stories looking at contested races in this year's primary election.

LAS CRUCES - A four-way race is in progress for the Democratic nomination to the District 5 Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners seat. 

Democrats living in District 5 who vote in the June 5 primary election will decide among: 

• Oscar Vásquez Butler, a former county commissioner for District 1 and retired personnel manager
• Manuel A. Sanchez, a mechanical engineer who graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a General Electric employee
• Karen M. Trujillo, director of a teachers' learning alliance at New Mexico State University and educator with more than 20 years' experience
• Dickie Apodaca, a retired county roads supervisor who unsuccessfully sought the nomination for the same seat in 2015.

The seat normally wouldn't appear on this year's ballot but is up for election because former County Commissioner John Vasquez, a Democrat, stepped down after allegations of sexual harassment were leveled against him by a state Democratic Party official. Republican Kim Hakes was appointed to replace him. Because of the timing of John Vasquez's departure, the seat appears on this year's primary and general election ballots.

The district extends from north Las Cruces to Radium Springs to Hatch to Garfield.

As of the most-recent campaign finance reports, filed May 14, Trujillo is leading in fundraising, with $10,500 in contributions to her campaign. Butler follows with $2,500 in campaign donations received. Apodaca has received about $1,725, while Sanchez has logged $1,675 in contributions, according to state records.

Motivation to run

Several candidates said they want to strike a different tone for the seat than John Vasquez.

Trujillo, who has a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from NMSU, said that because of her 20-plus year education career, she understands the "importance of ethical, responsive leadership and how important it is to be a compassionate and respectful of everyone." She wasn't planning to run for office this year until she started tracking what was happening with her former county commissioner.

"I was following things happening with the commission," Trujillo said. "It was very alarming. The level of communication that was taking place was disheartening. So, when it (the seat) came open, I really started very seriously looking into the possibility. I think i can be a very effective, strong voice for District 5."

Trujillo said she grew up in Garfield and moved to Las Cruces at age 16, graduating from Mayfield High. As a teacher, she got her start as a math educator. She taught in Grant and Sierra counties and eventually became principal of Holy Cross Catholic School, a role she held four years. She worked, too, at Las Cruces High and Alma d'Arte Charter School. She's been at NMSU since 2010, promoting STEM education. She's also joined the Doña Ana County Success Partnership, a collaboration aimed at improving child well-being and education throughout the county. She said she's built a lot of strong relationships, something she'd continue at the county, if elected.

"There's always been a missing piece at the county," she said.

Sanchez grew up in Anthony and graduated from Franklin High in El Paso. He attended MIT, graduating in 2001 with his engineering degree. He was hired at General Electric. After he and his wife had their first daughter in 2010, he said he began looking for an opportunity to move back to New Mexico. GE had a contract operating a power plant in Deming, which proved to be his pathway back to the state. He said John Vasquez's actions, as well as the 2016 election, were motivating factors in his decision to run for office.

"When I see my children, my daughters at home, when I want them to look at leaders, I want them to see the people that they need to emulate," Sanchez said.

Trujillo's family roots are in the Rincon Valley around Hatch, as are Apodaca's. She said the two are distant cousins, though they'd never met until recently.

Apodaca was born and raised on a farm in Garfield. After graduating from high school, he went into the workforce for a few years before attending NMSU, where he got his civil engineering degree. He got a job working for Doña Ana County as an entry-level employee, eventually working his way to roads supervisor. He retired in January 2015 after more than 27 years with the county. He said his involvement with county budgets, infrastructure planning and operations give him the right experience for the job of county commissioner. The fact he's retired would give him time to do the work that goes with the job, he said.

"I have a lot of time and a lot of experience," he said. "Mold those together, and I see the perfect county commissioner."

Apodaca said he'd emphasize good communication in the role.

"We have to communicate with our residents, communicate with each other and communicate with our political partners, city of Las Cruces, town of Mesilla, village of Hatch, town of Anthony, Sunland Park," he said.

Seeking a second stint

Vásquez Butler's experience includes 15 years as a pipe fitter and sheet-metal worker for Southern Pacific Railroad. While doing that, he earned bacheolor's and master's degrees in pubic administration from the University of Southern California. He moved to Doña Ana County in 1995 after retiring from a job as a senior personnel manager for a company. He served an eight-year stint on the County Commission that ended in 2010 when he was term-limited. Vasquez Butler then ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate. He has served for several years on the Colonias Infrastructure Funding board.

Vásquez Butler said he's concerned the county has lost its focus on improving colonias, which he heavily promoted during his time on the commission. 

"I put the colonias as an initiative and a goal for the county," he said. "It was a very effective initiative in terms of infrastructure."

Colonias are mostly poor border communities that lack in infrastructure.

Vásquez Butler said infrastructure is important because it sets the stage for economic development. To pay for projects, he said he supports seeking federal and other funds to match local dollars. Several other candidates, too, said infrastructure would be a priority.

Boosting infrastructure 

Sanchez said the county should take advantage of a bill authorizing broadband to be considered as a form of infrastructure. He said an expansion of Internet access could both help students and spur businesses.

"I think it's a good thing for the county to go expand that into the communities, into colonias," he said. "It's a critical piece of infrastructure I think we're primed and ready for."

In addition to infrastructure, the county must find ways to boost its trained workforce, Sanchez said.

Apodaca said he understands the county's infrastructure priority list and how to seek funding from the state Legislature. He thinks needs should be better prioritized.

"It seems like it's who yells the loudest for the help," he said. "We need to prioritize the needs of everybody and start handing out the money accordingly."

Trujillo said she's hoping to focus on community centers being used as "hubs for mental health and education services" for county residents. She's visited with community center staff and found their computers aren't up to date and lack good Internet access.

"Kids need it, especially when you go to Hatch, and you have kids sitting outside the building, doing their homework on their lap because that's the only place you can get Internet," she said.

Vásquez Butler said a problem in the county is that community centers aren't readily accessible to seniors and youth, which he wants to change.

Limiting lawsuits

Sanchez said an issue residents are raising as he knocks on doors for his campaign is concern about large lawsuit settlements paid out by the county. In his own job, he has procedures he must follow.

"I think it's the same way in county government," he said. "We need to follow procedures. We need to make sure we have qualified individuals. if they're not qualified and we're hiring them, we need to have training plans in place to make sure we don't have liabilities in the future."

Apodaca said all county employees should be held accountable. And management should make sure policies are sound and that due process is followed. He said the county should consider reviving a type of grievance board it had in the mid-'90s.

Trujillo said it's important for commissioners to understand their roles. The commission sets the policy, while the county manager carries it out. Ensuring employees are well-trained and "making sure you have the right people to begin with" are important to a well-run operation.

Vásquez Butler highlighted his experience in human resources, saying he'd back a "complete review of processes, policy."

Making decisions

In recent weeks, the County Commission has made decisions about how to spend $800,000 of unallocated funding in the 2018-19 budget. The board opted to increase spending on the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley, which is the local animal shelter; contribute to Film Las Cruces to increase the organization's staffing; and fund some employee pay raises. However, the commission decided to keep flat the funding level for the South Central Regional Transit District, which runs bus service in the rural areas. A boost in funding would have allowed the bus service to expand to Hatch.

In its resulting budget, commissioners OK'd 4 percent pay increase for detention center command staff and non-exempt employees and a 3 percent pay increase for exempt employees.

Asked what he would have supported, Apodaca said he'd likely have made employee compensation a priority. He said employees on the low end of the pay scale "aren't paid enough.

"Film Las Cruces, it's important," he said. "But is it as important as public transit? Is it as important as employee wages?"

Sanchez said he thinks transparency is an important factor in making these kinds of decisions. Commissioners should be able to explain their decisions. 

"I know in this case, public transportation — I probably would have supported that," he said. "I don't know if I would have gone for the full amount. In particular, they were looking for funding to expand up to Hatch. That's important. Without that infrastructure in place, people can't make decisions about: Well, do I go enroll at New Mexico State or go to DACC? Do I get a job in Las Cruces?"

Trujillo said she sees the value of public transit but it could be better advertised at local campuses.

"Working at the university, I see them getting off the bus, from Gadsden, from Chaparral," she said. "I'd rather they kept the $350,000, at least. I was very disappointed they didn't do the expansion (of funding). But I could see somewhere in the middle, where, OK, let's do a pilot (to Hatch). And, as a researcher, you want data."

Vásquez Butler said it's hard to know without having the same data available to the County Commission during its recent vote. He thinks firefighter pay, too, should be a consideration.

"But I do have a little heartburn with the film industry," he said. "I do support the transportation issue. I do support the animal shelter because we have a large number of feral cats and dogs out in the street, and we're euthanizing them like crazy."

On the Republican ticket, the incumbent Hakes is the only candidate seeking the nomination. Republican Carol Cooper had initially filed to seek the party's nomination, but later on formally withdrew from the race.

Early voting is underway.

Whoever is elected in November will take office Jan. 1, 2019 and serve two years. 

Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, dalba@lcsun-news.com or @AlbaSoular on Twitter.

Update: This article has been updated to include information about former GOP candidate Carol Cooper.

Dickie Apodaca

Education: Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering, NMSU 1985

Occupation: Retired from Doña Ana County 2014/ part time self employed consultant

Age: 59

Immediate family: Married, 40 years to Peggy Apodaca, four adult children; Robert Apodaca, Kevin Apodaca, Amanda Corrales, and  Vanessa Apodaca, 17 grandchildren

Previous political experience or public service: Public employee entire career of 33 years: 3 1/2 years NMSU, 2 years NMDOT, 27 1/2 years Doña Ana County. Retired administrator/department head with Doña Ana County. Current chairman of the board of directors of the Colonias Development Council

Top Three Priorities if Elected

1. Economic Development: We need to make Dona Ana County and City of Las Cruces more business friendly. There are two large industrial parks located within Dona Ana County (one in Santa Teresa one in Las Cruces). We need to seek incentives to attract new business in this valley, such as offering financing through “industrial revenue bonds”. We need the jobs for our residents so our family members don’t have to leave this valley to seek employment.

2. Better Budgeting: We need to prioritize the needs of the county carefully to assure the needs of the residents and employees are met, such as salaries, infrastructure, public safety, and transportation, and budget based on those priorities. We need to continue with the “Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan” process to continue to request and secure legislative funding for the identified needs of the communities and expand on the process by increasing outreach within the communities to determine their needs.

3. Communication: Open communication is the key to a successful government. We need to communicate with the residents by listening and addressing their needs. Their voice is important. If their requests can’t be satisfied they should be given an explanation as to why the decision was made, i.e.…tax for public transportation and termination of the former county manager. Communication with our political partners such as City of Las Cruces, Sunland Park, Village of Hatch, Town of Anthony, and Town of Mesilla is very important because action taken by the County Commission can affect the residents and businesses within the municipalities of Dona Ana County. When the hold harmless tax was imposed by CLC and then DAC it was a double gross receipts tax for the consumers who purchased within the city. Both entities appeared to be surprised by the effect. When DAC threatened to withdraw from the “Stone Garden” program/grant the other political entities who utilize the program for funding would have suffered a loss in revenue. These types of important issues need to be communicated with all of the political partners to make sure the action taken is indeed the intent of the board and the people. Communication with other elected officials is also necessary to avoid any disruption of public services that rely on funding from the general fund or grants accepted by the board and to assure the intent of the approving body is communicated and met. No need for surprises!

Why I am the Top Candidate for the Job

I am the top candidate for the position of County Commissioner District 5 because I have vision, experience and the knowledge of county operations. As an engineer I will carefully analyze any situation, review the benefits, and derive a solution prior to taking action. I see the needs of the county for economic development and jobs and can lead the county to options that have historically been successful within the county and in other areas. I have experience working with the development community as a development compliance engineer for the county. I know that communication brings success and have seen the damage that can be caused from lack of communication. I have witnessed the needs of the county from within the operation and can utilize my experience to lead and guide the county in a positive direction. As a former department administrator, I am familiar with the budget process, human resource issues, and thorough knowledge of county operations and policies. As a former Road Superintendent, I understand the lack of infrastructure within our communities including the colonias. I know the residents of the communities and have a good working relationship with the community leaders as well as the residents. I have developed a good communication channels and respect with outside agencies such as, EBID, NMDOT, BLM, NMSU, LCPS, Hatch, Anthony, Mesilla, Sunland Park, Las Cruces, Legislatures, DAC lobbyist, elected officials, department heads, as well as many of the employees and others.

This is a short two year term. With my education and experience I will hit the ground running with no need for a major learning process. After being retired for over three years I find that I have the time to serve in a full time capacity, the desire to serve the public, and many years of experience to offer leadership and guidance.

Manuel “Manny” Sanchez

Education: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Occupation: Contract Manager – GE Power

Age: 38

Immediate family: My wife, Teresa and three daughters, Lila, Kira, and Naya.

Previous political experience or public service: None

Campaign Website: http://www.WhatAboutManny.org/

My top three priorities if elected:

Infrastructure
We need to improve the living standards of our county residents and attract new businesses to Doña Ana County by improving and expanding upon our infrastructure. I will focus first on the expansion of broadband service, improving roads, and emphasizing flood control measures.  High speed internet is essential for school, work, and overall daily communications.  Thanks to Senate Bill 24, local governments can now take broadband improvements into their own hands.  This is the perfect opportunity for the county to explore how to expand this service to rural community members, working families, and students. I know firsthand the difficulty in getting internet service in a rural community. When I lived in La Mesa in 2011, the only internet service available was via radio technology using an antenna on our roof that was in sight of a radio tower on “A” Mountain.  For roads and flood control, we must keep on top of the construction and re-construction of roads that are needed in the county. Recently, the County Commission approved funds for improvements on some private roads. This is a welcoming decision and crucial step in meeting the demands and needs of our communities.  We must ensure that the Roads Department is mindful of flood plains when designing roads to minimize flooding and help with drainage.

Business
We must grow and recruit socially responsible businesses to the area to introduce more jobs to the area. To be socially responsible includes providing employees with living wages, cooperative with organized labor, and responsible stewards of our environment.  Every year, we lose local college graduates to jobs in larger cities. This is not the preferred choice of our graduates and professionals.  I was lucky to find a job in southern NM that allowed me to move back home.  We must attract businesses that allow those graduating locally and those that want to come back home from studying or working out of state to have a career here and stay connected to their community.  We can do this by improving our infrastructure, broadening and deepening the pool of a trained workforce, and making it easier for businesses to work with the county and local communities.  The Bridge of Southern New Mexico is an example of programs in place training workers and helping to differentiate ourselves from other counties. I would also like to explore opportunities where the county can work with our communities to make it easier for local businesses to start and grow.

Public Services
I want to see the county support health promotion programs and find ways to increase funding for the County Fire Department.  To improve health outcomes in our communities, we can help prevent and better manage illnesses, physical and mental, by improving access to local health education and interventions and by making such programs sustainable resources trusted by clients and medical professionals.  Health promotion programs, like Nuestra Vida, help residents make healthier diet and lifestyle changes and could help identify where food insecurity exists.  In the colonias and rural areas, where food deserts (lack of grocery stores and fresh produce) and food insecurity (inconsistent access to nutritious food in the home) are most common, I want to help create partnerships with the Roadrunner Food Bank and/or La Semilla and other local farms to improve community access to and affordability of healthy foods.  The County Fire Department has done an admirable job serving and protecting our citizens, but we need to grow the ranks of full time fire fighters and ensure they have the facilities and equipment needed to do their jobs.  I would like to work with the other commissioners to find ways to fund the department so that they are prepared for population growth in Doña Ana County.

Why are you the top candidate for the job:

A common theme I hear when walking neighborhoods and talking to residents is they want a change in leadership. The decisions by our county commissioners over the past few years have disappointed them.  I offer District 5 constituents a refreshing and reassuring change in leadership.  My experiences and perspective as a native New Mexican were enhanced from having studied, worked, and lived across the United States and internationally. I have held several leadership positions and received leadership training while working with G.E. for the past 17 years. I eagerly took on challenges, some very difficult, and have worked and team-built with a diversity of coworkers and clients. It taught me to keep an open mind, explore all options, and collaborate well to find solutions. I am not afraid to stand up for what is right.  I was at the County Commission meeting on January 25, 2018 when community members spoke before the dais about former commissioner of District 5, Mr. John Vasquez. I made it a point to speak before the County Commission about the expectations that (we) constituents place on our elected officials. My life experiences, work ethic, family values, sense of morality, and respect and love for southern New Mexico and its people will guide how I will best serve Doña Ana County.

Karen M. Trujillo

Education: 1992 BS (Secondary Education: Mathematics), 1993 MS (Mathematics Education), 1998 PhD (Curriculum and Instruction)

Occupation: Research Faculty at NMSU---Director of The Alliance for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning which includes Educators Rising NM and the Southwest Outreach Academic Research (SOAR) Lab---

Age: 47

Immediate family: Husband: Ben (26 years), State Farm Agent and Girl's Basketball Coach at HVHS. Taralyn (22) Timothy (18) Tavyn (16).

Previous political experience or public service: I have spent my adult life in public service. As an educator, I have dedicated my life to the education of children in New Mexico. My focus is on providing opportunities for students to have rich STEM education experiences. I have testified in front of the Legislature on numerous occasions, I have personal and professional relationships with our state delegation, city council, local nonprofits and business owners. I specialize in writing federal, state and foundation grants to support efforts in the community. I also serve on The Leaders Circle for the Dona Ana Success Partnership, the Co-Chair for the NM Math and Science Partnership, and a member of the New Mexico Coalition of Education Leaders Board of Directors.  

Campaign Website: www.karentrujilloc3.com Facebook: @karentrujilloc3

Top three priorities if elected:

1.  Two weeks after the new commission is sworn in, there will be a 60 day legislative session. It is imperative to work with the local delegation to acquire funding for local infrastructure. This will require the new commissioner to be collaborative and an effective communicator. I will work with other commissioners and local elected officials to establish a community vision to present to the legislature so that Dona Ana County will be able to maximize our efforts to serve the community in terms of: economic development; protecting our environmental assets, especially water; expanding access to public transportation; quality mental health services; and public safety.

2.  I would like to explore how NMSU and DACC students  can work in county community centers and in various departments as interns. This would serve the students by offering them hands-on experience and it would serve the county by showing students what opportunities are available to them upon graduation. 

3.  I will listen to the constituents of District 5 from Garfield to Las Cruces to see how the county can better utilize the community centers to have programming for all ages, especially education and health programs. I would also like to work with the Community Schools initiative to see if available county services can reach children and families not only in the community centers, but in the public schools. 

Why are you the top candidate for the job:

I know I am the best candidate for the job because I understand the constituents from District 5 from Garfield to Las Cruces. I know business owners, community leaders, faith leaders, children, teachers, retired residents, farmers, nonprofit coordinators, legislators and education leaders throughout the county. My relationships with all of these stakeholders and my role at NMSU puts me in a position to bring the county more fully into the collective i work taking place in Dona Ana County that is geared at helping our residents have better access to education, healthcare and employment. 

I am a leader who brings people together to find local solutions to issues that arise in the community. I have a clear understanding of the role of a County Commissioner. Commission members represent the county at the local, state and national level and I respect that role. I understand how to work with other commissioners and county leaders to set the priorities and vision of the county and set policies to carry out that vision. I will not interfere with the day-to-day operations of the county. The commission hires the manager and it is his/her job to run the county operations. If there is an issue with policy that can make that happen more efficiently, the board can be a part of setting policy. In addition, the board is responsible for passing the budget on an annual basis and I understand how the budget process works and that it should reflect the vision and priorities established by the board and county leadership.

I think I would be the most effective voice for the constituents of District 5. I communicate respectfully with people from every walk of life. I will be available to work with constituents, education leaders, community organizations, the Hatch Village Council, the various Chambers, and our state and national delegations. I know that I can have an impact on our Community through effective Collaboration and respectful Communication, which is what C3 stands for: Community, Collaboration, Communication.

For more information, please visit my website at  www.karentrujilloc3.com 

Oscar Vasquez Butler

Education: Master’s and Bachelors degree in Public Administration, with emphasis in organizational development and public policy, University of Southern California

Occupation: Retired Senior Human Resources Manager.

Age: 77

Immediate family: Married to Rose (46 years) two daughters and one son, 12 grand children and 10 great grand children, four dogs and a cat, and several feral cats.

Previous political experience or public service: Former Doña Ana County Commissioner ( two terms), President Doña Ana Mutual Domestic Association, President New Mexico Association of Counties, Chair – Gateway Committee- National Association of Counties, Co-Chair – AVANCE- Early Childhood Education Program, Vice- Chair- New Mexico Infrastructure Board (2012 to Present). Was in the U.S Air Force (USAF) and received an Honorable Medical Discharge

Campaign Website: None. E-mail osacrvbutler@yahoo.com.