52 file to run for local elected offices

In small town politics there’s almost always one name that appears on a ballot over and over again. If things go well, it’s because they continue to be re-elected.

In the town of Peralta, that name is Bryan Olguin — or at least it was until this year.

After 17 years as mayor, Olguin says it’s “time to let someone else, with fresh eyes and some more energy have a chance. Hopefully, they will try to maintain our rural lifestyle.”

Olguin was first elected mayor of the fledgling town in 2008, less than a year after it incorporated. He and his wife, Diane, were part of the committee of locals who pushed to become their own municipality.

Becoming a councilor or even the mayor weren’t things Olguin wanted, but when the town’s first mayor, Edward Archuleta, presented plans to rezone Olguin’s property and that of his family along N.M. 47 — the main business thoroughfare for Peralta — it didn’t go over well.

“He was pretty determined and I thought, ‘Woah, back off.’ That’s the reason I ran — to retain our identity,” Olguin said. “That was 17 years ago and I still don’t think I’ve turned into a politician. I don’t know when to bite my tongue.”

Politician or not, Olguin says he’s accomplished most of his goals during his tenure, with the exception of establishing a police department for Peralta.

“That’s was my objective for the last four years. Prior to that, there was no way we could do that but we’re getting to that point,” he said.

Only one person filed for the mayoral seat on Tuesday, Joseph Chavez, and Olguin had a long conversation with him before he filed for office.

“I told him about our trials and tribulations, our wins and losses,” Olguin said. “He was born and raised in Peralta, and I think he’s going to do a good job and keep Peralta going in the right direction.”

While Olguin was mayor, the town has grown, getting it’s code enforcement, animal control and public works departments formed, as well as acquiring a town hall and community center and creating a public park.

Now it’s time to focus on his family, specifically his wife, and “enjoy the rest of the life God has provided me. My job has been demanding and there have been opportunities I didn’t take because I had this mayoral position to tend to. My wife and I have been running the Bosque Farms Flea Market for six years, and that’s really taking off. She has stood by me through some really trying times and it’s time to dedicate more time to her, my kids, grandkids, business and job.”

Olguin said he’s proud he and the council have been able to be very fiscally responsible to the residents and thanked them for their patience “while it shaped me, formed me and schooled me into the way a well run government entity is supposed to run.

“We have a great staff that is dedicated to the town and has done a wonderful job. This is bitter-sweet, but it’s time.”

Races for 10 nonpartisan boards are on the books for the regular local election in November, and on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 52 candidates threw their names into the ring, including some who are running for two boards simultaneously.

Candidates also include two who are high up in the Valencia County government echelons — Valencia County Clerk Mike Milam and his Chief Deputy Clerk Brenda Hume, formerly Green.

Hume, who is running for a position on the Valencia County Arroyo Flood Control board of directors, said she and Milam running for the boards did not create a conflict of interest. Milam is running for the Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District board of supervisors.

“One has no bearing on the other. Our office has no influence, no jurisdiction over (the boards),” Hume said.

Milam will finish his term as county clerk, he said, continuing, “there’s no conflict. I have verified it’s not breaking any statutes or laws.”

Candidates will be notified by Friday, Aug. 29, whether they are qualified to run and their names will be on the November ballot.

If a candidate missed the chance to file this week, they can file as a write-in candidate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the clerk’s office, 444 Luna Ave., Los Lunas. That is also the last day for candidates to withdraw from a race.

City of Belen

Mayor

Robert Noblin, 48, is running for his second term as mayor. He was first elected in 2021, when he was midway through his second term as Belen city councilor.

Noblin owns Noblin Funeral Service, Terrace Grove Cemetery and Terrace Grove Pet Services. He went to the College of Funeral Service.

Council

Incumbent Steven Holdman, 69, is running for his second term on the council. He has a masters of business administration and a bachelors in organizational management. Holdman is the administrative pastor at Calvary Chapel Rio Grande Valley, and retired as the executive vice president of operations for NICOR, Incorporated in Albuquerque.

Incumbent Frank Ortega, 74, is retired from the Belen Consolidated Schools maintenance department. He has served four terms on the city council, three of which were consecutive from 2014 to now. He served one term from 1992 to 1996.

Judge

Keith Norwood, 65, is running for his second term as Belen municipal judge. He spent 25 years with the New Mexico Department of Corrections, where he served as warden, deputy warden, deputy bureau chief and correctional officer. Norwood retired as the deputy bureau chief of audits and standards. He holds a bachelor of science degree.

Pauline Vallejos, 52, is the security foreman for Belen Consolidated Schools. She has a high school diploma and has taken continuing education classes.

Village of Bosque Farms

Council

Incumbent councilors Michael Cheromiah and Tim Baughman did not file to run on Tuesday, but five other candidates are vying for the seats.

James Bruhn, 54, is a contractor with a bachelor’s degree in structural engineering.

Clinton (CJ) Kettle, 36, is the service manager at Wagner Equipment. He has a bachelors degree in business management. Kettle was one of six Bosque Farms residents who submitted a letter of interest in 2024 to fill the then-vacant mayor’s position for the village.

Stefanie Scanland, 37, is a human resources professional and owns a mobile catering and personal chef service. She has a bachelor’s degree in business.

Dolly Wallace, 73, is an equine specialist and a Los Lunas High School graduate. Wallace served as the village’s municipal judge for two terms, from 2016 to 2024, and served on the council for three terms prior.

Manuel Zamora, 51, is a retired firefighter/EMT and a fire protection engineer. His education includes some college.

Village of Los Lunas

Council District 1

Christopher Ortiz, 46, is running for his third term on the council. He is an insurance specialist with the Los Lunas Schools district and is a Los Lunas High School graduate.

John Walker, 40, is a high school teacher. He graduated from Los Lunas High School and studied criminal justice at CNM.

Council District 3

Matthew Chavez, 47, is a local farmer, Realtor, and owner of Chavez Farms Chile and Europa Coffee. He has a high school diploma and an associate degree.

Naithan Gurule, 44, is currently a teacher at Los Lunas High School. He retired as the Los Lunas police chief in 2022 after 20 years in the field. He has a masters degree in criminal justice and education in curriculum and instruction. Gurule is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, session 249.

Cruz Munoz, 78, is running for his second term on the council. He works for Mountain America Credit Union as a senior marketing representative. Munoz holds a bachelors in business management.

Town of Peralta

Mayor

Joseph Chavez, 56, was the only candidate to file for the position. Chavez is retired as the warden for the Valencia County Detention Center in December 2019. He completed high school and has taken some college courses.

Council

Claudio Moya, 71, is running for his third term on the council. He is a high school graduate and a well water driller.

Randy Smith, 66, is running for his third term as a councilor. He served on the Peralta Planning and Zoning Commission for seven years. He is a high school graduate and NECA electrical estimating trained. Smith owns Randy’s Electrical Co and REC Mini Storage.

Judge

Tracy Aragon, 62, is running for his third term as municipal judge. He is the director of radiology at X-Ray Associates of New Mexico, and has a bachelor’s degree in nuclear medicine.

City of Rio Communities

Mayor

Midway through his first term, City Councilor Matthew Marquez, 50, has decided to challenge the incumbent mayor for the position. Marquez is a retired federal technician and an Army veteran. He holds a high school diploma.

Joshua Ramsell, 36, is running for his second term as mayor. He is a retail manager and graduated from the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management.

Council

Councilor Arthur Apodaca did not file for re-election, but there are five candidates running for the two seats.

Lawrence Gordon, 61, is running for his second term on the council. He is a retired police officer and has a high school diploma.

Michael Melendez, 66, is the owner of Valencia Solar Electric Company and has a bachelor of arts in economics.

Alan Sinclair, 69, is retired from General Electric and has a high school diploma.

Jo Skelton, 67, is retired from the court system and has taken some college courses.

MaryJo Palmer, 63, is the store manager at PeeWee’s Pit Stop in Rio Communities and attended Penn State University for two years.

Judge

Loedesta (Loedi) Silva, 46, is a Realtor. She completed high school and has some college education. Silva is the chairwoman of the city of Belen Planning and Zoning Commission.

Victor Williams, 67, is the current municipal judge. He was appointed on July 14 and sworn into office on July 30. Williams took the position after former municipal judge Helen Smith resigned in December 2024. He is retired from the U.S. Army.

Belen Board of Education

District 1

Joanne Silva, 59, works for the New Mexico Department of Health. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Silva was appointed to the District 1 seat in January 2024.

District 4

Jim Danner, 81, is a retired educator and holds a master’s degree from the University of New Mexico. He has served two terms on the Belen Board of Education.

District 5

Larry Garley, 75, is a retired teacher for Belen Consolidated Schools. Garley was appointed to the board in 2021 after the seat was vacated. Garley held the District 5 seat for one term, from 2014 to 2017 before losing re-eelctoin. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education and administration.

Los Lunas Board of Education

District 1

Nicole Bradshaw, 38, is a professional photographer. She has a bachelor of science in parks and recreation management.

Frank Otero, 66, is retired from the New Mexico Department of Health, as well as the retired facilities manager for the Los Lunas Hospital and Training School. Otero went to the University of New Mexico for four years and is a Los Lunas High School graduate.

He previously held the District 1 seat for 11 years. When Justin Talley resigned from the District 1 seat earlier this year, Otero was appointed to the position.

R. Craig Schlotterback, 79, is a retired air traffic controller. He completed three years of college.

District 2

Sonya C’Moya, 62, is a senior sales account executive for Presbyterian Health Plan and has a bachelor of arts. She was appointed to the position she currently holds in 2024, following the resignation of Monica Otero.

District 3

Dave Vickers, 69, has held his seat since 2019, and served on the LLBOE From 1995 to 1999. He was on New Mexico State School Board in 2001. Vickers was also a New Mexico state representative from 1999 to 2000. He has a bachelor of arts and is a business owner.

District 5

Bruce Bennett, 69, is running for his second term on the Los Lunas Board of Education. He was appointed to the Los Lunas Schools Governing Committee, then was elected to the LLBOE in 2021. He has an associate degree in business administration and is retired form the U.S. Coast Guard.

Christopher Burkhard, 48, is a journeyman lineman. He graduated from Los Lunas High School and is a U.S. Army veteran.

James Fischer, 68, is a retired engineer and building inspector. He currently holds a position on the Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District board and is also running for his second term on that board.

Dana Sanders, 61, is a former LLS superintendent. She holds a master’s degree in education with administrative certification and a degree in elementary education with an emphasis in teaching.

In June 2020, the Los Lunas Board of Education discharged Sanders from the position, after she had been placed on paid administrative leave for several months. She remained on the district payroll until August 2020, when she announced her retirement.

Sanders settled a lawsuit with the district for $600,000 for lost wages and other damages in the fall of 2021.

University of New Mexico-Valencia Advisory Board

Two at large positions

Roberta Scott, 84,, who holds one of the positions, is retired from the University of New Mexico-Valencia, where she was the director of the Small Business Development Center for more than a decade. She holds a masters of business administration.

Scott previously held a seat on the board, but lost her bid for re-election in 2021 to Joleen Chavez, who resigned from the board in August 2024. Scott was appointed to the position in March.

The seat was slated to be on this ballot whether an appointee held it or not.

Charles Schick, 65, is a retired instructor/lecturer with the University of New Mexico-Valencia and a contract consultant in geology. He has a bachelors in geology and mineralogy and a masters in geology.

Schick is also running for a position on the Valencia County Arroyo Flood Control District board this year.

Eloisa Tabet, who currently holds one of the seats, did not file for re-election on Tuesday.

Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District

There are three seats up on the board of supervisors, one of which is for two-years due to an appointment.

In November, after the votes are tallied, the two candidates with the most votes will get the two four-year positions, while the person with the third most votes will fill the two-year seat.

Teresa Smith de Cherif, 64, is a retired physician and journalist. She has served on the board since 2008 and is the board chairwoman. She is also the chairwoman of the Valencia County Arroyo Flood Control District.

Smith de Cherif holds an M.D., a masters in international affairs, a certificate of African studies and a bachelor of arts with a focus on arid lands.

James Fischer, 68, is a retired engineer and building inspector. He is running for his second term on the board. Fischer is also running for the District 5 position on the Los Lunas Board of Education.

Gail Goodman, 82, is a retired educator, having taught at all levels in the education field. She has a doctorate in education. Goodman previously served on the VSWCD board for one term, from 2020 to 2023.

Sharon Hagaman, 68, works in the home cleaning business and home care. She has completed college level pre-nursing degree requirements.

Andrew Hautzinger, 60, is a hydrologist with the state and is retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He has a bachelor’s degree in hydrology and previously served on the board. Hautzinger was the VSWCD district director after leaving the board.

Mike Milam, 42, is the Valencia County clerk and a Realtor, with 14 years of education.

Eugene Pickett Jr., 74, was appointed to the board of supervisors to serve until the end of 2025. He has a high school diploma, attended UCLA, UC Irvine and Earlham College in Indiana.

He retired from the state as a mental health supervisor of mental health facilities, and from Valencia County after 15 years as a mobile home specialist supervisor.

Valencia County Arroyo Flood Control District

All five seats on the board of directors for the Valencia County Arroyo Flood Control District will be on the November ballot. The district was approved by voters in November 2024, and the directors were appointed earlier this year by a district court judge.

Danny Goodson, 71, was appointed to the arroyo flood control board when it was formed at the beginning of this year. He is an airport technician for the city of Belen at the Belen Regional Airport and has a bachelor of science degree in agronomy.

Brenda Hume, 66, has been the chief deputy clerk for Valencia County since July 2024. She is the former Union County clerk, and has 15-plus years of education.

Michael Montoya, 55, is currently a board member and works for the village of Los Lunas. He is a certified flood plain manager and certified in storm water protection, and has an associate degree in criminal justice.

Tyler Otero, 35, is a manager for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. He is a Los Lunas High School graduate and a journeyman carpenter.

Charles Schick, 65, is a retired instructor/lecturer with the University of New Mexico-Valencia and a contract consultant in geology. He has a bachelors in geology and mineralogy and a masters in geology.

Schick is also running for a position on the University of New Mexico-Valencia advisory board this year.

While the positions are six year terms, the initial group of candidates who take office in January 2026 will draw lots at their organizational meeting to determine staggered initial terms.

Two members will serve two-year terms, two will serve four years and one will serve a six-year term.