Valencia County candidate forum held; election questions

BELEN — Candidates running for seats on the Valencia County Commission and the Valencia County Clerk’s position attended a forum hosted by a local advocacy organization last week.

The Valencia Community Action Team invited candidates running for the county commission District 2 seat, incumbent Republican Troy Richardson and challenger Duana Draszkiewicz; the District 4 position, incumbent Republican Joseph Bizzell and challenger Democrat Charles Eaton; Republican candidate Dante Berry, District 5; county clerk, incumbent Republican Mike Milam and challenger Democrat Rustin Porter; and county treasurer, incumbent Republican Ron Saiz and challenger Michelle Tafoya.

Saiz, Tafoya and Berry did not attend the forum.

The two-hour forum was held at the Belen Public Library on Friday, Sept. 27.

A second forum, with the same candidates invited to participate, is scheduled from 5-7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4, at the Los Lunas Transportation Center, 101 Courthouse Road.

The candidates took questions submitted by the more than two dozen attendees, which were reviewed by both John Brennan, chairman of the Republican Party of Valencia County and Summer Ludwig, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Valencia County.

“They are looking at the questions, making sure there’s nothing derogatory being asked,” Tom Mraz, VCAT president, told the audience. Mraz read the questions to the candidates during the forum.

The questions covered a variety of topics, including the environment, growth and development in the county, homelessness and services for youth.

Growth can be extremely good for the county so long as it’s managed property, Bizzell said.

“We’ve seen significant growth in property value so our mill levy taxes went down. It was just a bit but if we have positive growth and manage it, taxes can go down and not be a burden to one group of people,” he said. “We need growth and good jobs. People talk about kids leaving because we don’t have good jobs for people to stay here and raise a family.”

Eaton said he’s seen the county grow in leaps and bounds, in some good ways and some sad ways.

“If we plan, we can prosper and provide good economic development for Valencia County, and provide a good workforce,” he said. “I’m a little disturbed about Niagara. We forfeited a lot of water rights to that company. It was not a good business decision for Valencia County or Los Lunas. We need to make sure whatever comes in, whether it’s a county decision or municipal, we are cohesive in dialogue and the decisions made are something good for Valencia County.”

Candidates were asked about whether conflict of interest and nepotism were an issue and how they would avoid those problems.

Milam said based on the definition of nepotism under the county’s policies and procedures, he didn’t see a problem, “but I’m not the HR department. It can be in general, playing favoritism.”

Porter said in his time with the county as the purchasing agent, he has seen issues arise in some departments.

“And that issue can be just assumption. Assumption probably goes a lot further than you think, if you are going to be in the same building as a relative or somebody who lives with you,” he said. “Just an assumption can go a lot further and cause more problems that what you’d think.”

Candidates for county commission were asked how they would protect natural resources, such as water, while still planning for future growth.

Richardson said there wasn’t a lot the county commission can do about water resources, saying the office of the state engineer was “on top of that. They are fairly restrictive about water rights as well as the (New Mexico Environment Department) and (Middle Rio Grande Conservation District). At the county level, mostly what we can do when we hear zoning cases is consider the infrastructure and water use, as well as the comprehensive plan and see if it fits into the plan.”

New Mexico is unusual in that is allows for the sale and removal of water rights from land, Draszkiewicz said.

“Until we can do something, find a better way to handle it, there won’t be any water rights that are fair to the people. Water rights from ranches can be sold off and they can still pump water,” she said. “It needs to be restructured in what they can use.”