Belen Board of Education elects Danner as president

After a long moment of silence, the president of the Belen Board of Education cast the tie-breaking vote to remove himself from that seat.

At the Tuesday, July 9, meeting of the board, now former president Aubrey Tucker said he asked the reorganization of the board be an action item on that night’s agenda.

Tucker was recently awarded a one-year contract by the Socorro Consolidated Schools Board of Education to serve as interim superintendent of the school district to the south.

“There is no conflict of interest in what that district does and my performance as an employee of that board and here, where the superintendent is my employee. The finances are not intertwined; we are separate entities completely,” Tucker said at the Tuesday meeting. “Prudence and transparency demands this board gets to chose their leadership.”

He then asked for a motion for president of the board. Board vice president Ralph Fernandez nominated Tucker and secretary Larry Garley seconded the motion.

Saying he had spoken to Tucker about the situation, board member Jim Danner said he didn’t believe it was possible for Tucker to serve in both positions successfully.

“We need someone full-time with the board. I don’t think you can serve two masters — there the school board and here, with four other board members,” Danner said.

The vote split 2-2, with Danner and board member Joanne Silva voting no, and Garley and Fernandez voting yes. After an extensive period of silence, in which Tucker appeared to be deep in thought, he broke the tie, voting no to remaining president.

He then called for a nomination for president, to which Fernandez named Danner, with a second from Tucker.

“The reason I say Mr. Danner is you inspire me with your work and diligence,” Fernandez said. “I’m learning from you.”

Tucker said the board has made a decision “in which we have to think about our constituency and this board’s transparency. I have to say the most beautiful thing with this board that I’ve not seen with other boards is the professionalism everyone up here has. You are looking what our constituency needs and what is good for kids. I thank each of you for your integrity.”

The vote for Danner as the new board president was 4-0.

“I’m willing to try it,” Danner said. “I have some other things that I really have to examine that is about what kids need and what we need to do to improve the education process in Belen Consolidated Schools. I mostly want to thank the community for wanting to make a change in Belen schools.”

In the reorganization, Fernandez and Garley were elected to keep their same offices.