TPS board deadlocks over District 1 rep

Tucumcari Public Schools faces the prospect of having the state Public Education Department chief choose its next District 1 representative if it cannot break a deadlock between two candidates.

The four board members during a special meeting Monday split their votes between Carlos Romero and Andrea Madrid after they interviewed them and a third applicant, Carmen Maria Gonzalez.

The board will vote on the candidates again during its next regular meeting on Sept. 16 and possibly if a special meeting is scheduled for Sept. 23.

If it cannot settle on one to represent the vacant District 1 seat, New Mexico Public Education Department Secretary Mariana Padilla would make the choice.

The board faces a 45-day deadline to pick a District 1 representative. The previous District 1 rep, Matthew Pacheco, resigned in mid-August after he moved out of his district.

Superintendent Carl Marano said that would put the deadline at Sept. 26.

Board members Heather Gonzales and J.D. Knapp (who wasn’t in the board chambers due to illness but participated by phone) chose Romero.

The other two board members, Jerry Lopez and Robert Lucero, favored Madrid.

Marano said he called Joe Guillen, executive director of the New Mexico School Boards Association, on Tuesday to ensure he and the board were proceeding correctly.

Marano said Guillen wasn’t pleased about the possibility of the TPS board being deadlocked over filling a vacant seat.

“It doesn’t look good on a local school board when the Education Secretary has to make the appointment,” Marano said, paraphrasing Guillen’s comment.

Most of the board members peppered each of the three applicants with questions for five to 10 minutes each on Monday, though Lopez didn’t ask questions to any of them.

Romero, who previously served on the TPS board before declining to run for re-election in 2019, cited his years of experience on that body.

When Knapp asked what is the most important thing to unify the board, Romero said preparedness, including reviewing its document packets before a meeting.

“We have to work together for a common goal for the kids,” he added.

When Gonzales asked about the strengths and weaknesses of the school district, Romero said it has “pretty decent staffing right now” from what he’s heard from his grandchildren, nephews and nieces in the schools. He also said the district has strong administrators.

Romero again said the board needs to be better prepared for its meetings and that “getting the board to work together needs to be worked on.”

Asked about priorities, Romero said the board needs to be stabilized.

“Get everybody working together, get everybody going in the same direction,” he said.

When Lucero asked Madrid why she wanted to be a board member, she replied she has children in the district and that “the voice of parents are important.”

Responding to a question from Knapp, Madrid said she wanted to be involved in children’s education.

She also said because District 1 represents the north side of the district, a board member has to be cognizant of transportation issues or bad weather.

Gonzalez cited her experience as a former teacher’s aide in Las Cruces.

“I fell in love with education,” she said. “I believe education is the foundation for children to better themselves.”

She described herself as “a good communicator … a people person.”

Gonzalez said she meets with families who have voiced concerns about lack of communication with administrators and staff.

Gonzalez said she heard from one family whose son was being bullied. They brought the issue to a teacher and administrator, and “nothing was done.”