Romero chosen for TPS board

The deadlock at TPS has been broken.

New Mexico Public Education Secretary Mariana Padilla chose Carlos Romero to be the next representative for District 1 on the Tucumcari Public Schools board.

Padilla was forced to make the choice after four TPS board members deadlocked twice in their votes for Romero or the other finalist, Andrea Madrid.

"You have been identified as a person recommended to carry out these important responsibilities, and the determination has been reached to appoint you as the school board member to fill this vacancy," Padilla wrote in a letter emailed to Romero.

Romero on Thursday said he accepted the appointment earlier in the week.

He is scheduled to be sworn into office before the board's regular meeting on Oct. 21.

Romero replaces Matthew Pacheco, who resigned in August because he moved out of the district. District 1 is in the northern part of the district.

"I just thought I needed to step back in after Matt moved out of the district," Romero said. "I was really proud of the work he did. Maybe he'll run again when it comes time for that district to come up."

Romero previously served for years on the TPS board, including as its president, until he declined to run for re-election in 2019.

"My goal is just try to do the best I can for the the schools," Romero said of his second go-round. "I did that for years and years, and we've got some great facilities. I just want to keep a focus now towards maybe getting the kids some better materials for education.

"I just want to make sure the schools are running good," he said, adding he'd heard good things about new superintendent Carl Marano and always liked assistant superintendent Dave Johnson.

"So, hopefully I can work well with them and and do good for the schools."

During two meetings in September, TPS board President Heather Gonzales and fellow board member JD Knapp voted for Romero. The other board members, Jerry Lopez and Robert Lucero, favored Madrid.

A third candidate, Maria Carmen Gonzalez, was not a finalist.

After the board deadlocked for a second time, Marano sent Romero's and Madrid's applications to the PED.

The board had 45 days to fill the vacancy, and when it could not do so, the decision landed in the PED chief's lap.