Interest in school-board races jump

Interest in school-board races jump

August 16, 2001

By Aspen C. Emmett
Journal Staff Writer

Montezuma-Cortez School Board members have had their faith in the community restored. Two weeks ago the board expressed serious concerns that there had been no interest in the three school-board seats that will be vacated in November. But by Tuesday’s board meeting, the story had changed dramatically.

Four petitions have been picked up for District D, two for District F, one for District B; and several other citizens expressed interest but did not live in a district where a seat would be vacated this year, according to district election official Theresa Maynes.

"There have been quite a few people come in and some calls from people saying, ‘We hear there’s no interest. I don’t live in that district but if nobody else runs, could I?’ And of course the answer is ‘no’," Maynes said. "But it’s not because we wouldn’t like them to — it’s just not how it’s set up."

Initially frustrated with the absence of potential candidates, board President Steve Hinton had charged that "people are so involved in their daily lives trying to make a living that they are too overwhelmed to get involved."

The challenge, though, has been met.

A local physician and father of two Cortez Middle School students, Dr. Steven Bloink, is one of the four potential candidates in District D. Bloink said he read of the lack of interest in an Aug. 4 Journal article and decided he needed to take action.

"I saw there were board seats available and no one was stepping forward," he said. "I think it is a very important thing and I should do my civic duty. I want to help out in any way I can."

Hinton said he is pleased with the recent interest in the three board seats and said the multiple applicants will give citizens options, adding that during last year’s election, incumbents ran unopposed.

"I’m really glad to see some people take interest," he said. "Now, hopefully they’ll get out there; get the petitions signed; get them back in; and we can start the process.

"The people in the school district will have an opportunity to look at varied types of people and have a choice. I think there’s some strong people out there; some people who have a genuine invested interest and they’re the kind of people who can make a difference and keep the school district going in the right direction."

The petition deadline is Aug. 31 and interested applicants can still vie for a seat.

Re-1 is divided into seven districts, with one member from each district, Maynes explained. Candidates must live in the district they wish to run for and obtain signatures from 50 eligible electors on their petitions. Electors are only allowed to sign one petition and additionally, District D candidates must have signatures from electors from District D.

Each term is four years and the maximum number of terms a director can serve is limited to three.

The board carries the burden of setting and enforcing policy for the school district as well as approving finances. It meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month and occasionally meets for special workshops throughout the year.

Vacating their seats in November are Sue Baacke, District D; Peggy Blackmer, District F; and Tina Galyon, District B.

Blackmer and Galyon are being pushed off the board because of term limits and Baacke, who is highly involved with the schools and an employee at both Mesa and Manaugh Elementary schools, has chosen not to run again.

In general, District F encompasses northeast Cortez, District B consists of neighborhoods northwest and north-central in Cortez, and District D is primarily made up of the Ute Mountain Ute reservation south of town. For more information or to obtain petitions, contact the school superintendent’s office, call 565-3080 ext. 119.