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Published: 07 February 2017 07 February 2017

Today is School Board Election Day in Grant County

Today is your last chance to make your wishes known for positive growth in the Silver Consolidated Schools and Cobre Consolidated Schools districts.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. Make your voice heard in your community for your school students and staff. For information on voting places, call the Grant County Clerk's office at 575-574-0042.

Each school system has three positions up for election. Plus Silver Schools has a bond issue up for renewal that will provide funding for infrastructure needs, such as repairing leaky roofs, patching uneven parking lots and providing space for activities at several schools. Each election also has one contested race.

Silver Schools District 4 has two candidates, who have been working hard to gain the seat, facing off to fill the position.

Daniel Arrey is a native of the community and a graduate of Silver Schools. He is active as president of Little League. He is committed to the best public education possible for his sons, as well as the welfare of the faculty and staff who are the backbone of the education system. Arrey commits to an open, constructive dialogue among well-informed board members and the community.

A former educator, who was also active in the local teachers' union, Justin Wecks now lobbies on behalf of educators. He chose to run for the position because, as he said in a candidate forum, "I have lots of issues." His children attend Guadalupe Montessori School and Aldo Leopold Charter School, so he has no children in the public schools.

For District 1, Patrick M. Cohn Jr., a native of Grant County, is running for an uncontested seat. His respect for education is strong: "A good solid education is the basis for success."

For District 2, Ashley Montenegro was appointed to fill the seat vacated by a resignation. Uncontested to retain the seat, she looks forward "to continuing to be a part of the positive changes that have already begun in the SCSD."

In Cobre Schools, although every position is at large, only one seat is contested.

Position 2 has Gilbert Guadiana and Eloy Medina running for the seat.

Medina, a native of Grant County, said, at a candidate forum, that he looks forward to serving on the school board. "Schools produce the greatest asset to a parent and offer the child the best opportunity to be prepared for life, with the required three sets of school set, tool set and mindset."

Guadiana, also born and raised in Grant County, said at a forum that he wants to build bridges into the classrooms, so students choose a track after elementary school. His focus is tied to partnerships with businesses and post-secondary education.

Frank Gomez is uncontested for Position 1, and seeks to continue his service on the Cobre Consolidated Schools Board. He, as a member of the Grant County Sheriff's Department, has been active in the D.A.R.E program.

Gabriel Holguin is running unopposed for Position 3. All four of his children have been or are now part of the Cobre system, with one each in elementary, middle school and high school at this time. "I feel I am in tune with what is happening in the schools, and I want to be part of them."

For more information on the Silver Schools bond issue and the schools' needs, please visit http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/34115-silver-school-board-hears-about-list-of-proposed-projects-for-bond-issue-011717