By Lynn Janes
On October 17, 2022, Silver City Daily Press held a Facebook forum for Grant County commissioner district 2. It took place at the Besse-Forward Global Resource Center auditorium at WNMU (Western New Mexico University). Questions came from the virtual audience, attending audience and Jordan Archunde for the Silver City Daily Press. Publisher Nicholas Seibel moderated the forum. Each candidate had three minutes for an opening statement and for each question two minutes would be allowed. The forum took place between Armando (Mando) Aguilar and Eloy Medina.
Opening statements
Aguilar said he would be considered a rural candidate. His experience has been everything everyone else has and is going through. He told the audience he stood for conservative values as far as the border, support of the police, crime, and inflation. "We need to change some things. I look forward to building a great rapport with the other county commissioners and see what they could do together to make the county better."
Medina said he was born and raised in Bayard, graduated from Cobre, and received a bachelors degree from NMSU (New Mexico State University), "I am currently engaged to a wonderful woman who supports me 100 percent." Between the two they have six kids and believe in secondary education. Medina has been in city politics for six years as councilman for Bayard. "I believe in the greatest good for the greatest number." He said he supports public safety and wanted to help the county move in the right direction.
Seibel had his own question for the candidates. Why this election and why this seat?
Medina said the county has a lot of concerns right now. He had met with all the key stakeholders of the district and got ideas and concern from them. The district needs to work on a better quality of life.
Aguilar said, "I had a belief since I was young to make things better." He went into the military at the age of sixteen with that idea. He came back but things have not gotten better. He said he could just sit on the side and watch everything or do his part to change things. He grew up in North Hurley and managed to come out without any police record. He said he had seen a lot of bad things there.
The audience had a question. What are the biggest needs of the district?
Aguilar said improving the morals again. Crime stems from not having morals. When people have been given free money, they lose dignity and that leads to crime and is a big issue. Getting people back to work would help. He said he knew contractors that can't do their work because they can't find people to work. The community has plenty of jobs, people just don't want to work. Getting people back to work would help the crime problem. Siebel asked how he could affect that. Change some of the laws, Aguilar said. Repeat offenders learn the system but first-time offenders could be possibly turned around and rehabilitated.
Medina said the district had a lot of needs. First thing the people that had experienced the flooding in the Mimbres needed help and should be a priority. The ranchers and farmers need help right now. The key thing would be to keep the mines open and people working. The schools need support, and the commission needs to be a key player. Public safety for the small municipalities has been a huge challenge. District 2 has a diverse spread-out area of both rural and urban areas. To affect that would take communication.
Archunde had a question for the candidates. "If you are elected, would you support the commissioners' continuation of running the hospital or turn it over to a board of trustees?"
Medina said he would like to see it turned over to a board of trustees. "Whether it stays with the commissioners or goes to a board of trustees we need to keep the hospital here. The governing body has to be strong, in the past the boards have not been. The commissioners have done well and have had to make some difficult choices." He said he would like to see it go to a board as soon as possible because the commissioners have their hands full.
Aguilar said he agreed with Medina on this issue. The hospital needs to go to a board of trustees, but it needs to be a strong board. It needs to happen but not too fast because it must be done correctly.
The audience had a question. The health care is in crisis with costs increasing. "Would you support the continued legislative financial support to design a system like the Health Security Act that would provide health care to everyone?"
Aguilar said he has not been a politician and has not studied the issue well enough to answer that. He said he would rather be honest and not give an answer.
Medina said it made sense to give health care to all citizens. "We need a plan with good quality health care." Everyone should have health care insurance.
The audience had a question. What are the needs of the county as a whole and what would the priorities be?
Medina said mental health support has been a big issue. The county has worked hard to try and fix but more needs to be done. The flooding didn't only affect district 2, but the Gila valley had also flooded and needs help. The sheriff's race will be big this time. Many of the vehicles have very high milage and need replacement. Every district has challenges, and it should be looked at as a whole.
Aguilar said one must look at the county as a whole. The biggest problem to take care of would be the border. It has collapsed. He asked if anybody realized Grant County has only 80 miles in-between most of it and the border. He posed the thought that people should be concerned because if 1,000 troops came across the border with just rifles nothing could be done to stop them. "The border is a public safety issue. It causes a burden on the health care system and our police; the county can't maintain that."
Archunde had a question. Historically some commissioners have thought it was their job to represent the rural residents because those in town had councils to represent them. Who do you believe the commissioners should primarily represent?
Aguilar said the commissioners represent all the residents. He added that many times the ranchers and farmers have been forgotten and need to be paid attention to. The ranchers and farmers have been the best for the environment because they take care of the land. "Grant County is primarily a rural community."
Medina said the municipalities have many opportunities for representation with their city councils. The councils still rely on many needs from the county. A lot of time rural areas have been focused on because they don't have anyone else, but the commissioners need to represent everyone. The cities need to be allowed to work things out first and then bring in the commissioners. Rural areas need help. People on the Mimbres have just as much importance as the people in Bayard.
Archunde had another question. How involved should the commissioners be in the day-to-day operations of the county government?
Medina said the role of the commissioners has been to make sure the county manager has done their job correctly. They must be involved especially now with so many challenges. He said he believed in the chain of command. County commissioners should guide the county manager and should be available to them at any time. He commented that if you don't have happy employees, you don't have happy service. He referred to raises, step raises, benefits, equipment, etc. The commissioners should have a rapport with the county manager.
Aguilar said they should be involved with the day-to-day operations of the county. "You need checks and balances. If you have a manager that has not been fair it will trickle down to the employees and will affect everything. I strongly believe in involvement."
The audience asked a question. Was the last election fair and legitimate?
Aguilar said he didn't have any evidence of them not being fair, but he knew that some speculation had been made.
Medina said Marissa Castrillo does a good job, and he didn't have any concerns.
The audience asked a question. Would they accept the outcome of the election, win, or lose?
Medina said yes
Aguilar said yes
Archunde asked a question. What would be the first thing they would do if elected?
Aguilar said he would be meeting with the commissioners and learn what the big picture of things going on and align with it.
Medina said he agreed with Aguilar but there would be more to it. He said he would be meeting with the community to see what their needs and concerns have been. He said he would be meeting with mayors and city councils also. This would allow him to develop plans.
The audience asked a question. What experience best qualified them for this position?
Medina said, "It was not about being a career politician, it was about putting your name on the ballot to ask to represent the people." He said he understood budgets and how to handle them. In the past he had worked with the city clerk to get grants for Bayard and knew about budget development. "You have to know where to look for money."
Aguilar said, "I am not a career politician." It starts with being in the community and starts in the heart. Being part of the community and wanting to lend a helping hand is required and being respectful to the people. He said, "it was not about just putting your name on the ballot." It starts when you are young and gaining the confidence of the people, ranchers, farmers, and miners. He said he had been at the mines for 27 years and had a position of trust and he had earned that trust.
The audience had a question. How can we increase employment opportunities in Grant County and keep our kids here?
Aguilar said children had to be taught when they are small to work and make a living. Employers want people with experience and not just a college education. The kids need to be taught skills.
Medina said the county needed educational opportunities. They have been looking at getting a trade school in the county. Not every student wants a college degree, and they have a different skill set. The county has a need for plumbers, electricians, law enforcement and EMS (emergency medical services). The county needs to develop some plans.
Seibel aske another question around the last one. What does the county commission do about that?
Medina said they need to sit down with the key stakeholders. People in education locally and the area universities. He said recently they had met with a senior student at Cobre who revealed she had not been advised how to apply for student loans, scholarships, college, etc. They need counselors to advise students how to do these things. Plans can be made but they must be executed.
Aguilar said they needed to recognize this to be a rural area and the county needs some vocational opportunities. The county needs electricians, heavy equipment operators, etc. Not everyone wants a college degree. Also, some parents can't afford to send their kids to college. "Stop buying X-boxes and buy some toolboxes."
The audience had a question coming back to the floods recently in the county. What do you think about restoring the wetlands to slow down the water?
Aguilar said the wetlands need to be restored and it would be a good opportunity. The training and funding are out there. The people in those areas have some great ideas. It does cost money and just does not come fast enough. He said he saw what happened at McKnight Canyon and flooding and drought have been a problem. Aguilar serves on the Soil and Water Conservation board and has seen a lot of programs available.
Medina said they must have restoration of the wetlands to assist the ranchers and farmers. State and federal government would have to get involved.
Archunde had a question. How would you work with elected officials not responsible to the county commission?
Medina said: "You must have a good relationship with them and communicate. That would not include just elected officials but the department heads. We have to support all."
Aguilar said you must have open communication with all elected officials and the downline.
The Zoom audience submitted a question. Families are struggling across the country with the economy. Would you support any tax increase in Grant County? If so, what would cause you to increase them?
Aguilar said no increase in taxing. "The people are already in a spot." The taxes need to be held at the current rate. County officials need to be held accountable and learn to watch spending. Also, they need to see where cuts can be made and stop unnecessary expenses.
Medina said no to tax increases. Bayard had to raise rates and it had been a tough situation. He said he has been told the only way to get more money will be to raise taxes. Medina saw all the bonds on the ballot and sees them as a great opportunity to not raise taxes. People already can't make ends meet and households must have two incomes to make it.
Closing question from Seibel. Who won the 2020 presidential election?
Medina said Joe Biden
Aguilar said Joe Biden
Siebel asked the question he asks at every forum. If you win this election and we are back here in four years, what are you most proud of accomplishing?
Aguilar said, "The county commissioners are less involved, and the citizens have a bigger voice. The answer to many of the community problems lie with the people and we need to listen to them." He ended with hoping to see less government.
Medina said, "The hospital is still open and had gotten better." The hospital would be stable and open for a long time.
Closing statements
Medina said he firmly believed in service to the community and family. He asked everyone for their support to represent them at the table. "Every resident needs to know I will represent them." He said the hospital would be his priority. "I will listen to all your concerns and do my best to do a good job for you. I want to give everyone a better quality of life." Medina can be reached at 575-956-3238
Aguilar asked everyone for their support. "I am not a career politician, but I bring good ideas to the table. I am honest and hard working." He added the mine has been looked at as just a big corporation, "but it takes all of us who work there. We need positive change." Aguilar can be reached at 575-313-2284
Seibel thanked everyone for coming , the people who set up the forum, . He also thanked everyone for all the questions they provided for the candidates.
This zoom meeting can be viewed on the Silver City Daily Press Facebook page.