{"id":2420,"date":"2007-10-24T07:40:00","date_gmt":"2007-10-24T13:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/10\/district-4-hopefuls-seek-better-infrastructure-services\/"},"modified":"2007-10-24T07:40:00","modified_gmt":"2007-10-24T13:40:00","slug":"district-4-hopefuls-seek-better-infrastructure-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/10\/district-4-hopefuls-seek-better-infrastructure-services\/","title":{"rendered":"District 4 hopefuls seek better infrastructure, services"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Steve Trowbridge\u2019s<\/a> decision to leave the Las Cruces City Council<\/a> means District 4<\/a> is the only seat for which voters won\u2019t be able to pick an incumbent on Nov. 6. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Three relatively young but experienced candidates are vying for the right to replace Trowbridge on the council.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Isaac Chavez<\/a>, 35, ran unsuccessfully last year against state Rep. Andy Nu\u00f1ez. He\u2019s also a member of a number of community boards and chairs the Citizens Review Board for Child Abuse and Neglect.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Steve Monta\u00f1o<\/a>, 39, runs the state\u2019s Economic Development Department office in Las Cruces<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>. He\u2019s well connected in state Democratic political circles and carries the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Diane Denish.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Nathan Small<\/a>, 25, works for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and is a member of the Do\u00f1a Ana County Planning and Zoning Commission.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Though in most districts the city\u2019s growth is the hottest topic of the election, Chavez said it isn\u2019t on the forefront of the minds of voters in his district. He said residents are more concerned about water quality and the stink from the city\u2019s sewage treatment plant.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThe anti-growth message doesn\u2019t work here,\u201d Chavez said, noting the attempt by galvanized citizens who believe growth is out of control to defeat some incumbents. \u201cHere it\u2019s about jobs and education and the nuts and bolts stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Monta\u00f1o agreed that residents of the district are more concerned with their infrastructure needs than development in other areas of the city. He called District 4 \u201ca forgotten district,\u201d and said some streets haven\u2019t been repaved in 20 years.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThey want to ensure that their basic services are being met,\u201d Monta\u00f1o said of the district\u2019s residents. \u201cThey don\u2019t care about growth on the East Mesa<\/st1:place>\u201d as much as they do infrastructure and services in their district.<\/p>\n

\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

To address the unique issues in District 4, Small proposes \u201cinvesting in existing neighborhoods\u201d and pledges to be a fighter for \u201crefocusing\u201d the budget to address infrastructure needs in established areas.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThat is my No. 1 priority,\u201d Small said. \u201cPeople want livable neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

More on existing neighborhoods<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Small has made specific proposals to improve living conditions and infrastructure in existing neighborhoods. He wants to allocate funding through the use of tax increment financing or another method for improving infrastructure in specific, established neighborhoods. He also wants to establish a job-training center in District 4 that will help its residents improve their financial situations.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Small also spoke about improving security in existing neighborhoods, and said he thinks the city probably needs to add police and firefighter positions.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Monta\u00f1o said some candidates talk about creating new, peripheral programs, such as a recycling program, when the city still has problems with its trash collection. He said he recently saw a city garbage truck spill trash all over a residential street.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Some District 4 neighborhoods are evidence that the city isn\u2019t adequately keeping up with basic services, Monta\u00f1o said, and that situation must be improved before the city considers adding new programs.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Chavez said the district is populated by people who have experienced the prosperity that has come with a decade of moderate growth, but the infrastructure needs in existing neighborhoods must still be addressed along with the growth that is more prevalent in newer areas of the city. He plans to improve water quality and reduce the sewer plant\u2019s smell.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThe question of how we deal with these infrastructure needs is the question in this race,\u201d Chavez said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Public input<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

All three candidates agree that the city must change some policies and practices to increase the public\u2019s ability to access and participate in the work of the council.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Monta\u00f1o said the city needs to improve use of its public access television channel. One suggestion, he said, is running fewer public service announcements, which are often used to fill time, and instead creating a message board to announce upcoming public meetings and other events.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

He also said he wants to see more community meetings televised.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Chavez said he wants the council to meet twice each week instead of once, and hold one of its weekly meetings in the evening to allow those who can\u2019t attend during business hours a chance to see the council in action. In addition, such a change would shorten meetings and make it easier for people to wait for the chance to speak on a specific agenda item.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the next, common-sense step,\u201d Chavez said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Small said there is a difference between allowing \u201cpublic comment\u201d and encouraging \u201cpublic involvement\u201d in decisions, and he wants to enact policies that encourage the latter. He said he wants to ensure the public plays a \u201csubstantial role\u201d in decisions related to growth and other issues.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s in everybody\u2019s minds that we have to address development issues and I think, first and foremost, it has to be done in an open manner,\u201d Small said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

About the candidates<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Small said he\u2019s the right candidate to represent District 4 because he has \u201ca wide diversity of experience\u2026 the energy to get things done\u2026 (and) the openness to think there\u2019s a new way to do things.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Small, who is not married, is an avid outdoorsman who helps care for and train horses at Shining Heart Farms. He\u2019s from Los Lunas and also has family in Grants. His job with the wilderness alliance is what brought him to Las Cruces<\/st1:city> after he earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in philosophy and English, with a focus on biology, from the College<\/st1:placetype> of Wooster<\/st1:placename> in Ohio<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Small said his background, which includes a focus on land management and conservation, gives him a \u201ccommonsense approach\u201d on growth and other issues. He said, though some would try to oversimplify issues, development is more complicated than being \u201cpro-growth\u201d or \u201canti-growth,\u201d and he pledged to work hard to find solutions to complex issues.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Monta\u00f1o said he should be elected because he has the experience to understand and navigate government and has good relationships with others who hold government positions. He said the district needs representation from someone who knows how to solve problems.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Monta\u00f1o is a graduate of Mayfield<\/st1:placename> High School<\/st1:placetype> and New Mexico<\/st1:placename> State<\/st1:placetype> University<\/st1:placetype><\/st1:place>, where he earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in business management and accounting. He is a military veteran who served during Operation Desert Storm and has worked in business and finance at the state and federal levels. Monta\u00f1o is married to Michelle Brown-Monta\u00f1o, and they have two sons, Brandon Adonis and Cameron Andre.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Monta\u00f1o said he\u2019s excited about the position because, while he works in state government, city council is \u201cwhere the rubber meets the road. There\u2019s a real opportunity to make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Chavez said he should be the District 4 representative because he has spent months at city council and committee meetings learning the system, and he plans to be a full-time councilor, like Trowbridge, if he\u2019s elected.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Chavez grew up in Las Cruces<\/st1:city> and earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in government from New Mexico<\/st1:placename> State<\/st1:placetype> University<\/st1:placetype><\/st1:place>. He served eight years in the U.S. Army Reserves, and also lived in Japan<\/st1:country-region><\/st1:place> for several years. Chavez is a real estate agent and small-business owner, and he and his wife, Ellie, have one son, Octavian. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Chavez said his experience sets him apart.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m able to look at things from a local perspective and a wider perspective that gives me a different view,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 6. Early and absentee voting are underway at the city clerk\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

\n

This article has been updated slightly to clarify a comment from Monta\u00f1o.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Steve Trowbridge\u2019s decision to leave the Las Cruces City Council means District 4 is the only seat for which voters won\u2019t be able to pick an incumbent on Nov. 6. Three relatively young but experienced candidates are vying for the right to replace Trowbridge on the council. Isaac Chavez, 35, ran unsuccessfully last year against […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2420\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}