EAST TORRANCE SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: East Torrance District News A P R I L 2 0 1 3 USDA Rural Development Office day in May held in Estancia 2013 Election Arbor day was celebrated Earth Day Workshop Fruit Tree Sale Offered Meet the Candidates INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Meet the 2 Candidates Arbor Day 1 Meet the 2 Candidates 2013 Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisors Election-May 7th Notice of Supervisor Election for the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District. To all registered voters situated within the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District, county of Torrance, State of New Mexico. Notice is hereby given that on the seventh day of May, 2013 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. polls will be open to elect three supervisors of the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District, in accordance with the New Mexico Soil and Water Conservation District Act (73-20-25 through 73-20-48 NMSA 1978). Polling locations will be: East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District Educational Complex Building, 700 South 10 th Street, Estancia, New Mexico. The positions to be filled are position # 3 currently held by Jim Berlier, position #4 currently held by Ryan Schwebach. Positions 3 and 4 must be filled by resident owners of land within the district Eligible voters within the district shall obtain and cast their ballots at the polling place on the day of the election; OR Eligible voters who will be absent on the day of the election may request an absentee ballot application by mail, by phone, and in person. Absentee ballot ARBOR DAY WAS MARCH 8th New Mexico s state Arbor Day was celebrated on March 8th this year. Fourth graders at the Estancia Elementary School in Estancia received100 trees to take home and plant from the East Torrance SWCD. Arbor Day is a Holiday in which asks us to look to the future, the near future and the far future. applications will be available between April 8th, 2013 and April 17, 2013 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at: East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District office, C/O Election Superintendent, Cheri Lujan, 715 South 5 th Street, PO Box 58, Estancia, New Mexico, 87016. To request an absentee ballot application by phone call (505) 384-2272 Ext.5 Completed absentee ballots must be received at the address above not later than 3:30 PM, May 7, 2013. Voters are asked to bring proof of residency to the polling location. This can be a voter registration card, utility bill, or other documentation of district residency. Good luck to all of our Candidates! Composting Workshop Fruit Trees offered 4 5 2013 Tree Program Order Form 6 USDA Rural 7 Development We would like to Thank everyone who ordered trees this year. We are looking at the week of April 22nd 26th for the trees to be shipped. Having April 27-28th as pick up dates, depending on deliveries. Tree pick up location will be at the East Torrance SWCD Educational Complex Building, 700 South 10th Street, Estancia. The District will call, to remind everyone giving them the exact dates that trees can be picked up.
PAGE 2 Meet the Candidates who are running for the May 7th Board Election On March 19, 2013 each candidate was mailed a letter asking them to introduce themselves to you in this quarter newsletter. They each answered the questions and gave a little history about themselves: Here are the following questions asked and the answers received. 1. Why do you wish to serve on the board of Supervisors of the East Torrance SWCD? 2. What are your goals and visions of the District? 3. What experiences and knowledge can you bring to the board in help serving the citizens and landowners of the District? Position #3 / Candidates: incumbent: - Jim Berlier / Challenger Pete Golden Jim Berlier Response My name is Jim Berlier. I have served on the board of supervisors for the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation for 10 years. My family has owned land within the valley since 1937. I have served the valley not only as a contractor for our local farmers and ranchers, but have tried to lead by example on my own land, by better managing the land through conservation practices. I have been married to my wife Vicki an Estancia Kindergarten teacher for 38 years. When asked why I wish to serve on the board and seek re-election, I can only say that I am proud to be a part of an organization that has been recognized as one of the highest performing districts in the state since 2004. The District came out of a bad audit in 2003 and since then has had great audits which are public record on the State Auditors web site. Audits are mandatory and give the public assurance that their tax dollars are being fairly and adequately spent within the District. As always, meetings are open to the public and we moved the meetings to nights three years ago to allow the public better access to attend meetings and learn more about the District and voice concerns, if they had any. One of my visions for the future of our District is to expand the role of the youth of our community in conservation. As we expand our youth education, we need to expand the involvement of our youth resource in decision making tasks at meetings, and hands on conservation work. Through youth involvement, we can help mold a new generation of conservationists. In order to do this, we need to start with board member involvement and the willingness to give up ones time in lending a hand and lead as an example by bringing the myths vs. the facts about what a conservation district can do. Part of the knowledge and experience I bring are: I have a degree in Range Science; I have served as Chairman, Vice Chairman and currently sit on the board as secretary / treasurer. I also currently sit on the New Mexico Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts as Vice President and have also served as the states secretary/ treasurer. I have volunteered my time on the board at countless meetings, trainings, and workshops hosted by the district for all the people of the valley along with earth day events sponsored by the districts hands on activities for our youth which include family fun kid s days during the Torrance County Fair. I am self-employed which allows me to have more time to dedicate to conservation efforts, such as the 50 days that I served this year at the State legislature as a registered lobbyist. During my years of service to the people of our District, I have developed many relationships with partnership organizations such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the State Land Office, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, and the State Engineers Office and many more. I ask for support in my commitment to the landowners of the District by voting for me to continue the expansion of the horizons and to help the District move in a positive direction. Pete Golden Response Bio of Pete Golden: Raised on a Dairy Farm and worked for Markham Dairy of Pajarito, in Albuquerque s South Valley, while attending the University of New Mexico. Graduated Magnum Cum Laude from the University of New Mexico with a BA Degree in Political Science. Have been a Licensed New Mexico Real Estate Broker since 1965, and received the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member Designation of the National Association of Realtors in 1973. commonly referred to as C.C.I.M. Have farmed in the Estancia Valley since 1975, and raise Alfalfa Hay and other Hay crops. Under the Administration of Gary Johnston, I served on various Boards and commissions, with Budgets in excess of $40 million Dollars. Server on the Planning and Zoning Board of Torrance County. Served as your Torrance County Sheriff for 8 consecutive years. #1) To assure the voters of Torrance County that their tax dollars are being fairly and adequately spent in the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District. #2) That all those who apply for assistance under the Porvisions and rules of the East Torrance Soil & Water Conservation District are treated fairly. #3) The experience that I bring to this position and any of the position s of Responsibility and Authority that I have previously held is listed in this brief Resume. Sincerely, Pete Golden EAST TORRANCE DISTRICT NEWS
PAGE 3 Position #4 / Candidates: incumbent: - Ryan Schwebach / Challenger Lisa Lujan Ryan Schwebach Response I am the current Chairman of the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District, let me introduce myself to those of you who do not know me. I am seeking re-election to the board on which I have served since being appointed in 2005. My family moved to the valley in 1959 and began farming. I have always worked hand in hand on the family farm learning how to maintain the land with limited resources and as the farm grew I have also learned how to conserve water and maintain the soil. I have been married since 1998 with two children and one on the way. Serving on the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District has opened my eyes to local government, procurement, open meetings act, budgets and customer service vs private employment. I can say we have a great employee who really cares about the landowners and helping the people of the District. Our student worker program has provided jobs to a local High School seniors each year so they can learn what a Conservation District is and hopefully grow an interest in the agriculture field. Our Soil and Water Conservation District has earned many statewide and regional award recognitions and has been involved in promoting our local cost share assistance by adding the new cost share practice of water harvesting. We publicize this at local events such as Pumkin Chuckin, and the county fair. I am seeking re-election to continue the work we have started such as: being active in the tree thinning projects within the Manzano mountains, making landowners aware of noxious weeds in the valley, making well water testing available once a year and getting our youth involved in conservation techniques. This in turn will promote stability, encourage natural biological diversity and complexity and maintain the natural areas and functions of the land. My goal is to continue to help work with land owners of small and large acreages within the District; assisting in land use decisions, restoring and maintaining water quality, improving livestock management practices, and protecting critical riparian areas. The Soil and Water Conservation District is the lead agency that helps direct our federal partner NRCS in making local issues a priority by bringing the grass roots up to the federal level. We need to promote more awareness for wildlife conservation and responsible agriculture practices among the general population of the East Mountains. We also need to educate our youth to continue these practices for the future of the farmland community. My main goal is to serve the community of the District in a professional manner and to educate landowners about smart and practical conservation practices. Taking the available technical, financial, and educational resources, (whatever the source) and focusing to coordinate them so they meet the needs of the local land user, is the experience I bring to the board of the Conservation District. I also bring years of farming experience to the table. I serve as a member of the Estancia Basin Water Planning Committee which helps protect the basin water supply by monitoring wells and getting information out to better educate the public on what is happening with local water issues. Currently the committee addressed a double dipping issue which was carried through the legislative session (it passed). This will help future subdivision issues within the Basin and also ensure that available water rights are held back, after being severed from the land, to support the subdivision. As a business owner I understand the impact that our farming has on the economic development of our communities and the citizens. As the incumbent and Chairman of the board, I am dedicated to making sure the Conservation District functions not only properly, but exemplary. I believe my knowledge of the issues and my experience serving on the board will help me better serve the citizens and landowners of the District. I would greatly appreciate you taking the time to come out and vote. Lisa Lujan Response I am Lisa Lujan and I wish to serve on the Board of Supervisors for the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District, because our natural resources are of great interest to me and my family. My family has farmed and ranched in East Torrance Soil & Water Conservation District for many years and I hope, for many more years to come. I believe that our natural resources are not only important to farmers and ranchers, but to all residents of our district. With further education and knowledge more residents of this district could utilize good soil and water conservation practices, so that future generations can prosper from these resources. My goals and visions for the East Torrance Soil & Water Conservation District, is to gain knowledge to help residents of the district, conserve our natural resources though soil and water conservation practices. My vision and the vision of the Board of Supervisors should be to help the residents of our community with conservation practices that will help conserve our resources though education and tax dollars. My knowledge has been by living in the East Torrance Soil & Water Conservation District most of my life, and I would like to further my knowledge and the community s conservation needs and education of our resources. I know many of the residents of the East Torrance Soil & Water Conservation District and I hope to help you with your needs for conservation practices. KIDS CORNOR
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PAGE 7 USDA Rural Development Office Visit Scheduled Mark your calendar to come see staff from the Rural Development office on May 14, 2013 USDA Rural Development will be at the Estancia Field Office located at 715 South 5th Street, Estancia, NM on May 14, 2013 from 9:00 am 1:00 pm to help local residents with questions you may have dealing with any program offered by the Rural Development Office. If you need further information please call Diana at 505-865-4643
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID East Torrance Soil & Water Conservation District TORREON, NM PERMIT NO.2 715 5th South Street P.O. Box 58 Estancia, NM 87016 Phone:505-384-2272 Ext. 5 Fax:505-384-3043 The Function of the Conservation District: To Take Available Technical, Financial, and Education Resources, Whatever Their Source, and Focus or Coordinate Them So They Meet The Needs Of The Local Land User. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: Ryan Schwebach, Chairman Bill Wrye, Vice-Chair Jim Berlier, Secretary/ Treasurer Johnny Lujan, Member Mike Valdez, Member Staff Cheri Lujan, District Manager Andrea Perea, Student Clerk