Rio Arriba County Commission Chairman Elias Coriz intends to declare his candidacy for the upcoming Jemez Mountains Electrical Cooperative Board of Trustees elections.
Nobody has yet officially declared their candidacy for the June elections but Coriz requested the names of District 5 Co-op members — a first step toward declaring candidacy as a Co-op trustee.
“The Co-op needs to get into solar and renewable energy,” Coriz said when asked why he planned to be a candidate.
The Co-op’s District 5 encompasses Chimayó, Truchas and Dixon. Coriz will run for two available seats against District 5 incumbents Leroy Ortiz and Robert Martinez. District 5’s third seat, held by Levi Valdez, is not up for election this year.
Coriz was one of 11 individuals to have requested membership lists, including five of the current trustees who are up for election.
Co-op elections will begin June 19 and will end July 1, Co-op General Manager Ernesto Gonzales said. Trustees serve four-year terms.
Some County residents, particularly in Dixon, want to be able to purchase green energy from the Co-op and to produce their own renewable energy to put back onto the grid, Coriz said.
“We already get alternative energy from Tri-State,” Leroy Ortiz said, citing Tri-State 30 mega-watt, half-million panel solar farm planned for construction in Colfax County. “It doesn’t really matter where it’s generated, so long as we get it at the lowest cost for our members.”
Coriz must formally declare candidacy at the main Co-op office in Hernandez by May 21, according to Co-op bylaws. Coriz must secure signatures from 75 members in District 5 by that date to qualify as a candidate.
Co-op trustees Lucas Cordova (District 4), Levi Valdez (District 5) and Manuel Garcia (District 6) and Trustee-at-large Dennis Martinez do not face re-election this year.
Coriz would like to run in the June 2010 County Sheriff election next year, as well, at the end of his second Commission term. But the state Constitution will probably stymie him. According to the state Constitution, Article 10, section 2, elected County officials must sit out two years after serving two consecutive four-year terms.
“I have 24 years in law enforcement at Los Alamos Labs,” Coriz said. “But I don’t think I can run for Sheriff. I’m seeking an opinion from the Secretary of State or Attorney General.”
Coriz would probably face a crowded field to replace Sheriff Joe Mascareñas, who will have to relinquish his seat because of term limits. Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Department Lt. Manuel Valdez and Chama School Board member Donald Valdez said they plan to run for the office. Others long rumored to be interested in the seat are former Rio Arriba County Magistrate Court judge Tommy Rodella and deputy James Lujan.
Who’s Running?
Nobody has formally declared their candidacy for the Co-op elections, but 11 men have submitted formal requests to the Co-op for membership lists, a first step in declaring candidacy. According to the Co-op’s bylaws, District 1 (Jemez Springs), 2 (Cuba/Regina) and 3 (covering Abiquiú, Coyote, Gallina, Lindrith, Lybrook and Gobernador) each have only one board trustee. Districts 4 (Española) and 6 (Pojoque) each elect two trustees. District 5 has three Trustees.
The list below only includes names of individuals who have formally requested membership lists for their respective Co-op districts.
Ralph Garcia (incumbent) District 1
Delores G McCoy District 2
Johnny Jaramillo (incumbent) District 3
David Salazar (incumbent) District 4
Leroy Ortiz (incumbent) District 5
Elias Coriz District 5
Robert Martinez (incumbent) District 5
Joseph P. Martinez District 5
Kenny Borrego District 6
Pressiliano (Pres) T. Garcia District 6
Leroy Lopez District 6