Bernalillo board president defeated

Newcomer Jodilynn Ortiz wins to take seat

Bernalillo Public Schools’ board president lost his reelection bid to a newcomer, while the board secretary retained office by two votes.

Jodilynn Ortiz, a Placitas mother and business consultant, received 128 votes for District 3 in the Feb. 7 election, compared with 99 for board president Gilbert Steve Lucero, according to official results from the Sandoval County Clerk.

In District 1, board secretary Isaac Herrera barely held on with 70 votes, just two more than challenger Merlinda K. Latoma. A third incumbent, Olivia Calabaza, ran unopposed for District 2.

Lucero, Calabaza and Herrera could not be reached for comment.

Ortiz told the Journal she is “excited and ready to move forward” with her board term.

The 49-year-old mother of two adult children has limited experience — she was previously treasurer for the Placitas Elementary Parent Teacher Organization — but a deep connection to the community.

“My family has been in Placitas since the 1700s, so I am always trying to volunteer and do things,” she said.

During her career, Ortiz has worked in strategic development and she currently runs a consultant business focused on sustainability, social responsibility and cultural diversity.

She earned a master’s degree in diplomacy and said one of her main goals is boosting communication between the board and parents.

Bernalillo voters also approved a $18.5 million general obligation bond — money that will fund a variety of capital projects, including Santo Domingo Elementary and Middle School’s expansion, an auxiliary gym for Bernalillo High and districtwide technology and security upgrades.

School bonds typically receive strong support, and Bernalillo followed that pattern, with 763 in favor and 88 opposed.

In total, the bond and school board election turnout was 8.5 percent — 1,399 ballots were cast out of 16,473 eligible voters.

“I would like to thank the voters,” said Superintendent Allan Tapia. “To me, it is a testament to the importance of our schools.”

The district is still working on a capital master plan, which will allocate specific budgets for the projects, but, according to preliminary projections, Phase II of Santo Domingo Elementary and Middle School will cost about $3 million and the high school gym will take about $3.5 million. Other bond projects include:

Additional classrooms Algodones Elementary

Library remodel and re-stucco school at Bernalillo Middle School

Pickup/drop off area reconfiguration at Bernalillo Elementary School and Bernalillo Middle at School

Athletic field construction and upgrades district-wide

Bond funding has been critical to the district for years. In 2015, Bernalillo replaced 60-year-old high school facilities with a new state-of-the-art 76,000-square-foot building thanks to $34 million from a past bond.

“The district has really followed through in completing prior projects as listed in the facility master plan,” Tapia said.