Taos and Peñasco school districts swore in new and re-elected school board members during special meetings last week.
At a special board meeting on Wednesday (Jan. 10), Anthony “Keith” King, Naomi Concha and incumbent Susan Trujillo were sworn in by Taos County Magistrate Judge Ernest Ortega, who has been conducting the swear-ins at the district since 2006, according to board president Mark Flores. Shortly after the ceremony, the board resumed a normal meeting before going into executive session, where the new board members were brought up to speed on the school’s recent legal matters, which include three civil lawsuits and one forensic audit.
Trujillo said the audit was one reason she ran for re-election. Formerly serving multiple terms as the Taos County treasurer, she said her background in finance should benefit the district as it seeks to improve its financial management.
Trujillo first ran for the board four years ago, while she was still treasurer. Realizing no one from her district was running for the position, she said she seized the opportunity to do so herself. Trujillo said her first year on the board was challenging, so she spent most of her time listening and learning how the district — which serves roughly 2,000 students and their families — operates.
She said her first year taught her to respect those who work within the school system, especially those who work with students. As a board member, Trujillo and her colleagues are “watchmen” for the district, as their function doesn’t allow them to be hands-on with anything, from students to audits. However, she said watching educators and administrators from afar has been a rewarding experience that has prepared her to take a more hands-on role on on the board. She said, however, this will be her final term at the post.
Newly appointed Taos Pueblo governor Fred L. Romero also attended the swearing-in meeting, joined by members of his war chief staff, to see tribal member Concha take on her official role with the district. Concha is the second Taos Pueblo member to serve on the board.
“We’d like to thank Naomi for accepting this position for the tribe, to represent us and be our voice,” Romero said before the board entered an executive session. “This is for our kids.”
The tribal members who accompanied Romero also voiced their gratitude for having Taos Pueblo represented on one of Taos County's key decision-making bodies.
King is a local business owner, operating King Mortgage. During the elections in November, King said he had a vision to rebuild Taos High School, which he referred to as a “catalyst for positive change.” Positivity was a focal point of his campaign, and his family has sincere connections with the district, his wife being a Spanish educator and his daughter being a student. He believes these connections will provide him with a positive edge at board meetings.
Each new member, including Trujillo, ran unopposed.
Neither Concha nor King were available for comment.
Via Taos News