Otero: I will make the village more accessible

January 28, 2010

Frank A. Otero, a board member with Los Lunas Schools, said today he’s running for mayor of Los Lunas because he wants to make the village government more accessible to the citizens.

“I will make the village more accessible,” he said. “If you call right now you can’t get a hold of anybody. That’s where we really need to improve. We need to be accessible and available to the residents. We need to listen to their concerns.”

Continuing a campaign theme of accessibility, he’s also concerned about congestion on Main Street and its adjoining thoroughfares. He said he supports the construction of a new interchange near Morris Road at the southern end of Los Lunas.

“Morris Road would probably be the best place for that. It would also include the widening of Morris Road and possibly in the future another bridge in that area,” he said.

He said he’s concerned that the village won’t be able to secure the funding for seven to 10 years and will continue to have a congested Main Street.

“Due to a lack of funding in the foreseeable future, it’s good to talk about it, but I think we’re just spinning our wheels at this point in time,” he said.

Otero doesn’t think Los Lunas has any other infrastructure needs right now.

“To the best of my knowledge, the water, sewer and those types of things, and street improvements, have been achieved and are sustainable for the immediate future,” he said.

Making Los Lunas accessible to new businesses and jobs also tops Otero’s list of priorities.

“A lot of our kids are having to leave our community to find a good paying job and to find a career path,” he said. “I believe more attention should be given to trying to develop small businesses, especially in areas of the village that are kind of depressed.”

Otero pointed out that there are numerous vacant commercial properties in Los Lunas, along Main Street and near the Valencia Y.

He also wants to focus on maintaining services for residents in a slow economy.

“Maintaining the health and safety of our residents is the utmost priority,” he said. “With declining sales tax revenues, we’re in jeopardy of losing adequate police protection, fire and rescue and other basic services.”

Otero spotlighted his government experience. He’s spent three years on the school board, helping manage the district’s $60-million budget and overseeing district policy and operations.

“I’m always available. I’ve never missed a meeting,” he said. “I’ve been involved with the budget. I’ve been an officer of the board all three years.”

He also worked as a facilities operations manager for the New Mexico Department of Health.

Otero ran for mayor in 2002 and 2006. Both of those times he was up against a mayor who had been in office for decades. This time he’s up against Mayor Robert Vialpando, who’s been in office for a year.

Posted in: Politics