Two Portales school board members take their leave

PORTALES — The Portales Municipal School Board on Monday said good-bye to two board members and 27 years of service.

Board president Alan Garrett has served on the board for 16 years, while Antonio Sanchez served for 11 years.

Garrett did not run to keep his seat in the November elections, and Sanchez lost his seat to Braden Fraze in a four-way race that also included candidates William Hilliard and Meredith Seifert.

Garrett’s seat will be taken by Jimmie Standifer. Garrett is a professor of Secondary Education and Education Foundations at Eastern New Mexico University.

Board member Rod Savage, told Garrett and Sanchez, “It has been an honor for me to serve with you.”

Savage said the board continues to be nonpartisan and does “what’s best for kids.”

Sanchez responded by saying, “The job is easy because you guys make it easy. You provide input and detail. We couldn’t have better leaders than we have now.”

Garrett told the board members, “You all do what’s right. That’s what makes it work so well.”

The board on Monday also extended Superintendent Johnnie Cain’s contract through the 2024-2025 school year. Cain’s salary will remain at about $133,000 per year until the board knows how much funding the district will receive from the state after the 2022 New Mexico Legislature meets, Cain said.

The board also approved a preventative maintenance plan for district school buildings. Cain said the plan is updated annually and includes maintenance schedules for school facilities. This year, Cain said the plan also details about how buildings are cleaned and sanitized to protect against the COVID-19 virus.