Staff Writer
For all those armchair quarterbacks who like to complain about the “sorry state” of education in America today, here’s a chance to do something about it — the Archuleta School District Board of Education announced last week that it is accepting nominations for candidates for two seats on its board.
“I am term-limited out this year,” board president Linda Lattin explained, “so someone will have to replace me.”
Lattin then asked fellow board member Tim Taylor what his intentions were. His position is also up for election this year, but he has not reached the end of his term limit, so he indicated to Lattin that he plans to collect signatures on a petition and campaign to keep his spot.
Any person who wants to be a candidate for one of the school director positions — one from District 1, one from District 5 — needs to file a written notice of intention along with a nomination petition signed by at least 50 eligible electors who are registered to vote in the regular biennial school election.
Nomination petitions are available at the Archuleta County Clerk’s Office between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., and once the 50 signatures are collected, should be returned to the same place no later than 4 p.m. on Aug. 30. The regular biennial school election will then be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
To qualify, a candidate must have been a registered elector of the school district for at least 12 consecutive months before the election. Each position is for a four-year term, and a person is ineligible to run for school director if he or she has ever been convicted of committing a sexual offense against a child. The two openings are for District 1 and District 5, and the candidate must be a resident of the district which he or she will represent.
“For those of you who don’t know,” Lattin said, “I am down south off of 84, so that area down there is mine.” That would be District 5. Taylor represents District 1. According to the ASD website, the legal descriptions for districts 1 and 5 are as follows:
“Beginning at the intersection of U.S. 160 and County Road 600, the boundary line of Director District 1 runs north along CR 600 to the intersection of Steven’s Lake Road, thence northerly along Stevens Lake Road to the intersection of Dutton Creek, thence north along Dutton Creek to the intersection of US Forest Service Road 661, thence northeast along USFS RD 661 to the intersection of CR 400, thence north along CR 400 to the Archuleta/Mineral County line, thence west along the Archuleta/Mineral County line, thence north along the Archuleta/Mineral County line to the Archuleta/Hinsdale County line, thence continuing north along the Mineral/Hinsdale County line to the Continental Divide, thence west along the Continental Divide to the east line of La Plata County, thence south along the common boundary of the La Plata/Hinsdale County line to the northwest boundary of Archuleta County, thence east along the common boundary of Archuleta/Hinsdale County to CR 600, thence southerly along CR 600 to North Pagosa Boulevard, thence south along North Pagosa Boulevard to the intersection of US 160, thence east along U.S. 160 to the beginning point where U.S. 160 intersects with CR 600.
“Beginning at the intersection of U.S. 160 and Hersch Avenue, the boundary line of Director District 5 runs west along U.S. 160 to its intersection with CR 700, thence south along CR 700 to the intersection of CR 500, thence southwest along CR 500 to the intersection of CR 557, thence south along CR 557 to the Archuleta County/New Mexico state line, thence east along the Archuleta County/New Mexico State line to the Archuleta County/Conejos County line, thence northwesterly along the Archuleta County/Conejos County line to the Rio Blanco River, thence southwesterly along the Rio Blanco River to where it intersects with U.S. 84, thence north along U.S. 84 to CR 326, thence northeast along CR 326 to where it intersects with the Rito Blanco River, thence northerly along the Rito Blanco River to USFS RD 24, thence west along USFS RD 24 to the intersection of USFS RD 665, thence west along USFS RD 665 to the intersection of CR 302, thence west along CR 302 to the junction of U.S. 84, thence south along U.S. 84 to the junction of U.S. 84 and CR 119, thence westerly and thence northerly along CR 119 to the intersection of Apache Street, thence west along Apache Street to the intersection of Fifth Street, thence south along Fifth Street to the south boundary of the 1883 Town site of Pagosa Springs, thence west along the 1883 Town site of Pagosa Springs to the junction of Eighth Street, thence north along Eighth Street to the intersection of Apache Street, thence west along Apache Street to the intersection of CR 500, thence westerly and southerly along CR 500 to the intersection of Cascade Avenue, thence west on Cascade Avenue to the intersection of Buttress Avenue, thence north along Buttress Avenue to the intersection of Meadows Drive, thence westerly and northerly along Meadows Drive to the intersection of Carino Place, thence west along Carino Place to the intersection of Hersch Avenue, thence southwest along Hersch Avenue to the beginning point where Hersch Ave intersects with U.S. 160.”
ed.fincher@pagosasun.com
