Doña Ana County Commission appoints new leadership in contested vote

Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez was reelected as chairperson of the Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners during a meeting on Jan. 14, while Commissioner Susana Chaparro was elected as vice chair. 

Their fellow commissioners elected both to fill the leadership roles for the next year. The roles come with extra power on the commission, which oversees all county government.

Following custom, the chair was elected first, and the elected chair in turn nominates the vice chair. The terms last through the calendar year. The preliminary business was conducted at the start of business at the board’s first meeting of 2025.

“I would definitely like another year as chair to continue the work that we are doing,” Schaljo-Hernandez said. 

Gloria Gameros, the newest member of the board, elected in 2024, nominated Commissioner Shannon Reynolds for the chair role, but Reynolds lost the vote 3-2. Schaljo-Hernandez received the support of Chaparro and Commissioner Manuel Sanchez. Chaparro’s placement as vice chair was unchallenged, but on a roll call vote, Reynolds abstained without explanation.

Schaljo-Hernandez will chair the board for a second consecutive year. He was elected to the board in 2022, and represents District 1, which includes the town of Mesilla, downtown Las Cruces, the Fairacres and Picacho Hills communities, as well as the communities of Berino, Vado, Mesquite, La Mesa and San Miguel.

According to the county’s bylaws, the chair’s duties include bringing the commission to order, enforcing order and decorum among the members, signing documents on behalf of the commission and administering oaths when necessary. 

The vice chair assumes those duties when the chair is absent.