New names will be submitted for District 5 rep

By Bill Donovan
Staff Writer

GALLUP — The McKinley County Commission will be holding a special meeting at 5 p.m. Saturday to select a new nominee for the state legislature.

The commission had selected George Munoz as the county's nominee a week ago but County Manager Tom Trujillo said his office received word on Friday that Munoz was not eligible for the position since he lives outside District 5 by just a few feet.

This has forced to commission to act quickly in order to have a nominee before Gov. Bill Richardson by Monday. Trujillo said the commission will just consider the other 10 applicants who had applied and no new candidates.

Richardson said he would look at the nominees from both McKinley and San Juan counties before he makes a selection.

San Juan had nominated Gallup area businessman Louis B. Bonaguidi and former McKinley County School Assistant Superintendent Ethel Manuelito.

The county, however, was told it could only submit one name so a special meeting was held of the five member board.

At that meeting, one member was out of town and the remaining board members gave two votes each to both Bonaguidi and Manuelito.

Bonaguidi said the board member who was not there had pledged him his support but the board was unable to get him on the phone.

At that time, the board chairman, who had voted for Bonaguidi, gave his support to Manuelito because he didn't want to force the commission to meet again or not submit a name to the governor.