New Mesilla mayor: ‘Now the work really starts’

Russell Hernandez filed his candidacy for mayor of Mesilla early on the morning of filing day, Aug. 29, and checked the New Mexico secretary of state’s website throughout the day to see if any other candidates had filed.

When the 5 p.m. deadline passed without anyone else running for Mesilla’s top job, “It was like ‘wow,’” Hernandez said. “This is going to be amazing. Now the work really starts.”

Being business- and community-focused “has really helped us,” said Hernandez, 42, co-owner of Salud! de Mesilla, a fourth-generation Mesillero and a longtime community activist.

Hernandez becomes mayor-elect after the Nov. 7 local election and will be sworn into office Jan. 1, 2024, succeeding Nora Barraza, who is completing her 14^th year as mayor.

“Nora’s been awesome and amazing,” Hernandez said. “Hopefully, that door is still open for communication.”

Hernandez said he expects to call on Barraza when he has questions about town government.

Maintaining Mesilla’s “historic integrity” will be a top priority for his administration, Hernandez said.

“I grew up in this town and I love this town,” Hernandez said at an Oct. 24 Mesilla candidates’ forum at Mesilla Community Center that included the four candidates for two seats on the Mesilla Board of Trustees: incumbents Stephanie Johnson and Veronica Garcia and challengers Priscilla Sandoval and Gerald Nevarez.

Mesilla “is such a unique community,” Hernandez said. The gross receipts tax generated by its locally owned businesses – there are about 150 in Mesilla – “carries the town,” he said. Focusing on small business and tourism, including Mesilla’s fiestas and special events, shopping, dining and live entertainment, will provide “a lot of opportunity for marketing and promotion,” he said.

Hernandez is chair and past president of the New Mexico Restaurant Association and a member of the NMSU Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management board of advisers. He is a founder of Experience Mesilla, “a collaborative of businesses that work together to support and promote each other.”

Hernandez said he is also committed to “110-percent transparency in everything,” including the enforcement of town codes, accountability for “how everyday business is handled for the town” and “open and honest communication” and information sharing with Mesilla residents and business owners.

Hernandez said he would like to see “more active participation” by Mesilla residents in their government. More people are attending town council meetings, he said, “and that’s a good thing,” because it is important for town leaders to hear directly from residents about their concerns.

Hernandez said he is looking forward to working with whomever is elected the new mayor of Las Cruces and “building a bridge” to renew the strong working relationship between Mesilla and Las Cruces. He already has a good start, Hernandez said, because Salud! is located in the City of Las Cruces, right on the Las Cruces-Mesilla line.

Hernandez said he has “an awesome relationship with all our legislators” on both sides of the aisle. He even went to high school with state Sen. Crystal Diamond, a Republican who lives a ranch near Elephant Butte and represents Sierra, Luna and Hidalgo counties and part of Doña Ana County.

“Having an open door … makes for a stronger community overall,” Hernandez said.

Co-owning a restaurant with husband Christopher Schaljo-Hernandez, a Doña Ana County commissioner, that is only steps from the Mesilla Plaza means Hernandez will spend a lot of time “walking and talking” to business owners, residents and visitors, he said.

Preserving Mesilla’s green spaces and farmland is important to the community, Hernandez said, and it serves as a buffer that is helping to keep Las Cruces’ property crime issues out of Mesilla, he said. Making sure members of the Mesilla Marshal’s Office are visible throughout the community is also an important part of community public safety, he said.

A long-time supporter of Mesilla Valley Community of Hope’s Tent City for people struggling with homelessness, “Now I get to do that at a different level,” Hernandez said.

“We’re a caring community,” he said.

In his run for mayor, Hernandez continues a long-standing tradition of his family’s participation in Mesilla politics, he said, starting with his great-grandparents, who were helpful in getting the town incorporated. His grandmother served as Mesilla town clerk and his uncle was Mesilla marshal.

Hernandez graduated from NMSU with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture economics and agricultural business.

Town council meetings

The Town of Mesilla Board of Trustees meets at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of each month at Mesilla Town Hall, 2231 Avenida de Mesilla.  

Visit www.mesillanm.gov/minutes-agendas and www.mesillanm.gov/government.