Rio Rancho Governing Body Meeting - March 27, 2025
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Rio Rancho Governing Body Meeting - March 27, 2025
The Rio Rancho Governing Body met on March 27, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers, with Deputy Mayor Jeremy Lenentine presiding due to Mayor Greggory D. Hull attending remotely. The meeting adjourned at 6:31 PM. Key actions included approval of consent calendar items, passage of a water and wastewater rate adjustment ordinance, approval of a $32 million bond issuance for infrastructure projects, and updates to municipal judge and governing body compensation. All votes were unanimous except for one ordinance.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of March 13, 2025 Regular Meeting – Approved.
- R28: Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to the Recreation Activities Fund (206).
- R29: Resolution authorizing disposal of Senior Services Division property.
- R30: Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to the General Fund (101).
- R31: Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to the Drainage Impact Fee Fund (355).
- R32: Resolution authorizing disposal of Library and Information Services Department property.
- R33: Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to the Senior Center Programs Fund (216).
- Motion: Councilor Deb Dapson moved to approve the consent calendar, seconded by Councilor Nicole List. The motion passed 6-0 (all present).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kristelle Siarza Moon, board member and special events chair of the Albuquerque AirSport Ascension Association (Quad A), spoke under Public Forum. She thanked the city for its partnership in hosting the Friends and Lovers balloon rally in 2025, which featured 68 balloons and drew over 300 balloonists, crew, and volunteers. She noted the event generated 428 million media impressions and expressed hope for a 2026 return with deeper partnership, additional funding, and more accessible landing sites. She also thanked Councilors Karissa Culbreath and Paul Wymer for flying in balloons.
Discussion Items
- O7 – Ordinance Amending Chapter 51 Water and Wastewater Rules and Rates (Second Reading): Acting Utilities Director Steve Gallegos presented a proposed 3% annual rate adjustment for water, wastewater, and water rights for fiscal years 2026–2030, plus a 5% increase for the bulk fill station. The last rate increase was in 2019 (1.75% on water only). Mayor Hull noted that the net effect on the water side is 1.25% because the new ordinance replaces the previous 1.75% evergreen increase. The adjustment is intended to ensure sufficient revenue for safe and reliable utility operations. Councilor Nicole List expressed support, stating that small incremental increases are easier for residents to plan for than a large future jump. Councilor Paul Wymer echoed support, noting the city studied the issue carefully. The motion to approve (by Councilor Culbreath, seconded by Councilor List) passed 5-1, with Councilor Bob Tyler voting against. Mayor Hull left the meeting at 6:18 PM.
- D17 – Public Hearing for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Proposed Amendment to Action Plans 2018, 2019, and 2022: Deputy Mayor Lenentine opened the public hearing. No members of the public spoke. The item was informational; no vote was taken.
- R34 – Resolution Authorizing CDBG Substantial Amendment and Budget Adjustment to CDBG Fund (375): Director of Financial Services Carole Jaramillo presented the resolution. The amendment reallocates $25,971.44 of federal CDBG funds, primarily from the Down Payment Assistance Program (historically underutilized), to the Safelight Boulevard ADA Ramp Remediation project. The 30-day public comment period ended on March 27, with no comments received. The funds will fully expend the 2018 program year funds before expiration on September 27, 2025. The motion to approve (by Councilor Dapson, seconded by Councilor Culbreath) passed 6-0.
- O6 – Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of Gross Receipts Tax Improvement Revenue Bonds, Series 2025 (up to $32,000,000) (Second Reading): Carole Jaramillo explained that bond proceeds will fund widening of Unser Boulevard from Cherry Road to Paseo del Volcan, construction of Fire Station 8, and contingency/design for a multi-generational facility. The bonds will leverage approximately $11.5 million in federal funding and $2 million in state matching funds for the Unser project. The ordinance was amended from the first reading to remove an extraordinary optional redemption feature, creating a more common structure and cost savings. The motion to approve (by Councilor List, seconded by Councilor Dapson) passed 6-0.
- O8 – Ordinance Amending Chapters 30, 31, and 34 (Governing Body, City Officials, Municipal Court) (Second Reading): Deputy City Manager Peter Wells presented the ordinance. It raises the annual salary of the future elected municipal judge from $70,000 to $80,500 (a 15% increase), effective when the next judge begins a four-year term in 2026. The alternate municipal judge salary increases by 14%, effective 10 days after adoption. Governing body salaries are now set by numeric value rather than reference to state law, with an 8% cost-of-living/inflation increase applied every four years; these changes match adjustments made in August 2024 for future elected officials. The ordinance is necessitated by voter-approved changes to the New Mexico Constitution. The motion to approve (by Councilor Dapson, seconded by Councilor Wymer) passed 6-0.
- O9 – Ordinance Amending Enactment No. 24-08 (Quail Ranch Energy Storage LLC Project, up to $140,000,000 in Industrial Revenue Bonds) (Second Reading): Economic Development Manager Albert Solis presented jointly for O9 and O10. The ordinance updates the Annual Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) schedule based on Tax Year 2024 mill levies and recent student enrollment data, and updates the bond series designation to reflect the date of issuance. The motion to approve (by Councilor Culbreath, seconded by Councilor Dapson) passed 6-0.
- O10 – Ordinance Amending Enactment No. 24-09 (Quail Ranch Solar LLC Project, up to $110,000,000 in Industrial Revenue Bonds) (Second Reading): Same explanation as O9. The motion to approve (by Councilor Dapson, seconded by Councilor List) passed 6-0.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar approved 6-0.
- O7 (Water and Wastewater Rate Adjustment) approved 5-1 (Councilor Tyler opposed).
- R34 (CDBG Amendment) approved 6-0.
- O6 (Bond Issuance for Unser Blvd and Fire Station 8) approved 6-0.
- O8 (Municipal Judge and Governing Body Compensation) approved 6-0.
- O9 (Quail Ranch Energy Storage Bonds) approved 6-0.
- O10 (Quail Ranch Solar Bonds) approved 6-0.
- City Manager Report: Matt Geisel highlighted upcoming events: Spring Vendor and Craft Fair on March 29 at Sabana Grande Recreation Center, a Smithsonian exhibit talk at Loma Colorado Library on March 29, and a Shop Local Market at Cabezon Park on April 5.
Meeting Transcript
For convenience, uh, I'm gonna go ahead and turn the uh meeting over to Deputy Mayor Jeremy Lennon uh because I think it'll be a little bit easier and more fluid to uh manage the uh to chair the meeting in person. So with that, uh uh Mr. Deputy Mayor, if you would go ahead and uh call the meeting to order and and uh start the pledge. Yes, thank you so much, uh Mayor Hole. We'll call this meeting to order. We'll begin with the pledge. Uh Councillor Weimer, if you could lead us, please. Our question is to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And as we do on all of our meetings, we'll go ahead and observe a uh time of silence here, remembering all of our first responders as they do uh work in our city and cities all across uh this country at the same time. Thank you very much. All right, we've called this uh meeting to order. Just want to remind you uh to if this is applicable to you, go ahead and silence all electronic devices uh during for the duration of this governing body meeting. And I'll check myself here. Good to go. Okay. Um I'm gonna be presiding over this meeting tonight, uh, as Mayor Hull said. I know we didn't hear how or have a good connection there, but he is traveling and he is in attendance remotely, as you can see, and I will be presiding over the meeting uh in his stead here. For the record, I'm gonna announce the names of the governing body members. When I see your n uh say your name, uh please acknowledge uh your presence by saying present, and we'll start with Mayor Hull. Present. Thank you, Councillor Dabson. Present. Councillor Tyler. Present. Counselor Weimer, present. Counselor Colbreth. Present. And Councillor List. Present. Thank you very much. We do not have tonight any proclamations or awards of merit, and so we're going to move on to public forum. And uh tonight we have one signed up under public forum, and uh this is for uh Christelle, Sierza Moon, and thank you so much for being with us tonight for our public comment. Deputy Mayor Lennantine and members of the city council. Good evening. My name is Crystal Sierza Moon. I serve as the board member as a board member and special events chair for the Albuquerque AirSat Ascension Association. For those of you who don't know, uh this organization is also known as Quad A, and we're a nonprofit organization based in New Mexico dedicated to promoting the sport of hot air ballooning. And we're the world's largest community of ballooning um in and as an organization as a 501c3 and a 501c6, and it offers training, events, and education supporting balloon enthusiasts and pilots. So on behalf of our board, I wanted to extend our sincere appreciation for the city of Rio Rancho for your partnership and helping us truly host an unforget forgettable balloon rally called Friends and Lovers in 2025. Your support, especially with Rio Rancho Public Schools and the wonderful parks and recreation department, it made a huge impact. This year's rally included 68 balloons and brought over 300 balloonists crew and volunteers from across the state and outside of New Mexico. And it was breathtaking to see the skies of Rio Rancho filled with balloons from edge to edge. What made it even more special was seeing the community come outside and just look up and enjoy the view. We were especially moved by how welcoming all the enthusiastic spectators that came to the balloon and said hello. Uh to the balloons and said hello. And we also made it a priority to keep everything as local as possible. We worked with local food trucks, local vendors, local partners based up in here at Rhea Rancho. We were based out of the MAC. We had our big parties at the block. Um and residents and and my neighbor was the food truck coordinator.
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