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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Rio Rancho Governing Body Meeting - July 24, 2025: Budget, Road Projects, and Public Hearings

Meeting Portal — Thursday, July 24, 2025

BodyRio Rancho, New Mexico

SessionMeeting Portal

DateThursday, July 24, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:10:52

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

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.

0:11

Please remain standing and uh like to take this moment of uh silence to reflect on our first responders, and we've seen a lot of uh flooding and loss of uh loss of life uh in Texas and in Rio Doso, and so we want to take a moment to uh recognize that and uh all the first responders that were involved in that whole process as well, trying to save as many lives as they could.

0:35

So uh we want to continue to keep those families that lost loved ones and uh the first responders in our thoughts and prayers.

0:42

So, with that, a moment of silence, please.

0:56

Thank you very much.

0:57

You may be seated.

1:00

All right, I'm gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order.

1:03

Please uh silence all electronic devices while attending the governing body meeting.

1:07

And for the record, I will announce the names of the governing body members.

1:11

When I say your name, please acknowledge by saying present.

1:14

Uh councillor Lynnantine.

1:17

Present.

1:18

Thank you.

1:18

Counselor Dabson.

1:19

Present.

1:20

I don't know why those were out of order, but there they are.

1:23

Counselor Tyler, who is remote.

1:26

Present.

1:27

Thank you.

1:27

Councilor Weimer.

1:29

Present.

1:29

Thank you.

1:30

Councillor Colbrook.

1:31

Present.

1:32

Thank you.

1:32

Councilor List.

1:33

Present.

1:34

Thank you.

1:34

I have it all for you.

1:35

Alrighty.

1:36

Tonight at 5 p.m.

1:38

The governing body met in closed session in accordance with Section 1015.1 H2 MSA 1978.

1:45

Limited personnel matters provided that for purpose of the open meetings act.

1:50

Limited personnel matters shall mean the discussion of hiring, promoting, demoting, uh demotion, dismissal, uh assignment or resignation of or the investigation or consideration of complaints or charges against any individual public employee, provided further that this paragraph is not to be construed as exempt as to exempt final uh actions on personnel from being taken at uh open public meetings, nor does it preclude an aggrieved public employee from demanding a public hearing.

2:23

Judicial candidates interviewed by any commission shall have the right to demand an open interview, annual evaluation of the city manager per articles 3.1 and 3.7 city charter.

2:34

No action was taken at this session.

2:37

All right, moving on to proclamations and awards of merit.

2:40

We don't have anything there.

2:41

Moving on to public forum.

2:43

Uh Richard uh Whitey.

2:46

Whitty, I apologize.

2:48

Thank you, sir.

2:48

Apologize.

2:50

Good evening.

2:52

Good evening.

2:53

I just would like to address the fact that the City of River Rancho and other government agencies are responsible for the public safety.

3:04

And we've been occurring flooding within District One.

3:10

And I've had already three feet of water in my yard.

3:13

We've already had, I'm not sure there was a report of a death on the 6th of July, where they found a body within some of the uh substrates.

3:26

But I would just like to address that, you know, the city is responsible for the flooding, and I know they've been pushing their sack issue, you know, trying wanting to get the streets paved, but I'm just wanting to address that despite all the sack and everything, that it is the city's responsibility to address flooding from going on to residential properties, and that it is vital that the city at least redirect the water either down third, fourth, and fifth street using their uh um what was it?

4:01

I forgot what they call it.

4:06

Using a uh either a swallow and culvert crossings to go down the either the side of the dirt roads, the direct waters away from the residential properties and down and towards the evaporation ponds they have on the uh southern side of uh the community, or use the property that the city owns on northern and 9th Avenue to make an evaporation pond to the redirect the water from the residential properties and at least make and keep it away from the pro the residents because this has been an ongoing issue since I don't know how long, and I feel like this is should be something that the cities should be addressing.

5:00

It should should be simple enough just to cut a couple of culverts to direct the water away from the residential properties instead of having it all accumulate right towards the residential properties.

5:09

Okay.

5:10

Thank you very much.

5:11

Um and I forget to mention that we set the time limit this evening to two minutes.

5:16

So thank you very much.

5:18

And uh we we will I know we'll this is not a back and forth, but we'll get somebody to respond.

5:23

I know there are engineers in the city is looking at this issue at us in its total as well, and we've that there's been communication with the residents.

5:31

Uh Mr.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural██████████████████████████26%

Public Works██████████████14%

Public Safety█████████████13%

Engineering And Infrastructure██████████10%

Economic Development███████7%

Public Engagement███████7%

Transportation Safety██████6%

Budget Equity Analysis█████5%

Technology and Innovation████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Rio Rancho Governing Body Meeting - July 24, 2025

The Rio Rancho Governing Body met on July 24, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers, with all six councilors present (Bob Tyler via virtual link). Mayor Greggory D. Hull called the meeting to order, noting a prior closed session on the annual evaluation of the City Manager. The meeting adjourned at 6:41 PM. Key actions included approval of the FY2026 final budget, a $2.9 million Lema Road reconstruction contract, and several site plans, while three Quail Ranch items were postponed to August 14, 2025, due to a noticing error.

Consent Calendar

Minutes of June 26, 2025 Regular Meeting – Approved.
R76 – Resolution authorizing participation in the NMDOT FY 2025-2026 Local Government Road Fund Cooperative Program.
R77 – Resolution authorizing disposal of fleet vehicles, damaged/obsolete equipment, and traffic control devices.
R78 – Resolution authorizing disposal of Library and Information Services Department property.
R79 – Resolution authorizing a budget adjustment to various funds through FY2025.
D36 – Appointment of Heidi Henderson to the Library Board of Trustees.

All consent items were approved by a vote of 6 FOR, 0 AGAINST (motion by Deb Dapson, second by Jeremy Lenentine).

Public Comments & Testimony

Public Forum (non-agenda items):

Richard Whitty – Expressed concern about flooding in District 1, stating that three feet of water entered his yard. He urged the city to redirect stormwater away from residential properties using culverts and evaporation ponds, calling it an ongoing issue.
Mike Jakovich – Read a letter from Michael C. Diarco, son of former Mayor Pat Diarco, supporting installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Pasilla, Riverside, and NM 528. The letter noted that the highway (named after Pat Diarco) has been called a “highway of death” due to accidents, and urged immediate action to improve safety.
Casey Robinson – Commented on the meeting room’s video display, asking that remote councilors’ screens be shown to the audience. He also criticized Mayor Hull’s comments on Intel layoffs as “weak and wishy-washy.”
Stephen Van Horn – Raised concerns about the Rio Rancho Pure water project, noting that in 2023 only 35–36 million gallons of purified water were injected into the aquifer, far below the targeted 1 million gallons per day (365 million annually). He questioned whether the project is failing and urged the governing body to seek EPA assistance.
Nicole Perea – Described recent flooding damage in District 1, noting that storms have worsened. She asked the city to research and implement better stormwater management.
Aaron Sanchez – Supported the need for flood mitigation, stating simply, “We need something done out there.”
Ryan Perea – Proposed that the city conduct stormwater mapping and develop a plan to upgrade drainage infrastructure, including ditches, culverts, and catch basins, citing experience from a 100-year flood event in Washington State.

Public Hearing Comment on D39 (Chase Bank site plan):

Casey Robinson – Spoke in opposition to the Chase Bank, citing the bank’s history of predatory lending, higher mortgage rates for minority customers, and prior settlements with the Department of Justice. He argued the city should prioritize credit unions over Chase.

Public Hearing Comment on D41 (Median & Shoulder Drainage Maintenance):

Casey Robinson – Alerted the governing body that Yellowstone Landscape (the recommended contractor) had a poor track record with the Northern Meadows HOA, where 30% of trees and half the lawns died due to their service. He noted the HOA had to raise fees as a result.

Discussion Items

Public Hearings (Items 7-13):

D37 – Site plan for H-Tea-O Drive Thru at 1641 NM 528 SE. Approved 6-0. Councilor Culbreath asked about traffic management, and Director Rincon said they would use electronic message boards and queuing space. Councilor Wymer noted the logo shows Texas, and the applicant confirmed it is the standard logo.
D38 – Site plan for an AutoZone store at Loma Colorado East, Tract H. Approved 6-0. The applicant (Mark Zawatsky) testified virtually. Councilor Wymer asked about off-site retaining wall and grading; staff confirmed an access agreement would be required.
D39 – Site plan for a Chase Bank at The Village, Tract E-1. Approved 6-0 despite Casey Robinson’s opposition. No council comments.
R80, O19, D40 – Three items related to Quail Ranch Master Plan amendment, overlay zone, and solar generation site plan. Staff requested postponement to August 14, 2025, due to a noticing error (a letter incorrectly listed Tuesday instead of Thursday). All three were postponed unanimously (6-0).
O20 – Ordinance to rezone properties from TZ to R-3. Staff withdrew the item because three lots were added that were not in the original application, and three lots were omitted. The item will go back to the Planning and Zoning Board. Withdrawn unanimously (6-0).

Second Reading of Ordinances:

O18 – Ordinance amending Chapter 37 (Taxation) to update Lodgers’ Tax code for short-term rentals. Presented by Carol Jaramillo. Approved 6-0. The ordinance clarifies licensing, audit requirements, deadlines, and penalties for non-compliance.

Discussion and Deliberation (Items 15-18):

D41 – Contract No. 25-114-PW: Median & Shoulder Drainage Facility Maintenance for $522,760 (including NMGRTs) to Heads Up Landscape Contractor LLC (dba Yellowstone Landscape). Approved 6-0. Director Gottlieb explained that only two bids were received; one withdrew. The contract includes weed mitigation and drainage facility maintenance. Councilor Lenentine questioned quality control; Gottlieb confirmed a full-time inspector and a robust contract with pre- and post-emergent spraying and hand-removal. About 15 road corridors cannot be covered due to budget constraints but may be added later.
D42 – Contract No. 26-003-PW: Lema Road Reconstruction from Western Hills Drive to Chessman Drive for $2,923,829.48 (including NMGRTs) to TLC Company, Inc. Approved 6-0. The project includes full-depth roadway reconstruction, new water line, ADA ramps, and traffic signs, funded by voter-approved 2024 GO Bond. Construction expected to start late August/early September and take 7 months. Director Gottlieb noted coordination with Lincoln Middle School and traffic control measures. Councilor Weimer expressed support, noting the road is in poor condition.
R81 – Resolution designating voting convenience centers and consolidating precincts for the March 3, 2026 Municipal Officer Election. Approved 6-0. City Clerk Noel Davis explained that 125 precinct parts will be consolidated into at least 13 polling locations. Eight precincts identified for potential splitting. Early voting locations will be selected later, and an amendment will be brought back after Sandoval County provides final precinct numbers.
R82 – Resolution adopting the Fiscal Year 2026 Final Budget. Approved 6-0. Carol Jaramillo presented highlights: the General Fund ending balance is $29.5 million (29.2% of operating expenditures, above the 25% policy minimum); the Utility Fund ending balance is $12.9 million (105 days cash). The budget incorporates actual FY2025 close balances, COLA increases, insurance premiums, new positions, and debt service adjustments. The final budget must be submitted to the state by July 31.

City Manager’s Report:

Matt Geisel announced upcoming events: Cabazon Shop Local (Aug 2), Back to School Rummage Sale (Aug 9). Noted that the summer reading program logged over 8,000 hours. Reminded the community that schools start soon and urged drivers to be patient and respect speed limits in school zones.

Key Outcomes

Consent Calendar – Approved 6-0.
D37 (H-Tea-O Drive Thru) – Approved 6-0.
D38 (AutoZone) – Approved 6-0.
D39 (Chase Bank) – Approved 6-0.
R80, O19, D40 (Quail Ranch items) – Postponed to August 14, 2025, all 6-0.
O20 (Rezoning) – Withdrawn by staff, 6-0.
O18 (Taxation amendment) – Approved 6-0.
D41 (Median & Shoulder Maintenance contract) – Approved 6-0.
D42 (Lema Road Reconstruction) – Approved 6-0.
R81 (Election precinct consolidation) – Approved 6-0.
R82 (FY2026 Final Budget) – Approved 6-0.

Meeting Transcript

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. Please remain standing and uh like to take this moment of uh silence to reflect on our first responders, and we've seen a lot of uh flooding and loss of uh loss of life uh in Texas and in Rio Doso, and so we want to take a moment to uh recognize that and uh all the first responders that were involved in that whole process as well, trying to save as many lives as they could. So uh we want to continue to keep those families that lost loved ones and uh the first responders in our thoughts and prayers. So, with that, a moment of silence, please. Thank you very much. You may be seated. All right, I'm gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order. Please uh silence all electronic devices while attending the governing body meeting. And for the record, I will announce the names of the governing body members. When I say your name, please acknowledge by saying present. Uh councillor Lynnantine. Present. Thank you. Counselor Dabson. Present. I don't know why those were out of order, but there they are. Counselor Tyler, who is remote. Present. Thank you. Councilor Weimer. Present. Thank you. Councillor Colbrook. Present. Thank you. Councilor List. Present. Thank you. I have it all for you. Alrighty. Tonight at 5 p.m. The governing body met in closed session in accordance with Section 1015.1 H2 MSA 1978. Limited personnel matters provided that for purpose of the open meetings act. Limited personnel matters shall mean the discussion of hiring, promoting, demoting, uh demotion, dismissal, uh assignment or resignation of or the investigation or consideration of complaints or charges against any individual public employee, provided further that this paragraph is not to be construed as exempt as to exempt final uh actions on personnel from being taken at uh open public meetings, nor does it preclude an aggrieved public employee from demanding a public hearing. Judicial candidates interviewed by any commission shall have the right to demand an open interview, annual evaluation of the city manager per articles 3.1 and 3.7 city charter. No action was taken at this session. All right, moving on to proclamations and awards of merit. We don't have anything there. Moving on to public forum. Uh Richard uh Whitey. Whitty, I apologize. Thank you, sir. Apologize. Good evening. Good evening. I just would like to address the fact that the City of River Rancho and other government agencies are responsible for the public safety. And we've been occurring flooding within District One. And I've had already three feet of water in my yard. We've already had, I'm not sure there was a report of a death on the 6th of July, where they found a body within some of the uh substrates. But I would just like to address that, you know, the city is responsible for the flooding, and I know they've been pushing their sack issue, you know, trying wanting to get the streets paved, but I'm just wanting to address that despite all the sack and everything, that it is the city's responsibility to address flooding from going on to residential properties, and that it is vital that the city at least redirect the water either down third, fourth, and fifth street using their uh um what was it?

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