Let's see.

Counselor Tyler, would you lead us, please?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God invisible liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Please remain standing as we take a moment of silence and reflection for all of our first responders out there that put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our communities safe.

So with that, a moment of silence, please.

Thank you very much.

You may be seated.

That microphone is hot.

Okay, please silence all electronic devices while attending governing body meetings.

And for the record, uh I will announce the names of the governing body members when I say your name.

Uh please acknowledge your presence by saying presence.

Uh councillor Dabson is joining us online.

Present.

Thank you.

Councilor Lynentine has been excused.

Uh Councillor Tyler.

Present.

Councillor Weimer, present.

Counselor Culbra.

Present.

Counselor List.

Present.

Thank you.

All right.

Moving on to public forum.

Each comment will be limited to two minutes, and no more than two hours in total will be allotted for public forum comments at any meeting.

And first up, we have Mr.

Juan Martinez.

Good afternoon.

I'm one of the advisory board members for the public infrastructure, and I just had a few questions today.

I actually prepared a statement.

So I'm going to read it out.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council members.

I would like to address the city's justification for restricting the sell of retired police vehicle and government assets to government agencies only on the basis of cost saving and practicality.

While the city asserts that removing police equipment costs approximately $1,200 per vehicle, thereby offsetting potential revenue from public auction.

This claim does not fully account for the broader financial picture.

First, retired police vehicles often retain significant resale value even in their decommissioned state.

Across the country, municipalities that allow public auctions routinely generate competitive bids that exceed expected returns.

Even after accounting for minimum disminable discommissioning, the assumption that public sal will not be financial beneficiary is not supported by comparative practice and other jurisdictions.

Second, the city presents equipment removal as an all-in or nothing expense.

However, not all components require full removal prior to sell.

Many cities implement partial decommissioning standards that address safety and legal concerns, such as removing emergency lights and insignias while leaving non-critical modifications intact.

This significantly reduces the cost while still making vehicles suitable for civilian purchase.

Third, by limiting the sales exclusively to government agencies, the city restricts market competition.

A smaller buyer pool naturally leads to lower cell prices, open prices.

Open public auctions by contrast create competitive bidding environments that can drive prices upward and maximize returns on public assets.

Additionally, the argument that these vehicles are unsuitable for civilian use without extensive restoration is not universally accurate.

Many retired police vehicles are already purchased and successfully repurposed by civilians and other municipalities.

Okay.

Yeah, thank you very much.

I have to try to keep to the two-minute timeline as much as possible.

Thank you, Commissioner.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Matt Wilson.

Speak campers.

My name is Matt Watson.

I live in District One on Ring Drive.

I want to talk about the traffic camera citations.

Why aren't they being enforced?

I can tell you why.

Because they're legally unenforceable.

Because we still have a Sixth Amendment.

If I get a ticket from an officer and I ignore it, and I receive an order to show cause from the municipal court.

If I ignore that, I get a bench warrant.

If I ignore that, I get arrested.

If I don't get a comply with that, if I don't comply with that arrest, I get necessary force to make me comply.

Necessary force is just another term for just enough physical violence to get me to do what I'm being ordered to do.

And what happens if I ignore one of these camera tickets?

Nothing.

I get a few more letters with a few more things printed in red bold font, and there's even a legal limit on how many of those they can send me.

No one can call me because of a court settlement of a class action suit in Albuquerque in 2012 for 3.2 million dollars.

They can send me to a collection agency who cannot also call me because they cannot, and they also cannot put any bad marks on my credit because of the same settlement.

I know this council is aware of all this because I provided documentation of such to the city attorney at a meeting just like this one back in 2017.

So here's what that means.

You have mimicked the process, which can include incarceration and physical violence attached to it, and attached it to something that has no legal standing or enforceability whatsoever, but the general public doesn't know that.

Most people haven't done the research to look behind the curtain and they think it's a legitimate citation.

So out of fear, they pay.

And this organization that we call city benefits from those ill-gotten gains.

If I did that, the nicest thing the courts would call it is fraud.

If the mafia did it, they would call it extortion and racketeering and conspiracy to defraud, and they would prosecute it under RICO.

So my question is when the city council uses a threat of loss of freedom and physical violence, regardless of how unenforceable and fraudulent that threat is, what do we call it?

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Thank you.

Stephen Van Horn.

Good evening, Mayor Counselors.

I gave you a couple of handouts.

This first one is uh really an information piece similar to what I gave you two weeks ago.

As some very pertinent information.

I'd ask you to study it quite uh closely.

The other handout is actually page two of the city's 2024 consumer confidence report, which is the water quality report.

And the highlighted portion reads recognizing the water supply in the Santa Fe group Aquifer is not limitless.

The city constantly looks for ways to replenish the aquifer.

So my question to you is do you all, the city leaders actually recognize this?

Um the reason I ask this is um it seems like in this statement the the solution is primarily one thing, that is refreshing the aquifer.

That means everything, all the eggs are in one basket injection.

The problem with that is we don't have an injection system that's working right now, as far as I can tell.

Certainly it's not pumping what the state has permitted us to pump, not even a tenth of what we're permitted.

And the question is tonight, you all are going to be looking at approving another development, which is what I have seen pretty much continuously every time I come here.

You're approving another development, bringing in more people.

The development tonight is I think multifamily.

So what we have is a statement of acknowledging that there's a limit to the aquifer.

But what I see is you are putting the pedal to the metal to bring new people in without thinking about in 2070, the consequences of these actions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm in District 4, and I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you all.

Um I'm I have sent you an email.

Um, actually, two, and it's regarding the red light cameras.

To point out that um I am requesting an audit as well as uh cost benefit analysis.

I'm a mental health practitioner, and what I've seen in the last couple of months is just an increase in mental distress in um in the clients that I serve.

As I did more digging, trying to understand where they're coming from.

Um it brought me to looking at the additional mental hardship and financial stress that is placed on our working community here in Rio Rancho.

The further that I did investigations into the stop program.

Three data points that I would point out in that is that there is a decline in satisfaction when we talk about mobility throughout the city of Rio Rancho.

And you can also see that there is a decline when you look at mental health services that are available in Rio Rancho.

So my request is is not unreasonable because you already have the capacity to do a quality life quality analysis and compare it to what is the revenue that's coming in from the stop campaign.

During my investigation, I also realized that there is uh I sent another email this morning because there is uh a lawful request that there has to be advance there has to be a sign warning um drivers about the red light cameras.

And at this point, there with the mobile um cameras that are being used in Rio Rancho, there isn't.

And so my other request is for a corrective action plan to address the violation of this law that's already on the books.

So thank you so much for your time.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

Okay, that concludes public comment.

Any comments by council?

All right.

Hearing none, I'll uh moving on to the consent calendar.

I'll take a motion to approve the consent calendar.

Move to approve the consent calendar.

I have a motion and a second.

Ms.

Davis.

Thank you, sir.

Counselor Colbreth.

Yes.

Counselor Weimer?

Yes.

Counselor Dabson.

Yes.

Councillor Tyler.

Yes, yes.

And Counselor List.

Yes.

And Mayor Hall.

Yes.

Thank you.

The consent calendar is approved.

Moving on to public hearings approval for the Fuego Enterprises LLC DBA Laguna Burger.

Ms.

Davis.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

So tonight I have a uh I'm sorry, an application for a restaurant A, which is a beer and wine with on-premise consumption for Fuego Enterprises LLC, which is also Laguna Burger.

Um at 2401 New Mexico Highway 528.

So the regulation and licensing department has already granted a preliminary approval, and we are required to grant a local district approval as well.

And so that's what we're seeking this evening.

Thank you.

I'll take a motion to approve D5.

Make a motion to approve D5.

Second.

I have a motion and a second.

Do we have the applicant here?

Ah, good.

Thank you.

Any comments by council.

Hearing none.

Ms.

Davis, D5, please.

Thank you.

Counselor Dabson.

Yes.

Mayor Hall.

Yes.

Counselor Colbrith.

Yes.

Counselor Tyler.

Yes.

Counselor List.

Yes.

And Counselor Weimer.

Yes.

D5 is approved.

Thank you.

Appreciate your continued investment rear rancho.

Thank you guys.

Moving on to D6, site plan approval for the Encore Multifamily Subdivision.

Ms.

Rinco.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor and members of the governing body.

Mirror and cohn director of development services.

So this item D6 is for a site plan for the Encore multifamily subdivision, which would be located in Unit 13, Block 46, Tract A.

And so this is generally along Broadmore off of Headingham.

And so if you may remember way back in 2023, there was a similar type of site plan that came in for review.

So tonight's application is actually 11 acres in size.

Um so in your agenda briefing memorandum, there was a lot more site plans, so I just uh kind of cherry picked out three of them to cover tonight.

Um and so this shows uh the connections to the surrounding roads.

There is a landscaping plan that was included, and then some other elevations and renderings.

Uh so this would be the first step.

Um so a site plan approval here at governing body, um, and then the next step would that would be for an actual preliminary plat to go in front of the planning and zoning board for review and approval before any construction would start.

Staff has reviewed this item and we recommend approval with findings and conditions, and I will stand for any questions.

Um and there are um the applicant and agent is here uh if there are any questions.

Okay, I'll take a motion to approve D6.

Motion to approve D6.

I have a motion and a second.

Any comments by council?

Mr.

Mayor, Councilor Weimer.

Um Amy, just a quick question.

I I noticed that there was a letter from an a concerned citizen about this project.

This is a permissive use on the site, correct?

Uh Mr.

Mayor, Councillor Weimer, that is correct.

It is it is a permissible use.

Um, and from our review of the site plan, it meets all of the standards of the SU ordinance that's in place.

And that's what we are here to do is review the site plan only.

That's correct.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you.

Anything further from council.

Right.

Hearing none.

Ms.

Davis, D six, please.

Thank you, sir.

Counselor List.

I'm sorry, go ahead.

Oh, I'm sorry, good.

Thank you.

Counselor List.

Yes.

Councillor Tyler.

Yes.

Counselor Dabson.

Yes.

Councillor Weimer?

Yes.

Counselor Colbro.

Yes.

Mayor Hall.

Yes.

Thank you.

D six is approved.

Okay, before we move on to the next item, D seven, um, myself and I believe Councilor Weimer, we're gonna recuse ourselves uh from this particular item.

I'm sorry.

I made an error.

Oh, did you?

Yes.

Um there are two the agent for the developer for the development is here, as well as the engineer.

Oh, okay.

Yes, I uh for Laguna, right?

Uh no, for the item that we just approved.

Oh, okay.

So I apologize.

Would you like to speak?

Okay.

Yeah, so I uh I I I knew that the I knew that he was here.

I just uh uh we were waiting to see if the council had any questions from the applicant, but thank you.

I feel a little left off.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

But you got you got the you know, but but the uh it went your way.

There you go.

All right.

Thank you.

Sorry about that.

Okay, before we uh before we can move on to the next item, uh to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

I'm gonna recuse myself on D seven.

And I will do the same.

Councillor Tyler, will you please present the item this evening?

Yes.

Um let's go ahead and move into discussion deliberation.

Item D7, advise and consent for the governing body to award a contract to young guns construction for um the public safety complex.

I believe it's gonna be Captain Army or is you're gonna present okay.

Yes, sir.

Good evening, members of the governing body.

Uh my name is Captain Nick Army Ridential Police Department.

The police department is seeking advice and consent in awarding the contract to young guns construction LLC to build a heavy equipment storage structure at the police headquarters located at 500 Quarnham Road.

The ground up construction will include site preparation, foundation construction, utility connections, and secure access features necessary to support safe storage from environmental exposure and rapid deployment of specialized law enforcement vehicles and equipment such as the mobile command post, armored vehicles, several unit specific equipment trucks, ATVs, and UTVs.

The structure will be a 4800 square foot engineered metal building system, which has been designed to be expanded upon for additional space or disassembled and relocated to future locations if the need such the need arise.

Uh Young Guns LLC, who has a current cooperative price agreement with the state of New Mexico has been selected to complete the construction phase.

The police department currently has funding available for the project as part of the current fiscal 2026 year.

The estimated construction timeline is eight months at an estimated cost of 1,449,881 dollars and four cents, which includes an MGRTs.

Staff has recommended approval for the project, and I stand for any questions.

Thank you, Captain.

I appreciate it.

Um can I get a motion on the item, please?

And move to approve D7.

Second.

I have a motion and a second.

Uh is anyone from the public that signed up and would like to speak on this item.

No, no, sir.

There is not.

Okay.

Is there any comments by council?

Council discussion.

I do have a question for you, Captain.

I mean, I think it's important for everyone to know why that building is so important to all the equipment, and it helps keep the equipment and the longevity and the mice from eating everything.

So if you could go over that a little bit, please.

Yes, certainly, Councilor Tyler.

Um, aside from the um natural environment in which the high desert offers zero shade protection.

Uh we do see rapid uh UV degradation to our vehicles, which causes costly repairs.

Um also the uh natural um wildlife in the area tends to tends to take up residence within many of those vehicles, uh a lot of which are very specialized and seldom um are they driven weekly, so at times they can uh suffer an infestation uh if not checked on very frequently.

We do keep up with that, however, uh it takes but one one or two nights for something detrimental to occur to one of those vehicles.

Uh also site security is a big deal.

Um I'm sorry, of very high importance uh at the 500 quantum road location.

This will also um give better security for those vehicles to be housed within a structure, uh not subject to theft or vandalism.

Awesome.

Thank you very much, Captain.

I appreciate it.

Thank you, Governor Buddy.

Is there any further discussion?

But does Councillor Dobson have anything?

Nope, doesn't look like it.

Okay.

Let's go ahead and call the roll.

Thank you, Counselor Tyler.

Uh Councillor Dabson.

Yes, Councillor Colbert?

Yes.

Counselor List.

Yes.

And Councilor Tyler.

Yes.

D seven is approved.

Should we let the mayor back in now?

No, your costs are all right.

So long.

Okay.

All righty.

Thank you for that.

Moving on to D eight.

Advice and consent of the governing body toward a contract to Albuquerque asphalt.

Director Gottlib.

Yeah, all in $1,803, $836 and $79.

This project is one of the state capital outlets, city general fund and general obligation line ability.

Uh the Esther Bowen Memorial Library Bill in 1992.

Um, and the enter memorial monument park was added in 1997.

Is it on?

I guess it was sorry.

I can start over again if you like me to?

Yeah, go ahead.

Okay.

Yeah, go ahead.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor and Counselors.

Um, I'm here to present advice and consent of the award of the uh Esther Bone Memorial Library parking lot reconstruction project to Albuquerque asphalt in the amount of one million two hundred and three thousand dollars, uh two hundred and three thousand eight hundred thirty-six dollars and seventy-nine cents, which includes the Mexico Grocery Seat taxes.

The project is funded with state capital outlay, general obligation bond proceeds, and city general fund.

The Esther Bowen Memorial Library was constructed in 1992, and the Veterans Memorial and Monument Park was added in 1997.

Uh, based on the facility's age, the parking lot pavement and the drainage infrastructure are needing a repair.

And so this project will consist of full depth payment reconstruction, a new storm drain system for the facility, uh, reconstructed driveway access, ADA improvements, uh new communication conduit for the facility, and the conversion of the existing parking lot lights to LED.

We are anticipating starting construction after Memorial Day so that the festivities from Memorial Day can happen and be complete before Veterans Day.

Um so with that I'll stand for any questions you may have.

Thank you.

I will take a motion to approve D eight.

Motion to approve D eight.

Have a motion and a second.

Any comments by council on this?

Mr.

Mayor.

Yes.

Uh I just want to say um director and to you and your in your crew, thank you so much for doing this as a mama who's pushed a stroller through that parking lot as one of the council members that tries to attend at least one of the city events every year, um, and and does take advantage of some of the children events at the library.

Just very, very glad that this is on the list of to-dos.

So thank you so very much.

Mr.

Mayor.

Counselor Weimer.

Thank you, BJ, for bringing this up.

This is an excellent project in so many ways.

Counselor.

We um of course, in addition to the benefits for the library, we also see the benefits to the veterans park.

Super important.

So I'm I'm so glad to see this is being done.

And how many years did you say it's been since it was um the last project was 1997?

So we're coming up on 30 years.

Awesome.

Glad to see this moving forward.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Mr.

Mayor.

Yes.

Counselor Colbreth.

Thank you.

Um, thank you again.

Same uh kudos um and just wanted to also um thank our um legislative delegation for their support in helping to move this project forward.

It certainly um helped to lift a significant amount of the burden, and so I appreciate that uh collaboration between the city um and our legislative delegation um to continue to support all of our projects.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor, Mr.

Mayor, Counselor Dabson.

Hi, I I wanted to also give a really big shout out to uh representative case who gave us the largest donation of Capital LA.

And um, so we really she's focused on this, and we're really appreciate her.

Thank you.

Councilor Tyler, did oh did them okay.

All right, there's nothing else.

Ms.

Davis on uh D eight, please.

Thank you, Councilor Tyler.

Yes, Counselor Dabson.

Councillor Dabson.

Looks like it all froze.

Yes.

Oh, there she got it.

Counselor Weimer.

Um Mayor Hull.

Yes, Councilor Colbreth, yes, and Counselor List.

Yes, thank you.

D eight is approved.

Perfect.

Moving on to D nine, uh advice and consent of the governing body toward contract to Pump Tech LLC DBA Alpha Southwest.

Mr.

Gallegos, Director Gallagos.

Good evening, uh Mr.

Mayor, Counselors.

Uh tonight I am uh seeking advice and consent of the governing body to award the agreement for the rehabilitation of well 19 to Pump Tech doing business as Alpha Southwest.

Uh well rehabilitation projects uh can range from a few thousand dollars to up to 1.7 million dollars per project uh while the cost to redrill and equip a well is uh estimated to be around 13 million dollars well uh for this reason uh the preference is always to rehabilitate a well as many times as possible uh before we must redrill a well uh rehabilitation of well 19 is quoted to be 1 million one hundred and seventy-four thousand four hundred and ninety-six dollars and ninety-four cents, including the Mexico Gross Receipts tax.

Uh funding for rehabilitation of well 19 was included with uh fiscal year uh 2026 mid-year adjustments uh for various sources, principally the unreserved uh ending fund balance.

Uh the quoted amount includes replacing the motor and pumps, uh the lead time to obtain this motor is a and pump is approximately 12 to 14 weeks and is anticipated to be the the well will be in production by late June or early July 2026.

Well 19 is located near the intersection of first street and Inca and can produce about two million gallons a day of water.

Um the water from that well can be used uh to supply uh throughout the entire city.

We can move it from from place to place.

Uh and I stand for any questions you may have regarding to this uh well rehabilitation project.

Thank you.

Do we have uh uh I'll take a motion to approve D nine?

Motion to approve D nine second.

We have anybody signed up to speak on this item.

No, sir, we do not.

Thank you.

Any uh any comments from council great hearing none.

Uh Ms.

Davis, D nine.

Thank you, Councillor Weimer.

Yes, Councilor List, yes, Councillor Colbreth, yes, Counselor Dabson.

Yes, Councilor Tyler.

Yes, yes, and Mayor Hull.

Yes.

Thank you.

D nine is approved.

Thank you.

That concludes our regularly scheduled uh meeting.

Uh Mr.

City Manager, do you have a report?

Mr.

Mayor, members of the government body, good evening.

Uh just a couple uh quick things.

Uh this Saturday, Cabazon Park, uh, eggs and bacon, uh, one of our annual events, uh, Easter Eric hunt with your pup.

Um, and a pet adoption.

So start the hunt with one dog and go home with two.

Um, very important.

Uh and then uh also early voting starts Tuesday, March 31st at the five locations through uh April 11th, and then we'll have election day for the runoff on April 14th.

Please visit the city's website for additional information in those exact locations.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Mayor.

Mr.

Geisel, can I just ask a quick question?

Um we took our utility bonds to uh for that were approved in the last meeting to market.

Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Uh Mr.

Mayor, members of the governing body, uh yes, um, we did take our bonds to the market.

Um interesting time to be in the bond market.

Um all that said, uh, it was still uh a rather favorable um transaction uh for us.

Uh unfortunately we did see some increase in interest rates on the refunding side, um, which is really just a lot of I I'll call it you know uh free savings for us.

Uh uh present value savings about uh 1.267 million uh or 3.64 percent, and then the uh effective interest rate on the new issuance of the 25 million is uh 3.84 percent.

So uh fortunately um our bond rating uh very helpful uh in the in this moment um but uh uh a good outcome and uh Steve uh director gallegos is uh already excited to um put the money to good use on for our utility system so I uh uh from uh email you sent out after reviewing those and putting them in the market Moody's upgraded our bond rating for the utility again.

Mr.

Mayor, members of the governing body Moody's uh rated us at um uh AA1.

Um yeah so that was actually the uh uh we had been upgraded about a year and a half two years ago on our utility debt, and that's so that was confirmed.

Okay, great.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Appreciate you doing that, and uh appreciate that update on those as well.

All right.

Uh that that being all we are adjourned.

Thank you.