At their July 24 meeting, Sandoval County Commissioners approved a series of general obligation bond measures totaling $24.4 million to fund community projects.
The approved measures include $11.4 million for fire suppression systems and the construction of two emergency communication towers in northern Sandoval County, as well as $3 million for libraries.
The approved bonds will also help construct a new county animal shelter, improve the public works vehicle fleet and improve the county fairgrounds.
During the bond discussion, Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block said if the bonds are not approved, “We’re really looking at putting a lot of risk to the county and to the lives in the county with some of these things that are for emergency services.”
The four bond questions
The library bond will fund up to $3.1 million for county library improvements. Initially, librarians requested $5 million, but the commission settled on $3.1 million. If approved, funds would be available by the end of the year for immediate use.
The second proposed bond is for up to $11.2 million for public safety improvements, divided into two components: water delivery and telecommunications systems.
The first component, up to $6.2 million, will fund water delivery projects in Placitas and Algodones and the construction of an emergency communication tower in northern Sandoval County. The water projects, costing up to $1 million, include moving two water tanks in Placitas to the back of the fire station property to enable gravity-fed water supply to the Placitas Community Library and completing a water delivery system in Algodones that includes installing a fire hydrant. The emergency communication tower will cost up to $5.2 million.
The second component, costing up to $5 million, will fund another emergency communication tower on Ghost Mesa in the Jemez area.
The third bond, up to $7.5 million, will help fund the construction of a new animal shelter in Bernalillo, which is estimated to cost $17.6 million. To support this, the county has secured $1.5 million in congressional appropriations, $223,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act and additional funds from legislative capital outlay and unused Health Care Assistance Program funds.
“I think the biggest driving cost is the change in standards for animal care,” County Manager Wayne Johnson said. “You basically have to be able to sanitize every surface that animal will touch or could touch within that facility.”
The final bond, up to $2.6 million, is designated for public works improvements across the county. It includes funding for new vehicles for county departments, road repairs, a tractor and bleachers for the county fairgrounds, and upgrades to the Rio Rancho fueling station to meet federal standards.
Although the resolution passed, not everyone was satisfied with the proposed bond allocations for the projects, namely librarians, some of whom were in attendance at the meeting and spoke during the public comment portion.
“There are a lot of homeschooled children in your community,” Cynthia Nava, chair of the Corrales Community Library Board said. “There are 855 in Rio Rancho and 233 in Bernalillo. Those are families that are not connected to a public school, the only center free of costs for resources is the community library.”
Carla Moore of Rio Rancho urged the commission to increase the bond to $5.1 million and to let voters decide.
“While I love animals, one shelter getting $7.5 million compared to 16 libraries splitting $3.1 million is not economically sound. Libraries support economic growth, education and many community needs,” she said.
In a statement to the Signpost, Sandoval County Commissioner Joshua Jones expressed his understanding of the frustrations the librarians voiced.
“Libraries serve a vital role for our residents,” he said. “Not only through the books and resources they offer but also as community centers that enrich our communities.”
He went on to say the county is committed to securing additional funding for the libraries from state and federal sources.
“Our vote tonight approves an increase in the bond amount from previous years, but I recognize that more money is needed,” Jones said.
The projected annual increase in property taxes if the bonds are approved by voters will be $13 for a $300,000 home.
“Our objective is to bring forward the taxpayer to kind of stay in this sweet range of not increasing taxes,” said Sandoval County Commission Chairman David Heil.
Voters will have the opportunity to decide on the bonds when they appear on the ballot in the upcoming general election on Nov. 5.
Get involved
The next County Commission meeting is at 6 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Administrative Building Commission Chambers, 1500 Idalia Rd., Building D in Bernalillo.