Torrance County commissioners will weigh agreements addressing jail capacity and rural water infrastructure during their administrative meeting on Wednesday morning.
The Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to consider an inmate confinement agreement with Core Civic, Inc., a private corrections company that currently operates the Torrance County Detention Center and partners with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants, to house county inmates. The proposal comes as county officials seek solutions for managing their jail population.
Commissioners will also discuss allocating funds to Bohannon Huston for a technical memorandum concerning the Melody Ranch Water System. The agenda item stops short of guaranteeing approval, listing it as “discussion and potential approval” of the financial allocation.
Residents of Melody Ranch, the small community southeast of Edgewood, are still dealing with water restrictions and boil notices, despite the water company spending nearly $20,000 in repairs and the state escalating to formal regulatory action.
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission has opened a formal case against Melody Ranch Water Company, marking a significant escalation in state oversight of the utility that serves approximately 80 households near Edgewood. The move comes after months of water outages that began with low pressure in December 2024 and escalated to complete shutoffs by late June.
The meeting, set for 9 a.m. at the county offices on South Ninth Street, includes more than a dozen other action items ranging from emergency radio purchases to fairgrounds renovations.
Core Civic operates correctional and detention facilities across the United States. The company has faced scrutiny in recent years over conditions at some of its facilities, though it maintains contracts with numerous counties and federal agencies.
The Melody Ranch water system discussion reflects ongoing efforts to address water infrastructure needs in rural parts of the county.
Get Involved
When: Wednesday, October 22, at 9 a.m.
Where: Torrance County Administrative Offices, 205 S. Ninth Street, Estancia, NM 87016
Virtual Attendance: The meeting will be available via Zoom. Access the link by visiting www.torrancecountynm.org/calendar and clicking on the event.
Public Comment: Citizens may address the commission during the public comment period, with remarks limited to two minutes per speaker.
Accessibility: Individuals requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Manager’s Office at 505-544-4700 at least one week prior to the meeting.
The next commission meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12.
