By Pat Davis, Route 66 Independent – Patience and time are both in short supply in Edgewood these days as the town’s commissioners struggle to pass a simple ordinance to implement a new fire service agreement they already approved with Santa Fe County.
Commissioners received a letter from Santa Fe County last week rejecting their ordinance because it had been altered from the terms of the agreement the town and county had negotiated in May. In response, the town called a hastily-convened meeting for Tuesday night which led to one commissioner walking out and discussions from enraged town residents, worried about the cancellation of homeowners and business insurance policies, openly plotting the recall of leaders or disincorporation of the town.
Commissioners spent the first five minutes of the meeting arguing over whether public comment would be allowed. After commissioners approved the agenda without public comment Mayor and Commissioner Mike Rariden attempted to allow comment anyway. For several minutes, Commissioner Stephen Murillo, supported by Commissioner Ken Brennan, argued with Rariden over the proper rules of procedure as Rariden attempted to call on speakers. “I don’t know why we are fussing over this,” he said. But Brennan noted that the state’s Open Meetings Act requires notice of agenda items, including comment periods, before the meeting. As members of the public repeatedly yelled “resign” at commissioners, Murillo finally gathered his belongings and walked out saying, “I’m not going to be sued.” He did not return for the rest of the meeting.
For two more hours, with Murillo absent and Commissioner Patrick Milligan participating remotely, commissioners tried to placate angry members of the public who were universal in their condemnation of the commission, especially after learning that Murillo had failed to disclose that he had been the one responsible for inserting changes and ending communications with the county.
‘This is insanity’
Having failed to notice a process for public comment, commissioners opted for a proposal suggested by Brennan to allow “discussion” from the public during debate on the fire ordinance issue. Former Mayor John Abrams, who is supporting a petition effort to force a vote on disincorporating the town all-together, said, “This is insanity.”
Town residents lined up for more than an hour to berate town commissioners for prolonging approvals of the ordinance required to maintain fire service for Edgewood, June 2, 2026 (Town of Edgewood)
Another speaker said, “Y’all need to sign this shit… otherwise all of our homes aren’t worth a plug nickel.” Samantha Barry, who is 24 and has lived her entire life in the 26-year old town, told commissioners she is now embarrassed to live in Edgewood. “I’m embarrassed to say I’m from Edgewood… I hate going to Albuquerque [for shopping]… but if we don’t have a fire department, Walmart could close. Smith’s could close… Everything we’ve worked so hard to build,” she said. “You are killing our economy here.” Another speaker was equally blunt in her concerns. “I don’t want to lose my house. I don’t want to leave Edgewood – and I wouldn’t be able to sell my house without homeowner’s insurance.” For more than an hour, residents took to the podium to plead with commissioners to approve the version previously agreed to by the county while others openly discussed the process to recall officials. After Abrams suggested from the audience that state law may allow the town to declare an emergency to speed up the approval process, commissioners quickly asked staff to have legal counsel research the issue. Town sources told The Independent on Wednesday that legal advice had been received that the current situation did not qualify for that type of emergency action, for now.
Behind the scenes, staff says Murillo ordered changes not agreed to
Commissioner Devon Taylor finally led a round of questioning about the process to develop and pass the ordinance which elicited new insight about the process behind the scenes.
Responding to Taylor, Rariden, Town Manager Kelly Hamilton and staff explained that after Rariden and Murillo had been designated as “legal liaisons” they began negotiations with the county. Under state law, a majority of members cannot participate outside of a public meeting, limiting the legal group to just two of the five elected commissioners. In response to Taylor’s questions about the process, staff said that after receiving an approved draft from the county Murillo had directed the insertion of a sunset clause that had not been negotiated. This post-negotiation change was a reason cited by the county for disapproving the passed ordinance. Staff also confirmed that Murillo had directed them not to share the changes with the county until after they had been passed by Edgewood commissioners. Rariden interrupted to note that he wanted to continue communicating with the county, but without consent from Murillo they could not do so. Brennan later asked why the commission had not been told Murillo’s requested changes had not been approved by the county. Rariden said he had received conflicting legal advice on what he could discuss in public. The commission later approved Rariden’s request for a second attorney to review the entire process.
Share this story and start a conversation
With a round of applause from the audience, Rariden tried to make a motion to remove Murillo from the legal negotiation group and replace him with Taylor, but staff reminded commissioners that that vote would require a new agenda and public notice. Rariden directed staff to do that for a future meeting.
After more than two and a half hours, the four commissioners still participating agreed to accept and review the county’s edited draft and set it for a final vote at a special meeting to be called on June 16. Because of legal timelines required to publish and enact the ordinance, it must be passed no later than June 16 to take effect before the expiring fire agreement lapses on July 1.