By Rodd Cayton
Citing a desire to ensure the community is kept up to date, village councilors in Corrales have delayed an official update to the uniform traffic code. The code had already been posted, but councilors added changes they felt the public should have time to review.
Village Attorney Randy Autio told councilors the New Mexico Municipal League stopped promulgating its traditional uniform traffic ordinance several years ago, and that last year’s updated draft contained critical errors. “The person they gave it to didn’t seem to comprehend the purpose of ordinances generally and uniform traffic ordinances in particular,” Autio said. “The first section I looked at said ‘violation of this section is a fourth-degree felony.’ Municipalities cannot enact felonies.”
In addition, he said, the state’s penalty assessment schedule still lists traffic fines that are the same as 20 years ago, reducing their potential deterrent effect for violators and failing to cover the administrative cost of a police stop. “The uniform traffic ordinance has several that are $10 and $25,” Autio said. “That’s an impulse purchase at Walmart.”
Councilors agreed to submit their proposed changes by Aug. 3, giving village staff enough time to refine the document before an Aug. 11 public work-study session.
Councilors then approved new conservation easement applications for two 5-acre parcels on Corrales Road, which will use the remaining $1.96 million the village raised by issuing farmland preservation bonds. Also passed were ordinances granting Public Service Company of New Mexico a 15-year utility franchise and aligning village law with state and federal regulations regarding service animals in training being allowed in the Corrales Recreation Center.
In her report to the council, Village Administrator Melanie Romero said Ezee Fiber’s utility work in Corrales was temporarily shut down by public works after contractors struck unmarked utility lines, including an unmapped gas line. Work resumed following a safety procedures meeting with village officials, she said. Romero also announced that the village will transition its official email domain from .org to .gov on August 3, to combat email spoofing and scam attempts targeting residents.
“We get a lot of people getting emails that claim they’re from (planning and zoning) saying that they owe $5,000 for a permit because they had an application before P and Z,” she explained.
Also at the meeting, Police Chief Victor Mangiacapra told councilors his department has reached 100% staffing for the first time in five years.