By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
Sandoval County residents who want a say in how the county spends more than $60 million next year — or who want to weigh in on who sets commissioners’ own salaries — have a chance to speak Wednesday night when the Board of County Commissioners holds its regular meeting at 6 p.m. in Bernalillo.
The most consequential item on the agenda is the preliminary operating budget for fiscal year 2027, which runs July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Forecasted revenues total $60,924,836, with general fund expenses projected at $42,771,321, according to the agenda packet. State law requires the county to submit the preliminary budget to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration by June 1, making Wednesday’s vote a hard deadline.
Commissioners will also consider publishing a draft ordinance to create a five-member Sandoval County Elected Officials Salary Commission — a direct result of a 2024 statewide constitutional amendment that shifted authority over county elected-official pay from the state Legislature to individual county commissions. Under the proposed ordinance, each of the five commissioners would appoint one community member to the panel, which would set salaries before each county general election. The appointed members cannot be county employees, current elected officials or their immediate family members.
A separate resolution would authorize the sale of surplus county-owned lots in Rio Rancho Estates Units 12, 20, 21, 25 and 26 to Resurrection Land Company for $65,075. County staff determined the parcels are not needed for public purposes and that the sale would promote economic development, according to the agenda packet.
Other items on the agenda include:
- Accepting $1,262,500 in new legislative appropriations for the county’s planned new animal shelter
- Approving two state DWI grant agreements totaling up to $283,204 for prevention, intervention and detox programs
- Receiving the county’s fiscal year 2025 audit, which received an unqualified “clean” opinion with no findings from auditor Patillo, Brown & Hill
- Hearing a progress report from the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance on its economic development work in Sandoval County under a contract of up to $56,421
Get involved
Sandoval County Board of Commissioners — Regular Meeting
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 — 6 p.m.
Administrative Building, Commission Chambers — 1500 Idalia Road, Building D, Bernalillo, NM 87004
Watch online: sandovalcountynm.gov
Submit public comment:sandovalcountynm.gov/commission/public-comment/