Michael Meek has jumped early into the Rio Rancho mayor’s race.
Meek, who chairs the Sandoval County Board of Commissioners, has declared he will seek to replace Gregg Hull next year as leader of what might already be New Mexico’s second-largest city.
He has lived in Rio Rancho since 1990, and served in the city fire department for 25 years, retiring as chief in 2018.
Meek told the Sandoval Signpost that with Hull running for governor, he thought he would get into the race early.
In a news release announcing the campaign, Meek said he led Rio Rancho Fire & Rescue initiatives that twice improved the city’s Insurance Service Organization (ISO) rating, resulting in lower insurance costs for residents and businesses due to enhanced emergency response capabilities.
He is serving his second and final four-year term on the county commission. Meek is also involved in the New Mexico Association of Counties, serving on the board of directors of the County Insurance Authority.
“Rio Rancho is a city built on collaboration and resilience,” said Meek. “I look forward to serving the citizens of Rio Rancho in this exciting new capacity.”
The release states that Meek, throughout his career, has demonstrated a strong commitment to working effectively with public and private entities to advance community goals. He says he’ll focus on safety, efficiency and community-driven leadership for Rio Rancho’s future.
Meek said Friday things in Rio Rancho he’s proud of include public safety, schools, libraries and parks.
“It is a great place to raise a family or retire,” he said. “There is great community pride and many activities for families.”
Meek said his prior experience has enabled him to identify challenges and work with other individuals and agencies to bring about necessary changes and navigate the city government to achieve the goals identified by city councilors and staff.
“The city has many things that are working well,” he said. “It is important to not disrupt the positive aspects while attempting to improve other areas.”
He said one area with room for improvement is the city’s relationship with the county.
“Many functions of the two governments are duplicated, and it is not uncommon for counties and cities to view their way of doing things as better than the other,” Meek said. “One of the challenges of governing is providing better services, and there certainly needs to be more interaction between the two agencies to accomplish this. I plan to improve the communication by knowing how both agencies operate and focus on common goals.”
Meek’s wife, Rochelle, has been a neonatal nurse at Presbyterian Hospital since the couple moved to the state from Pennsylvania. Their daughter, Morgan, is a Rio Rancho High School graduate.
The municipal election takes place March 3.