Sandoval County Commissioners made key decisions regarding legislative priorities, juvenile detention and preserving professional firefighting in the Cuba area Nov. 12.
With the 2026 legislative session just weeks away, Commissioners chose to OK a set of the county’s priorities, which staff and lobbyists will pursue in Santa Fe starting in January.
The commission also signed off on the legislative agenda of New Mexico Counties, an umbrella group representing the state’s 33 counties.
The county’s list of 21 priorities includes amending New Mexico’s Inspection of Public Records Act to protect ongoing investigations and shift more of the costs to certain requesters, strengthening the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy’s disciplinary powers and reclassifying public safety dispatchers as first responders and police members under the Public Employees Retirement Act.
The New Mexico Counties list contains four items: reimbursement to counties for the actual cost of housing state inmates, continued funding for courthouse construction and renovations and for recruitment and retention of detention officers and firefighters, and continued funding for operational costs of the state’s digital radio network.
The latter is also among the Sandoval County priorities.
Commissioner Joshua Jones opposed language in an addendum to the county list, “legislation that calls for improvements in voter processes.”
He said he’s specifically opposed to a provision requiring photo ID, which he believes will essentially disenfranchise many of his constituents, citing the difficulty some tribal residents have in obtaining documents necessary to secure identification.
Commissioners also approved an intergovernmental agreement with Bernalillo County under which it will house juvenile offenders from Sandoval County. County Manager Wayne Johnson said the agreement replaces a joint powers agreement that neither party followed and cost Sandoval County about $1.2 million a year.
Johnson said the new agreement reduces that cost to about $700,000, and that, should there not be space available in Bernalillo County, Sandoval County detainees will be housed in a juvenile detention center in San Juan County. Sandoval County will pay to transport those individuals, he said, and Bernalillo County will pay the housing costs.
Also approved was a request by Fire Chief Christopher Bagley for additional staffing in the Northwest portion of the county. The 12 positions will staff and support a 24/7 three-person station in the Cuba area following the upcoming termination of the Presbyterian Medical Services Cuba EMS program. Funding for the station is already in place and is recurring through the New Mexico Ambulance Supplemental Payment Program.
At the request of Deputy County Manager Eric Masterson, commissioners amended the agenda item to allow for another three staff positions, should county staff and the Jicarilla Apache Nation come to an agreement for funding them.
Masterson said the full-time crew is intended to supplement the work of local volunteer crews.
“Those volunteers are essential to that area,” he added.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
WHEN: 6 p.m. Dec. 10.
WHERE: Commission chambers, Sandoval County Administrative Building, 1500 Idalia Road, Building D, Bernalillo
Virtual: www.sandovalcountynm.gov