Mayor Hull looks back on how Rio Rancho has changed in the last decade

Submitted by Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull

My 2024 State of the City Report marks my 11^th time updating the City Council  and community members.  

Because this is my 11th report, I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on how far the City has come  during the past decade.  

I gave my first City report five months after taking office in April 2014. At that time, the Governing Body  was not cohesive and growing less so each and every month.  

As a result, staff morale was low and developing and executing plans to address road and public safety  needs were few or non-existent. In addition, the City was still feeling the impacts of the great recession.  

In the key areas of public safety, infrastructure such as roads and water and sewer services, quality of  life, operations such as personnel and finance, and economic development, great strides have been  made over the past 10 years that I believe should be highlighted and expanded upon.  

Public Safety  

In the area of public safety, we have gone from zero staff growth to growing the Police and Fire and  Rescue Departments personnel by more than 20%.  

The voters were presented in 2018 with the opportunity to approve a Public Safety Bond for regular  vehicle and equipment replacement and facility improvements.  

Through voter support in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, approximately $15 million has been invested into  our public safety departments. Rio Rancho now has some of the best equipped departments in the  state, and has not experienced the staffing shortages experienced elsewhere.  

Prior to this, the City was not keeping up and sporadically used loans to replace high-mileage vehicles.  

Rio Rancho had its insurance services office, or ISO, rating lowered from 4 to 2. This rating places the  City in the top four percent of fire departments across the country. The ISO analyzes a fire department’s  ability to respond to and mitigate a structure fire.  

Rio Rancho continues to have low crime and be the safest community in New Mexico with a population  above 10,000.  

Infrastructure such as Roads and Water/Sewer Services  

The number one priority I heard about when coming into office was roads and the lack of maintenance. It  was concerning to me how little in funding was available and applied to road work.  

These issues were compounded by the fact that voters rejected a Road Bond question in 2011, and a majority of Governing Body members at that time refused to allow voters to even vote on a bond  question to make funds available for road work until 2016. 

By listening to citizens, prioritizing resources, and aggressively pursuing state and federal funding,  tremendous strides have been made regarding roads.  

Since 2016, 41 major road projects, and counting, have been completed and more than 137 miles of  neighborhood streets have been improved.  

We created and funded an annual and phased crack patch and seal program for residential streets.  

We created and funded an annual and phased hybrid mill and inlay program for residential streets  needing higher levels of repair work, including underground utilities.  

Thanks to voter support in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024 more than $50 million has been invested  into roads via the Road Improvement Bond. Some highlights include High Resort Boulevard, Sara Road,  Unser Boulevard, Riverside Drive, Enchanted Hills Boulevard, Northern Boulevard, and Rockaway  Boulevard.  

Broadmoor Boulevard was extended. Lincoln Avenue was extended. Idalia Boulevard was reconstructed.  Westside Boulevard was extended and improved. Every section of Southern Boulevard has received  some type of improvement, including reconstruction.  

Work to maintain and improve the City’s water and sewer system and services has been a major focus.  Approximately 5,000 water lines have been replaced.  

Rio Rancho became the first City permitted in the State of New Mexico to replenish groundwater by  putting clean, recycled water back into the aquifer through an injection system. By doing so, we are  extending the life of the aquifer and providing storage of water that can be used by future generations.  To date, more 300 million gallons have been injected.  

The replacement of the city’s 50-year-old Wastewater Treatment Plant was completed.  

When I took office, the federal government owed Rio Rancho approximately $6.2 million for an arsenic  treatment facility project. In 2019, through years of effort, we finished recovering all of this money. By  doing so, funds were reinvested back into our infrastructure for necessary improvements to ensure that  we have a reliable water system.  

Quality of Life  

A Park Above, the state’s first inclusive park for people of all ages and abilities, was opened.  

A substantial erosion control project was completed to stabilize the Los Montoyas Arroyo running  adjacent to the Rio Rancho Sports Complex in order to protect this quality of life facility.  

We opened a new senior center, the Broadmoor Senior Center.  

We opened a new branch library in conjunction with a new recreation center featuring pickleball courts  called The Hub in northern Rio Rancho. 

Campus Park, with the award-winning sky room amphitheater, was constructed in City Center to serve  as a community outdoor gathering space and activity hub.  

New, annual community events, such as the Fall Festival and Juneteenth were established, and existing  events such as Winterfest have been reimagined.  

Haynes Park, the City’s oldest park, had basketball courts and tennis courts replaced and resurfaced.  

Thanks to voter support in 2022, a Quality of Life Facilities Bond was established to improve and  maintain parks and libraries. This bond funding was renewed by voters in 2024.  

Economic Development and Community Investment  

Thousands of new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in the community was seen  over the last 10 years.  

A new shopping center was constructed via the Plaza @ Enchanted Hills.  

Significant growth in healthcare occurred through expansions of the Presbyterian Rust Medical Center  and UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center.  

New companies such as Safelite and NTx Bio joined the community and were supported by state and  local government. Existing large companies such as Intel, and small businesses like Deluxe Design,  significantly expanded their operations and received state and local support.  

Regarding housing, more than 7,200 new single-family homes were constructed, a variety of senior  housing communities were opened, and several multi-family and affordable housing projects were  completed.  

Highlighting new home construction is the master-planned community called Los Diamantes. This effort  was supported by Rio Rancho local government in terms of water and sewer infrastructure, placement of a new elementary school by the Rio Rancho School District, and drainage improvements being made  by the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority.  

We created a new Local Economic Development Fund to help expand the City’s business base and add  jobs.  

Operations – Personnel and Finance  

City of Rio Rancho local government – its policies and operations – have changed significantly over the  past 10 years and for the better.  

First and foremost, the City navigated the COVID-19 Pandemic. We supported local businesses by  administering a grant program to provide nearly $500,000 in aid. We modified procedures in order to  support the private sector through efforts such as a virtual inspection program and expedited processes.  

We began to conduct a regular community survey to obtain more citizen input and track progress. 

Community engagement efforts have substantially increased via initiatives such as a regularly mailed  newsletter to all Rio Rancho addresses, and City Councilor meet and greet events.  

The City adopted a 5-year Strategic Plan with goals and objectives to help advance the community.  

We have regularly adjusted personnel wages and increased benefits to retain and attract new  employees and remain competitive in the market.  

Local government has lived within its means as 2024 tax rates are the same or less than those from  2014.  

• 2014 Gross Receipts Tax Rate in Rio Rancho – 7.4375%  
• 2024 Gross Receipts Tax Rate in Rio Rancho – 7.4375%  
• 2014 Residential Property Tax Rate in Rio Rancho – 37.665 mills  
• 2024 Residential Property Tax Rate in Rio Rancho – 36.040 mills  

The City increased its reserves to be better prepared for emergencies and the unknown.  

The City’s budget and financial documents were recognized nationally, including minimal or no audit  findings.  

A clear demonstration of the City’s improved financial position is the City’s independently-determined  bond ratings, which assess an organization’s financial well-being and policies. I am proud to say that Rio  Rancho’s bond ratings have been upgraded.  

Thanks to voter support, a new Permanent Fund for the City was established with a one-time  investment that will grow over time. This growth fund will provide recurring resources to fund our public  services… with no tax or fee increase.  

In closing, it has been an honor and privilege to serve as Mayor for the past decade. I truly believe Rio  Rancho is moving in the right direction. While there will always be issues to address, I believe we have  made great strides and put into place policies that will keep Rio Rancho on the right track for generations to come.