The Sandoval County Commission covered a hodgepodge of topics in the jam-packed Nov. 13 meeting, including setting its 2025 legislative agenda about the county’s evolving needs and hearing updates from the County Assessor and UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center (SRMC).
With only one meeting scheduled in November and December, the commissioners tackled a packed agenda. Alongside approving agreements for various public works, they set the 2025 legislative priorities. They heard the annual report from County Assessor Linda Gallegos and a quarterly update from UNM SRMC President Jamie Silva-Steele.
Before the meeting got into full swing, outgoing County Commissioner and state Sen.-elect Jay Block shared a heartfelt moment by reading a proclamation designating October 2024 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Sandoval County. With his family, including his father, who traveled from New Hampshire, present in the audience, Block spoke on the personal impact of breast cancer, honoring his mother, Sandra J. Block, who lost her life to the disease.
“We honor the courage and strength of breast cancer survivors, and we will never forget those that lost their lives, like my mother, Sandra J. Block,” Block said, reading from the proclamation. “By the end of 2024 six weeks from now, more than 32,000 women and 530 men are expected to die from breast cancer in the United States. When caught in its earliest localized stages, the five-year relative survival rate is 99%, thankfully, we must continue to educate people to recognize the early warning signs of breast cancer and we must provide affordable and accessible health care at all times, so people can receive the best care possible when diagnosed.”
The commissioners adopted their 2025 legislative agenda, outlining key priorities to strengthen communities across the county but not before some debate about whether Voter ID should be included as a priority for the county’s lobbyist in Santa Fe.
The key priorities include improving public safety, transparency and mental health resources.
Reforming the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) is a key priority for both Sandoval County and the New Mexico Counties Board of Directors. Proposed changes include safeguarding law enforcement records, requiring commercial requesters to cover research costs, and addressing abusive requests and labor costs for broad inquiries.
Another priority is securing funding for annual licensing fees for the state’s 700MHz interoperable communications system, which is essential for emergency communication across New Mexico.
The commissioners also aim to strengthen the Law Enforcement Academy’s authority to better track, discipline, and decertify officers with a history of misconduct, promoting higher standards and accountability.
Additionally, they will advocate for funding to expand mental health and crisis intervention services, enhance behavioral health and substance abuse support, and improve training for government employees to assist those in mental health crises.
Other supplemental priorities include fixing the decoupled Gross Receipts Tax, enabling Class A counties to use Industrial Revenue Bonds for economic development in both incorporated and unincorporated areas, eliminating the need for the county commission to vote on the low-income tax credit every two years and increasing funding for the New Mexico Matching Fund to support county construction and renovation projects.
Also included is legislation aimed at improving voter processes, such as implementing photo ID requirements and ensuring the efficient removal of inactive voters. Prohibiting the Use of Unsupervised Ballot Drop Boxes, Absentee Ballot Chain of Custody, and Post-election Audits.
Commissioner Joshua Jones made a motion to strike the Voter ID requirement item from the list.
“Because it drastically affects people and constituents within my district,” Jones said. “I’ve worked with folks from tribal country in the BRC or CNM that had difficulties getting IDs because of their address and GIS system, so much so that they had to use a family member’s address in Albuquerque to be able to get their identification.”
In opposition to Jones’ motion to delete the item, Block said, “Because we’ve already come together and worked together as Republicans and Democrats to put this on there. We voted for this.”
The motion was defeated 3-2, with Commissioners Bruch and Jones voting to have it removed.
In other commission news
Gallegos, the County Assessor, presented the 2023 annual report to the commissioners, addressing challenges from rising property valuations and staffing shortages — issues intensified by the county’s rapid population growth.
In her presentation, Gallegos talked about the staffing challenges faced by the assessor’s office due to the county’s rapid growth. Out of 41 positions, three remain vacant. The office manages about 150,000 property accounts, with just 15 residential appraisers handling an average of 9,265 accounts each — well above the recommended range of 3,500 to 5,500 set by the International Association of Assessing Officers.
“If anything needs to change for this year, we need more commercial appraisals,” Gallegos said.
Sandoval County has experienced significant growth, according to Gallegos. Residential property values rose by $317 million, while non-residential values increased by $110 million from 2022 to 2023.
The assessor’s office reported an addition of 940 residential land parcels in 2023 compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, non-residential improvements saw a decrease, which Gallegos attributed to vacant land that might have been developed into homes, shifting those properties from the non-residential to the residential category.
In 2023, about 8,100 property valuation protests were filed, accounting for around 5% of all property accounts in Sandoval County. The majority of these protests, primarily submitted by the Automated Mass Reappraisal Program as placeholders, were resolved informally without progressing to formal hearings. Of the 100 hearing requests, only about one-third proceeded to formal hearings.
David Heil, Sandoval County Commission chairman, asked Gallegos about the sharp increase in commercial values in the county.
Gallegos informed the commissioners that non-residential properties lack the 3% valuation cap applied to residential properties. Addressing this disparity would require legislative action.
“How do we get the message across to our legislators that this is, in essence, a tax on unrealized gains?” Heil said. “I mean, here you have a commercial owner that property may have increased by hundreds of percent. The only way to pay for it is to sell it.”
Gallegos admitted that she didn’t have an answer to the rhetorical question but went on to share an example of a commercial property owner who complained about their valuation, despite paying $300,000 more for the property than its assessed value several years ago. She said property values, even during COVID-19, have generally increased, not decreased.
“We are standing by our values and we are being found to be absolutely correct,” she said.
UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center
Silva-Steele, the president and CEO of UNM Sandoval Regional Center (UNM SRC) gave the quarterly update for the medical center, spotlighting labor relations, mill levy funding and behavioral health services.
Silva-Steele told the commission in September, UNM SRC held nine successful bargaining sessions with the United Health Professionals union, addressing contract negotiations except for the PRN (pro re nata) staffing issue, which involves part-time workers. While pending litigation on the PRN staff matter remains, both sides agreed to revisit the issue if the litigation is resolved. The contract was ratified, and staff received a 3% wage increase on Nov. 1.
She said a recent court ruling determined that PRN workers are not regular employees, prompting UNM SRC to file a motion with the Labor Board for clarification. During a Labor Board meeting, the director was instructed to conduct a card count excluding PRN workers. If a majority of support is shown, the process will continue; if not, an election will be held. No further updates are available at this time.
Adrienne Enghouse, the chief organizer for United Health Professionals in New Mexico and a registered nurse, disputed Silva-Steele’s update on the litigation, pointing out inaccuracies.
“Many hospitals in New Mexico and the private sector do recognize the PRNs as under their union contracts,” Enghouse said. “The fact that they just continue to misguide you and stand before you and misrepresent information is just sad to me because we want to work on fixing patient problems.”
Silva-Steele said mill levy funds support trauma services, behavioral health, and other programs. In the first quarter, the hospital earned approximately $6.1 million in revenue, with spending around $2.2 million, projecting over $8 million in total revenue for the year.
Since being designated as a Level 3 trauma center in March 2022, trauma services have seen a 64% increase in registry cases and a 73% retention rate for patients. Common trauma causes include falls, vehicle ejections, COVID-19, and assaults, with assaults showing a recent decline. Patient acuity has risen significantly, from 2 critical patients in 2023 to 11 in 2024, reflecting the hospital’s ability to treat more complex cases. UNM SRMC’s one-year designation, extended through November 2024, is set for re-evaluation on December 2 after a postponed site visit.
According to Silva-Steele, UNM SRMC partnered with Rio Rancho to provide mental health clinicians for its Crisis Intervention Team officers. Additionally, SRMC will be launching county-wide, 24/7 behavioral health crisis response teams in January to reduce reliance on public safety and connect individuals to resources.
SRMC also is pursuing certification as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in partnership with UNM Hospital, aiming to provide comprehensive behavioral health services, including mobile crisis response, to support community integration.
Silva-Steele said there are staffing challenges in several specialty areas, particularly rheumatology, after losing four rheumatologists over the summer. Efforts to recruit replacements are underway.
Primary care staffing remains a challenge, with plans to hire providers, while radiology vacancies, especially in mammography, MRI and computerized tomography (CT), are also being addressed.
The commission also approved several initiatives, including updates to wireless telecommunications permits, participation in a transportation funding program, and agreements for court building improvements.
Other approvals included contracts for a $2.36 million roadway and entrance construction for the new Animal Resource Center in Bernalillo, security systems for the Sandoval County Regional Emergency Communication Center, and the purchase of a new tarping machine for the landfill.
Get involved
The next county commission meeting is at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Administrative Building Commission Chambers, 1500 Idalia Road, Building D in Bernalillo.