Bernalillo County commissioners took care of some New Years business Tuesday evening when they elected Commissioner Barbara Baca to continue her role as Chair. Commissioner Eric Olivas will be second in line for the gavel as Vice Chair. Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada was excused from the meeting leaving Commissioners Baca, Olivas, Adriann Barboa and Walt Benson to keep the county moving along. 

Safe Money

Commissioners approved accepting a $640,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and administered through the state Department of Homeland Security to provide key emergency training and a functional needs shelter. The first of its kind mobile shelter will be rigged with vital equipment to care for people with special needs during emergencies. 

According to Tom Walmsley, the county’s Director of Emergency Management, “The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire highlighted a critical statewide gap in our ability to provide aid for people with disabilities in times of emergencies and disasters.”

Some of the projects planned includes $205,000 for the purchase of utility terrain vehicles, emergency sheltering equipment and upgrades to the existing emergency trailers; $250,000 to the sheriff’s department for training and SWAT equipment; $125,000 for the county’s Metro Air Support Unit and $30,000 each for the Rescue Task Force and for election security.

Saving Lives

Commissioners approved a resolution on how the millions of dollars in national opioid money will be spent. They accepted more than $17.9 million in national opioid settlement funds being distributed by the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General. 

County Manager Julie Morgas Baca and Deputy County Manager Shirley Ragin spoke with the Commission on the next step in getting the funding where it is needed. They said two providers are submitting proposals to be an external entity to work with the county and the city to provide a strategic plan. The city and county received a total of $147 million in settlement funds with about 55% of that amount going to the city. The two entities agreed to work together on developing a comprehensive spending policy for the fund based on effective evidence-based, culturally and trauma-responsive promising practices to address addiction, homelessness due to addiction, and prevention, intervention and treatment programs and facilities.

Commissioners stressed the importance of moving quickly on getting the funds out to help and not wasting time on more studies that may not be needed. Morgas Baca said she was confident they will be moving quickly with how well the county and city staff are working together. She said they understand the crisis in our community, in our jail and in our detox facilities and that time is of the essence. She said the city has already allocated $1 million to the Metropolitan Detention Center for opioid treatment. 

Quick Hits

The commission also:

  • Approved buying 5.14 acres with a 75,808 square foot building off Vassar NE for $8.8 million to be used as a voter machine warehouse. The county has outgrown its current secure facility. Brinks Security is leasing part of the building and will prove income for about a year.
  • Approved a lease agreement with Healing Addiction in Our Community d/b/a Serenity Mesa Youth Recovery Center. Serenity Mesa is a sober living facility for adolescents and young adults and is located on the southwest mesa overlooking the city.
  • Approved the Acequia Madre Master plan to develop a two-acre outdoor education site near Central Avenue and the Rio Grande. The project will be done in three phases. The first phase will cost about $890,000. 
  • Heard and accepted the annual Comprehensive Financial report and approved funds from the American Rescue Plan Act on a project an early learning facility at 900 Armijo SW
  • Gave a shout out to the members of the Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue Station 33 for their heroic efforts to save a 7-year old boy on Sept. 21, 2023. The boy was accidentally shot in the head while sleeping. Within four minutes of arrival they stabilized and started to transport the boy to the trauma center. He survived.

For all things Bernalillo County including meeting dates, agendas and supporting documents log on to Bernco.gov