That was the theme at the Jan. 20 Village Council meeting, when the board voted to direct staff to meet with Rio Rancho officials regarding city traffic cameras that are actually in Corrales.
Councilor John Alsobrook II asked that the item be placed on the agenda, citing conversations with residents concerning a traffic monitoring camera at upper West Meadowlark Lane. He said that camera is inside the boundary of Corrales, but is operated and controlled by the city of Rio Rancho.
Alsobrook said a conversation with Rio Rancho City Councilor Karissa Culbreath, whose district borders the village, revealed that a city contractor’s error may be to blame.
He said his immediate concern is what to do about the camera now, and he also wants to establish clear policies on such issues in the future.
My real intent here was that a neighboring municipality basically invaded our land and established a service that they paid for that we have no control over, whatever liability may or may not exist,” Alsobrook said.
He said his communication with Culbreath indicates that village officials were aware of the error and had approved the camera staying in place.
Police Chief Victor Mangiacapra told councilors he did not approve the camera going up, but after he noticed it, he had a conversation with Rio Rancho police administration.
He said the vendor saw that the site at which the camera was supposed to be installed was a concrete sidewalk on the Rio Rancho side of the boundary.
“They took the path of least resistance and went 20 feet the other direction and put it in the soft soil,” Mangiacapra said. “They did ask me if it was an obstruction in any way, shape or form. It wasn’t to me. It wasn’t to public works. So that was the end of that conversation.”
He said he thinks that if the council asked the city to move it, Rio Rancho would do so, and that Rio Rancho Police Chief Stewart Steele has been very apologetic about the matter.
Mangiacapra said village officials have talked with the vendor about possible benefits to the Corrales of using the system, but those conversations were unofficial.
“When we reach that point, we’ll be having a formal discussion in this room,” he said. It’s not something that the police department would just do on their own.”
Councilors suggested that doing nothing about the camera could result in some goodwill with Rio Rancho, which it might need assistance from on water supply and other issues.
“It’s just a few feet into our property,” Councilor Mel Knight said. “If you move it, it’s just going to be five feet into their property. It’s still going to have the same effect.”
Also at the meeting, councilors voted to confirm longtime Village Clerk Melanie Romero as the new village administrator and reappoint Mangiacapra to a new term.
Mayor Fred Hashimoto said the village is preparing to interview candidates for the village clerk position. Romero said that the appointment could be on the next council agenda.
Councilor Rick Miera was elected to serve as mayor pro-tem for 2026. Councilor Bill Woldman said Miera’s 24 years of experience as a state legislator have allowed him to establish excellent contacts in Santa Fe.
Another development was the change in the format of the administrator’s report: it has been presented orally by village staff, but will in the future be included in the packet handed to councilors before each meeting.