Bernalillo mayor, council candidates hold forum

BERNALILLO — Bernalillo Mayor Jack Torres and Town Council members Vicente Montoya and Gerred Prairie took questions from community members Sunday on a range of issues, from crime to Project Ranger, in a forum less than a month away from the March 3 municipal election.

The candidates appeared at the Black Box Theater inside Bernalillo High School, where they were questioned by the community and members of the Democratic Party of Sandoval County, which hosted the event. Party Chairman Greg Bennett said the forum was nonpartisan.

Torres' opponent, James Baca, did not participate. Montoya and Prairie are running unopposed for at-large seats on a non-districted four-member council. 

Torres, Montoya and Prairie gave opening and closing statements. Montoya and Prairie declined to answer some questions fielded by Torres. 

Why are you running for office?

Torres, who is running for a fifth term as mayor, said he would try to be succinct when answering the question, but it's "hard for me when I'm talking about Bernalillo."

A retired small business owner, Torres said when he first ran for mayor in 2012, the town was "a bit of a mess," but he feels "comfortable with the job we've done collectively," citing council and staff members for their work.

"We can come up with great ideas and plans, but it's the implementation that you have to rely on other folks as a team to really get things done," Torres said. 

He said he has the time, energy, commitment, and "thank God, the health" to continue serving as mayor. 

Prairie, an appraiser for the Sandoval County Assessor's Office and part-time Bernalillo Public Schools employee, said his father, the late Dale Prairie, was one of the longest-serving town councilors, so it was "always in the plan" to "carry on his legacy" and run for office.

"It's been a year-and-a-half, but I've learned a lot," Prairie said. 

Montoya, a retired government worker and former Albuquerque schools employee, has run for elected office before, noting he was president of the BPS Board of Education when the new Bernalillo High School was built. 

Montoya ran for town council, following in the footsteps of his father, brother and sister. 

"She got a new job, and I said, 'Ok, I'll run,'" Montoya said with a laugh. "When I got elected, our attorney said, 'You're bound to be in this seat forever.'"

Montoya said he loves Bernalillo like Torres and Prairie. The three men share the distinction of being graduates of Bernalillo High School. 

"I never thought about leaving (Bernalillo)," Montoya said, adding he is particularly interested in the town's growth. "How can you help it grow responsibly? That's actually the biggest thing."

What are the biggest problems in Bernalillo?

The question posed by Bennett led to a wider discussion about crime and law enforcement. 

Torres said while he feels the town is relatively safe, petty crimes, like shoplifting, are a problem. Some felonies, including domestic violence and drug use — including the fentanyl trade — are also problems. Bernalillo has been part of several task forces to deal with these issues, according to Torres. 

Montoya praised the town's police force for doing a good job, including in his neighborhood, where he said there was a drug house. He also shared his view that Bernalillo's close-knit, neighborly environment helps deter crime.

"We all know each other. We see something, and everybody, right away, they're on top of it to make sure that we can do what we can to get (crime) out of Bernalillo. They don't want it here," he said. 

Prairie said police are taking a lot of fentanyl and firearms off the streets.

"They're actually out there doing their jobs," he said. 

What is the impact of Project Ranger on Bernalillo?

Project Ranger, the hypersonic missile-building facility that just broke ground in rural Sandoval County, came up at different times during the forum. One question asked how the project will impact the town's water supply; another asked how project materials will be transported through Bernalillo. 

On the latter question, Torres responded, in part, that town officials still don't have specifics on what materials will be coming through and what they need to be prepared for.

"Something that we constantly battle with is making sure we're seen as relevant and making sure we're getting timely information," Torres said. "If we could have said, 'No, you can't come in,' we would have."

Torres began his response to the water supply question by stating his understanding that Project Ranger won't use a lot of water. But he mainly used the question to pivot on the "bigger issue" of the city's use, particularly when it comes to construction projects. 

"They continue to use so much water that way. ... The problem with that is, we don't have any authority to slow them down or make them stop," Torres said. "We try to have a good relationship with them, but it's problematic."

What is Bernalillo's policy on ICE?

Judy Gordon, secretary for the Sandoval Democrats, asked a multi-part question about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Torres responded that he is not aware of ICE, presence in the community.

The mayor asked for clarification when Gordon inquired if Bernalillo is a sanctuary city, a term referring to cities that decline to cooperate with ICE or ask certain people about their immigration status. 

Torres responded that Bernalillo is an "immigrant-friendly city" and people who are accused of crimes are treated equally under the law, but the town does not get involved in deportations.

Do we have a limit on the number of cannabis businesses?

When a community member said she did not think cannabis stores help revitalize Bernalillo, Torres said he and others share her concern.

But "we have to treat them the same way we do any other industry," the mayor said. "We can't limit the number of restaurants, gas stations or churches."

Torres believes market forces will eliminate many of Bernalillo's pot businesses. 

"I think more of them will (close) because there are just way too many for the size of our community," Torres said, adding they generate little gross receipts tax.