Sandoval Commissioner seeks cooperation on economic development | ABQJournal Online

Sandoval County Commissioner Don Chapman is continuing efforts to gather broad support for a county-wide economic development plan.

Chapman has met informally with county leaders including the mayors of Corrales and Bernalillo, Rio Rancho city manager and two councilors and two pueblo governors to discuss a study recently conducted for the county by economic development specialist Mark Lautman.

The study predicted the county needs to create 10,700 jobs over the next 10 years to keep pace with population growth. It looked at areas such as tourism, high tech and agriculture where the county could focus economic development efforts.

Chapman told fellow commissioners at their meeting Thursday night that it’s time to get public involvement in the process. He believes the county should take the lead on creating a county-wide cooperative economic development strategy.

Lautman will give a presentation on economic development at four public meetings:

10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20 at the Cuba Senior Center, 16-A Cordova St., in Cuba.

2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20 at Valles Caldera Science and Education Center, 90 Villa Louis Martin in Jemez Springs.

3 p.m. Nov. 25 at the El Zocalo Event Center, 264 Camino del Pueblo in Bernalillo

and 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 at UNM West Room 1226, 2600 College Blvd. in Rio Rancho.