Councilors debate moving economic-development dollars from SCA to Rio Rancho Chamber

Councilor Tyler urged the governing body to reallocate part of the city's economic-development funding from SCA to the Rio Rancho Chamber, arguing the chamber's visible events and ribbon cuttings help local businesses and economic activity.

"I would like to maybe reduce that down to 55,000 and give 20,000 and move it over to, the Rio Rancho Chamber," Councilor Tyler said, proposing a specific $20,000 shift. Tyler said the city is also buying business software that appears to duplicate services he expects from SCA.

Several colleagues disagreed with a unilateral reallocation without clear performance metrics. Councilor Culbreath and others said the two organizations serve different roles: one focuses on business recruitment and site readiness while the chamber supports post-launch businesses and visible community outreach. Councilors asked staff to provide SCA's quarterly reports, deliverables and a clearer accounting of outcomes before any funding change.

City Manager Matt Geisel said the city has a contract with SCA covering business retention and expansion, site readiness and microeconomic gardening, and noted SCA provides quarterly reports that are reviewed before payment. Geisel recommended a deeper review in a future budget hearing or work session (May 11, May 14 or the June work session) with SCA and Economic Development Director Alberto present to explain activities and metrics.

Councilors requested that staff prepare deliverables and options for how any reallocation would be structured, including potential performance conditions or a larger consolidated economic-development line item.

If councilors want to pursue the change, staff said they will present options and request SCA to provide a public update before any reallocation is finalized.