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Mayor pitches Dark Sky certification, film and broadband to spur Jemez Springs economy
Summary
Mayor Michael Nealeigh outlined four economic development focus areas — Dark Sky certification, film incentives, tourism and broadband — and said broadband could drive housing demand and new services; trustees and the library director discussed housing capacity and constraints.
Mayor Michael Nealeigh opened a strategic discussion of economic development at the Feb. 17 Jemez Springs Village Council meeting, proposing four areas for the council to consider as conversation starters: pursuing Dark Sky certification, encouraging film production, promoting general tourism and expanding broadband access to attract remote workers.
Nealeigh said Dark Sky certification would allow the village to develop events and activities consistent with the village brand while protecting residents’ quality of life. He argued the village’s location and terrain make it attractive for film production within a roughly 60‑mile radius of metropolitan centers and suggested the Community Park could serve as a base camp if the Village wants to pursue film work, although new ordinances may be necessary.
Library Director Andrew Adaryukov raised housing concerns, noting difficulty finding permanent housing and asking whether the village could plan strategically for real estate to accommodate both tourists and new residents. Nealeigh acknowledged that broadband would likely spur demand for services and housing and said the Village could play a facilitating role even if it is not a direct real estate developer.
On broadband, Nealeigh reported the village’s public Wi‑Fi application was not funded but that a Grant Writing, Engineering and Planning (GWEP) application has been submitted. He also reported outreach to the Pueblo of Jemez and that Windstream and JNET may be extending fiber near the area; he met the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion director at Broadband Day and expects follow‑up once the legislative session concludes.
The discussion was framed as initial strategy rather than finalized policy. No ordinances or formal incentives were adopted; Mayor Nealeigh presented the ideas as topics for future research and potential resolutions.
