One Santa Fe: City and County Work Together on Regional Priorities

The City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County will begin a new era of regional collaboration on Thursday, July 30, as the Santa Fe City Council and Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners convene their first Joint Governing Body Meeting under a landmark Joint Resolution establishing a four-year framework for coordinated action through 2029.

The meeting represents the first formal gathering of the two governing bodies in nearly a decade and reflects a shared commitment to working together on challenges that extend beyond city and county boundaries.

Sponsored by Mayor Michael Garcia on behalf of the City of Santa Fe and Commissioner Lisa Cacari Stone on behalf of Santa Fe County, the Joint Resolution establishes a structure for regular collaboration focused on developing practical solutions and measurable results for residents throughout the region.

"Strong partnerships make strong communities, and this commitment between the City and County will help us deliver better solutions and better results for the people of Santa Fe," said Mayor Michael Garcia. "Our residents do not experience challenges based on jurisdictional boundaries. They expect their elected leaders to work together, and this partnership is an important step toward building the regional approach our community needs."

The Joint Resolution recognizes that many of the most pressing issues facing Santa Fe require shared leadership, including affordable housing, homelessness, behavioral health, public safety, wildfire preparedness, water resilience, transportation, senior services, parks and open space, and regional planning.

Unlike previous joint meetings focused primarily on discussion and information sharing, the July 30 meeting is designed to be action-oriented. City Councilors and County Commissioners will identify priority areas for collaboration, establish next steps, assign responsibilities, and develop measurable outcomes that residents can track over time.

"The people we serve are at the center of this partnership. The challenges facing our community do not stop at a city limit sign or county boundary," said Commissioner Lisa Cacari Stone. "By working together, we can create stronger solutions and better outcomes for everyone who calls Santa Fe home."

The framework established through the Joint Resolution includes regular meetings through 2029 and allows for the creation of Action Working Groups focused on specific regional priorities. These groups may include elected officials, staff, community partners, and subject-matter experts who will help develop recommendations and advance shared goals.

Planning for the July 30 meeting was informed by a survey of City Councilors and County Commissioners that identified strong support for a more structured approach to collaboration. Participants emphasized that future joint meetings should include written summaries of next steps, clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and measurable outcomes.

The City and County will continue working together to build a stronger, more connected Santa Fe through shared leadership, coordinated planning, and actions that improve the quality of life for residents.

"Ultimately, there is only one Santa Fe," Mayor Garcia said. "When the City and County work together, our entire community is stronger."

The Joint Governing Body Meeting will be open to the public and conducted in accordance with the New Mexico Open Meetings Act.

Meeting information

Click here for the Santa Fe County Agenda.

Click here to view the City of Santa Fe Agenda.

For more information, contact

City of Santa Fe
Peter Olson
(505) 819-1062
[email protected]

Santa Fe County
Shawna Graves, Communications Coordinator
(505) 986-6224
[email protected]

Issued jointly by the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County.