Council seeks feedback on 2019 priorities

Note: You will find the seven priorities that are the basis of this survey at the bottom of this Introduction.

The County Council held a Strategic Planning meeting on January 22, 2019. These discussions resulted in development and adoption of the 2019 Strategic Leadership Plan on February 12, 2019. The strategic planning discussions included review of a number of documents developed with community, staff, and Councilor input that describe key goals for achieving the community's vision for the County:

2018 Strategic Leadership Plan

2018 Management Action Plans

2018 Annual Report

2018 Tourism Strategic Plan (link here to download from the County's website - note this is a very large document and will take several minutes to download)

2016 Comprehensive Plan (link here to download from the County's website - note this is a large document and will take several minutes to download)

Dept. of Public Utilities Strategic Goals 2019

State of Health in Los Alamos County 2018

Economic Vitality Strategic Plan for Los Alamos County (draft 2018)

All meeting attendees then participated in identification of a set of strategic priorities - high priority issues that have been raised by community members - to facilitate making progress on especially urgent or challenging issues. It was clarified that this does not mean that the County will only work on and invest in these prioriites; they are a tool to help ensure that in the context of all of the on-going County efforts, a focus on a few hard and cross-cutting issues is maintained. 

After that meeting, Chair Sara Scott and Vice-Chair Pete Sheehey rolled up the results of the discussion, integrated these results with the 2018 Strategic Leadership Plan, and developed a draft 2019 Strategic Leadership Plan that reflected these seven priorities. The Council also discussed the draft Plan at their Feb. 5, 2019 Work Session. Minor wording suggestions were made, along with a motion unanimously approved by Council to approve the seven priorities and 2019 Strategic Leadership Plan, and also to engage the community to elicit:

1. Key areas of the stated priorities we should address first

2. Creative ideas for making progress on the priorities

3. Other suggested priorities that could be added to the list as we move forward

Residents are being asked to review the 2019 Strategic Leadership Plan priorities and provide comments regarding items 1 - 3. This is one of multiple mechanisms that will be used to promote engagement with the community to clearly and more broadly communicate what the priorities are, and to elict ideas and creative solutions for making progress. 

On-going improvement in communication and transparency in County policy setting is an overarching Council goal, and this is one component of that effort.  

Below are the seven priorities that residents should review and then provide comments by taking the survey. When providing feedback, please begin a new paragraph by first listing the word highlighted in BOLD in each of the priorities, so that it is clear which of the seven priorities you are referencing in your remarks.You may comment on any or all of the seven priorities in your feedback. 

Increasing the amount and types of housing options. 

This includes a variety of housing options for all segments of the community, from affordable, entry level, and live-work housing to new options for those interested in downsizing or moving closer to central areas of the community.

Enhancing support and opportunities for the local business environment. 

This includes appropriate support for existing businesses, growing new businesses, and supporting technology start-ups and spin-offs.

Addressing long-term building vacancies in our community. 

Land availability in Los Alamos County, and in particular in the downtown areas, is limited and there is a desire to work towards better utilization, opportunities for new businesses, and improved aesthetics.

Protecting, maintaining and improving our open spaces, recreational, and cultural amenities. 

Los Alamos County open spaces and cultural attractions are greatly valued by the community and provide opportunities for recreational and economic growth; appropriately allocating resources to ensure their health and sustainability is important to our citizens.

Supporting social services improvement. 

Behavioral, mental and physical health and social services are important quality of life components; there are key areas where appropriate types and levels of county support could help address current needs.

Investing in infrastructure. 

Appropriately balancing maintenance of existing infrastructure with new investments in county utilities, roads, facilities and amenities will help improve environmental stewardship, sustainability, and quality of life.

Planning for appropriate levels of county services. 

Making sure we understand the level of services our citizens want will allow us to make appropriate investments in processes and staff to achieve them.