How would you rank the priorities outlined in the draft Economic Vitality Strategic Plan? What areas do you think should be addressed first inside of the four various goals?

The Economic Vitality Strategic Plan (EVSP) presents a 10-year vision of what is desired from our local community in the future, within the context of the current and predicted economic environment. This plan was created by the members of the County Manager’s Economic Vitality Action Team (EVAT). It replaces the initial EVSP developed and adopted by the County Council on April 5, 2010. EVAT members conducted an extensive review of the 2010 plan goals and actions to determine what had been accomplished, what issues were still relevant, and what new issues, initiatives, County priorities, and projects should be added. Since 2010, Los Alamos County has accepted strategic plans for wayfinding, branding and tourism, as well as a Comprehensive Plan. These concurrent strategic plans that impact the progress and implementation of this EVSP have been noted to ensure their future coordination. The EVSP update provides the basis for aligning actions, services and projects to further Council’s strategic goals. Link to the EVSP and read the entire document here.

In addition to this Open Forum survey (open from March 7-29, 2019), the County is hosting a Public Open House on Wednesday, March 13 at Los Alamos County Council Chambers, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, where interested members of the public can discuss the EVSP’s goals and tactics with County staff and EVAT members and rank them on posters displayed at stations around the room.

Comments received from the public via Open Forum and the Open House will be captured and considered for possible incorporation in the revised draft that is scheduled to be presented to the County Council for acceptance at the May 7, 2019 regular Council meeting. Pending additional comment received at the Council meeting, the report will be finalized for implementation and made available to the general public.

Directions for taking the survey:  There are four goals stated in the EVSP:

1. Increase the availability of housing in the County, both affordable and market rate.
2. Define and address quality of life priorities.
3. Grow a separate, complementary economy to LANL.
4. Support and retain LANL as the area’s best wealth-producing employer.

When you begin the survey, you will be able to select 10 green “dots’ to assign to each of the activities listed in the plan that fall under each goal.  Place up to ten dots among each of the activities to show your ranking of one activity against another. For example, you may place all 10 dots on one activity if you believe it has a very high ranking and is a ‘must do” for that goal to succeed, or, you may choose to spread the 10 dots more equally among all of the activities if you believe they are all important to successful completion of the goal. After each ranking is submitted on the survey form, you will be taken to a Comments box to explain your rankings, or, to offer additional activities not listed for each goal that you would like the County to consider.

As mentioned above, if you do not wish to take the on-line survey, you have an alternative option: You may attend an Open House with four stations displaying posters featuring each of the four goals and their related activities. You can rank each one with ten colored dots on the poster. Dots will be provided to you by the Open House facilitators. Members of the Economic Vitality Action Team and County staff will be available to answer questions. The Open House will be held Wednesday, March 13, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Los Alamos County Council Chambers of the Municipal Building.

The results of this Open Forum survey and the Open House comments will be part of discussions with the EVAT in April and then with the Council at the May 7 Council meeting, when they consider the draft Plan and possible revisions or acceptance. You are welcome to attend that Council meeting (May 7 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers) and give additional public comment.

Click the “Take Survey” button below to begin the on-line survey, which is anticipated to take approximately 10-15 minutes. Or, exit the survey at this point and mark your calendar to attend the Open House on March 13 instead. Thank you!

NOTE: Under each goal, next to each of the tactics listed, the survey participant is given a + or – tool to add/subtract the number of “green dots” to indicate their support for that specific tactic.