Los Alamos County Council is seeking feedback regarding the possible purchase of the CB Fox and Reel Deal buildings. A survey has been posted on the Open Forum page and will be open until Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. The Council will discuss this topic and survey results at their March 16 Council meeting (6 p.m. on Zoom). County staff from Public Works and their consultant (FBT Architects) presented options and various use scenarios at the Council's Feb. 16 meeting. Reviewing that powerpoint presentation is an important precursor to taking the Open Forum survey, because the survey asks specific questions about the various scenarios to gauge community support. 

View the powerpoint here.  

Los Alamos County Council voted five to two Tuesday evening, Aug. 25 for the county to continue on to the next phase of the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP). Members from the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) voted in favor last week on August 19 with a vote of three to two. 

Last week, at the August 19th Board of Public Utilities meeting, BPU members voted three to two in favor of the county continuing in the development of the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP). 

Tomorrow, at the August 25th Council meeting, councilors will consider whether it is in the best interest of Los Alamos to commit to funding for the next phase of the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) or to exit?   For more information on the project visit https://ladpu.com/CFPP or for info on tomorrow's meeting click on the "Read More" button.   

The Board of Public Utilities and the County Council will decide on the County's continued participation in the development of the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) on August 19 and 25. Specifically, the BPU and Council will determine if it is in the best interest of Los Alamos to commit to funding for the next phase of the Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP) or to exit? If the BPU and Council approve this next phase of the project in August or September, there will still be additional off-ramps decisions prior to the construction of the CFPP.

Libraries are for everyone! Take this survey to let the Librarians know which events, programs or classes you might be interested in attending!

The Arts in Public Places Advisory Board has been approached with a proposal to purchase a painting by Jeff Segler, the National Artist for the Boy Scouts of America.  The proposal from the artist and a color rendering are now available on Open Forum.  Please take a look and provide your opinion of the proposed painting as well as the proposed location within Fuller Lodge.  Additional comments relating to Arts in Public Places can be addressed to [email protected].  Thank you for sharing your opinion.

The Economic Vitality Action Team (EVAT) is seeking public comment on the DRAFT Economic Vitality Strategic Plan from March 7 through March 29. Read more about the plan and its proposed goals, and then weigh in with your rankings on priorities and/or offer additional comments on Open Forum, using the link below.

OR

If you do not wish to take the Open Forum survey, you can attend an Open House about the plan on Wed. March 13 from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers (inside the Municipal Bldg, First Floor). You will be able to rank the items in the plan or give EVAT representatives additional comments.

The Los Alamos County Council is seeking community feedback about the 2019 Strategic Leadership Plan unanimously adopted at the Council meeting held February 12, 2019. Seven priorities have been identified as focus areas this year:

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.

Additional background about the Plan and supporting documents used to guide the process, which began in January, have been posted on Open Forum as an open-ended survey that asks residents to consider and respond to three questions:

What ideas do you have for making progress on the seven priorities?

Are there key areas where we could make near-term impact?

Are there other priorities we should be looking at in the future?

Residents are encouraged to take the survey before the deadline of March 31 at 5:00 p.m. Individuals do not need to register with Open Forum to weigh in with comments and can remain Anonymous. Results will be given to the Council in a report generated by the Open Forum software, for them to consider before the budget hearing process begins April 15.

While residents are asked to use the Open Forum survey tool, which has the benefit of allowing other community members to read and consider all responses, the Council will also accept an e-mail response to the three questions listed above. Send an e-mail to:

[email protected]

Public meetings with County Councilors will also be scheduled during the next two months. It should be noted that the Plan does not exclude making progress on other, previously identified goals. The seven priorities were selected as especially urgent or challenging issues. They were chosen as a tool to help ensure that, in the context of on-going County efforts, a focus on a few hard and cross-cutting issues is maintained.

Link here to take the survey:

https://www.opentownhall.com/7206

Members of the Animal Shelter Ad Hoc Advisory Committee are seeking the public's feedback about the local shelter. You do not need to have visited (or adopted a pet from) the shelter to take the survey. Visit the link below to answer a few short questions and let the committee hear your feedback, or, read what others are saying about the shelter on Open Forum!

The deadline to respond is Feb. 13 at 5:00 p.m.

On August 15, 2018, the proposed ordinance to increase sewer rates was approved by the Board of Public Utilities.  A public hearing will be held on September 25, 2018 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers located at 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM, to be considered for adoption by the County Council.  

The Department of Public Utilities is proposing an increase to sewage rate services.  Read the discussion and provide your feedback to the Board of Public Utilities.  The public hearing for the proposed sewage rate increase is scheduled for: 

Wednesday, August 15th @ 5:30 PM Council Chambers, Municipal Building, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM

Greetings! The Los Alamos Community Services Department (CSD) is soliciting feedback from community members regarding the 100 Days of Summer Programming Guide. The latest version of the guide is on the CSD webpage and available in hard copy at County facilities including Mesa Public Library, White Rock Branch Library, Aquatic Center, Golf Course and the Customer Care Center in the Municipal Building lobby. Booklets are also available at many local businesses and attractions around town. Thank you for taking the time to share your input!

Please note that you can still submit your comments on the Open Forum page until February 22nd for the Carbon Free Power Project (next-generation nuclear electric generating facility using small module reactors) . The Board of Public Utilities and the County Council will meet jointly on March 6 at 6 PM in Council Chambers to discuss the project. On March 21st at 5:30 PM the BPU will make a recommendation and on April 3rd at 6 PM the Council will decide whether or not to move into the next phase of the project.

At the direction of the Board of Public Utilities, DPU is exploring whether to add a next-generation nuclear power facility to the County's energy generation portfolio to meet a 2040 goal to be carbon neutral.  Through its membership with UAMPS (Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems), DPU is specifically looking at the Carbon-Free Power Project , which will utilize small modular nuclear reactor technology developed by NuScale. 

Idaho National Laboratory is the where the CFPP will be located and if it proceeds, it could be generating power by 2027. 

The Board of Public Utilities and the County Council will need to make a decision in early March.  

Greetings!

As part of Customer Service Week, the Los Alamos Community Services Department (CSD) is soliciting feedback from community members regarding the level of service provided by the department. Your feedback is very important to us and will help to shape our future efforts in providing safe, engaging, high-quality, cost-effective programs, services and special events for our citizens in a responsive and courteous manner.

Thank you for taking the time to give us your input!

At the August 8th public hearings, the County Council adopted new water and sewage rates.  The new rates become effective immediately.  Customers can expect to see the new rates on the next billing cycle.  

Note that the public hearings for water and sewage rate increases that were scheduled for July 25th have been moved to:

AUGUST 8TH at 6PM in Council Chambers, Municipal Building, 1000 Central Avenue Los Alamos, NM  

Public comments will be accepted through Open Forum until August 6th,11:59PM. 

The Department of Public Utilities is proposing an 8-percent increase to sewage rates.  Read the discussion and provide your feedback to the County Council.  The public hearing for the proposed sewage rate increase is scheduled for: 

Tuesday, July 25th @ 6 PM Council Chambers, Municipal Building, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM

The Department of Public Utilities is proposing an 8-percent increase to water rates.  Read the discussion and provide your comments to the County Council.  The public hearing for the proposed water rate increase is scheduled for: 

Tuesday, July 25th @ 6 PM Council Chambers, Municipal Building 1000 Central Avenue Los Alamos, NM  

The Board of Public Utilities approved the proposed ordinance at the June 21st Public Hearing.  The ordinance will be introduced to the Los Alamos County Council on June 27th to be scheduled for a public hearing on July 25th.  Council will consider adoption of the ordinance at that time.

The Board of Public Utilities approved the proposed ordinance at the June 21st Public Hearing.  The ordinance will be introduced to the Los Alamos County Council on June 27th to be scheduled for a public hearing on July 25th.  Council will consider adoption of the ordinance at that time. 

The Department of Public Utilities is proposing an 8-percent increase to sewage rates.  Read the discussion and provide your feedback to the Board of Public Utilities.  The public hearing for the proposed sewage rate increase is scheduled for: 

Wednesday, June 21st @ 5:30 PM Council Chambers, Municipal Building, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM

The Department of Public Utilities is proposing an 8-percent increase to water rates.  Read the discussion and provide your comments to the Board of Public Utilities.  The public hearing for the proposed water rate increase is scheduled for: 

Wednesday, June 21st @ 5:30 PM Council Chambers, Municipal Building 1000 Central Avenue Los Alamos, NM  

Los Alamos County is updating its Bicycle Transportation Plan and wants your input to ensure community needs are met. 

Please take our short online survey.  Your input will help shape our plan, which will be considered by the County Council in June 2017.

We look forward to hearing from you! 

Homeowners please take this short survey.  The Community Development Department has expanded its efforts to reach out to homeowners to provide information about the County’s building permitting process. Our goal is to host an event for our Building Inspectors to meet with homeowners in an informal setting to discuss home improvement projects one-on-one. Homeowners are encouraged to bring their plans, drawings, reference materials, or just their ideas if they’re just getting started. Click on Take the Survey below to have your say.

It is not too late to share with the Department of Public Utilities your level of interest in the developement of a Community Solar Garden.  Please take a few minutes to respond to the five question survey. The survey closes on January 8th at 11:59 P.M.  Results of the survey will be shared with the Board of Public Utilities on January 18th at 5:30 P.M. in council chambers.   Thank you!

The Department of Public Utilities requests your assistance in determining the public's level of interest in a Community Solar Garden.  Please take a few minutes to respond to the five question survey.  DPU will use this information to prepare a feasibility study for possible consideration to add a Community Solar Garden to the County's energy generation portfolio.  The survey will close on January 8 at 11:59PM.  Thank you!

Los Alamos County Council adopted two ordinances to adjust rates for natural gas and water at the September 27th meeting.  

ORDINANCE NO. 02-268 to decrease natural gas rate, and

ORDINANCE NO. 02-267 to increase water rates.  

The ordinances became effective upon adoption. 

The deadline to provide feedback to the Los Alamos County Council on proposed rate changes to water and natural gas is Wednesday, September 21 at 11:59 PM.  All comments will be provided to Councilors prior to the public hearings scheduled for Tuesday, September 27th at 6PM in council chambers.  

To comment on the proposed water ordinance: http://www.peakdemocracy.com/3969 To comment on the proposed natural gas ordinance:  http://www.peakdemocracy.com/3972

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) recommend that the Los Alamos County Council adopt the draft ordinance to decrease natural gas rates, as well as remove language related to the "sunset clause" associated with the pass-through rate.  Read the topic and provide your feedback by September 21.  

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) recommend the County Council adopt a draft ordinance to increase retail and wholesale water rates by 10-percent.  Read the topic and provide your feedback to the County Council by September 21.  

The Board of Public Utilities voted at the August 17th Board meeting to approve the proposed ordinance to reduce gas rates and remove the "sunset" clause for the pass-through rate structure.  The ordinance will go to the County Council on September 27th to be considered for adoption. 

The Board of Public Utilities approved the proposed water rate increase at the August 17th Board meeting.  The proposed ordinance will go to the Council Council to be considered for adoption at the September 27th Council meeting.  Thank you everyone who provided comments to the Board.  

On August 17th the Department of Public Utilities will recommend to the Board of Public Utilities a 10-percent water rate increase across the board.  Read the ordinance and the explanation and provide your feedback to the Board on the Open Forum page before August 15. 

On August 17th the Department of Public Utilities will recommend to the Board of Public Utilities a natural gas rate decrease and the removal of the sunset language for the "pass-through" cost of gas rate structure.  Read the ordinance and the explanation and provide your feedback to the Board on the Open Forum page before August 15.  

The Los Alamos County DWI Planning Council would like your input related to DWI in our community.

You may have seen banners, posters and coasters from the DWI Planning Council as they step up to take a more active role in our community. Given that, they want to hear from you! How should the DWI Planning Council spend their State of NM grant funds in Los Alamos? If they offered a designated driver type of incentive (wear a bracelet, get free non-alcoholic drinks at a local bar that evening), would you participate? What about a taxi service for those who have had too much to drink? Would you want someone to pay a small fee for that or do you think it should be free? They will use community input to the survey as part of their first Strategic Planning Retreat coming up later this year. Help guide them in the best way to spend their funding! 

Atomic City Transit wants to hear from you! Please let us know which of the following service options would best serve you.

At the March 16th Board meeting, the Board of Public Utilities passed all 13 recommended policies that were identified in the July 7, 2015 Future Electrical Energy Resources Report.  Utilities Manager Tim Glasco has been directed to develop an integrated implentation plan to bring back to the Board.  Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on this forum and at the public meeting.  

Tell us what you'd like to see in your local library! The Library Board is seeking feedback to update the library's long range plan. 

It's not too late to provide input to the Board of Public Utilities on policy for customer-owned solar energy systems.  The deadline to provide feedback is March 14, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.  The Board will discuss and adopt policy at the Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Board meeting held at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM.  All feedback will be provided to the Board prior to the meeting.

Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) officials encourage Los Alamos citizens to visit the County’s online open forum and provide feedback on recommended policies related to distributed energy resources or customer-owned generation sources, such as roof-top solar systems. The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will review and discuss recommendations in the July 7, 2015 Future Electrical Energy Report on this issue at the March 16, 2016 board meeting held at 5:30 PM in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the discussion on Carbon Neutrality and Future Electrical Energy Resources for Los Alamos County.

At the January 20th meeting the Board of Public Utilities adopted the following defintion for carbon neutrality: 

Carbon Neutrality

The Department of Public Utilities will be a carbon-neutral electrical energy provider when the electricity distributed to Los Alamos County consumers is generated or purchased from sources that in their normal operation cause no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

• Los Alamos County consumers means those customers scheduled in the Los Alamos County Code of Ordinances Section 121; this does not include DOE/LANL.
• No net release of carbon dioxide means that purchases or generation of carbon-based electrical energy, necessary when carbon-free supplies are not practically available to supply Los Alamos County consumers, will be fully offset from previous sales of surplus carbon-free electricity to other entities.

Future Electrical Energy Resources

Additionally, the Board adopted 13 of the 14 recommended Future Electrical Energy Resources identified in the July 7, 2015 Future Electrical Energy Report. The one recommendation not adopted is as follows,  

"Adopt policy regarding extension of Electrical Coordination Agreement such that any continuation of its power pooling function will not dilute Los Alamos County's carbon-free resources." 

The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will review and discuss at the January 20th Board meeting, policies for future electrical energy resources for Los Alamos County as recommended by the Future Energy Resources Committee.  Read the open forum discussion and provide your feedback prior to January 18th.  All comments will be provided to the BPU.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback and/or attended the December 16, 2015 Board of Public Utilities (BPU) meeting.  The BPU tabled the Carbon Neutrality Definition at the December 16th meeting.  

The matter will be put on the agenda to be discussed again and adopted at the January 20, 2016 Board meeting scheduled for 5:30 PM in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos NM.   

The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will adopt a definition for "Carbon Neutrality" at its December 16, 2015 Board meeting scheduled at 5:30PM in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM.

Read and provide your feedback on the definition for "Carbon Neutrality" developed by the Future Energy Resources Committee (FER Committee), a seven-member citizen group selected to assist the BPU and the Department of Public Utilities to reach a long-term goal to be a carbon neutral electric provider by 2040.  

    What do you believe are the most important characteristics for a community art center?

Los Alamos County is developing a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) Update to its 2006 plan.  The purpose of this LHMP Update is to assess risk to natural hazards, implement actions to reduce future losses, and maintain eligibility for federal mitigation funds in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. 

What is Hazard Mitigation? Hazard mitigation means any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from natural hazards. 

Why is Natural Hazard Mitigation Important? Most people who live or work in Los Alamos County have been affected by natural hazards in one way or another. The County and its residents are vulnerable to a variety of hazards including wildfire, flood, earthquake, dam failure and severe weather events.  The rising costs associated with disaster response and recovery have focused the attention of federal, state, and local governments on addressing natural hazards before they occur.  Obviously, torrential rains, floods, and wildfires cannot be prevented from occurring.  Planning for natural hazards and implementing mitigation measures, however, can reduce the impact of such events when they do occur.  Emergency response and recovery costs; property damage and monetary losses; personal injury and loss of life; and the overall economic and social impact on the community can all be reduced, and in some instances eliminated through natural hazard mitigation.

What is the Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Process? The County's Emergency Management Division is taking the lead on this LHMP Update project with assistance from a consulting firm.  This LHMP Update is being developed by a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee comprised of representatives from various County and community departments, key federal state and local agency stakeholders and the public.  The plan is addressing an updated list of hazards and will assess the likely impacts of these hazards to the people and assets of the County.  The plan update process will also establish updated goals and prioritize projects to reduce the impacts of future disasters on people and property as well as to critical facilities and infrastructure. 

Members of the community have a very important role in this process.  Visit Open Forum to read the draft Plan and take the survey using the link below!

The deadline for comments is 5:00 p.m. on August 15, 2015.

On June 3, 2015, staff presented the Fuller Lodge Historic District Advisory Board a design update for the Fuller Lodge Phases 2-4 & Museum Remodel Project. One of the concepts presented was an external elevator to provide ADA access to the second floor of Fuller Lodge. The external elevator was not well received by the vast majority of those who voiced an opinion. You may review the materials presented and the results of the June 10 meeting on the Open Forum topic:

http://www.losalamosnm.us/gov/Pages/PublicCommentForum.aspx#peak_democracy}

County staff shelved the exterior elevator concept and asked Mullen-Heller to investigate other interior options. At the July 29 public meeting, Mullen-Heller presented their findings regarding two interior elevator options.  About ten members of the public were in attendance, with two Fuller Lodge Historic Districts Advisory Board members in attendance.

Wayne Kohlrust, County Project Manager for the Fuller Lodge Phases 2-4 and Museum Remodel Project, opened the meeting and conducted a quick tour of the potential locations that included tape on the floor to show the space that would be needed on each floor for each option. Four written comments were submitted and are available for review {link}.

During the July 29th meeting, one attendee suggested a modified version of Option 2 that would allow elevator access off of the current hallway through the current elevator equipment room and the Green Room bathroom, instead of through the Pajarito Room. This option is being included as Option 2b {link}. Options 2a and 2b would both require modifications to the existing Green Room bathroom.

The options are presented on a new Open Forum question, with pros and cons listed under the General Notes on the drawings. Please review the concepts and let us know your preference. When providing comment, if inclined to do so, please include your order of preference.

As prescribed in the County's contract amendment AGR15-4150-A1 for Strapline Development and Selection Services, Atlas Advertising has submitted five choices for a possible strapline for Los Alamos County. A strapline (also referred to as a "tagline") is one element of a place brand. It is typically a 3-5 word formal line of copy frequently placed below a logo. A strapline should summarize the unique aspects of a community, evoke emotion and last the life of the brand. As dictated by the contract, one of the choices for a strapline is the existing "Where Discoveries Are Made," one is a choice selected from previous branding consultant North Star's suggestion provided in 2014 ("Never Stop Questioning What's Possible") and three are new choices created by Atlas, at the request of the citizen/county Branding Review Committee ("the Committee"). The three new choices to consider from Atlas are:

• All the Elements of Imagination 
• Limitless Horizons 
• Peak Experience

Over the next month, the Committee is assisting Atlas in soliciting public feedback to select the top TWO choices from the five options presented on Open Forum. This includes gathering data from residents, businesses, tourists and visitors to Los Alamos in a variety of ways. You are asked to prioritize the list of 5 straplines (listed in alphabetical order on Open Forum), with special emphasis on placing your top two choices at the top of the list first, then prioritizing the remaining three straplines. You have the option to provide comments about your selections. If you do not prefer ANY of the straplines, or, only prefer one of the straplines, move the "None of the Straplines" ranking option to first or second position to indicate your ranking accordingly.

Open Forum will be open to collect data on the five straplines until Friday, August 28 at 5:00 p.m. -  you can go to this topic on Open Forum when you click on the link.

It has been a long time in the making, but an art proposal by the Los Alamos Art in Public Places Board (APPB) is now ready for public input. First suggested by the White Rock Master Plan Implementation Committee when the new Visitor Center was still under construction, the project involves placing a series of six large Native American pottery replicas – like those at the Albuquerque airport – along the NM4 corridor through White Rock. 

The concept, now fully developed, involves a historical progression of pottery styles associated with San Ildefonso Pueblo, from prehistoric to contemporary. The concrete pot forms would be produced by the same firm that made the ones in Albuquerque, and a group of San Ildefonso artists, descendants of the original inhabitants of the Pajarito Plateau, would select authentic ancestral designs and paint them on the replicas. The pieces would range in size from four feet tall to an eight foot diameter plate in the style of Maria Martinez, and would be distributed along both sides of State Road 4. 

Project costs are anticipated to be between $100,000 and $140,000. Sufficient funds are available in the Art in Public Places account, which was created by an ordinance that sets aside 1% of the cost of Capital Improvement projects (1/2 % of road projects) for public art in Los Alamos County. The APPB is tasked with making art recommendations to the County Council, which has final authority on expenditures from the account. 

Public input is an important consideration in the decisions of the Art Board and County Council, and there are two ways for the public to comment on this project. Art Board members will be present with comment cards at the Grand Opening of the White Rock Branch Library on July 31, beginning at 11:00, and comments will be accepted via the County’s Open Forum webpage  from July 24 through August 3. 

What do you think of the rules being proposed by the Parks Division concerning dogs in County parks?

The current elevator at Fuller Lodge does not meet ADA standards, cannot accommodate wheelchairs, and is quite small. With the anticipated increase in visitors to Los Alamos due to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the County wants to explore options to provide access to the second floor of the Lodge to all visitors.  Log into the Open Forum topic, read the discussion and provide your input.  

Did you miss the public meeting on May 5 about branding Los Alamos? It's not too late! Give Atlas Advertising your feedback here on Open Forum - they are still collecting comments through Thursday, May 14!

    Should Los Alamos County reduce the use of single distribution plastic bags?

Los Alamos County Council voted 4-2 to adopt ordinance 02-255 to increase electric rates at the February 17th public hearing. The ordinance becomes effective upon adoption.  More information on the ordinance can be found on the Open Forum link: http://www.peakdemocracy.com/2425

The Council did not take any action on the Open Space Management Plan at their last Council meeting (Friday, Feb. 6) due to time constraints. It will be placed on a future meeting agenda.

A Public Hearing is scheduled for February 17th at 7 PM in Council Chambers for the County Council to decide whether or not to adopt proposed ordinance 02-255 to increase electric rates as approved and modified by the Board of Public Utilities on January 21. 

Read about it and provide comment on the Open Forum topic Revised Electric Rate Increase To Be Heard By Council Feb. 17th. All comments will be shared with the Council prior to the Public Hearing.  

Thank you. 

The County Council passed Ordinance 02-241 on Tuesday night, amending Chapter 2, Article V, Section 2-421 to extend the amount of time from six months to five years before a County building could be named after a deceased person. Council left the shorter time frame of six months in place for facilities that are not buildings, such as trails, specific rooms in buildings, or athletic fields.

On January 21, 2015 the Board of Public Utilities voted 4-1 to approve proposed ordinance 02-255 (revised electric rate increase) with modifications.  The Board modification was to remove .44 cents/kWh that had been proposed to establish a rate stabilization fund.  The modified ordinance will be introduced to Council on January 27.  A public hearing will be held on February 17 for adoption consideration by the County Council.   The February 17th Public Hearing will be held in Council Chambers at 7 p.m. 

At their meeting on January 22, the Art in Public Places Board voted unanimously to select "Solar Tree" for the Municipal Building West Plaza. Their recommendation will be forwarded to Council for approval at a future Council meeting.

The Art in Public Places Board held an open house in the lobby of the Municipal Building from noon to 3 p.m. on January 15, 2015 to showcase the proposals of the top three finalists for artwork that will be installed in the Municipal Building's West Plaza, using APP funds. Now they are seeking additional feedback using Open Forum. A handout with a descriptions of each piece of art (including a photo) can be downloaded using the link below, and then you are welcome to leave your comments for the Board. This is a topic of discussion at their Jan. 22 meeting (5:30 p.m. in Rm 100 of the Municipal Bldg). They might make a decision at that time.

The deadline for comments is midnight on Jan. 21.

Thanks for your interest in this Open Forum topic.

Here is the T-Board Motion from their Jan. 8, 2015 meeting: I move that the Transportation Board recommend approval of the Comprehensive Transit Study and Five-year Plan with the amendments presented tonight that restore the 2M Route and consider running the loop in Los Alamos the opposite direction.

The motion passed  4-0.

At the December 16th public hearing, the County Council remanded the Department of Public Utilities' proposed electric rate ordinance back to the Board of Public Utilities.  Council specifically requested that the Power Cost Adjustment factor be removed.  The Department has revised the ordinance and will be taking it back to the Board of Public Utilities for approval on January 21 at 5:30 PM in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM.  

Notable changes in the revised proposed electric rate ordinance: 

1. Removal of Section 40-126 relating to the Power Cost Adjustment,  
2. One increase to become effective in February, rather than the two step increase that was originally proposed - one in January and a subsequent increase in July, and 
3. An increase to the charge per kilowatt hour to include the expected cost of power plus a small incremental increase to create a rate stabilization fund.  

Read about it and provide comment on the Open Forum topic Revised - Proposed Electric Rate Increase.  All comments will be shared with the Board.  

Thank you. 

Los Alamos County's Transit Division is wrapping up work on the five-year Transit Plan - a topic that was previously posted on Open Forum to gather public feedback. Based on that feedback, the Transportation Board directed the consultant to develop some service options for further review by the Public and the Board. Visit Open Forum to download the options document, then weigh in with your preferred option and any other comments. The Board is expected to have a discussion about this document at their meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8 in Council Chambers (Rm 100, Municipal Bldg). You are welcome to attend that meeting and give them your comments.

For background on this topic, visit the Closed Topics page on Open Forum and link to the Transit Plan topic posted a few weeks ago.

This item was tabled at the November 14, 2014 council meeting due to time constraints. The public hearing was re-set for Dec. 9. The Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance, but made some changes. The draft motion is below with those changes:

A motion was made by Councilor Henderson, seconded by Councilor Berting, that Council adopt Incorporated County of Los Alamos Code Ordinance No. 02-251, An Ordinance Amending Chapter 6 of the Code of Ordinances of the Incorporated County of Los Alamos, relating to chickens in proximity to human habitation; with an amendment of the number of chickens allowed from 6 to 10, and ask staff to assure that it is published in summary form.

Councilor Izraelevitz offered a Friendly Amendment that the square feet be changed from 16 to 10 square feet, and to change 2 square feet of shelter space to 3. It was not accepted.

Councilor Izraelevitz offered a subsequent Friendly Amendment to change just the 16 square feet to 10 square feet.  It was accepted.

To review the Ordinance, visit the Open Forum page that was used to collect public comment until Nov. 14.

The Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Division of Los Alamos County seeks public comment on the draft Open Space Management Plan on Open Forum.

First proposed by citizens in 1998, the plan’s purpose is to identify key features of open space that make Los Alamos a desirable place to live or visit and to outline ways to protect those features. Key features include vistas, natural and cultural resources, trails, and outdoor recreational opportunities close to homes. The plan proposes establishing a Los Alamos Open Space System to clearly identify recreational land for residents and visitors.

Before taking the plan to the County Council, the PROS Division seeks public input to the proposals, both in the broadest sense of the plan and on the specific projects discussed in the document, particularly:

• Additional features of open space that make Los Alamos a desirable place to live or visit
• Which proposals should be implemented, which should not, particularly the establishment of an open space system
• Prioritizing the specific management actions discussed in the plan

The plan is available online through the link below on Open Forum and a public meeting focused on the plan will be held on January 14, 2015 at 7 PM at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center, 3540 Orange Street.

 

On November 19th, the Board of Public Utilities approved with modifications an ordinance to restructure and increase the electric rate.  The modified ordinance will go to the County Council on December 16 to be considered for adoption.  Read the Open Forum on the PROPOSED ELECTRIC RATE RESTRUCTURE AND INCREASE topic and provide us your feedback.  All comments will be shared with the County Council.  

Thank you. 

 

The proposed chickens ordinance public hearing has been re-set for the Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. Open Forum has closed for this topic as of November 14 (the originally scheduled public hearing date, which was tabled due to time constraints); however, Open Forum comments can still be viewed at the link below.

The last time a Transit Study was conducted was just prior to Atomic City Transit starting operations, approximately seven years ago. In February, the County contracted with LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. (LSC), to develop a Comprehensive Transit Study / Updated Five-Year Transit Plan (Transit Plan). LSC reviewed the initial Atomic City Transit Service Plan, identified transit demand through existing data and solicitation of community input (including public meetings in Los Alamos and White Rock), conducted on-board rider surveys, interviewed County Transit and Fleet staff, analyzed and evaluated the existing service and routes in terms of improving efficiencies and meeting community demand; reviewed routes, connections, and schedules; researched coordination with existing regional connectors provided by NCRTD, Park and Ride, and the Rail Runner; and, performed other detailed analysis with the result being the draft Transit Study. It was presented to the Transportation Board at their November meeting that included a presentation by LSC, Board discussion, and public comment. In general, public comment primarily focused on longer ride times for some routes and proposed changes to White Rock service. After the discussion, the Transportation Board moved to recommend further study of the travel times, safety, route efficiency, and on-demand service as these pertain to accessibility and longer travel times that will impact key users, including those in White Rock, before approving the Plan. Based on the Transportation Board’s motion, LSC has provided additional analysis and information, and the County is requesting additional public feedback through Open Forum before the next Transportation Board meeting, which is scheduled for December 4, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building Council Chambers. You are invited to read the documents and make your comments on the forum prior to the meeting on Dec. 4 for the T-Board to review, or, plan to attend the meeting in person and give public comment.

The Board of Public Utilities will consider an electric rate restructure and increase at a Public Hearing on Nov. 19. The proposed rate includes a new charge for net-metering customers and a Power Cost Adjustment charge for all DPU customers.  Read the ordinance, staff briefing, and provide public comment on the Open Forum at http://www.peakdemocracy.com/2279.  

Note that the Board has scheduled a work session on November 14th for to ask staff questions about the ordinance and the rate.  This meeting is open to the public, no action will be taken by the Board.

On October 28, the Council will hold a public hearing for Ordinance 02-241, which would increase the length of time that must pass before a request could be made to name a County facility after a deceased person. Currently, a request can be made six months after the person's death. The change would increase the amount of time to five years. What do you think? Log on to Open Forum and leave your comments! The Council meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers (inside the Municipal Bldg in downtown Los Alamos.)

 

The new ordinance will be introduced at the Council meeting on Oct. 10 (noon, Council Chambers). The changes made to the previously published ordinance (pulled from the Sept. 30 council meeting agenda) were to remove references to poultry (which would have allowed wild peacocks and turkeys, for example) and narrow the scope to only chickens being permitted in small numbers in all residential areas. A previous reference to slaughtering activities was also taken out of this version. To read and comment on the new ordinance, see the link below for Open Forum. Remember, no public comments can be taken at the Introduction on Oct. 10. If you want to make comments in person, plan to attend the Council meeting for the Public Hearing (Friday, Nov. 14 at noon in Council Chambers, inside the Municipal Bldg in Room 100). Friday council meetings being at noon and are limited to 1.5 hours - ending promptly at 1:30 p.m.