Los Alamos County Council Chair David Izraelevitz listens to Councilor Chris Chandler make a motion regarding a citizen’s petition presented at the Aug. 29 Council meeting. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com 

Economic Development Administrator Joan Ahlers discusses Dave Fox’s petition with council during its regular meeting Aug. 29. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

COUNTY News: 

In an effort to get the remaining 8-mile stretch of N.M. 126 paved from La Cueva to Cuba, Los Alamos businessman Dave Fox presented a petition to Los Alamos County Council during its regular meeting Aug. 29. He was absent during the meeting and Economic Development Administrator Joan Ahlers spoke on his behalf.

The petition recommended Council direct the County Transportation Board to evaluate the state highway’s current status, estimate costs of its completion, determine the extent of outreach that would be needed to build regional support and evaluate the amount of local support for this project.

However, Council ultimately decided to take a different course. Council unanimously passed Councilor Chris Chandler’s motion to accept the petition and to authorize Council Chair David Izraelevitz and Ahlers to draft a letter to the New Mexico Department of Transportation, which will voice the County’s support for completing the 8-mile piece of road.

Furthermore, the council agreed that the economic development staff should continue to discuss the issue with neighboring communities and work on a regional strategy to propose a coalition that would advocate for the completion of the road. Ahlers will give an update to council in six months.