I find it rather humorous that several present County Councilors are grumbling about the half-empty, dilapidated Mari Mac Plaza (https://ladailypost.comcontent/no-bites-former-smith%E2%80%99s-building), whose crown jewel of festering dilapitude is the abandoned former Smith’s grocery building. Indeed, it was a past council that contributed to this situation by letting Krogers lease the Marketplace parcel south of Trinity at a very attractive rate while allowing the company to control the use of the old parcel by what the Los Alamos Daily Post says is a no-compete stipulation. This has, so far, left the citizens of Los Alamos to inherit and deal with an eyesore that does little for community vibrancy or financial health.

 

I think it is wishful thinking to assume that Smith’s has a “responsibility” to the community that goes beyond running a good store, making money, and abiding by the terms of its lease. Krogers is a corporation, not a generous uncle. But indeed, we now have an unlimited supply of disposable diapers here in Bombtown, which was one of the conditions I recall being demanded when the whole notion of the Smith’s Marketplace development was being debated in front of Council.

 

Perhaps present and future councilors will learn from this experience. Even in government-funded Los Alamos, there is no such thing as a civic free lunch. Short term thinking can have long term consequences. I think we have to be a little more hard-headed next time in looking out for #1.