By ELLEN WALTON
Los Alamos

In response to Nov. 14 letters from Robin Gurule (link) and Randall Ryti (link) on state of public properties in Los Alamos:

First, I hope that everyone will attend the public hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers to voice their concerns regarding the rezoning and plans for a developer-based comprehensive plan in our County.

Second, Robin Gurule is correct in her statements from Nov. 14, and I am in agreement with her letter about the lack of maintenance and poor planning for the growth of our communities. I can personally refute Council Chair Ryti’s Nov. 14 statement that the problems at the White Rock ball fields is recent.  The issue with the locked up and non-working restrooms at the ball fields existed pre-pandemic.

In 2017 the Council put forward a bond ordinance for $20 million for a list of projects that totaled $40 million at the time. Rolled into that bond ordinance were the White Rock ball field upgrades, golf course irrigation upgrades, ice rink upgrades, a brand-new leisure pool/lazy river, and a recreation center. There may have been other projects in the list like a splash pad in White Rock. The bond was voted down.  Council decided after the bond was defeated to select a few projects on the list to fund, and that did not include the ball fields. During that time period, I went to see for myself the state of the ball fields. It was, and still is, dismal. Restrooms not functional, horrid porta potty. Upkeep of all in 2017 the same as it is today.

“Deferred maintenance” is the legacy of many County Councils and LANL management, and there is no apparent movement toward changing this mode of operation. One only has to drive into White Rock and along State Rd. 4 toward Bandelier to see how the last $20 million “beautification” project became another example of “deferred maintenance” or experience the common power outages like the one on Nov. 13 originating on LANL property that led to the prolonged outage on Nov. 16 in freezing temperatures to know that maintenance is at the bottom of our leaders’ lists.

Newer residents may not know the history of comprehensive plans in Los Alamos. 1985 was the year of the first comprehensive plan. The County trash can is full of them, and that is the history of comprehensive plans in Los Alamos.

I believe that Los Alamos residents really just want the existing infrastructure and public facilities to be maintained and to work properly. Most of us want new development to respect open spaces and views and to be livable and sustainable. When I see the new “Mirador” homeowners running across State Rd. 4 in White Rock pushing baby strollers in front of them because they are afraid of being hit, I cringe, knowing that there are no options for them where they live. Not even a play park. We can do far better than this, Los Alamos, if we just speak out and show up in mass on Nov. 30.