By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

Developing new bike trails has bounced around Los Alamos County since 2013. Originally, new trails were proposed for Pajarito Mountain, then a possible bike flow trail was floated for one of the area’s canyons and then a whole system including trails, a skills park and a loop for the National Interscholastic Cycling Association was proposed for Pueblo Canyon.

The project evolved again during Tuesday night’s Council meeting.

Council voted 6-0, Councilor Keith Lepsch was absent, to do the following:

• Adjust the scope the Pueblo Canyon conceptual trail project to a single, comprehensive, consolidated county wide trails and open space management plan.
• This consolidated plan will incorporate four plans (2013 Community Trail Plan, 2015 Open Space Management Plan, 2022 Los Alamos County Trailhead Assessment and 2009 Trail Management Planning Document) along with ADA audit and transition plans and the Los Alamos County open space restoration feasibility assessment.
• This plan will be holistic in its scope by including maintenance and improvements and will consider recreation, mobility, economic vitality and environmental sustainability.
• The County will coordinate with the Parks and Recreation Board and receive input from the board.

This was not the first motion that council considered on this issue. Councilor Melanee Hand motioned to “adjust the scope of the project to be county wide trails and open space management plan with input or coordination from the parks and recreation board.”

This motion failed to pass with Councilors Theresa Cull, Suzy Havemann and David Reagor opposed and Council Chair Denise Derkacs along with Councilor Randall Ryti in favor.

Havemann said she felt the motion needed more specifics.

“I’m inclined to not support this motion because I don’t feel it is specific enough,” Havemann said. “I don’t feel it gives enough direction and further, if I walked out of here tonight I wouldn’t be sure if I understood what we just voted on, of what was just approved. I just think there needs a little bit more description, a little more detail … of what needs to be expected with some more defined deliverables.”

Cull said she felt uneasy that the Parks and Recreation Board wasn’t informed about this issue prior to it being presented to council.

Parks and Recreation Board Chair David Hampton assured Council that the board was aware that this was the direction the County would like to head in.

“We were aware the last couple of months that Director Styron was going to head in this direction after we received no bids on the plan for Pueblo Canyon, he said. “… I personally have no objection to that. I regret it was taken away from the mountain bikers because it was given to them by previous Council, but given the fact it’s been eight years and we have three failed plans, I agree … that this probably is the right direction to head in.”

In other business council:

• Unanimously approved the County Assessor’s 2023 valuation and maintenance plan.
• Unanimously approved an amendment of $256,108 to the services agreement with iConsult LLC, iCon Golf Studio and Grass Roots Golf Design for the Los Alamos County Golf Course improvement project.
• Unanimously approved the 5 percent transfer of $898,500 from the Department of Public Utilities’ electric and gas funds to the general fund, as required by the County Charter, to be redirected for utility infrastructure projects as determined by Council.
• Unanimously approved to launch an Adopt-a-Road program in the County.
• Voted 5-1, with Hand opposed, to award $595,000 for the removal of feral cows. Hand said she felt that since these cows are given to the state brand inspector, who sells the cows at auction, the state agency should foot the bill for removing them, not the County.