Los Alamos COVID Impact For Week Ending April 11, 2022
COVID-19 statistics for the week ending April 11, 2022 impacting Los Alamos County:
-
258 tests
- 19 diagnoses (18 in Los Alamos, 1 in White Rock)
- 0 deaths
Source: New Mexico Department of Health. By Eli Ben-Naim.
County Planning & Zoning Commission Meets April 13
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) will hold 2 public hearings at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 virtually on Zoom.
This meeting is open to the public.
Find the agenda to this meeting here: April 13, 2022 PZC Agenda.
Find the link to this meeting here.
Webinar ID: 842 6677 3075 Read More
On The Job In Los Alamos: Turning Yard-Cuttings Into Mulch
On the job in Los Alamos Friday at the County Eco Station a worker operates a front-end loader to scoop material from the yard-cuttings pile to feed into a grinder that turns the material into mulch. Photo by Ken HansonCone Zone: Week Of April 11, 2022
COUNTY News:
Public Works Projects:
The projects listed in this section are being managed by County Public Works staff through contractors. For more information, email lacpw@lacnm.us, call 505.662.8150, or visit the “Projects/Public Works” link at www.losalamosnm.us.
Please slow down and use caution within the construction work zones. Note: the below information is based on a schedule provided by the contractors and may change due to weather or other delays.
Sherwood Boulevard Roadway and Drainage Improvements
Sherwood Boulevard is closed to thru traffic for road and drainage work. Read More
Los Alamos County Council Recognizes Finance Division For Awards Received In Financial Excellence
New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón in January presenting Los Alamos County with the FY2020 Audit & Accountability Award in recognition of continued audit achievement and financial management excellence. Courtesy/LAC
County CFO Helen Perraglio
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Council recognized the County’s Finance Division at the March 29, 2022, Council meeting for receiving multiple national and state awards achieved in financial excellence this past year.
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) represents over 20,000 members of government officials in the Read More
High School Essay Contest Closes Monday April 25
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos students who would like to compete for a sponsorship to a youth rally this summer only have a couple of weeks left to turn in their essays.
The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is conducting an essay contest for high school students as part of an effort organized by Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS). A local student may receive a sponsorship to attend a week-long summer leadership rally in Idaho called the ICUA Youth Rally.
UAMPS will select 10 students from among its member organizations to send to the rally. DPU is a member of UAMPS so high school Read More
County Wishes Public Works Deputy Director Jon Bulthuis Happy Retirement At Special Gathering At Pajarito Site
After 30 years of going into the office, Los Alamos County Public Works Deputy Director Jon Bulthuis celebrates his retirement this afternoon at the Pajarito Cliffs Site. Bulthuis said he spent the bulk of his career in Santa Fe but worked the last seven years in Los Alamos, which, he said, ‘were some of the best years for sure.’ The greatest thing about working in Los Alamos is ‘the people – without a doubt the quality of the staff is just excellent throughout the organization,’ Bulthuis said. He joked that the one thing he won’t miss is the late-night council meetings. Now that he is retired, Bulthuis, Read More
Los Alamos County Finance Department Does It Again!
Top row, from left: Accounting Operations Manager Reese Chavarria-Quam, Chief Financial Officer Helen Perraglio, Payroll Coordinator Nicol Avila, Payroll Manager Sonya Ortiz, AP and PCard Administrator Nicholle Cordova. Middle row, from left: Senior Budget Analyst Yvette Atencio, Senior Management Analyst David Griego, AP Coordinator Rebecca Andrus and Senior Accountant Trina Suazo-Martinez. Bottom row, from left: Accounting Operations Manager Beatrice Odezulu, Senior Accountant Zhengyan Liu and Deputy Chief Financial Officer Melissa Dadzie. Not Pictured Budget & PerformanceRyti: Budget Hearings And Development Code Update
By RANDALL RYTI
Chair
Los Alamos County Council
County Budget hearings. The annual budget hearings are scheduled for four days – April 18, 19, 25 and 26. The budget process starts toward the end of the previous calendar year and is updated based on Council priorities with projected changes in revenues and expenses.
The County budget hearings are for the government fiscal year (FY) that starts July 1, 2022 (FY23) and a projection for the second year in the budget cycle starting July 1, 2023 (FY24). Some of the most significant assumptions for FY23 and FY24 are a 5 percent increase to salaries, a 4 percent Read More
New Los Alamos County Social Services Manager Kristine Coblentz Follows Passion To Support Community Wellbeing
New Los Alamos County Social Services Manager Kristine Coblentz in her office recently at the Municipal Building. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Kristine Coblentz’s new position as Los Alamos County Social Services Manager is an opportunity to follow her passion.
“I’m passionate about supporting the wellbeing of everyone in the community,” Coblentz said. “This is an opportunity to work more closely with our community partners to coordinate programs and services that benefit our residents.”
Coblentz began Read More
County Council Action Taken April 5
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
For the list of potential sites for new tennis courts, Los Alamos County Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to strike two off the list.
Council voted 7-0 to remove Mesa Meadows and Urban Park from the study evaluating possible locations for additional tennis courts. The remaining sites to be considered are North Mesa and Overlook Park. The removal of Mesa Meadows and Urban Park were the result of two citizen petitions. During public comment, there was almost unanimous support for deleting these two sites from consideration. Read More
On The Job In Los Alamos: Immaculate Auto Total Car Care Is Now Open For Business At 99 DP Road!
On the job in Los Alamos is Immaculate Auto Total Car Care now open for business at 99 DP Road! The team gathered for a photo Wednesday from left, James Johnson, Travis Rodgers, Kyle Moore, co-owner Erik Christensen, Arnella Borozdina (Chevrolet sweatshirt), co-owner Barbara Christensen, Shelby Moore and Kylie Stewart. Immaculate Auto Total Car Care is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and strives to be a one stop shop. They offer full detailing and light body work and full mechanic major and minor repairs. Erik Christensen is a certified Subaru Master Technician, ASE Automotive Service Read More
County: Canyon Rim Trail Partially Closed April 7-15
COUNTY News:
Contractors for Qualcon Builders (Canyon Walk Apartments) will be placing rock along the southside of the Canyon Rim Trail 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 7 through Friday, April 15 between DP Road and the Canyon Bridge.
During this activity, the southside of the trail will be closed intermittently when the rock is being placed by a small piece of equipment.
Contractor employees (flaggers) will be on site to direct trail users safely through the work area during these times. Trail users are asked to use caution and follow the direction of the flaggers during this work.
Direct questions Read More
On The Job In White Rock: Ministerial Alliance Members
On the Job in White Rock Tuesday are local Ministerial Alliance members gathered at Pig + Fig to discuss the state of ministry to the homeless population in Los Alamos County and the possibility of joining forces to build something better. From left, Pastor James Byerly of LaVista Church of the Nazarene, Reverend John Cullinan of Unitarian Church, member Camille Wescott of First United Methodist of Los Alamos, Ft. Theophan Mackey of St. Job of Pochaiv, Director Phillip Ortega of Faith Development at First United Methodist Church of Los Alamos, member Jeannie Gibson of First United Methodist Read More
Help Shape The Future Of Los Alamos County: CSD To Launch Community Survey Week Of April 11
Courtesy/CSD
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Community Services Department (CSD) has been working with professional consulting companies to assist in the development of an Integrated Community Services Master Plan that also will incorporate the ADA Transition Plan.
CSD will be sending a postcard to each household in Los Alamos County, inviting residents to partake in the statistically valid Community Survey. This survey was developed with multiple focus groups, which consisted of more than 200 people within the community.
Postcards soliciting citizen feedback are scheduled to Read More
NACo: Counties Applaud Additional COVID Recovery Aid Flexibility In Bipartisan Senate Bill
NACo CEO Matt Chase
NACo News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After months of advocating for additional flexibility, the National Association of Counties (NACo) welcomed its inclusion in the U.S. Senate’s bipartisan supplemental COVID preparedness legislation announced last night.
The package includes a bill proposed by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), which codifies the flexibility in the U.S. Treasury’s final rule allowing counties to allocate up to $10 million in American Rescue Plan funding in general government services. It also allows counties to use up to 30 Read More
Keith Lepsch Appointed To Fill Vacancy On County Council
Local flight nurse Keith Lepsch, flanked by his parents Donald and Priscilla Lepsch, is sworn in this evening by County Clerk Naomi Maestas, following his appointment by Los Alamos County Council to fill the council seat vacated earlier this year by Sean Williams. Donald wanted to let the community know that he and his wife ‘are so proud’ of their son and that he is 80 years old and his wife Priscilla is 82 years old. Daily Post Screenshot
Scene earlier this evening in Council Chambers of applicants for County Council, from left, Aaron Walker, Keith Lepsch and Jim Hall answering questions from council Read More
P&Z To Consider Proposed Ordinance Permitting Mobile Food Vending Throughout Los Alamos County
Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY News:
Proposed ordinance 02-320 will be presented via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, before the Los Alamos County Planning and Zoning Commission.
The ordinance was developed by the County’s Community Development Department (CDD) staff to support mobile food vending throughout Los Alamos County. Commissioners will vote whether to forward the ordinance May 24, to the County Council to be considered for adoption.
CDD officials explain that the Chapter 16 Development Code is silent on mobile food vending provisions in Los Alamos. Therefore, to support the 2016 Read More
New Round Of Hazardous Branch Trimming Underway
COUNTY News:
A new round of hazardous branch trimming is underway in Los Alamos and White Rock.
Residents may see Southwest Fire Defense & Tree Services professionals throughout the county mitigating hazards and power outages by trimming tree branches growing around power lines.
Southwest Fire Defense & Tree Services is under contract with the Electric Distribution Division of the Department of Public Utilities. DPU staff are responsible for identifying branches that need attention and will attempt to give residents advance notice via informational door hangers if tree trimmers Read More
Board Of Public Utilities To Hold Work Session Friday
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Board of Public Utilities will conduct a work session 11 a.m. Friday, April 8.
The meeting will begin with a presentation by FTI Consulting on the Los Alamos County Integrated Resource Plan and will include a portfolio analysis, findings and pivot strategies.
The agenda is attached and the complete BPU meeting packet, Zoom link, Webinar ID and call-in mobile/phone numbers are available online: https://losalamos.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
However, the BPU elected to hold work sessions remotely and work sessions WILL NOT livestream via the County Read More
