Libertarian James Wernicke stopped by the Post Monday to discuss his candidacy for Los Alamos County Council. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Libertarian James Wernicke is running for a seat on Los Alamos County Council. He recently stopped by the Los Alamos Daily Post to answer questions about the local election.
This is the fourth in a series of Q&As with political candidates that the Post will publish ahead of the Nov. 8 General Election.
POST: How long have you lived in Los Alamos?
WERNICKE: 10 years
POST: Where do you work?
WERNICKE: The lab
POST: Why are you running for County Council?
WERNICKE: To advocate for our workforce and families, making it easier, cheaper, and faster to build housing, and including local small businesses in economic development opportunities.
POST: County Council requires a significant time commitment, usually 4 council meetings a month, committee meetings and other events as well as reading preparation prior to those meetings. How will this fit in with your other commitments?
WERNICKE: Family comes first, then the urgent community needs where immediate action is required, then longer-term political affairs like Council. I’ve heard that politics were invented so retired people have something to do, but I feel that it’s essential to also have members of the younger workforce representing that community perspective. I enjoy being busy and look forward to the challenge.
POST: What do you believe is the role of the Council in our community?
WERNICKE: Act as an advocate for the public and advisor and accountability partner to the County government to help it best serve the public interest.
POST: Do you think you have any personal or professional relationships that could become a conflict of interest while serving as a Council member?
WERNICKE: No.
POST: What is your approach to handling controversial and complicated issues?
WERNICKE: For controversial issues, hear every side, identify what each group wants, then focus on solutions where everybody gets a fair benefit. For complicated issues, break them into simpler pieces so that a little progress can be made at a time instead of no progress because the project is too complicated. I solve problems by being energetic, optimistic, thinking outside the box, and managing – not avoiding – risks.
POST: What skills and experience do you have that you believe would be beneficial to the position?
WERNICKE: I’m raising young kids, giving me a current, first-hand perspective on the needs of families. I’ve worked my way up from a summer intern and am still in the workforce alongside students to senior managers. I have a background in data science, understanding how to acquire data, analyze it, and obtain actionable insights from it. I’m an avid trail steward, understanding and appreciating the impact of civilization on outdoor spaces. I’m involved in the local business community, own a local small business, and developing a benefit-focused business to provide indoor recreation in Los Alamos.
POST: What previous community involvement have you had in Los Alamos or another community?
WERNICKE: I organize youth STEM and rugby clubs. I’m involved with outdoor recreation groups, trail stewardship, bike patrol, and trail run aid station work. I participate in community service projects especially to support disaster victims, veterans, and families. I’m on the Personnel Board which supports County personnel. I attend as many community spirit events as I can. I believe the sum of these experiences makes me appreciate what is great about Los Alamos and gives me a reason to stand up for it.
POST: Based on what you know about County government, what do you see as the top priorities?
WERNICKE: Workforce housing (and the infrastructure needed for that growth) is the biggest issue. Making it easier to sustain local small businesses like dining, shopping, and entertainment is the next biggest issue.
